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A homeless shelter.
A place Lennon never thought she'd end up at- and on Christmas nonetheless.
Still, here she was looking at the older woman at the front desk, clearing her throat nervously, "Um... my daddy abandoned me?"
The woman sighed deeply, shaking her head, "We'll have to call CPS. Briana, take her to the children's room, please?"
Lennon followed the girl into the room where, surely enough, a handful of kids were hanging out- all stopping short in their conversations when Lennon entered.
"Kids, meet..."
"Pepper.... Stone."
The kids burst out laughing and carried on with their conversation but Lennon didn't care enough to be bothered, making her way to the window, looking out of it, wondering where exactly her parents were- and when they would get to her.
"So... are your parents here too or are you all alone?"
Lennon turned around surprised to see a girl about her age standing there, an expectant look on her face.
"Um... I'm here all alone."
"Wow, nice to finally have someone join the club," the girl sighed as she took a seat next to her, "I'm here all alone too."
"Oh... shouldn't they have taken you to an adoption center or something?"
"They want to, they have, but each time I run away. I don't wanna be there where I see all the perfect little kids get their perfect little family while I'm left all alone cause no one wants me."
"I'm sure that's not true," Lennon frowned.
"It is. But that's okay- I'm over it."
"It's not okay! And I'm sure my dad would love to- crap."
The girl smiled at her slip up, "I knew it. You weren't abandoned. That suitcase looks more expensive than anything in here."
"Th-this? It's nothing."
"What? Do you have money in there?"
"No! I swear!"
"Chill out," she laughed, "I don't care. But, why are you here if your dad didn't abandon you?"
"Well," Lennon was hesitant, unsure if she should trust this stranger when she didn't even know her name.
She seemed to have noticed that, holding her hand out, "Hi. I'm Dylan Kamal."
"Dy-Dylan?"
"Yeah," she smiled when she shook it, "Know someone by the name? I wouldn't be surprised. It's a very popular boy name."
"I-It's my mom's last name."
"Why do you sound sad about that?"
"Well... because my dad didn't abandon me... but my mom did."
