• IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS since they closed the Malkin’s all girls orphanage. It had become my home after my parents died when I was eight. They were driving into town that evening for dinner leaving me with the nanny when it happened.
    I know where you think this is going and no, it's not an it-was-a-stormy-night-and-the-roads-were-slick-as-oil accident.
    No, this was not the result of any horrid weather conditions, this was the result of a drunk-man-driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road-colliding-dead-on-with-the-front-end-of-their-car accident. They didn't even have a chance to see him coming. Apparently he sped around a corner not too far ahead of them and there was nothing they could do to get out of the way. They were pronounced dead before even arriving at the hospital.
    My mother was so beautiful. She had fair skin, and delicate blue eyes that sparkled as the light hit them. Her lips always wore the same shade of crimson lipstick, and she always smelt of her favourite perfume, Le Fleur D’Orange. Her hair was gorgeous enough to make any woman’s ego take a hit just by being in the same room. It flowed down to just above her waist in waves of golden brown silk. That was something she had passed along to me. I had her hair, and her eyes. I was indeed gifted with my mother’s beauty.
    My father I don’t remember much of, he was always working. He had a job as a CEO. of some major company just outside of town. He was a big man, very strong and muscular. His hair was jet black and always slicked back with some form of shiny hair product. He had deep brown almond shaped eyes, and a very defined jaw line. My father was not only one of the wealthiest men in Remington, be was also one of the most handsome.
    I never understood why God took them away from me. He and my mother were perfect for each other, and with me added to the equation we were one of the most envied families in Remington. Not only for our looks and wealth, but because we shared so much love with each other and the people around us.
    I will never forget that night. I didn't sleep, didn't eat for days. I cried myself to sleep every night after that, hoping it was all some bad dream and I'd wake up tomorrow to their smiling faces. Sadly it was no dream, it was only a horrible realtiy that was now my life.
    After their death was when I was sent to the Malkin’s all girls orphanage. That is where I met Ryn.

    * * *

    “Welcome Victoria.” Mrs.Malkin greeted me with a warm smile. I couldn’t help but stare at her for a moment. She was thin, I mean sickly thin. She wasn’t ugly though. She had short black hair cut in a bob, and a very pale olive complection. She ran the orphanage along side her husband. He came from a long line of very wealthy families and inherited it all from his parents. They also had two children who lived in the orphanage, Ryn and Carson. “Thank you so much for taking Miss Dessen in on such short notice.” Ronald cut in before I could respond. Ronald was my parent’s lawyer, also in charge of their estate and, now, me. His job was to keep my financial inheritance safe until I was old enough to claim it, also to make sure I was put in a good home. That was of high importance to my parents.
    “Oh of course! We always have room for one more.” She said this with just a bit too much enthusiasm. “Come, come. I’ll show you to your room.”
    She lead me first through the main floor of the house, showing me where everything was. Man the house was huge. The main floor was very bright and open. The colour scheme stuck to mostly pale colours, only a few landscape paintings and floral arrangements added some life.
    Continuing up to the second floor was the same pale colour scheme leading into what seemed like an endless stretch of hallway. There were doors on each side with names printed in gold cursive on each.
    We got to the end of the hallway to a door that had the
    name "Ryn" printed on it.
    “You are very lucky Victoria. My daughter Ryn has requested a room mate. It seems she has grown lonely all by herself and all of the other girls have become so close with their room mates. You my dear get to be her room mate, isn’t that wonderful?” She was staring at me cheerfully awaiting a response that shared her excitement.
    “Oh, yes it’s great Mrs. Malkin.” Note to self, Mrs. Malkin in scary peppy.
    She knocked on the door a couple times.
    “Enter.” A small voice said from behind the door.
    The room was very large and filled with colour. Not at all matching the pale decor in the rest of the house. There were bright reds and golds, off to the sides of the room were two large beds covered with so many pillows I swear you could drown in them. On the far wall there was a huge window opening up to the back yard, when the sun set there would be a clear view of the sun setting behind the cliff that bordered the back of the gardens.
    “Victoria, this is my daughter Ryn.” Ryn smiled at me. She was pretty, about my height too. She had long curly black hair and jade green eyes. “Ryn darling, this is your new room mate Victoria Dessen.”
    “Hey,” Ryn smiled. “It’s so great you are here! I’ve been waiting for a room mate for so long, I can already tell we
    will be such great friends. Can’t you?” And before I could respond Ryn walked up to me and gave me a welcoming hug.

