Past time

ALEXIA GRAHAMBELL POV

Blue sky above me. I find myself wondering what Susan and the others are doing. they must be having a lot of fun with Dad Maxon. I sigh.

Wish I could go too. I am missing all the fun. I stare up at the irregular shapes in the sky. its peaceful today. no fighting planes.no chaos. only if everyday it could be like this.

"Never" I startle up. Did she just answer my thoughts?

"Huh?" I turn my head to face Evalyn.

"It could never be peaceful. we are humans and humans a prone to mistakes and crime and greed. And greed means chaos. so it will never be always peaceful" Evalyn answers.

" why do you always think of bad stuff,Eva."

" that is the reality. gotta accept it." she rolls her eyes. She ain't even looking at me. she is still staring the blue sky.

" don't try to act all biggy biggy okay. you are only four months older than me. And how do you know what I was thinking.?" I get up and glare at her.

"Cheh, you have a very simple kid mind and I hate it." she answers this time looking directly in my eyes. I feel a shiver running down my eyes. why? I don't know. there is something about her eyes that kinda scares me.

But sometimes those very eyes brings comfort as well. How? I need to have a huge amount of courage to ask her that.

"EVALYN , ALEXIA GET OVER HERE RIGHT NOW AND HELP ME." Natasha's voice serves as the perfect excuse to escape her stare.

"Let's get over there or she will kill us,eh?" I stand up and offer Eva my hand. she takes it and helps herself off.

I dust off my skirt and run off to help Natasha and Manman.

Although war is raging outside. Although the whole country is at stake. Although I don't have anyone to call mumma or dadda. I have Mamman and Evalyn and Natasha and Stacey.

I do not need anyone else except for them. I am happy with them and the other new kids and our most recently joined friends. Dad Maxon and Natalie. I really like Dad Maxon. I mean who wouldn't. he is handsome,thoughtful,gentle and what not. and most importantly he makes Mamman happy.plus they look cute together. Everyone in orphanage likes him. Everyone except.... Evalyn Whittaker. I don't know what is in her. she practically hates Dad Maxon. Then again she hates everyone. Even though I know she shows hatred towards me I love her. after that day I knew her truly so I will always be happy with them.

Some hours later

"STACEY, AMANDA, NATALIE, JOHN,NO NO NO NO NO. IT CAN'T HAPPEN. WHERE IN THE HELL DID THEY TAKE THEM. YOU TELL ME WHERE ARE MY KIDS. THEY ALL ARE LITTLE KIDS FOR GOD'S SAKE. WHY DO THEY HAVE TO.............." Mamman's been crying a lot ever since Dad Maxon came. ALONE. None of my friends were with him! As Manman is saying; the bad people took them away.

"Stacey. Won't she come back? what will the bad people do to her?" I ask Manman.

it wasn't a good question to ask. Manman started to cry more.

"WHERE IS SHE?" a voice boomed from some where behind me.

I turn around to see a blood shot eyed Evalyn glaring and Dad Maxon.

" Eva......" Dad Maxon starts but Evalyn cuts him off. "My name is Evalyn Whittaker not Eva. do not call me like we know each other really well. I hate you"

Evalyn gritted her teeths. She is more scary when she talks like that.

I hide behind Natasha. however cool I try to act in front of her or no matter how much I love her I am still scared of her when she turns like that.

But I am not getting one thing she is saying.

"YOU WANT ME. TAKE ME AND BRING THEM BACK. BRING STACEY BACK. I WILL GO WITH YOU." she is screaming.

"Eva..." Mamman tries to speak but Eva cuts in.

"Mamman, I am going to say this again. I hate him. Come back. Wake up and see him. he is not what you think he is. please."

"Eva if you think I will leave you guys behind and marry him. then you wrong. I love him and you kids. Don't...."

Before Mamman can even finish. Eva broke down and yelled. And that was the first time I ever saw that girl shed tears. Even though she was just 8 years old i never saw her cry. NEVER.

We should have believed her then though.

