William's new life (for Silverstone)

[ChrisWk]

It was a beautiful summer morning, and this was the day where Henry would adopt someone. He had wanted to for a while now, as he felt adoption was more morally inline with his views. He had also been adopted, though, at a later age. His parents passed away when he was 10, and was adopted shortly after, hence why he too wanted to adopt someone. Henry knew how much it meant, and saving some poor kid from an orphanage was worth it. Had he not been adopted himself, then he would've likely ended up becoming a criminal.

That's why he also headed to one of the worse off orphanages in the city, one known to have members that were at best considered troublemakers. It wasn't in a great part of town either, which was all the more reason to adopt someone from there.

The 29 year old man had brown hair and dark green eyes, standing at a respectable 6'2" and was definitely not weak. He was fit and well trained, as he valued health and exercise quite highly.
Despite not being all too old, he was in fact quite well off. He worked as a head marketer for a rather large business, and had a very solid paycheck rolling in every month. One that made it more than possible to adopt someone.

Henry drove to the orphanage and parked his silver Mercedes in the parking lot. It wasn't a sports car or anything, but a nice normal car. Definitely on the pricier end of things. Though that was just for the simple fact that the car was quality, safe, practical and so on.

He headed on inside, looking for an adult to speak to as he had scheduled an appointment over the phone to look for someone to adopt. An employee approached him with a gentle smile.

"I assume you're Henry Lawrence? I'm Anne, we spoke on the phone the other day. We're very glad that you're interested in giving one of the kids here a better life. They're very much deserving of it, even if they can be quite misbehaved at times." she said with a gentle smile spanning across her face.

"Come on and follow me, and I'll show you a list of the most well behaved kids we have here along with their pictures and profile. They're all between age 4 and 9." she said as she lead the way towards the employee's room, where the head of the orphanage (Anne) had her office. But right next to her office was quite a different room... One that was supposed to be used for staff meetings, but was more often than not used for an entirely different purpose; dishing out punishments to misbehaving kids and teenagers. Where one certain teenage boy was currently being punished as well.

The sole reason she had picked out kids from the age of 4 to 9 for Henry was due to the fact that most people wanted to adopt younger ones, and also the best behaving ones.

"Wonderful. I'm certain I can give one of these rascals a much better life." Henry chuckled with a joking tone as they entered the staff's room, when the sound of a spanking could be heard echoing through the room.

[Silverstone]

William wasn't a bad boy.
He had only been bad luck.

He was born in a rundown neighborhood, the son of two drug addicts who had ended up setting fire to the house they lived in. The only one who save himself was little William, who at the age of five, left unattended, had ventured out of the house.
It had been the only case in history where playing ball on the street was safer than playing at home.

A stroke of luck, one might think.

Too bad, the only ones to take care of him were the social workers who had entrusted him to different families, one more maladjusted than the other.
People who fostered six, seven children, just to collect social security checks.
And a child with violent outbursts of anger that bite people was not suitable for that environment.

So at the age of seven he ended up in an orphanage, more introverted and angry than ever.
This had landed him on the Too Big and Too Bad to Adopt list.

But William wasn't bad.

Neither were the educators in reality. But it was easier for them to say that little Liam was a bad boy than to admit he needed a psychologist they couldn't afford.

William was never off that list again.
He was now sixteen and had spent the last ten in that place, expressing his inner distress with a series of behaviors that only led him to be punished.
He had lost count of the times one of the educators had dragged him into that room to punish him.

But he wasn't a bad boy.

Over the years, the outbursts of anger had subsided, although he occasionally reacted violently when under pressure.
He had remained that introverted and self-injurious way of expressing his discomfort by breaking the rules.
As if hoping , by doing so, someone would hear his call for help.

His need for psychological help had been buried under the bully attitude.
At that moment he was suffering the consequences of his umpteenth act of rebellion.
Bending on the table in the room, his hot cheek pressed against the cold surface of the table, he jumped, stifling a groan, when the bamboo cane fell for the umpteenth time on his bare bottom, already marked by previous blows.

It was routine for him to be there, with his pants and boxers at his ankles, taking 20, 30 shots from the cane, depending on what he had done.
That day he had been caught with his hands in the bag of one of the teachers. He wouldn't have gotten away with little.

William was not a particularly handsome guy, he was cute, was around 5'7 "tall, shoulder-length blonde hair and cerulean eyes. He was skinny, at first glance it could be easy to give him one or two years less.

[ChrisWk]

Henry stepped inside and closed the door behind him, quite surprised by the sight he was met with. Although the staff had a meeting room that was quite often used to dish out punishments, they didn't bother to close the door; leaving it wide open for Henry to see a teenage boy, bare from the waist and down, bent over the hard wooden desk getting his poor bottom whipped with a dreadful looking cane.
He couldn't help but feel bad for the boy, as he stopped in his tracks, looking over at Anne.