    * * *

    I looked out my window to see the lush green fields that surround Remington. It was a gorgeous day, there were few cotton-like clouds floating around in a sea of blue sky. I could see the Remington train station approaching steadily, and I sat watching the people that awaited the arrival of loved ones slowly grow as we came closer. That’s what I loved about taking a train. You could sit in your own little room quietly, without the disturbance of others. I could think, and the way my life had left it’s self back in Greenville, I needed some silence.
    We arrived at the station in what seemed like no time at all. As I stepped off the train I scoped the crowd for a familiar face.
    There was one.
    The Malkin’s had sent their favourite butler Harrold to pick me up from the train station. I’d always loved him as a child, everyone did. He hadn’t changed much, though his hair was completely white now, his wrinkles aged him, but his glasses were still small and round. Almost too small for his face. You know, typical look of a butler. It was amazing how
    long he had been working for the Malkin’s. He’d already been there when I arrived, so I’d have to guess a good thirty years or so.
    “Ahh, Miss Dessen. So lovely to see you again. It’s been years.” Harrold took my luggage from me and started carrying it to the car.
    “Hiya Harrold. It’s nice to see you again.” He opened the door to the car and I slid over to the middle seat. I always felt awkward having Harrold do things for me. At times I had forgotten completely that he was a butler, he had become a good friend.
    We talked the whole drive back to the Malkin house. He told me his son had gone to college and got a degree in the medical field, and how his wife passed away a few years back. I didn’t say much though, I know how Harrold enjoys to talk about his family, and frankly I didn’t mind listening. I always found his stories fascinating.
    We finally arrived at the house, it was just as I had remembered. It was a very large white house that had a porch that ran all the way around the house. There were English gardens surrounding the house from front to back, Mrs. Malkin loved to garden.
    I was greeted by a crowd of people. Mr. And Mrs. Malkin were the first I saw, followed by a few maids that still worked here from when I was a child and the gardener.
    That’s when I saw him.
    He was standing behind everyone else, obviously not wanting to be there. Who is that? The though whipped through my mind as I gawked at the gorgeous man. What I wouldn’t give to be...
    “Victoria! Oh you’ve become such a gorgeous young lady. Oh I just can’t believe it.” Mrs. Malkin threw her arms around me, almost blubbering. She had become like my mother when I lived here. Practically a sister to her daughter Ryn.
    “It’s been too long. I’ve missed you guys so much.” I really had. They were the only family I had growing up.
    "Victoria," Mr. Malkin shook my hand, gripping a little too hard, "nice to see you. And, of course, you remember our son Carson don't you?" He pointed to the gorgeous man a
    few feet behind them. That was Carson? No way. I studdied him for a moment, lost in thought.
    He cleared his throat, obviously he'd notice my gawking. "Hello Victoria." He had a teasing tone in his voice.
    I blushed. "Nice to see you again Carson." My voice came out shaky. I hope they didn't notice.
    Carson was staring at me. I caught something flas accross his face for a moment. Desire? Attraction? He composed himself too soon for me to figure it out. Whatever it was, made my heart stop as his eyes scanned my body.
    "Well," Mrs. Malkin said, obviously breaking the silence, "we should go i nside. Victoria I'm sure you are tired from your trip." She turned to Harrold, who was still standing by the doorway. "Harrold, will you please show Victoria to her room?"
    "Of course maddam." He picked up my luggage once again. "Victoria, this way." He gestured for me to follow him inside. I walked up the stone steps and into the house I once called my home.
    It was just as I remembered, pale decor, bold paintings. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed this place. How much it felt like home.
    Harrold lead me up the spiral staircase to a long stretch of hallway. How familliar it had become. Though the names had long since been painted over, I could still
    remember the names on the doors.
    My eyes made their way down the hallway over each door, that's when I saw it.
    Ryn's room. Her name in gold cursive still painted on the door.
    "Mamme Malkin thought you'd like to stay in Ryn's room." Harrold spoke for the first time in what seemed like forever.
    "Yeah, I was hoping she'd put me in here."
    I was surprised to find that the room hadn't changed at all. The same bold colour scheme covered everything. Ryn's bed was on the left side, and mine was on the right. Even some of my stuff I had left behind still sat on the dresser.
    I pulled back the curtains on the large window in between our beds to let in some of the gorgeous sunlight. Our room always had a great view of the back gardens. The lillac trees, the rose bushes, and the cliff that lined the back of the yard, almost hidden in a blanket of trees.
    The sun was setting and it grew late. I stared out the window for a few moments. I was trying to grasp one of the golden strands of sunlight between my fingers.
    I yawned. I hadn’t realised how tired was. Drawing shut the curtains I crawled in the huge down filled bed. I think I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.