**Present time

EVALYN WHITTAKER'S POV**

"that's it. I can't wait any longer. I am going in whether you like it or not." I say as I try to rush in but Natasha stops me by placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Ahhhhhhhh" we hear a scream just as Natasha makes me seat on the chairs lining by the walls.

Both of us dashed into the room.

I punched the first person I see restricting me from going. I don't turn back to see who I punched I just rush to Alexia's side.

" Did they hurt you? Are you okay? " we check all over her.

she chuckles " you two are like over-protective parents I never had. it was that trainee over there who screamed. Not me" she points towards the boy.

"Shut up and tell where you are hurting." I say.

"I am not hurting anywhere. they numbed my entire left leg. I can't even feel it. this so doesn't feel right" she pouts.

Have anyone ever seen a 26 years old pout like that? Well I did.

"Cheh, look at you. Who will ever say you are 26 years old." Natasha exclaims.

"Your thigh is all good now. Try not to move around much and avoid touching the water." The doctor says from somewhere. I can't see anything except the bandage on her thigh. I am really going to kill that punk with my bare hands. No one gets away hurting Alexia. No one. So this murderer will never get away with it.

Suddenly Alexia starts to get up and we both push her down.

"Didn't you hear the doctor. Stay still,idiot." Natasha flicks her finger on her forehead.

"Then how in hell am I gonna get home now. I hate this shitty stretch, Ahhh---"

I pick her up bridal style in my arms.

"HEEEYYY, Eva let go" she starts wriggling.

"Stop moving. You will hurt yourself . Didn't you say you hate this stretcher." I say.

" That means you will pick me up like this?" she glares

"Cheh"

" I will get the nurse to bring a wheelchair. You guys proceed" Natasha says as she calls for a nurse. Wait shouldn't there be nurses in a operation room.

"Why this there no nurse in a operation room?" I ask as I make my way through doors with Alexia in my arms.

She rolls her eyes. "People are scared of you, Eva. Now that you mentioned it. Don't you think you need to keep your fist in check?" She glares at me again.

"Whatever, I try you know" I shrug a little.

"And by that you mean?"

.

.

Saved by the wheelchair. I ignore her and make her sit on the wheelchair.

" You are as light as feather. let us eat at Starbucks" I say as we wait for the elevator.

"No I want Josh special." Alexia looks up at us.

"I knew you would say that. I already called him to come over at Eva's." Natasha explains.

" Yayyaa. it's been a while since we hung out together and I miss my cutie Xav,too." Alexia exclaims as we load her into the elevator.

We really know---WAIT,HOLD ON.

"Why at my place?" I look at them, bewildered.

"heheheee" both of them giggles.

uh oh

" cause we miss Xav" they say in unison and a chill runs down my spine.

.

.

.

.

I am having a really bad feeling about this.

EVALYN WHITTAKER'S POV

"Don't tell me that you are not going to come this time as well." Natasha booms from the other side of the phone.

"Umm....the ceremony starts at 6:00pm and they will start distributing the awards at 7:00pm. I can go there at 6:45 but after that they won't even let ME enter." I say on the phone as I stare across my yard.

"Well maybe if you squeeze your time schedule a little bit you can come over for the last half, don't you think?"she insists on.

"That's gonna be really stressful for me you know that. From 2 pm to 6:05pm I have a non stop work schedules. I need to visit 12 different parts of the company. Need to go over 15000 workers and at the same time looking for all the loopholes in it. oh and not to mention always looking around for inspiration to write anything plus today I will be finally kicking that John's *** out of my entertainment sector and I have set up a lot of schemes but you know what I am not dreading any of this. What I am really is after 6:05 I have to take Alexia to the Mall cause she will be my partner for the ceremony and you are telling me to squeeze time. Hilarious, Tasha." I say in one breath.

" okay I know that you are busy woman but can you please come over. please the chairman is really killing me. He is really super duper angry and he is relenting all that on me. oh and I know I am being a selfish bitch right now but can you at least come over for the last half only. we won't need u more than that. I promise." she says.

I sigh.

"Tasha--"

"That's it I am not begging anymore. Come over or lose the post. It's an order directly from your senior. You can't not follow it."

