I never found myself lucky, not at all, not even once. Not even my parents would acknowledge me as their daughter considering how unlucky they had become after they had me. According to them, ever since they had me, nothing had ever been working out well for both of them so when I turned three, they had sold me to a hospital that harbored children's organs to sell. I, fortunately, didn't face the same fate as those children did after someone had bought me like an animal. Bought me mind you that, like I was a piece of jewelry.
I couldn't remember much of the old woman who had brought me out of that place but what I do know is that she had died a month after she got me and I was sent to an orphanage where I was adopted and brought back more times than I could count. When I turned eight, a strange woman had come to the orphanage. I could tell from the first time I saw her that she wasn't like the women around me, a human.
She wore a bright plain yellow button up blouse, a blue scarf around her neck and a dark gray floral skirt that ended right above her knees. Her shoes were the most unusual pair of shoes I had ever seen; it was nowhere present on her feet. I remember how intrigued I was at the dozens of weird bracelets hanging on her thin arms and how funny her hat looked on her.
She must have found me interesting too because she turned to look at me and gave the very first genuine smile that someone had ever gave me. At that time, I had developed a nasty attitude wherein I just randomly lose my patience to someone and start a fight which had forbidden me from eating with the other kids and was banished to eat on the lone table on the playgrounds. The strange woman just happened to visit once again and had joined me despite me screaming at her to leave me alone. I remember how she kept silent while I threw a tantrum and only started to talk when I had calmed down. I liked that woman instantly. I was never named by my birth parents considering how they were more focused on their debts rather than me so I remained nameless, that's until the strange woman adopted me and named be Temperance.
I liked the name a lot, just like how I like the way she makes my milk before I went to bed but things don't always stay what you want it to be. When I turned ten, she just disappeared out of thin air. No notes, nothing. All of her things were gone when I woke up, as if she was never there at all, no trace of her existence was present. I remember running out of the house and screamed her name until I lost my voice and wept until my eyes went dry. Where was she? Why did she leave me?
I didn't understand why she adopted me and just leave me without any warning even though we had a nice little dinner the night before and we never had any problems since the first time I met her but one thing's for sure, I didn't want to go back to the orphanage so I ran. I packed all my clothes and dolls and ran away from that town, using the woods as a shortcut to the next town.
I know little about money at that time but I knew how to count and add numbers up, plus Elsie had taught me how to use my money wisely so I figured that I was fine on my own but a pack of sweets lured me into wasting all my money and I had no choice but to sleep near a fast food restaurant. The owner found me and decided to take me in which I was grateful for. He never had a family so he grew old alone so I made it a promise to be his family because I started to think that he was mine too.
Remember what I said that I never felt lucky, well, my bad luck had followed me to that new town and the first thing it took away from me was that old man. He slipped and hit his head on the kitchen counter. One of his staffs found him bleeding out and rushed him to the hospital but he never made it. He did leave all his fortunes to me though through a letter he had written a week before he died. I was fifteen back then, yeah, time went by fast and I was already in high school. He taught me everything I needed to know so in honor of his memory, I sold the restaurant to avoid losing it to my unluckiness. I then dropped out of school and moved to a city where I started to live there independently and finished school.
Thankfully, I had found a job that's just enough for me to pay the necessary things that I need and still have enough to spare to reward myself a fancy meal by the end of the month. I wouldn't lie, it was hard to live on your own, without someone to rely on but hey, life is life and I have to suck it up and deal with it.
So here I am in a big crowded city. I hated my job honestly but I had no other choice but to stay in it or else I'd have to endure another year of job hunting which doesn't really work for me considering how unlucky I have always been.
Sighing, I felt the pinprick of the cold wind on my nape as it blew pass me. It was getting colder every day even though it was still a long way until its winter. Letting out another sigh, I pull my coat closer to myself as another gust of wind came. It was pass 6:30 and I was on my way home from a long tedious day at work. The streets were busy at this time so I took the path in an abandoned dog park that leads straight to my apartment even though I had to walk half an hour to reach there but I'd rather go home with a sore thigh rather than an empty wallet.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I pulled it out and pressed it in my ear, "Temper speaking," I greeted and rolled the candy in my mouth with my tongue. "Temper, it's me," as soon as I heard who it was, I couldn't help but grin, "Jodie, oh my, how long has it been since we talked?" I let out a laugh and she chuckled on the other side of the line, "Five months, give or take, anyway, how you've been?"
"Same old, you?"
"Same old, so, are you busy today?" she sounded hesitant and I smiled, "Unfortunately, why?" I ask and I could hear her sigh, "I just landed in the city and I just wanted to see you," I felt the old rush of excitement coarse through my veins and if I didn't stop myself, I could have squealed and jump around the empty park, "Really?" I shrieked excitedly and I could hear her burst out laughing, "Yeah, are you gonna see me tonight?"
Jodie was a dear friend of mine who stuck around with me after I moved here. She was the only one who knew where I came from and had kept it to herself even though we had a lot of fights. She was like a sister I never had and I really appreciated her for being with me despite being total different with each other. After we graduated, Jodie's parents sent her to England to continue her study while I was stuck in the same old city looking for a job rather than going to college.
I smiled as my thoughts brought me back to our good old days. "I'm sorry Jodie, I've got a presentation due this week and I haven't finished it yet," I frowned and she sighs loudly, "That's too bad, I really wanted to see you, we've got so much to talk about," she whined and I swear I could hear her stomp her foot like a kid, I laughed out loud, "I promise to see you this Sunday, I'll probably be free by then,"
"That's great, I'll text you then. See you soon Temp," and the line then went dead.
I tuck my phone back to my pocket and smiled. If only my life wasn't this unlucky, I'd probably be enjoying my time with my friends rather than working my ass off all day long. I look up at the darkening sky and frowned, "Right?"