Chapter 9

Amelia

Dear Mrs. Wendy,

I have arrived at the Central yesterday, and my stay is quite nice so far. People here are so kind to help me with my way here. I found a dormitory to stay in, and it's beautiful. I have a good view of the palace and of the Central, and I'm planning to explore the city after I write this letter.

I'll be looking forward to seeing you again, Mrs. Wendy. I miss you. I'm so excited to be back in ballet classes with you.

Amelia

~~~

The sun is shining brightly and warmly, so I decided to wear a dress for my walk outside. It wasn't really that hot so I decided not to bring an umbrella.

I walked down the stairs and saw Imelda reading at the desk.

"Good morning, Imelda," I greeted her with a smile.

She looks up and smiles back. "Oh, good morning, dear. Walk outside, I reckon?"

I nodded. "It's a good day to walk around the Central, I suppose."

"Yes, it is. Are you going to meet your tutor today?"

"I'll be sending her a letter first. She needs to be informed when someone is coming to visit her."

She nodded while taking a look at me. "Your dress is lovely."

"Oh, thank you. So is yours."

Imelda smiled brightly. "Why, thank you, dear. You are the first person to be kind to me this morning. My daughter isn't that kind like you."

"I'm sorry. But I'm sure she's a good person."

"I could barely tell that she is. She's such a bully to everyone, including me."

I smiled. I don't know if I would cross paths with her soon or never at all. But I know she could be friendly.

"What's her name?"

"Her name's Aurora. My husband wanted that name for our little girl."

"That's a beautiful name."

She agreed with a nod. "It is. Yours is, too, Amelia."

I saw her look down on my wrist.

"That's a beautiful bracelet."

I raised my arm to look at it and smiled. "Thank you. It was my necklace when I was a baby."

When I asked Papa where he got this necklace, he said I was born with it. He didn't say where he bought it. I didn't think about it too much, so I went along with it. Besides, a little girl would actually believe she was born with a necklace because it had her name on it. As if it was a name tag or some sort.

But now that I'm 20 years old, I guess I'll know it all on my own.

"Now, I'll be going. Do you want to come with me? Maybe you could take me on a tour around the Central."

"I'd love to, but I have errands to do," she replied with a frown.

"That's okay. More chance for me to meet new people."

Imelda laughed at my enthusiasm, and I finally headed out, not really sure where to start.

~~~

Alexa

"Will you take me to see the prince?"

"Are you really friends with the prince?"

"You're going to the palace to visit the prince?"

Zia, Delilah, and Eric kept asking me questions while I folded my clothes. It was a relief that the other kids are downstairs because dealing with three kids who have endless questions is quite a work.

"If given the chance, I will be seeing him again. And maybe I could let you meet him."

"Is he more handsome than me?" Eric asked with pouted lips.

I laughed and ruffled his hair. "You are more handsome, Eric.

"See? I told you I'm more handsome than the prince," Eric said with a proud voice.

"You wish," Zia sassed.

"Is he kind?" Delilah asked with big eyes.

"He is," I spoke with a low voice.

"Will he play with us soon? I want to meet him!"

I had to tell them about me leaving the orphanage soon, but I still couldn't decide if I should. Celeste wanted me to take that opportunity, that chance that I was longing for for 19 years. But I'm scared.

I don't know how to tell them, but at some point, I have to. Rather than having them see me leave without any explanation why. It hurt me to leave them here while I was looking for my real family.

"You will. Soon. Now go play with the others downstairs. I'll catch up when I'm done here."

"Okay!" The three stood up and ran out of the room, leaving me with my clothes. I finally pulled out my bag from under my bed and put in clothes that I already folded.

I purposely hid my bag from them because, even though they're still kids, they could still suspect that I will leave. Leave where? No idea, but at this point, they would believe it when someone walked in to adopt me, and I would be leaving with my new family.

I still wasn't sure whether I should consider Prince Stephen's help, but here I am packing up my things in case I really did consider it just to make things easier for me. I don't have to rush if it were the case.

I stood up and went to the closet to grab the rest of my things. All that's left were pictures of the orphanage, Celeste and the kids, and me with the kids, papers filled with scribbles that I made when I was a kid, and a small necklace that seemed fit for a baby. I put them all in my bag except for the necklace, which I examined in my hand.

It had a crystal pendant that had a name engraved on it. Alexandra, it said.

I haven't seen this ever since I have grown in this orphanage. Celeste must have kept it in the closet together with some of my clothes. I didn't consider rummaging through my things before until now.

Celeste comes in on me holding the necklace and sat on my bed. "You were wearing that necklace when we found you. We didn't know anyone in the village who would make those necklaces."

"It's a crystal?"

"Seems like a real one, too. Only the rich can afford to buy such."

I looked at Celeste. "Do you think my family...?"

"I believe so," she told me, understanding what I wanted to say.

I sat beside Celeste and examined the necklace closely, touching the pendant with my fingertip to feel the crystal. I barely have any memory of my life before I lived in the orphanage. How could I remember anything? I was a baby when I got lost.

"I don't know how to tell the kids," I spoke while staring at the necklace.

"You'll know. You have to."

I stared at the distance, with the necklace just sitting on my palm. "I just can't imagine leaving them. They're like my siblings. They're my family. You're my family."

Celeste held my hands. "And we'll understand that you have to leave. Alexa, you've been dreaming of finding your family for years. Now your dreams are coming true. This is an opportunity you can't miss."

I sighed.

Hearing my sigh, she continued. "I know you're scared to try. And I know you're terrified of leaving us. But fear is part of life. You need to take that big leap. It's all about being brave and facing everything that comes your way."

Celeste stands up from the bed and walks to the door, then pauses and looks back at me. "You're one step closer to your dream. Reach for it."

As she walked away, I took one last look at the necklace, with a train of thoughts running through my head and a longing heart inside me.

It took me a few minutes before I stood up and put the necklace in the bag, sealing it and leaving it seated on my bed.