Maria watched as the table was quickly being set in front of her. She wondered whether Vanessa sensei’s movements were due to prior experience in table setting or if she had worked that extra bit harder to make a special memory with Leo.

Maria watched Vanessa tug on Leo’s apron just as he finished pulling the turkey out of the oven, and then give him a kiss full of affection. She couldn’t lie to herself any longer, she was slightly envious of the beautiful couple. They had only been introduced into her life two months ago, yet they held a special place in her heart.

“Maria, can you place the napkins?” Vanessa’s voice cut through her thoughts, and Maria once again took on her clumsy persona as she saluted to her Sensei, “Yes ma’am!”

Once again, that familiar false smile on her face. Once again, an act that left her looking the fool to all who observed. Once again, a reason for people to not abandon her.

Vanessa sighed and returned to setting the tableware, this time with a plethora of forks in one hand, and knives in the other.

Wiping the smile off her face, Maria took a handful of napkins and looked around the room. She couldn’t argue that Vanessa and Leo’s apartment was beautiful, the penthouse at a location she couldn’t even dream of affording. Fantastic art and marble sculptures were plentiful, and the massive bookcase that stole the spotlight seemed perfect for the giant living room.

What great fashion sense Leo has. If Maria was left to it there would be no doubt she’d mess it up and become disowned. Again.

It reminded her of one of her first foster family’s home. They had a splendid house, a mansion even and all the money in the world to please her. However, their love had a splendid decadence to it.

For the first month or so, things were fine. Yet every week that passed thereafter, their enthusiasm and care for her well being lowered by a palpable margin.

Soon her extravagant meals became mild starvation at night, until they realized the next morning that they forgot to feed her, and then gave her a single plate of food, as if she were some pet that would have no memory of mistreatment.

A little while after, they wouldn’t even bother visiting her room anymore, and at the point she couldn’t move due to hunger, it was only a scheduled update with her social worker that she didn’t show up to that sent police to the family’s estate. The family was soon stripped of her care and blacklisted, but the damage had been done.

Each subsequent family had similar tendencies, praising their new gift to themselves, like a bracelet or necklace. And like a bracelet or necklace, after awhile they stopped putting it on display and opted to return it to its box, to her box: the local orphanage. In fact, she never had a real home until she was drafted for her genetic compatibility with the Walker Gene, and at that point...

Feeling a familiar pain begin to take root in her chest, she tore her eyes away from the fancy furniture and looked only at the table, her new objective.

“Alright table, prepare to be napkinned.” A light chuckle came from the girl sitting to the right of her, and caused Maria to smile back.

“Come on, just start already.” Alison egged her on while balancing an almost full pot of soup in both hands. “The faster you put those down, the sooner I can get rid of this.”

“Hurry up!” Came another voice to Maria’s left. Rob, who was carrying a hot plate of pumpkin pie looked at her annoyed.

“Do you want me to help?” Angelina, Vanessa’s clone and Maria’s newest friend looked on at her in concern.

“No, I’ve got this.” Maria wore a fleeting smile on her face as she finished setting the table for the six of them.

When all was done, and five of them had sat down, Leo brought the turkey out from the kitchen and set it on the table. It smelled so perfect, Maria started to choke up a little, ironically, of course.

He cut a thick juicy slice, with golden-brown skin laced with spices hanging from the piece, and put it gently on Maria’s empty plate.

“Huh? Why me first, why don’t you give it to Sensei? You’re engaged after all.” Maria was confused, surely this wasn’t the handsome man coming onto her... was it!?

“Well, I could give it to Vanessa... but Maria, you’re crying, aren’t you?” Shocked, Maria touched her cheeks to find them wet, her emotions betraying her clown-like persona at the very end. Slightly upset and flustered, she vigorously wiped away at her face with her sleeve.

“Why don’t you take a bite and tell me how it tastes.” At Leo’s recommendation, she took a bite and grabbed one of the napkins in surprise. “Good, isn’t it?” Leo asked, a kind smile on his already attractive face.

“Yeah... yeah, it is.” Maria’s tears were ok the verge of flooding out, and she struggled to hold them back. Finally she couldn’t hold it any longer and began to dab at her eyes with the napkin, ironically, of course.