Talia's pov

Several days passed, and I felt so much better. No feeling of being watched or seeing someone suspicious looking at me. I created in my mind this crazy scenario, and I believed it. No one is stalking me. Why would anyone want to stalk me?

I was lying in bed reading my favorite book. Mr. Darcy's words always make my spine shiver, no matter how many times I read this novel.

"If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever." - (Pride and Prejudice)

Finding love like this is impossible. To find someone who would love you unconditionally and never leave you is great imagination, but far away from reality. I crave to be loved by someone so much my heart aches. It's difficult to wait for something that might never happen.

A knock on the door made my head turn up from reading. "Come in!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry to disturb your peace, but Mr. Elwood is requesting your presence. He said it's urgent." The cleaning lady explained as she entered my room..

"Urgent? Did something bad happen to Stacey?!" I hadn't seen her for a few hours, and her class ended a long time ago.

"Miss Stacey is fine; she's already in his office," she replied.

I got up from my bed and rushed to Mr. Elwood's office. It must be something bad if we both need to be there. I knocked on the door before I opened it. Stacey was sitting in a chair, and her head was turned to face the wall.

"Miss Talia, please sit down." Mr. Elwood said when he noticed me. I sat next to Stacey, but she didn't even look at me.

"Please stay calm. I'm announcing excellent news." Excellent news? Then why is Stacey acting weird?

"The day after tomorrow, you will leave this orphanage. A lovely woman came today and adopted you. All the requirements for your adoption meet the conditions that she has. I know you might be in shock-"

My body started to tremble, and my breathing got faster. I couldn't gasp for air. I only heard the sound of my racing heart. No, no, no this is not happening. All my body parts shivered uncontrollably. I wanted to say something, but tears flooded my eyes. I was only capable of that. This is the first time in years I have felt such heartache.

Stacey turned around when she heard me start to cry, "Tali?! Please don't cry. I-I want you to be finally happy and have a family. You have a chance of having a normal life. You need to move on-"

"No, I don't!" I shouted at her, "Why are you like this I-I don't recognize you; where is my best friend, whom I made plans with? Where the fuck is she?" Stacey's eyes filled with tears again.

"Talia, please calm down-" Mr. Elwood urged as he stood up.

"Don't tell me what to do!" I screamed at him. I rose from the chair and pointed a finger at her, "You- you really want me to leave? After all these years of living in the same room? Laugh and cry together and now you want me to go?"

I turned to Mr. Elwood, still with a pointed finger, "Why? Why for the sake of god did you do this to me? You are a traitor; you knew I had plans with Stacey! Why did you allow her to adopt me?" Tears ran down my cheeks uncontrollably, and my head started to hurt from crying. I felt like my world was slowly falling apart, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"I thought of you as my dad h-how could you?" I said it through my teeth. I didn't give him a chance to answer; I was already out of his office. I slammed the door so strongly that it nearly broke.

I ran down the stairs, and all the employees were looking at me as if I were crazy.

My blood was boiling. I couldn't stop running. My legs unexpectedly stopped working, as I ran outside to get a hint of fresh air. I fell to my knees.

"Tali! I'm so sorry." She rushed up to me and tightly embraced me. "Please talk to me! There's nothing I could do about it, and you know it too." She turned my chin to look at her. "I don't want to leave you-" I stuttered in tears. I can't leave this place without Stacey. I just can't leave her here alone.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I know, but listen to me, our friendship is not over," Stacey assured me and I returned the hug. "Let's go to our room. Everyone is looking at us." She then slowly picked me up, and helped me get to my feet.

All the kids that were outside playing were looking at me with confused faces, and Mr. Elwood didn't even glance at me when we passed through him. Everything inside me was burning as I felt helpless. There was nothing I wanted more than to hide under my bed.

When we got into our room, I ran to my bed and draped the bed sheet over my head. It all seemed like a bad dream, and I wish I could wake up from it. Stacey sat down on the edge of the bed. "I don't know how much time we have left, but you should stop crying. We should enjoy our time together." She pulled down my bed sheet.