"Actually.. Tell me about that boy.." Henry said, quite curious as to that boy's case. He looked far older than any of the other kids that he had walked by there, and seemed to be getting a hell of a caning.

"Oh you don't need to know, he's just a troublesome brat. He's perhaps one of the more troublesome ones, so follow me and I'll show you the good kids we have here." Anne said with a light smile...

But Henry didn't move.

"No, I want to know about him." Henry said, almost a little firm in his tone, causing Anne's eyes to widen in surprise. This was the first time someone looking to adopt had taken an interest in William. Not only was William the oldest one at the orphanage, he was also one of the ones who got into the most trouble. No one wanted to adopt someone like him.

"Well, okay.. His name is William and he's 16 years old. He came here when he was 7, so he has spent the majority of his life here, and all those years he has been quite a handful. It's not uncommon to see him in that room getting a dose with the cane." Anne said, before going on to explain William's unfortunate backstory and why he had ended up as an orphan in the first place. The story hit right home for Henry, and it was clear that William needed help. He wouldn't go anywhere in life if he stayed in the orphanage.

Just the cries and sobs coming from the meeting room after each and every lick with the cane all made Henry's heart ache.

"You know what.. I'd like to adopt William. I don't want to take a look at the other kids, just show me where to sign and I'll take him off your hands." Henry said, giving Anne a rather serious look. Anne was almost in shock. Someone actually wanted to adopt William? She certain he'd stay at the orphanage until he turned 18, but in one way, she was a bit happy for him, as he had finally gotten his ticket to a better life. Something William probably deserved more than anyone else in that orphanage.

"If you're really sure about that, then okay." Anne said with a nod, before leading Henry into her office. She held the door open for him and closed it once he had entered. Anne wasn't even sure where she had William's file anymore.

After having looked through some dusty old drawers, she finally found it. Then all the necessary paperwork for William to be moved into Henry's custody.
"Okay, I just need you to sign here, here and here, then you will have legally and officially adopted William.. So take your time and think if you need it." Anne said, almost sure that Henry would back out now.. But that didn't happen.

Henry gladly took the pen and signed all three documents, before returning the pen.
"There we are." he said with a light smile, and as he said so, the loud cracks from the bamboo cane finally stopped...

"Would you mind introducing me to my new son?" Henry asked as he stood up, Anne still somewhat shocked that this had really happened. She was almost tempted to pinch her arm to see if this was a dream or not.

"But of course! Follow me, please." she said with a smile, grabbing the document that Henry would have with her. She lead the way into the meeting room, where William was still bent over the desk with his welted and incredibly sore cheeks on display.

"William! Stand up and pull your boxers and pants back up and turn around, there's someone that wants to speak with you." Anne said somewhat sternly, as that was just the way she had gotten used to speaking to William and most of the other kids...
She held the document out for William to read when he'd manage to gain the strength to stand up and pull his boxers and pants up. Anne figured she'd let him read the document he never thought he'd read himself; all whilst Henry stood besides Anne.

There was no question in Henry's mind that there was no one more needing and deserving of a safe and warm household than William.

[Silverstone]

William had lost count of the blows had received. He only knew when they finished it was a relief.
As always he had received a well-defined number of blows, slow and inexorable, then he was left there to collect his dignity and leave, while the educator went to put away the implement, without saying a word.

He was just catching his breath, waiting for his legs stop shaking, his arms stretched back as his fingers gently massaged sore skin.
When she Anne ordered him to get up it was an unexpected event.

With a sigh William leaned over, grabbing the clothes and pulling all up, with a choked hiss of pain.
He turned slowly as he fastened his belt.
The boy had a scowl and angry look, he didn't seem particularly repentant or guilty for what he had done.

William's face was hot and sweaty, with blond hair clinging to his cheeks and waterly and swollen red eyes.
Although Henry had heard him scream and sob, there were no tears of repentance on his face.

The boy looked at the paper with distrust, before taking and reading it.
He had to read it twice, while rubbing his butt with the other hand, to realize what the paper was saying.

He looked up, first at Anne and then at William. "What is it, a joke?" He said.
It was probably the first time Anne had seen genuine surprise in her eyes, instead of the usual grim and frowning expression.

[ChrisWk]

Anne was about to scold the boy for thinking they would ever lie about something or tell anything untruthful, as in the orphanage, it was quite important for all the kids and teenagers to completely listen and obey the adults and staff. But she remembered that William was no longer under her care or jurisdiction. She had no authority to order him around or scold him anymore, so she simply kept quiet.

Henry shook his head from side to side.
"No, it's not a joke. I have signed all necessary papers, and you're not under my care. Now before we go any further.." Henry smiled lightly and reached his hand out to shake William's.

That was not common at the orphanage. Shaking one of the kid's hands wasn't common at all. That usually meant that they respected one another; and the staff didn't necessarily respect the naughty brats causing so much trouble.

Henry was different. He was already determined and cared for William; even if he didn't know him.

