"Would you like a flower?" I ask a group of girls at the orphanage. They look me up and down before turning to each other and bursting out laughing. My smile falls a little and I look down at my pink summer dress and my ripped shoes- a sudden burst of embarrassment enters my body and I take a step back.

"Get out of here Elodie, no-one wants to be friends with you. You're weird." Sarah, a brunette girl giggles and my eyes well with tears.

"I-I just wanted to give you a flower I picked, sorry." I whisper and turn to walk away. A whimper escapes my lips when they throw an empty plastic bottle at my back.

I decide to call it a day and walk back into the building. However, I come to a stop when I see a couple standing together, a smile on their face.

Excitement fills my body at the thought of them looking to adopt someone. Maybe it will be me!

"We appreciate your donation, Mr and Mrs García. The children will be ecstatic that we can finally build their dream playground." Ms Brown thanks the couple.

They've made a money donation for a playground. Maybe if they have money left I can finally have a bed like all the other children here.

It's only now I notice a young boy stood next to them, he's dressed in a suit and he looks around the place with furrowed eyebrows until those eyes land on my small, fragile form.

A small gasp escapes my lips and he smiles gently, giving me a small wave. He looks around seventeen- much older than me, I'm only ten. I bravely walk up to him and give him one of my flowers that I picked.

"For you, Mr." I look up at his tall frame and hold the sunflower up for him.

"Aw, isn't she a sweetie, son." The woman beams and I grin when he takes the flower from my hands.

"Thank you." He smiles and my face heats up and I nod.

"Elodie!" I jump in fright when Ms Brown calls my name. "Go to your room and quit bothering people." My lip trembles and the boy in front of me frowns.

"Sorry for bothering you all." I whisper, hanging my head in shame before running to my 'room'. Which is in the cold, wet basement.

I wipe my tears as I walk down the creaky stairs. The palm of my hand lightly brushes over the new, small scar across my cheek and I shiver at the memory of how I received it. I take a seat on the sodden mattress which is on the floor and begin to cry.

•••

"Darling?" I'm pulled out of my daydream by Enzo stroking my back. "Talk to me." He whispers gently.

"I don't wish to burden you with my past." I smile, now only noticing the tears running down my cheeks. I quickly wipe them away and give Enzo my best smile.

"Elodie, I want you to know that Killian and I are here if you need someone to speak to. Please don't suffer alone." Enzo tells me and I sniffle, smiling gently.

"You're too kind." I say.

He reaches up to stroke my cheek and looks at me with furrowed eyebrows and I feel as if he's trying to see through my empty eyes. Then his thumb runs along the scar on my cheek and his eyes widen.

"Sunflower." He whispers and I furrow my eyebrows. "Oh my fucking God." I flinch at his language and he gives me an apologetic look but his shocked expression stays put.

"What is it? Why are you saying sunflower?" Can he read my mind? Does he know what I was daydreaming about?!

"Elodie, baby." His voice trembles and his hands shake.

"Enzo, what is it?" I panic, unsure why his mood has suddenly changed. He looks like he's seen a ghost.

"I should have known straight away." He clenches his jaw and looks away from me.

"Should have known what, Enzo?" I question, starting to get a little impatient.

"You lived at that horrid orphanage." And then realisation hits me.

He was the boy I gave my sunflower to.

"My God when I saw you that day I felt so guilty leaving. I saw the way that woman treated you and when you left, another child came along and was treated much better than you." He whispers, continuing to look away from me. "I should of tried to get you it of there."

"Don't blame yourself. You were only a child yourself, I was okay." Just about. I grab hold of his face and gently stroke his cheeks with my thumbs.

"No you weren't." He whispers, his eyes full of hurt. "I should have helped you. Fuck! I can't imagine what you went through."

"Don't worry about it." I give him a tight-lipped smile. "I mean look, we met each other again years later." I grin, trying to brighten the mood and he chuckles lightly.

"It's fate, isn't it, babe?" He whispers and I giggle lightly, nodding my head.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" I question, remembering that both of the men wanted to talk to me.

"It can wait another time, darling. Should we wait for Killian to come home and then we can watch a film together if you want?" I eagerly nod my head and then climb off of Enzo's lap.

He begins to clean up and I offer to help but he declines telling me to relax.

The sound of the front door opening and closing grabs my attention and not long after Killian walks back into the kitchen. I give him a small smile as he looks at me.

"Where did you go?" I tilt my head at him.

"For a walk." He grumbles and I frown.

"Are you mad at me?" His eyebrows raise.

"Why would I be mad?" He takes the seat next to me that Enzo previously sat on and to my surprise he places his large hand on top of my thigh. "Why would I be mad, baby?"

"Because of what I said earlier. It made you mad." I whisper, looking down at my lap.

"I'm not mad at you, El. I'm mad at who hurt you." He taps his knuckles on the table. "No-one deserves all that shit to happen to them. Especially you." He looks me dead in the eye and reaches up to brush his thumb along the scar on my cheek.

"From now on, darling,-" I look towards Enzo with curious eyes, "-we're going to look after you."

🥺🧡