Warning: Panic Attack

It was adoption day at the orphanage, and while the other kids swarmed their potential parents, and I sat huddled in a corner. I've been at this orphanage since I five years old after my parents were killed in a house fire. That was eight years ago....I'm thirteen, and afraid of everyone. I'm Rae, and this is my story.

I watch as kids walked to and from different adults. Every once in a while an adult would approach me, only to walk away as they watched me shake in fear. No one knew why I was so afraid of adults, except my best friend Aricka, and Miss. Adeline, the orphanage coordinator. I was only 7 when I was put into a foster home. When I was first put in the home everything was fine. But by the third month I had bruises forming from being used as a punching bag for my foster father. For a year I was beaten everyday. My foster mother never knew, she was always at work. Then one day, my foster dad picked me up out of bed one morning, tossed me in the backseat of his car. A half hour drive later I was back at the orphanage. He pulled me out of the car and practically threw my on the steps of the orphanage, knocked on the door then walked away leaving me on the steps in tears. I met Aricka, and she protected me from then on.

I looked up at the sound of footsteps. There in front of me was the same man that I spent a year with, destroying my mental health. I let out a high pitched scream, drawing the attention of many of the parents. Suddenly I felt arms around me, causing me to scream and panic even more, my vision blurring with tears. The arms were quickly moved, but then I felt someone lift my hand was lifted up and placed on someone's chest. I did my beat to follow their breath, every time I missed a breath I would panic, but I could hear a muffled voice telling me it was okay. Once I was calm I looked up at the person who had calmed me down. He wore blue jeans, a Steven Universe shirt. He had beautiful brown eyes and brown hair. He was smiling at me, but I could see the concern in his eyes. I smiled at him, then launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck, silently thanking him. He hugged me back, then suddenly I was handed off to someone else. I smiled when I felt long hair. I buried my head in Aricka's neck, and began to fall asleep. I was small but tall and skinny for my age, so anyone could hold me. It wasn't long until I felt a bed beneath me, I was laid down, and my snow leopard put under my arm, and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

A/N: Chapter One is up! Chapter two up soon!