CHAPTER 1

"Her name is Elliot Key.",- said one of the two men sitting in the darkroom of the old Hillgary orphanage. "Her parents died in a car accident as soon as she was born, and ever since then, she's been here.",- the orphanage director continued,-"Are you sure you want to adopt her?". The second man only nodded his head in approval of the question. There was a pause that was interrupted by the sound of a stack of papers being put on the table. "After signing these documents you will legally become this child's guardian."- he finished and held out a pen. The second man took the pen given by the director and in a few minutes, Elliot's life would completely change.

“Life comes at us in waves. We can’t predict or control those waves, but we can learn to surf.”

— Dan Millman

Not even the smartest person on earth can predict the future. No one knows what's ahead, we can guess and sometimes those guesses turn out to be true, but they are only guesses, it is impossible for someone to know 100% what will come next. If we could, life would be easier, we could get ready for any events and already know all the secrets that the universe holds. But if I were to make a choice to know all of the secrets of the universe or to keep on living life, I would choose the second option. The whole point of our existence is the mystery. We make mistakes and get to make our own choices. And even if maybe our life has already been decided for us, it's the feeling of the unknown, the feeling of curiosity that keeps us going. We don't know what's ahead, we don't know when our life will end or when the lives of our loved ones and friends will come to an end. We can't be ready for everything, for that's just impossible. We just have to be grateful and keep going no matter what, we have to dream and make those dreams reality. Because one day our life can turn around completely, and we aren't in control of it. It could turn around for the better or for the worst. We'll never know, but no matter what, no matter what challenges come our way, we have to fight them and keep going, for that is the formula of success.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey guys, this is my first time writing such a big book and I hope you guys like it. If you have any ideas or suggestions that you'd like to add or any questions you'd like to ask me, feel free to comment down below and I promise that I will attend and answer all of your comments. Oh, and please like, comment and give this book a 5-star rating, I will be very thankful if you will. ❤❤❤

-Author :)

CHAPTER 2

Elliot never knew her parents. She never felt the love and care only a parent could give. As soon as she was born she was already in an orphanage. It wasn't a bad orphanage, but it still wasn't the same as having a real home. Her orphanage was named after it's created - mr. Hillgary back in the twentieth century for the richer people of the city. So if any rich people were to want kids, but couldn't make their own, Hillgary orphanage was the place to adopt a child who's parents were of the higher class. And believe it or not it is still running to this day. Because of it's status the children were already educated by amazing teachers, already taught the basic manners and subjects every young lady and gentleman would need to become the child of any big CEO or boss, or any rich person who wanted to adopt a child. And when such parents would want to adopt a child to have a heir to their fortune and company they would pick Hillgary orphanage, for that was best orphanage in the world for that matter.

