The days had begun to blend into one another and the year slipped forward like sunlight moving across a window sill as several months passed.
By the time the winter approached and the holiday season was at the doorstep, something about Delphini Riddle had changed.
She still walked quietly through the corridors and her answers were short with a soft voice.
However, there were moments. Small moments that appeared for a few seconds that only someone paying attention would notice.
However, Adrian White had always been paying attention.
It started a week after the storeroom incident.
She didn't speak about it to anyone, not even to him but her eyes had changed after that day.
Her eyes had softened as the sharpness in them receded as if a hand unclenched after being held too tight for too long.
Adrian never pushed her or forced her to change herself. He didn't bring it up at all.
He just kept showing up at her. He was sitting beside her during group projects, walking with her between classes and talking in that same comforting tone that never asked for anything in return.
At first, she simply listened to him and then slowly, she started responding to his conversations.
It was a couple of words here and there.
Then, that changed into sentences.
Then into questions of her own.
Adrian smiled at all of them and answered them wholeheartedly as if they were the best things he'd heard all day.
Lunch breaks had changed too.
She started sitting closer to the others. She sat with Adrian's friend group, she mostly sat beside Adrian and answered when he brought her into conversation.
But she was starting to interact with others as well.
Reggie tried to impress her with his magic card tricks which failed half the time and ended with dramatic bowing either way.
She still didn't talk much but her silences weren't as heavy as before.
She listened quietly and she responded.
And once, during a loud conversation where Adrian was animatedly telling her about the nicknames they had kept for their teachers.
Delphini let out a sound that surprised everyone, even herself.
A laugh.
It was gone in an instant but it had happened.
A real laugh.
Adrian had seen it.
He didn't mention anything but the grin on his face was plastered on his face the entire afternoon.
Over the months, more things had started to change.
She started joining the others during light outdoor games on Adrian's slight insistence.
She wasn't very competitive. She never fought for the ball but she moved when needed and passed when asked.
Even the teachers noticed the changes in her.
During one parent-teacher meeting, Mrs. Grant described it to Adrian's mom as "an unbelievable change"
"She is like a flower that never bloomed until now," she said. "Quiet, but no longer closed."
Ashley smiled at the compliment and then tilted her head curiously.
"She's been sitting with Adrian a lot lately, hasn't she?"
Mrs. Grant nodded and agreed, "They're good friends."
Ashley tapped her chin thoughtfully as a playful thought emerged in her mind.
"Huh."
However, something happened that no one expected.
Gregor, Carter, and Liam apologised to Delphini.
They approached her quietly during a break near the side of the building where the vending machines buzzed.
Gregor had his hands in his pockets while Carter and Liam looked like they hadn't slept.
"We don't remember everything," Gregor muttered sheepishly. "But we know something happened."
"And it wasn't good," Carter added, not meeting her eyes.
Liam shifted in his place and said, "We were jerks."
Gregor cleared his throat, bowed slightly in front of her and said, "We're sorry."
Delphini looked at them but just nodded once.
That was all but that nod seemed to carry the weight of something important and they seemed to understand that.
They didn't bother her again after that.
In fact, they stayed out of her way entirely and when Adrian passed them later that day and glanced at them, all three avoided his eyes.
Back home, things were changing as well.
Adrian had been talking about Delphini a lot. It wasn't intentional, he didn't even say her name but she kept slipping into his stories.
There were short, little mentions during dinner and some offhand comments at home. Like "Delphini liked that book too." or "She beat Michael in a spelling test."
Ashley noticed that
She always noticed the change in his expression as his smile widened whenever she came into his conversation.
One evening while stirring a pan of vegetables and humming something wordless, she glanced towards Adrian who was flipping through a comic book at the table.
"So, Adrian," she said casually, "Has she smiled again?"
Adrian looked up and asked, "Who?"
Ashley gave him a knowing look.
"You know who."
Adrian turned a little red and said, "I think so."
Ashley smiled at him playfully and said, "You talk about her a lot."
Adrian protested wholeheartedly, "I do not."
"You do," she said, placing the spoon down. "You talk about her like a teen talks about his first crush."
Adrian blushed and argued, "C'mon, Mom. Not that again. I don't like her like that right now."
Ashley watched him for a moment and then smirked at him, "Oh, right now? So, there's a possibility of her becoming your girlfriend later on?"
"Oh, Mom! You are impossible to argue with."
Then out of the blue, Ashley said, "You should invite her for dinner."
Adrian blinked and said, "What?"
"Here," Ashley said pointing to the table. "Dinner with us. A proper meal. Warm food. "
"She might not say yes."
"She might."
Adrian looked at her and said, "Should I really ask?"
Ashley walked over and kissed the top of his head.
"Yes."
At school the next day, Adrian walked beside Delphini as they made their way across the courtyard.
She wore a long, dark green scarf that trailed slightly behind her. Her hair was tied around her head in a Dutch crown braid.
"Hey," he said, kicking a pebble ahead of him. "My mom wants you to come for dinner."
Delphini didn't respond right away.
Adrian kept walking and said, "No pressure. Just food and my mom talks a lot. So you won't even need to say much."
She glanced sideways and asked him, "Why?"
He looked confused and said, "Why what?"
"Why does she want me there?"
Adrian thought for a second and replied, "Because you're my friend. And she likes meeting people I care about."
Delphini looked down at her shoes in a puzzled manner as if what she heard didn't make sense to her.
"Okay," she said softly.
"Yeah?"
She nodded.
"One time."
He smiled and said, "One time's enough."
Delphini stood in front of the White family's home wearing a navy-blue coat buttoned all the way up with her fingers tucked into her sleeves.
