Chapter 1

Alexa

20 years later...

"Alexa! Over here!"

I ran to where Eric was hiding and hid with him and Delilah behind the couch. We kept our giggling as silent as possible so Zia wouldn't catch us. I kept a close ear to Zia's footsteps and attempted to peek at her.

Her face was confused as she searched around the room for the three of us, her forehead scrunched and her lips pouting. After a few seconds, as she was scratching her head, she gazed in my direction and her eyes lit up.

I quickly hid and stopped myself from laughing, but failed as I heard Zia run to where we were hiding. She peeks behind the couch and screams.

"There you are! I win!"

I laughed as we stood up from the floor and patted Zia's head.

"Good job, baby. Never would've thought you'd find us."

"'Cause I'm good at looking for you!"

I giggled. "Yes, you are."

Celeste walked into the room with a tray of sandwiches and glasses of juice. I saw her smiling as she watched us playing, letting out a small giggle.

"Alexa. I thought you have work today."

"I have. Here, I'll help you."

I approached her and she handed the tray to me.

"Thank you, dear. But you must hurry. You don't want to be late."

I put the tray on the table. "I know. I'll just grab a sandwich and I'll go."

"You're leaving again, Alexa?" Delilah pulls at my dress and pouts.

I kneeled in front of her. "I have work, sweetie. I won't be out of work till eight."

"But that's our bedtime!" Eric whined.

"Now, now, I don't want all of you to stay up late just to wait for me. Promise me you'll be asleep at eight o'clock, even if I'm still not home."

"You sure you can't go home early?" Zia asked with the most adorable eyes that I had to avoid staring at.

"I can't promise you. But please promise me you will go to bed early this time."

"Okay. We promise," The three replied.

I gave each of them a kiss on the forehead before standing up and grabbing a sandwich from the tray. Celeste hands me my bag and my allowance.

"Please make sure the kids are asleep at eight o'clock. I don't want them to stay up late again just waiting for me."

Celeste smiled. "I'll take care of them. They sure want to hear you tell a bedtime story again. You always bring home a book for them."

"I just love reading books to them. And being able to tuck them in." I looked at them as they ran around, doing another round of hide and seek without me.

"You sure do love them, don't you?" I could feel Celeste looking at me.

I sighed. "I can't imagine leaving them behind, and the orphanage. It's my home."

Celeste beamed at me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll go now." I wave at Celeste and turn my heel to the front door. She spoke goodbye before I stepped out of the orphanage and began my walk to the library.

The walk to the library isn't that long, five minutes perhaps, which is why I don't worry that much whenever I pass time by playing with the children. But this time, I arrived while eating my sandwich just as the library has opened.

I walked inside and saw Emily stacking books on shelves.

"Almost thought you couldn't make it."

I laughed. "I'm always on time."

"You always are. How are the kids?"

I tied my hair into a low ponytail. "Still kids. I had them to promise me not to stay up late, because last time I got home, they're still downstairs in the living room waiting for me."

Emily wiped the dust off her hands and rests them on her waist. "Children always want you, Alexa. What's the secret?"

"Secret?" I laugh and shake my head. "Oh no, there's no secret. I just love kids, that's all."

"Yeah right. I can't even make my niece like me!"

"Maybe spoil them a little and always be kind to them," I shrugged.

"Not just to them. But to every person you talk to, you're always kind."

I blushed and looked down at my hands, feeling her staring at me.

An old woman comes inside and approaches me on the desk. "Good morning, miss. I'd like to borrow a book for my daughter."

I smiled. "Good morning, ma'am. What kind of book would you like to borrow?"

"Do you have anything in the romance genre?"

"Right this way, ma'am! Follow me." Emily leads the way and the old lady followed her.

I continued with cleaning the desk and setting it up with borrowing cards and stamps for the day. A few minutes later, the old lady comes to the desk with a book and hands it to me.

"Will this be all, ma'am?"