A lot of Elliot's friends were already adopted, but she never thought to be adopted by anyone. She thought of herself as average, or as average as anyone could be at such an orphanage. She had her interests and hobbies, but she just couldn't imagine being adopted. It was impossible for her to imagine what kind of parents would want to adopt her. Would they be kind? Or cold? What would they look like? She just knew that she wasn't special and that no one would want her. She already had a plan tho. She decided that as soon as she'd turn old enough to leave the orphanage, she'd get a scholarship and learn at a prestigious university. After the university she'd find a good job at some kind of big company, then meet someone she'd like, marry him and start a family. That was her plan. She came up with it at a very young age and ever since then followed it. She really liked math and she was considered one of the best in her whole school. She also really liked to read books about adventures and ships, and she would any free second she could get. This day was no different. Elliot's classes had just finished and she'd sat at a bench that faced the orphanage playing field that was just behind the school. There was z game going on at the field, but Elliot wasn't paying attention to it. She was too caught up in a very interesting book she had just picked up at the library. It was about an adventurer who was sailing thru the ocean on a ship. The adventurer fought pirates, went on amazing adventures, and met very interesting people and animals. Elliot was imagining to be on the ship with him, every little wave and emotion he would feel, she would feel as well. If it was an interesting part where he was running thru the jungle, she'd feel every step, experience every heartbeat and sensation. She was just on a very interesting part where there was a storm and the ship was about to sink when all of a sudden the loudspeakers went on. At first, it startled her, but then she realized that the words that came out of it were addressed to her. The loudspeakers said, - "Miss. Elliot Key, please report to the main office, Miss. Elliot Key please report to the main office." Elliot sighed as she but a bookmark on the page of the book that she was reading. As she was walking up the stairs that lead to the main office she already knew why she was called up there. You see the Hillgary orphanage had a lot of rules. Some of the rules made sense, such as no playing inside with any balls or sports equipment, or no taking any animals inside the dorms or rooms of the building. While others made no sense at all, for instance: no using any computers to read or find out the meaning of any words, or no using school paper to draw, you could only use the special paper given it the library (even tho it was the same exact paper). One of the rules that Elliot hated was that you couldn't eat any snacks after 10 PM. If it was 9:59 PM, then that was alright, but it was 10 PM, you'd get a punishment. Elliot really hated this rule because she really loved to read before going to sleep and while reading she really liked to eat a small snack. But while reading she wouldn't check the time, so it wasn't rare at all that she'd get punished for it. She was getting ready to make a little speech about how sorry she was about eating and how she'd never do it again and bla bla bla... As she came up to the top floor and stood outside the main office door, she took a deep breath, knocked 3 times, and opened the door.

CHAPTER 3

Inside the room were two men. One of the two was the director of the orphanage, everybody knew him. The second man, tho she had no idea who he was. She was kinda puzzled because she thought that there would only be the director, but it didn't matter. She was ready for the director to say the words she'd heard a thousand times before. About how could she break the rules, and that it was unacceptable. But those words never came. The words that did come tho were something she'd never expect to hear. The director smiled when he saw her, and with an optimistic tone spoke, - "Oh, here she is, this is miss Elliot Key",- he said looking at the second man, then he turned to Elliot and said, - "Miss Elliot, we have some amazing news for you, this man has adopted you and became your legal guardian."- he said still smiling. Elliot was shocked. She never expected to be adopted and stood there in silence and disbelief. There was a pause that was interrupted by the second man, who stood up and walked up to her. The first thing she noticed was his emerald green eyes and his coal-black hair. She was still silent. "Let's go",- said the second man. His voice was soft but cold. He started making his way to the door. Elliot still in uncertainty could only follow. They walked through the entire building, then the front yard, where a big, black car was waiting for them. The driver opened the door of the car and they got in. And only when they started driving out of the Hillgary orphanage, the only home she'd ever had, she finally came to her senses.

The big, black car was still driving through the streets of the big city when Elliot realized that she was actually adopted, that she'd never returned to that orphanage and never see her friends and teachers. It felt like it was just a dream, just five minutes ago she had a plan, she knew how her life would be and what she'd do in the future, now she knew nothing. She didn't know where she was driving, she had no idea who that man was and why he adopted her, and she didn't know what the future would give her. She kinda felt sad, because she already started to picture being alone, without any of her friends. But she also felt curious: who was the man who had adopted her, where were they going, what would happen next. She looked out the window to see the streets of the busy city. The people were like ants: all going something or doing something. Then she looked at the man. The man who was now her new father. Who was he? Did he have a wife? Where did he work? She wanted to ask him all of the questions that she had but didn't know where to start. In the end, she decided to ask him later. They drove for about half an hour when they reached a big gate. The gate opened and they went up a road that lead to a big mansion. Ivy and ferns grew through the crevices of the old winding stone path, which led directly to the colossal structure. The mansion loomed proudly behind creaky iron gates, flanked by rows of skeletal trees crowned in crimson, swaying gently to the chilly autumn wind. At its threshold stood the delicate marble fountain, the soft gurgling of the clear water melodic as it resonated in the surrounding silence. It looked really big and beautiful."Was this her new home?",- Elliot thought. The driver got out and opened the car door. She got out first.