Olivia

“You see that girl?” 1

I looked at where my friend Claire pointed her finger, shiny with the new black polish she adorned on her nail. In front of us was the new girl; tall, long haired, blonde. She looked pretty, from behind. I nodded solemnly and scrutinized her bag. Gucci. 2

“Well,” Claire had managed to steal an apple during lunch and was working her way through it as we left school. “Well, she’s adopted.” 3

I nodded. I didn’t really care for this gossip. Rumors were always flying about people, and anything could be told about this girl. She was pretty, and had a nice bag. But I felt bad, if the rumors were true. I decided to say that to Claire.4

“I feel bad.” 5

Claire frowned. “Don’t.”6

“And how come?” 7

“Because. She’s rich. Doesn’t matter that she’s adopted. Can’t you see the evidence?” 8

I continued to look at her as we followed her. Shoes; Chanel. Jacket; North Pole. Continuing on to a lot of pretty pricey stuff. Man, this girl wore clothes. I nodded again but wasn’t satisfied.9

“Still.”10

“Still what?” Chew. Swallow. 11

“I still feel bad. I don’t care if she’s rich. I’d find it pretty hard to live with the knowledge that my parents aren’t mine and that I was somebody else’s child once. Even if that was for a second.”12

“So?”13

“I still feel bad.”14

“Don’t. You have other things to worry about.” That was true. But I still felt bad anyway.15

The girl turned the corner and we continued on straight, the soft breeze carrying the sweet scent of blooming flowers in it, shifting through our hair. 16

~17

That day dissolved. I forgot my conversation with Claire. But I still thought about that face behind all that long, pampered hair. Was she sad? Knowing that her mom was dead or something? Or happy that she was at least in good hands? What did this kid feel?18

It wasn’t my business though. So I forgot about it. 19

But two weeks later, I was walking the same route with Claire; when the girl rushed out from behind us and did a jog- walk towards her home, her bag bouncing loosely on her thin hips as her high heeled shoes clicked quickly on the ground. I noticed that she had colored her hair. It was longer, black and straightened. Her head was bent down, and her hand was balanced on her forehead, like she had a headache. She looked upset.20

Claire stared at her and had the look on her face that she usually had when she heard something she called delicious. I waited for the impatience of my best friend to erupt. 21

“There she is again!”22

“M-hhmm.” I grumbled. We watched as the girl turned the corner and rapidly disappeared.23

“Well, did you hear what’s being told about her now?” I shook my head and glanced at the pink trees lining the neighborhood sidewalk.24

“Well… she found her mom!” 25

I was shocked. “Huh?”26

“Well, her mom found her to be exact, but...”27

I shook my head. “How?”28

“Well, she went through a lot of crap to do it actually. Found the orphanage she dumped her in, found the one they transferred the kid to, met her first family, and then tracked down the new one here. Imagine, woman came all the way from California. California!”29

“California.”30

“Yeah, California.” She scowled. “Bitch made a nice start before coming back for her long lost daughter.”31

“What?”32

“You heard. She wants to take Olivia back.”33

“Olivia?”34

“Yeah, that’s the girl.”35

I frowned. “Yeah, got that. But why would she want to take her back now?” 36

Claire shrugged. “Hell knows. “ She stared ahead.37

“Ya know,” she stopped suddenly and took my hand. “I actually feel bad, ya know?” 38

I stopped too. “You do.”39

“Yeah.”40

“Why? You told me last week there was no point.”41

“Yeah.”42

“Cuz she was rich and all.” 43

“Yeah. Yeah but last week that’s all there was. Her being rich. Not…”44

“I don’t get it, Claire. She’s still rich now.”45

“Well,” Claire stared ahead. “It’s just. Family. Family just…”46

She sighed sharply. “Her having a mom just changes everything. She's not an orphan anymore. She's not rich anymore. She's... nothing now. Normal."47