Only My Mia Cara

The days passed like falling petals — one by one, drifting to the ground before I could catch them.

More children were being adopted now.More cheerful waves. More goodbye hugs.More empty beds.

The once-crowded hallways were quieter, emptier.Like echoes were slowly replacing voices.

Only a few of us remained —Danna, her little sister Milly, Jake, Chad, Yuri, Lily, Ana, and me.

And every day, I found myself wondering which of us would disappear next.

We were sitting on the worn wooden bench in the garden — our usual spot.No chores today. Another child had been adopted.Another name taken off the wall.

Jake was beside me, lazily spinning a dry twig in his fingers.

"What is our fate?" he asked, like it wasn't the first time he'd thought about it.

I didn't answer right away.I was watching Danna.

She was sitting cross-legged in the grass, plucking petals from a wild daisy.Her lips moved softly, her voice like a whisper against the breeze.

"We will get adopted… we won't.We will… we won't…"

She repeated it like a mantra. Like if she said it enough, it might decide her future.

Then, she ripped the last petal off and beamed—

"We will!" she said, voice bright like sunlight on tired skin.

Jake jumped in surprise, blinking like he'd been dragged from some distant thought.

"Danna," he groaned, "you scared the hell out of me."

But she only grinned wider, cheeky and glowing like she held the world in her hands.

"My mom said if you pluck petals and make a wish, it comes true," she said proudly.

Milly chimed in beside her—

"Yeah!"

Jake rolled his eyes.

"If that actually worked, I'd be a multimillionaire with a mansion by now."

His sarcasm didn't sting. Not anymore.It was just Jake.That was how he masked everything.

I tilted my head back, looking at the sky.

It was the same faded blue we saw every day… but it felt lonelier now.

Because while they talked and laughed and wished for something better…All I could think was:

What if my mia cara gets adopted?Where will I go?What will I become when she's gone?

"Would you be happy if you got adopted?"I asked before I could stop myself.

A strange silence settled.

Even Jake went quiet.

Then Danna laughed, a sound so real it made my heart twist.

"Is that even a question? I'd be extremely happy!"

She said it like it was obvious.Like there wasn't anything sad about it.

But I wanted to ask, Would it be because you'd finally have new parents?Or because you could finally leave this place behind?

I didn't.I couldn't.

Instead, I asked something even riskier—

"Would you miss me?"

She didn't answer with words.

She just reached out and grabbed my hand.Her fingers always felt smaller than mine.Warmer, too.

"Are you sad?" she asked, voice gentler now.

I looked away.Shook my head.

Because what else could I do?

If she left… I'd be alone.And I knew I didn't deserve to ask her to stay.

But deep down… I already knew:

This was the beginning of the end.And when it came, it would hurt more than I could admit.

She was about to say something — her lips had just parted, eyes still fixed on mine — when the ward's voice shattered the soft air like breaking glass.

"All of you, inside. Now!"

We stood up silently, brushing the loose grass from our knees.The breeze no longer felt warm.It carried a weight I couldn't name.

As we walked toward the orphanage, I caught it — the low purr of a car pulling up just outside the gates.A long, sleek, black car, cleaner than anything I'd ever seen.

It came to a slow stop, and two people stepped out.

Two couples.Both well-dressed.Both smiling.

Unbeknownst to me, I followed the others inside like a shadow.

The orphanage owner was waiting in the front hall, her perfume strong and her expression polished into something fake.

"Put on your new clothes, little ones," she said with a sugary smile."We have visitors. New parents."

New parents.The words tasted bitter in my mouth.

We were herded into the dorms and handed crisp shirts and clean pants — clothes that smelled nothing like us, and everything like preparation.

All around me, the air buzzed with soft whispers—

"They look rich…""They came in a black car.""Who do you think they'll pick?""Lucky ones…"

I didn't say a word.Didn't even blink.

Because something already felt wrong.

We returned to the lounge, lined up like dolls, and that's when I saw them.

The first couple was tall — graceful — and undeniably Chinese.The woman had elegant monolid eyes, her black hair tied neatly in a bun, a warm smile tugging at her lips. She looked like she stepped out of a painting, poised and beautiful in her mid-thirties.

Beside her stood her husband — a tall man in a grey suit, with pale skin, sharp features, a well-trimmed mustache, and slick black hair. Maybe also in his mid-thirties, or maybe just tired enough to look older.

"Haiya!" the woman chirped in a soft Chinese accent, hands folded politely."So many beautiful, mannered children."

The man nodded beside her.

"Lovely, lovely children," he echoed. "Come sit here, yes?"

We obeyed.

One by one, we sat down on the floor as they took the center seat on the couch like royalty come to choose their heirs.

"Introduce yourselves, one by one," the man said with an approving nod.

Yuri was the first to jump up.He always had that kind of energy.

"I'm Yuri," he said, a bit too loud. "I'm twelve years old."

The man chuckled, ruffling Yuri's hair.

Then I saw it.

The man leaned close to his wife, whispered something, and the woman's eyes shifted — slowly — deliberately — toward Danna.

My heart dropped.

No. No, no, no.

Please. Not her.

The woman lifted a gentle hand and pointed—

"What about that one? The girl with the braid."

Danna blinked, surprised.And then stepped forward.

Milly clutched her hand like a lifeline and followed, their footsteps barely a whisper on the tiled floor.

"I'm Danna," she said shyly. "I'm eleven. And this is my sister, Milly. She's six."

The woman bent down with the kind of smile that didn't need to be faked.

"You know, I have a son your age back in Hangzhou," she said."We've always wanted a daughter. And now we'll have two."

My ears rang.

Two daughters.Just like that.As if people were objects.As if love could be handed out like party favors.

I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

Danna smiled. She was always so polite. So hopeful.

"Thank you," she said, her voice like sunlight.

The man stood up, smoothing his suit as he turned to the owner.

"They're perfect," he said. "We'll take them both."