CHAPTER 26

I got a room in the orphanage where I could put all my things when I moved in. The orphanage building was huge and it has room for more that is why it takes a lot to take care of it. It already looks old before and now, it seems worst. But with paints and stuff, I think we can make it better since it was built sturdy and has a unique design. It was old but I still find it beautiful.

The owner of the building was a couple who didn't get to have children so they tried building an orphanage. When the couple died, they took the headmistress to take care of the things. The headmistress was taken here when she was 20 and now that she looks very old, the building itself must've been very old too. Lila was an orphan who grew up in this orphanage and chose to stay forever.

I was thinking about the funds when I remembered my brother was a businessman. I laughed at the thought of forgetting about it because I have never been back in years.

"Glad you called," he said before I could even say 'Hi'.

"I need to ask you something," I said.

"What is it?" he asked me.

"I need funds. Do you not have funds for donations?" I asked. I knew there were funds to donate to different kinds of groups like an orphanage and in return, the company gets an article for being so kind. It's not that genuine but I really need it right now.

"Nah, I donated it to a library nearby,"

"That's, disappointing. But it's okay,"

"Why do you ask?"

I climbed up to the bed before answering. "The orphanage is losing funds. The donations were stopped,"

"Why?" he asked me.

"I don't know,"

Silence took over for a few moments before he started talking again. "When are you coming back?" he asked me. I chuckled.

"Why? do you miss me?" I teased him.

"You've been by yourself for years. You didn't have a job yet," he told me.

About that, I was already planning on moving for work but not anytime soon.

"We'll see about that,"

"Why not sell your paintings and add them to the orphanage's funds?" I was brightened up by what he just said.

"You were right." I said and stood up from the bed, "I have a lot of paintings I could sell in my old room."

"Yeah, they were still in here. Why didn't you sell them in the first place?"

I tried to remember why but I couldn't think about any reason other than " I don't need money that time," I chuckled.

"I'll try to give what I can give, so, are you coming home?" he asked me.

"Tomorrow,"

"I'll get you a driver."

He was right. I have an art room within my room at home where I put a lot of paintings. If I could sell it, with the quantity of the paintings, I could get a lot of money from it.

He was so smart. I realized that I was slowly forgetting how I used to live before. Paintings didn't come into my mind because I stopped painting 2 years ago. If I could get more from that, I can repaint the orphanage or, I could make an account on social media to get help from people to boost the orphanage's funds.

That's a great idea! Social media is overpopulated today and there could be people with kind hearts who could donate and buy my paintings. I should come up with a scheme to attract more donators and buyers.

I didn't even think about this at first. I have a lot of followers and 5 or 10 of them might buy them. I post my paintings online but never really tried to sell them. I immediately opened my phone again and looked at my past paintings. These could make money for the orphanage. I don't need it for myself anyway. And I could even make more so I could sell more.

The thought got me up all night because I was so excited to start selling my paintings. The driver came exactly at 11: 30 am.

Lila walked me to the front gate with my bag. "Why did you bring a bag? Are you not coming back?" she asked me and I chuckled.

"No, It might take long but I'll come back,"

"I thought you were afraid of coming to the city," she said. I smiled at her. She knew I didn't want to go but I never told her why. They all have no clue about my past and what happened before I met them. Nor did they know that I lost a baby and a husband.

"I'll be fine, I guess?" I joked and went to the children to say goodbye and went into the car.

The thought of coming back after a long time is making me feel afraid. I might see people I know in the streets and I don't know what I would say if they ask me about what happened. Well, I can just stay at home.

The first stop is after a 6-hour drive. That was where we ate dinner and went to the comfort room to get through another 4-hour drive. It was already night time when I got to the city and the lights from the building were so nostalgic.

It's been years since I last saw a tall building because I tried hard not to come to the city because I was afraid to run across somebody. Especially him. I told him I was going out of the country but I didn't leave. I guess hiding is just the best way to do it.

I thought I would live a better life after we separate ways but it turned out to be the opposite because I spent years of trying to forget about him by hiding. Because I was too afraid to meet him, he never came out of my mind and it's annoying because it has been years ever since but his face still flashes into my mind at night.

I got to my parent's house which is now occupied by a single person which was, Ali. I immediately came in to see him and greet our maids after a very long time. He hugged me tightly when he saw me coming in from the door. "Damn, it has been so long," he whispered.

"Yeah," I chuckled and pat his back.

"Glad, I got to bring you back," I laughed at what he said. If he didn't recommend me to sell my paintings, I wouldn't come back here. We ate dinner and talked about how life has been in 2 yours.