"Very much so."

I nodded and stamped the book and its borrowing card.

"May I say, you look beautiful?"

I looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you, ma'am. So are you."

"Why, thank you, dear." She smiles back and stares out the window. "My daughter always wanted to come here to read books."

"She hasn't come here?"

She shakes her head. "No. She can't go out because she can't walk. That's why I would borrow books for her so she won't have to go out and walk."

"That's very kind of you, ma'am. What's your name?"

"Sharon," she replied.

"I've seen you a few times here at the library but I haven't talked with you much. I'm glad we have people like you borrowing our books. Not a lot of people come here very often."

"I always believed that reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are."

I agreed with her with a smile.

"Very well. I must go. She must be wondering where I've gone long enough. Some other time again, miss."

"Please, call me Alexa."

She smiles genuinely. "Alright, Alexa. I'll see you again."

I watched her walk out of the library with a smile on my face.

~~~

As usual, the library closes at eight in the evening, and by the time I got to the orphanage, the lights upstairs are off. I smiled as they kept their promise and went off to bed early. Celeste is in the kitchen washing dishes when I came in and she notices my presence.

"Alexa! You're back. Have you eaten dinner yet? I have leftovers on the fridge."

"I'm fine. I ate dinner with Emily before closing time."

"I guess you'll be going up now."

"What about you, Celeste?"

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll just finish up and go to bed soon."

I nodded and went upstairs to our room. The children are in their beds fast asleep, and I went in to get clothes and changed in the bathroom before slipping in the covers. But before I could get to my bed, I see Zia awake, staring outside the window.

I walked over to her and sat beside her.

"Hey, Zia. Why are you still awake?"

"I had a bad dream. I can't go back to sleep," she answered with a soft voice.

I pulled her close to me. "That's alright. I'll stay here in your bed for a while."

"Can we come to the rooftop? I wanna see the stars."

I chuckled. "Okay."

I held hands with Zia and made sure we walked quietly so we wouldn't wake the others up. We made our way to the rooftop and sat on the concrete looking up.

Zia's eyes were full of wonder as she stared at the stars. "They're so pretty."

"Yeah. Look at how they shine." I pointed up.

"Can we reach them?"

"If we can fly, then yes."

Zia sighed. "I wish we could fly so I can grab many stars!"

I laughed as I looked up at them.

I would, too.

"Where would you keep them?"

Zia hummed. "I don't know. In my bed, I guess?"

"Sit on my lap. I have something to tell you."

Zia smiles and sits on my crossed legs as I hugged her from behind.

"Have you ever wondered why there are stars and moon at night and not during the day?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Because it's their time to shine in the darkness. The dark skies need the stars and the moon so there would be light at night. You wouldn't want to be in the dark, don't you?"

Zia giggled as she shook her head no.

"But you know about stars? They can make our dreams come true."

"Really?"

"Yes. It knows what you truly desire, and they will give it to you."

"What do you mean?"

I realized that she wouldn't understand what I wanted to say. And even to myself, I couldn't explain it. It was hard to put everything into words.

I knew I have a family. I knew they could be out there searching or waiting for me. Maybe they were looking up at the stars, wishing they could find me. Maybe even right now, as I'm wishing that I could find them, on this cold night.

"When you know what you want, what you truly desire, you wish on those stars, and they will grant your wish."

"Can I wish now?" Zia asks happily.

"Yes, you can."

"Can I say it out loud?"

"I wish you could, but it should only be between you and the stars. You don't want anyone to hear you and steal your wish away from you, do you?"

The little girl sitting on my lap nods and smiles. She then looks up at the stars, clasps her hands together, and closes her eyes tightly.

I decided to do the same. I closed my eyes and clasped my hands together, wishing to find my family, wishing they were looking for me, wishing we would be reunited soon.

I was positive that I would find them. Even though all that's left with me is the necklace that I always wore ever since I was a baby.