I sigh and roll my eyes. I really didn't go there for the last two years and so the chairman will be angry with me but it really is going to be really stressful for me if I go. I sigh again.

"okay fine you can fire me Rank one Major General, Natasha Elizabeth Scarlet"

" EVAAAAAAH"

"ok I will try but no assurance. I might not be able to but I will try my best to come"

Tasha screams from the other side of the phone and that's what makes me smile. She really knows me,Huh? Me saying that literally means I am coming. I sigh again. Am I sighing a lot these days? Come to think of it even after all these Tasha and Alexi didn't change a bit. Making them happy is still really easy.

"ok, bye then see ya later"

"hmm" I say as I cut the line.

Let me call Stephen about the upgrade in the schedule.

" hey Stephen cancel my lunch time less and my last stop will be the government hall."

"but Ma'am..." he starts.

"no buts. nothing serious will happen if I cancel my lunch time one day. okay bye take care" I say as I cut off the line.

I sigh thinking today will be another hectic day. There is still time before I need to get going and Xav is also in class now. I don't have anything to do now so.... maybe I can get a little time for myself and relax a bit.

And all of a sudden why am I having an urge to ride a roller coaster now?

but won't it be really be weird if I go there all by myself? yah it's better to skip it. Let me take a stroll around national park instead.

Hmm.....that sounds relaxing enough.

I grab my cap and mask and lazily walk downstairs. no one is home at this time of day.

I get my skates, my bag with an extra boot in case I need it and open the main door but even before I can cross my yard I feel my phone vibrate in my jeans pocket.

"Aish. I really thought I can relax a bit before 6:00" I mumble to myself angrily. Maybe I can break the phone and say it fell in pond or something. Aisshhh why didn't I switch off my phone.

I reluctantly bring out my phone and slide up to see.

Whoa. Thanks God. It's a YouTube notification.

Still to be on the safe side I better turn off my phone. I turn it off and drop it inside my coat pocket.

I slung the backpack over my left shoulder and skate out of my residence. I steadily skate around through the footpath. it really is relaxing when no one recognizes you. It's not like I am an idol but they somehow still recognizes me and gawks at me. it sure feels relaxing. I give a push from my right foot and make my way towards the national park. I skate all around the park.

I see a lot of families here and some sweet couples. i am looking at one of the couples when I feel myself bumping into something. the thing wasn't enough to make me lose balance though. I think it was the thing that got. But before I can look down to see the thing....

"WAAAAAAH" I hear a child's cry. I look around to see where it was coming from but.....why is everyone staring at me?

I quickly look down and see a 3 year old on her butts crying her eyes out.

My eyes widen when I realized that the thing I bumped into was this tiny girl.

I quickly crouched myself to her level and stretch out my hand to give her my

handkerchief.

"I am sorry. I didn't see you little girl." She takes my handkerchief and blows her nose with it.

" Oc course yow deedn't see me. Yow were looking at my sister and her bowfend."

I chuckle. it feels like I have went back in the past when I first met Alexia. She couldn't pronounce the word 'f' and 'u' even.

Xavier never faced problems like that. He was always so mature. I remember he didn't cry much except for when he was hungry or needed a change. I remember I ditching pampers when he was just 2.5 years old. I never once treated him like a child. He was always understood everything so fast.

" I am telling yow he loves my sister. He won't love yow no matar how peety yow an more dan my sis and I like him as my banthen two"

I chuckle " How do you know that I am more pretty than your sis. I am wearing a mask. You can't see my face"

" yown eyes and hain an peety. I don't believe yow an ugly. Mama says people with peety eyes an peety because thein haat is peety."

I smile. this girl will surely be loved by a lot. She is just so cute.

"Don't look at my banthen and sis.okay?"

I stifle my laugh and nod.

Gosh she is so protective of them and did she take my handkerchief with her as well. I shake my thinking how she will be when she will grow up.

I look at the time in my wrist watch. Wow, I still have an hour to spend here. I look around and find a place to sit. i skate around more and then settle down on the park bench.

I was observing the people in the park when I felt someone sitting beside.