She stared at the wooden door for a few seconds longer than necessary. Her heart beat quietly but noticeably inside her chest as if she wasn't quite sure what it was preparing for.
She raised her hand and rang the bell once.
It took only a few seconds before the door opened with a creak.
"Delphini!"
Ashley beamed as if she had been waiting at the door all evening and warmly said, "Come in, sweetheart."
Delphini hesitated at the threshold.
Though, the way she invited her in was like she was letting their family visit their house.
Delphini stepped in slowly with gentle, anxious footsteps on the wooden floor. The house smelled like something freshly baked and a warm feeling to it with a mix of cinnamon and roasted herbs being intertwined in it.
The walls were painted a gentle shade of light blue.
Family photographs lined the entire hallway.
There were many pictures of Adrian.
Him as a toddler in oversized clothes, a younger Ashley holding a newborn wrapped in a green blanket. Darian was holding a barbecue tong like it was a sword.
It felt like a lived-in house, unlike the orphanage which felt cold and dreary to her.
A place where people belonged.
In the high chair nearby, Leah sat as her small hands gripped a bright red rattle.
Delphini's eyes lingered on the baby for a moment longer than she meant to and Ashley noticed that.
"She's been in a mood all day," she said with a soft laugh, walking over to Leah and kissing her forehead. "But I think she's curious about our guest."
Delphini glanced at her unsure of how to respond.
"Would you like to hold her?" Ashley continued. "She is a very gentle baby. I can assure you she wouldn't relieve herself on you."
"I…"
Delphini paused and said with uncertainty, "I've never held a baby before."
Ashley's face lit up as she said, "Perfect. Then tonight's your first time. Leah would be stoked to know that."
Without another word, she gently scooped Leah out of her chair and held her out carefully.
Delphini stiffened and said, "I don't think I c-can hold her properly? What if I drop her?"
"You won't," Ashley said simply. "Just support her head. That's all."
Delphini reached forward slowly and held Leah as if she were a glass figure. The baby wriggled in her arms and then settled into it. Her eyes were round and curious while her blonde hair was soft and thin across her scalp.
Delphini said with a surprised tone, "She's small. Smaller than I thought."
"She used to be smaller," Adrian said from the staircase, smiling as he walked down. "And louder. At least that part hasn't changed much."
Delphini looked at him and then at Leah again. The baby reached up to her neck and grabbed her green scarf with a surprisingly strong fist.
"She likes your scarf," Ashley said. "That means she likes you."
Delphini stared at the baby in deep thought as she held her.
Dinner was already set on the table.
Delicious roasted chicken with herbs, golden potatoes, glazed carrots and small, warm rolls of bread that made Adrian salivate.
Delphini said politely as she sat beside Adrian, "You didn't have to make so much."
Ashley shook her head and replied, "Nonsense. You're our guest. And around here guests get second helpings without being asked."
Darian chuckled from the opposite end of the table as he said, "And third as well if they don't protest loud enough."
Delphini's eyes darted between them.
This wasn't how meals worked where she came from. At the orphanage, it was trays, metal forks, and short time slots before cleanup. Conversation was limited while the rules were unspoken but ever-present.
Ashley asked about school, about what subjects Delphini liked. She didn't push for answers, allowing her to answer them at her own pace.
Darian told a story about how Adrian once wore mismatched shoes to a school event and only realised halfway through his performance. On hearing his Dad recount that event, Adrian groaned and covered his face with one hand. Ashley laughed while Leah squealed from her high chair.
Delphini didn't speak much but she listened to them intently.
After dinner, they brought out a simple dessert. It was a small fruit crumble, warm and sweet.
Delphini ate it slowly as she savoured each bite.
Ashley poured her a cup of warm milk with honey and then sat beside her.
"You're quiet," she said gently.
Delphini looked down and nodded, "I'm used to being quiet."
"Nothing wrong with that," Ashley said. "But you don't have to be quiet here. Not if you don't want to be."
Delphini looked up slowly towards Ashley
Ashley's eyes were soft and welcoming.
There were no expectations of them.
Adrian sat on the other end of the couch as he flipped through a photo album with Leah sitting on his lap. The baby kept trying to grab the edge of the album's pages.
Delphini stood and walked over to him, looking at Leah as she asked, "May I?"
Adrian looked up and scooted to the side as he said, "Of course."
He handed Leah to her.
Delphini carried her again with less hesitation than before.
Leah curled into her chest as Delphini clutched her.
She looked down at the little girl who felt impossibly small.
She thought of her beginning of what little she remembered. Of cold rooms, apathetic walls and whispers behind her back.
And now here she was holding a child who belonged to a place that felt more alive than anything Delphiji had ever witnessed.
Adrian whispered to her, "I think she likes you more than me."
As it got late, it was time to leave.
Ashley helped her with her coat.
"You're welcome here any time, Delphini," she said warmly. "No need for an invitation. Our door is always open."
Delphini blinked as she wasn't sure how to reply so she nodded and said, "Thank you."
Adrian walked her to the gate with his hands in his pockets.
"I hope it wasn't too much," he said. "My mom can be a lot."
"She's kind," Delphini said. "I didn't expect that."
"She's the best," Adrian said proudly
"Though, don't tell her I said that. She'll get annoying."
Delphini turned slightly and said, "Leah's very small."
"Yeah," Adrian smiled. "But she acts like she owns the house."
They stood in silence for a few seconds.
Delphini looked at him and said quietly, "I liked it. Being there."
Adrian beamed at her and said, "Good. As mom said, you are always welcome here. No need to wait for an invitation."
She nodded at him and walked towards the road leading to her orphanage, as her thoughts were preoccupied by the warmth she had felt.
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