It was fun having to talk with Ali and catch up with each other's life. "You still do not have a girlfriend?" I teased him.

"Why are you always curious about that?" he said and put the wine glass back on the table.

"Well, I'd like to have a sister-in-law you know," I said.

"When are you going to give me a brother-in-law then?" he asked and saw him regret what he just said. I tried to smile to not make him feel bad.

"Well, probably soon," I said. We went silent for a moment and it was awkward because we both knew it was because he mentioned something like that. I don't feel mad at him. It was him who felt bad suddenly. I was okay.

"Now that I have already mentioned it," he said and paused before talking. "Why did you file a divorce?"

I didn't tell him the reason.

I stopped looking at him for a moment and smiled out of the blue. "It's a secret," I smiled. I can't tell him that it started because of what he told me that night and it was about something that he also knew.

"Tss," he said and drank his wine. We changed the topic quickly and talked about work."When are you going to look for a job? Don't tell me you're going to stay in the orphanage forever?"

"What do you mean? Do you expect me to become one of those sisters?" I asked him. Shocked.

"I was afraid you might,"

"No!" I said and laughed. "I wasn't planning to stay forever,"

"But you weren't planning to leave,"

I stopped with what he said. He was right. It's the exact thing that was happening. "yeah,"

"You don't have to isolate yourself, Xhyrah. Come back and have a job here in the city, you can come back to the orphanage anytime," he told me.

"I know," I clinked my wine and said, "I just don't know what job to take,"

"You know graphic designing, don't you?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"There's this team we are partnering with, they were graphic designers that we hired for an animated advertisement," he said. "They are looking for more designers, I think you could join them,"

I looked up to the sky for a second. Graphic designing isn't actually my forte but I can do well in that field. "Does it pay a lot?" I asked. I am interested in the pay because since I have a home, and I can get free food here, I can work for the kids.

"$71,310 in a year I guess?"

My tongue clicked and I raised my thumb up, "That'd be fine,"

It's not that bad for only designing. "I heard they were partnered with other companies. They do graphic animation too,"

"I can do that too,"

"Well, are you gonna stay now?"

I smirked. "We'll see about that,"

Coming here was hesitant for me. What more working here? But I know, someday, I would e needing it too. I just can't stay unemployed, especially because I want to dedicate myself to raising the children in the orphanage.

I think I would think twice about working here. and applying to that said team.

But first, I rest to get ready and take photos of my paintings tomorrow. Ali told me to come upstairs because I had just come from a 10-hour drive and I need to rest. I came by my parent's room for a few minutes before coming into my room.

"Nostalgic," I said when I opened the door and saw my things untouched. I looked around and didn't see big differences from before. Things are in place and the sheets are clean.

I went into the bathroom and walked around the room for quite a while. I didn't come into my art room just yet because I will be entering it tomorrow. I touched old nostalgic things before I crawled up to my bed and rested my back on the comforting softness of my old bed.

I looked up at the ceiling and thought about things. And when the past started to occupy my mind again, I tried harder to get myself to sleep. I don't want to cry. Why was I born a fcking loser?

It's been years, stop thinking about it anymore.

I slept a few minutes later and the next day, I took Ali's camera and went inside my art room filled with paintings standing next to each other in every part of my room. I opened everything and felt nostalgic while I remember how I used to paint and draw a lot.

I remembered the times when I painted the drawings and had fun going through my memories as a child and a teenager. I took the best pictures of almost all of them and started posting them on my newly built Instagram account that I plan to use for selling my paintings. I put my favorite painting as the profile icon and posted it first. And then I posted more and more and more until I was satisfied.

I shared the account on my stories and asked my social media followers to follow and put the account on their stories because, in every post, I put why I was gathering money with my paintings. A lot liked the post and I was very happy about it.

I received a lot of messages asking for prices and buying the paintings. I replied to all of them and did my best to give the highest price that I could get for my paintings. I was quite shocked that they'd still buy it but I was happy at the same time.

I opened a message from another user.

[How much is this painting?]

She texted and a few moments after, I saw her appear in my messages and she sent a picture. It was a screenshot of the painting I posted a few years ago at Zach's house. It was the painting of him sitting in front of me while I was painting and I added him to the scene.

I felt shivers and gulped before I texted the user that the painting wasn't available..

[Aww, too bad it wasn't. I liked it very much when you posted it. I like your paintings so much and this was my favorite. I'd buy more from you later. Please if you could sell this painting for me, I can get it for a really high price. I want it real bad, thank you,]

I thanked the user for her compliments and dropped myself on the bed. "I'm sorry but this painting cannot be sold,"