Next day started out like just another regular day. The only unusual thing about it was Rina's fantastic mood.

After finding out that her parents loved her, she couldn't help but feel better about herself, about the world in general.

Unfortunately for her, other people often seemed to sense when she was in a good mood and tried to ruin it.

Upon entering the kitchen, she was surprised to see that her whole 'family' was there. That almost never happened.

They all had looks of determination on their faces and Rina didn't know what to expect.

"I think it is time for us to have a serious conversation," Grace said as she motioned her towards the nearby chair.

As she sat down, Rina got a feeling that she wouldn't like the conversation that Grace had planned out for them, and that it would most definitely ruin her good mood.

"Can't it wait?" She couldn't help but ask, ready to do anything to postpone whatever was about to ruin her mood.

"No, we have waited long enough. For years, I have respected my husband's dying wish.

I took care of you, although God knows it was a challenge.

I gave you everything, but you were never satisfied.

It was like no matter how much money I gave you, or things, or opportunities, you were never satisfied. You always wanted more." Grace said.

Rina couldn't believe her own ears. She never asked for anything, and only accepted all those things so as not to offend Grace and now that was used against her.

Grace didn't seem to understand what Rina truly needed from her, from all of them.

"Did it ever occur to you, that the only thing I ever wanted from you was to love me? To love me in the same way you love your sons.

Can't you understand that what I craved for all these years was your affection?

All of you have either ignored me or lectured me, but never showed me an ounce of emotion. I needed you!" Rina said unable to stop herself from finally saying what was always bothering her.

"Don't be ridiculous! You never cared about that! You never needed anyone! That was one of the things that scared me about you.

How could you not care what others thought of you? How could any person be so self-sufficient?


I always knew that there was something weird about you, but my dear naive husband didn't want to accept the fact.

That is one of the main reasons why I did my best to isolate me and my precious boys from you, to protect us.

It is not normal for someone to be like you. To be interested in such strange and unorthodox things, to express opinions that others don't approve.

I mean which normal girl would go around climbing trees and spending hours in her room reading.

There is something more, something unnatural about you that I could never pinpoint." Grace said.

As tears slowly ran down her face as if they were racing with each other wetting her freshly washed t-shirt her heart broke.

They finally managed to break her.

She called that woman her mother for eighteen years, and now she was standing there telling her that she always saw her as a monster.

How was anyone supposed to deal with that?

Rina no longer knew who she was.

Her real parents loved her, but as far as she knew they could have been dead for years.

As for her adoptive family, they saw her as a weirdo they needed protection against.

"I was just different. It's okay to be different, you know." Rina said, her voice breaking.

"Not SO different," Grace said obviously not in the mood to hear Rina speak.

The meeting wasn't about Rina expressing her opinions or saying anything, that much was obvious.

"Anyways, all that is not important now," Grace said.

But Rina couldn't help but think that for her it was extremely important.

Everything that defined who she was, the image of herself was crashing down, and she was losing her own sense of self.

First, she found out that she was adopted and now they were telling her that they feared her, avoided her on purpose just because she was a bit different.

It crushed her previous good mood into a million pieces.

Insensitive for Rina's inner turmoil Grace went on.

"As you know your father, well my husband has left you a substantial amount of money that you can now claim since you are officially eighteen," Grace said.

Rina couldn't focus on her point since the realization hit her.

They knew when her birthday was.

They missed her eighteenth birthday on purpose.

What kind of people do that?

Rina understood their fears and worries, but would it have been such a difficult thing for them to go past their prejudices for just one single night.

"Did you hear me?" Grace snapped her fingers in front of Rina's face as she zoned out thinking about her missed birthday.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Rina said and got angry at herself that she was being so polite to the people who mistreated her on daily basis.

It was just in her nature to be polite and kind, to help others.

She couldn't be the monster they think she is, could she?

"Now that you are eighteen, I want you to take that money and leave," Grace said.

"I don't understand what you mean," Rina said.

"I want you out of my house. You are eighteen and capable of taking care of yourself. I kept my promise to my husband and enough is enough.

It is time for you to leave. Gather your things, take the money, and leave.