"We will leave and head home once you're ready. So say goodbye to everyone you want and pack your stuff. You won't be coming back here unless it's to visit your friends." Henry said with a light smile on his face, knowing that William likely needed some reassurance.

[Silverstone]

William was stunned.
Surely having just gotten out a particularly hard spanking didn't help.
He shook Henry's hand, unconvinced.
"Okay... I'm going to get my things then?", He was still so uncertain...

When Anne answered affirmative, he nodded and disappeared out of the office.
The educator who had put away the bamboo cane, a grim-looking middle-aged woman, warned Henry to keep an eye on his wallet, as she passed.

The boy returned after less than ten minutes, with a worn canvas duffel bag over one shoulder.
"I'm ready," he advised.

His attitude was aggressive and hostile. The armor with he hid his fragility. Did that man want to make fun of him? Would he have fooled him and then dumped him again?
He couldn'tt rest easy and his hostility to Henry was quite evident.

[ChrisWk]

Henry waited there patiently, as he had a feeling this would take a little while to sink in for the boy. Though that wasn't an issue; he just hoped that William would be better behaved around him.
Not that he couldn't deal with a bit of sassiness or anything, but he just hoped he'd feel more calm and open to conversation with him, as that didn't seem to be present at the orphanage whatsoever.

When the middle-aged woman who had just whipped William raw gave him a warning to keep an eye on his wallet, he simply deadpanned her. Not giving her any reaction other than a cold look. He didn't think William wanted to steal or liked stealing, just from what he had heard and seen so far that is.
When he finally returned after a few minutes, the 29 year old let a light smile form, before turning to Anne.

"Thank you for your time, it was nice meeting you. And thank you for taking care of William these past years. We'll be leaving now." he said with a smile as he gave William's shoulder two light and comforting pats.
"Come on, let's head home. You won't be seeing anymore of this place." Henry reassured him as they walked out of the orphanage and towards the parking lot where his car was parked.

After having unlocked it, he gestured to the passenger seat.
"Okay, hop in and put your seatbelt on and we'll get moving. It's about a 20 minute drive away from here." Henry said as he got into the drivers seat and turned on the ignition after having put his own seatbelt on.
He figured he'd save the introduction and so on after him and William had arrived at home. There was a lot to talk about, after all. Everything from how things would work from now on, rules, chores, that he was expected to use his words and communicate with him and so on.

[Silverstone]

William seemed to straighten his back, once out of the orphanage, as if he had left a weight behind.
Maybe he was due to the unexpected situation, but it didn't seem so terrible and dangerous for the moment.
He just looked like a bewildered boy.

William looked at the car for a long moment before opening the door. "Nice car," he said, sliding into the seat.
He hisses, his butt at that contact must have hurt him hell, yet he made no sign of wanting to look for a less painful position. He just fastened his seat belt and crossed his arms, the attitude of someone who was angry with the world.

"Listen. Don't get me wrong," the boy said, after a moment, once the car was started. "I'm more than happy to get out of that sewer," he said looking at the man next to him. "But why me? There are dozens of cute kids in, who would definitely look better in this rich car," he said defensively.
The tone in which he uttered the word "rich" was quite contemptuous, as if it disgusted him.

[ChrisWk]

Henry felt a bit bad for William as he let out a hiss once he sat down, it was clear he was quite sore. And definitely overly sore for what he had done. They had really gone to town on his poor bottom.
"Why you? Well.. I asked Anne about your story and why you were in there getting a caning. After hearing what you had been through and your situation, it was clear you're deserving of far better." Henry explained as he pulled out onto the streets.

"Those cute kids will get adopted eventually, I'm sure. You seem to be in need of help, which is why I decided on taking you in." Henry said as they drove, before pulling out and onto the highway.
"If anyone in that orphanage was deserving of a better more stable life, it was you. I don't think you're a bad kid at heart. I think you've just been put down an unfortunate path, but we'll change all that. You won't be heading back to any orphanage ever again, you can trust me on that." Henry said with a smile, before reaching over and ruffling his hair a little.

Henry did pick up on the tone William used when saying 'rich' - though he would do his best to change his opinion of Henry's car and so on.
The 29 year old had worked his ass off to achieve what he had, and had been an orphan himself, so he hadn't been much more privileged than William now was.

[Silverstone]

When Henry reached out to ruffle his hair, William jerked back.
He was probably not used to someone making such a gesture towards him without intending to grab or yank him.
Realizing that he had a reaction that might seem excessive, he tried to compose himself.

"Thanks," he finally said.
And this time the tone didn't sound hostile or sarcastic.
It would take a lot of work on William's part to really gain his trust.
But the speech he had made seemed at least to have convinced the boy that he hadn't shady motives.

William leaned back, his arms still crossed, but apparently more relaxed.
Henry's words had rekindled a little flame of hope inside him, faint, weak, but it was there.
Maybe the world wasn't that bad.