"I was hoping for this day to come. I prayed every night to have a mom again. Why not sooner? Why now? Aghh! I hate this." I covered my eyes with my forearm.

"Maybe this was meant from the beginning. Don't be mad at Mr. Elwood he didn't mean any harm." Stacey noted.

"Yeah, for sure..." I rolled my eyes.

"Wait, I have something for you." She quickly ran to her nightstand and took something from it. I wiped my tears with my fingers and sat down.

"Here, I know it's a weird present, but I think it's useful." She opened both of my hands and placed a phone and pocket knife on them. "Why are you giving me this?" I giggled.

"Because we can talk to each other over the phone, and the knife is for your safety - if something bad happens..." Her smile slowly disappeared. I exhaled, "Stacey..." I tightly touched her hand.

"I'll visit you next year, so don't worry about me, okay?" She was fighting back tears. Even though she tried to act fine with me leaving, I know how much she suffers inside. "Okay..." I replied.

I'm afraid Stacey is going to feel lonely in this room without me. I just hope she will make a new friend. She pushed other people away because of me. It's not the right thing to do just because of my selfishness. Because I don't trust others as easily as she does. I am an awful friend, and I don't deserve her friendship.

After some talking, she convinced me to accept what had just happened. I cried a few tears after that and somehow fell asleep. My head and my eyes were burning. The only thing I wish for is an end to all this.

The pain.

Stacey's pov

I was having a class when all of a sudden Mr. Elwood interrupted it. He indicated that he wanted to talk to me by moving his head to the side. I know how much he cares about Tali. She is very important to him, but I never liked him.

Maybe because I knew somewhere deep down he would one day separate us.

"Miss Stacey, can you come with me into my office? There's a matter I need to discuss with you privately," he whispered to me.

"Sure." We walked up the stairs into his office, and I sat down in the chair.

"I know how close you are to Miss Talia, and I'm so sorry to tell you this, but this morning she got adopted. I know it's sudden, but it's time for her to leave."

I grabbed the handles of the chair so tightly that my hands were on fire. My eyes have already welled up. This one sentence ruined my day and my plans for the future. I never thought I would go through this pain again. The pain of losing someone.

I am so selfish; I only think about my comfort. It never occurred to me that someone would adopt her. I know deep down she needs to let go of me and finally be happy. I remember the days she cried her heart out when no one wanted her.

She says she only needs me as her family and that I am good enough for her. I want to believe that, but the truth is different. Every teenager needs a family and a home. Maybe I felt a bit jealous too.

"You need to tell her she needs to let go of you; otherwise it's going to be more difficult for her to leave. I want her to have a proper home, and if she stays here, it's never going to happen." The corners of his eyes crinkled.

She suffered so much. I can't give up her happiness for mine. Mother's love is what she deserves the most, and I could never give her that. I can protest about it all I want, but there's nothing I can do. I have no voice in this.

My expression dulled. "She deserves to have a good and healthy family." My eyes swam with tears.

"Don't worry, Miss Stacey; the woman seems like a nice person." He walked out to me and put his hand on my arm.

I need to hide my selfishness for her happiness because, deep down, I wish it would happen to me too.

After I calmed down, he explained to me that even though the adoption process takes a long time. He has a lot of contacts that can shorten the process. From six months into even two days. I'm sure he paid someone for this to be possible. I saw guilt on his face. That's why I always had respect for him. He isn't someone you can mess with. That woman wanted to leave and he stopped her.

I don't know if what he did was legal, but I didn't even try to ask. He knows that no one else will adopt her, which is why he made such a quick decision. I don't blame him nor am I mad at him.

He was right; she deserves every little thing after what she has been through. The woman who adopted her must be someone worthy; he would never put Talia in the hands of someone who wasn't.

I didn't even mention the stalker that she had. If he knew about it he'd probably be extremely furious that we didn't tell him sooner. Talia is like a daughter to him. He always tried to protect her from everything.

But after she knows about this he will completely lose her.