I don't want to see you here, I never wanted you and there is no reason for me to bear your presence. Is that clear?" Grace said.

Rina couldn't believe her ears, but she knew Grace well enough to understand that it wasn't up for debate.

"When do I need to leave?" She asked in a small pained voice.

"As soon as possible. I think you should start packing today after school." Grace said without any emotion in her voice.

"Okay. Is that all?" Rina asked barely controlling her voice and the sobs that wanted to come out.

"Yes, you can go now," Grace said.

Rina ran out of the kitchen and into a rainy day outside.

Rain suited her mood perfectly.

Soon enough she was sobbing and gasping for air while rain washed away the tears that kept on falling.

It was difficult for her to breathe properly, and she could sense a panic attack coming yet again, but she refused to let herself break apart.

She hid in a small abandoned ally to calm down before facing the world.

She didn't want anyone to see her that weak, that vulnerable, although chances were no one would notice.

After all, she was Rina, the invisible girl.

The moment she thought that she realized that the recent events had another unwanted consequence, she turned invisible somewhere on the way between her house and the bleak alley she was in.

Since the rain was extremely distracting, as well as her emotions that were boiling over, she couldn't really concentrate on positive things.

Instead, she decided to go to school like that, go to one of the bathrooms and try to become visible again.

As she was finally calm enough to keep walking towards school, even though she was a mess she couldn't help but notice something unusual.

There was a girl about her age in the alley. It seemed like she was lost, or confused.

Suddenly there was a huge broad-shouldered guy there who just picked up the blond girl and calmly strode away.

At first, Rina thought that the girl had gotten ill and that the guy was just a family member or a friend who was kind enough to carry her home.

But when Rina was finally able to see the girl's face she realized that something was terribly wrong.

Her light blue eyes were huge, terrified.

Then the girl started fighting the guy.

At first, she was frozen by fear, but soon enough the girl was screaming and kicking at the guy.

She was screaming for help and when she saw there was no one to hear her pleas she started biting and scratching the guy. He didn't even seem to notice.

The man just kept walking unfazed by her struggles.

Rina knew that she had to do something.

It was in her nature to help others and no matter how broken she was her first thought was of saving the girl.

But what could a fragile eighteen-year old do to stop such a huge man?

Rina reached into her pocket for her cell phone but realized that her pocket was empty. In her hurry to leave the house as soon as possible she forgot her phone in the kitchen.

There was no way for her to call the police and asking someone for help was impossible since she was invisible.

The only thing she would accomplish was making them think they were going crazy.

Even if she did her best she knew she couldn't become visible soon enough, especially under such pressure.


All these thoughts went through her head with the speed of light.

Finally, she ran to the nearby house that belonged to Sam, the man who was known for always being willing to help out.

She knocked on his door, as loudly as she could, screaming: "Help! My friend is being kidnapped! We need to stop him from taking her!"

Upon hearing the man say: "I am coming!" She ran off after the kidnapper hoping she wouldn't lose them before someone could do something to stop him.

Luckily, she was just in time to see the man, with the girl in his arms heading for an abandoned house that she often walked by.

The house was in the state of decay but the man seemed to be very familiar with its layout as he carried the girl in through the window.

Rina had to get help as soon as possible.

Not knowing what else to do she went closer to where Sam was searching in vain and started screaming from a distance: "Help! Help!"

In that way, the neighbor thought he was actually trailing the victim's cries for help as Rina slowly led him towards the broken little house.

Once they were in front of the house she changed her voice slightly and screamed: "Help! I am inside! He carried me through the window."

Soon enough the good Samaritan jumped in through the window and after a lot of scuffling and the sounds of struggling he came out with the girl safely guarded in his arms.

He gave her his cell phone and soon enough the police was there dragging the unconscious kidnapper to the police car. They also took the girl's and the man's statements.

There were a few things that didn't make sense, but they thought they got confused as witnesses often do.

Rina was relieved that everything turned out okay and was just preparing to hurry off to her classes when a hand fell on her invisible shoulder.

"Oh no, not again! I am sure it isn't Serena this time." She thought as her heart started thumping like crazy.