Chapter 4

*PREVIOUSLY* Luna's best friend showed up and warned her.

While driving, due to what happened, my mind is all over the place just like my eyes are. I am not focused on the road but rather focused on everything wrong. I am basically trying to get myself killed by not focusing on the road because just what the fuck happened? And why am I even swearing so much?

I click my tongue in annoyance, sighing in distress because of the thoughts I should not have.

God, if you can hear me, can I ask if this is some kind of prank of a test of faith? Because if it is I get it already, I want to get out now because it will not work with me anyway and I am tired of it all even if I know it's just the beginning.

Wait...the beginning...so there's more?!

I groan and sigh heavily again, allowing my head to fall forward carelessly for a second but I quickly realize what I am doing so I widen my eyes in fear and I adjust my position so I can focus on the road.

My eyes almost bulge out of their sockets and I hastily pressed my foot on the brake, flinging my head forward again but this time, involuntarily due to the quickness of it all. I cover my mouth with my trembling hand then I scream in panic because I almost killed a kid who's in the middle of the road! Alone and filthy!

"Damn it all! Why the fuck do you hate me so much?!" I shout, blaming the Supreme being in the heaven gates.

I hastily remove the seat belt around me, failing multiple times but when I finally do, I almost jump out of the car and jog toward the boy who is shaking in fear while holding his arms up, trying to protect himself, sfill not realizing I stopped an inch before his skin.

An inch!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't...I didn't mean to." I squatted down and placed my trembling hands on his arms.

He peek with his one eye then he open both of his eyes and looked at me with shock but surprisingly he isn't crying.

He remove his arms in front of him and he sigh in relief, washing away some of the shock and fear.

I glance around us, hoping to seek help but the road is completely deserted, not even a single animal is around. We are the onlu ones in here. Truthfully, I was a bit relieved but at the same time more worried for the kid because he is alone.

A kid as young and as small as him shouldn't be alone.

I look back at him and I hesitantly rub his arms both to check if he isn't injured and to make him calm down. I examine his face too but there isn't a single scratch rather his face is dirty as if he hasn't come home for weeks. He is also a little stinky and smells of a burnt coal. Even if I don't know him, my heart breaks apart little by little the longer I stare at him and what makes it even more hard to bear is that he has a huge sparkling blue eyes that shines like a sapphire and his cheeks are reddish and a little chubby but his body is small and thin.

His eyes sticks with me the most so as I open my mouth to speak to him, I accidentally call him sapphire. "I'm sorry, Sapphire. I'm really really sorry. I just...I had a bad day and now I feel like piece of garbage. I'm sorry, okay?"

To my surprise, his face lightens up with a smile then he starts giggling, finding me funny and that soothes the tension in my shoulders.

"Hey, sapphire. Please forgive an irrational, moody, panicking piece of garbage girl like me. I should have been careful but mind if I ask what are doing here all alone, in the middle of the road?" I ask while my hand cupped his cheek and I stare at the beautiful eyes.

He started giggling and I smiled at him when I finally saw him smile. "You're not a piece of garbage if you can apologize for the things you did. Not many have the courage to apologize."

This kid's mouth and logic are far greater than most adults that I see. He sounds like a cute little baby but his words are like coming from an old man that has been alive for too long. He's even more mature than me, to be honest. He's spitting some facts here and I kind of feel intimidated and awe at the kid.

I chuckled and keep caressing his cheek. "Still, I'm so sorry. I have a lot in my mind and I even almost damage a poor cute boy like you. Are you hurt?" I looked around his body and I saw a small cut in his elbow which made me feel like more piece of shit that doesn't deserve to live because I hurt someone.

"Wait here. I have a first aid kit. I'm going to help you." I pulled him softly to the side of the deserted road and I get in the car. I parked the car away from the road and I grab the first aid kit that we were keeping in here in case of emergency. Then I looked back outside and saw the boy, hugging himself and fidgeting while waiting.

Poor boy...

I looked at the back and grabbed a water bottle, a box of chopped fruits, a bar of chocolate to keep him energized, a bag of chips, and a hand towel. That should do it.

I walked out and closed the door behind me. I approached him and squatted down again.

"C'mere. Imma clean you up." I opened the bottle and poured a little bit of water on the towel to clean his dirty face and arms as for his clothes, I couldn't do anything about it cause I have not extra clothes with me.

The boy watched me in silence as I clean his face. "Drink the water, sapphire."

I gave him and bottled water and he accepted it with a small thanks. He almost finished the water as he chugs it down hurriedly as if he hadn't drunk in a few days. I frowned and felt my heart hurt from the sight of it as I wipe his arms.

"Sapphire, why are you here? All by yourself?" I tried asking again while I carefully wiped his arms.

"I don't have anyone." He simply says and lipped shrugged as if it's nothing. "And my name's Matt."

"Okay, Matt. Where do you live?" I asked. I figured that I should keep asking him questions to know that he isn't involved with anything bad before I could decide to take him home with me.

"Just anywhere. It depends on the day, really." He looked down as he spoke in a hushed soft voice that makes me want to protect him.

"How old are you, Sapphire?" I started cleaning his small wound.

"I'm 7 years old." I finish up cleaning his wound and I protect it with a bandage.

He smiled and thanked me while trying to look at his elbow.

"It's a batman bandage, sapphire." I said while chuckling at him.

His eyes lit up and looked at me excitedly. "Really? I like batman!"

"Me too, kid, me too." I smiled and ruffles his head.

"Here, sapphire, Eat this." I gave him what I prepared but then I realized how many I got and compared to his small hands, he can't really carry those.

"Hey, sapphire. I know I'm a stranger and you shouldn't trust strangers but I would really like to give you shelter and protect you so how about if I take you home with me? You'll meet wonderful parents and a great big brother. How's that sound?" I asked while gently smiling at the boy who looked a lot cleaner now and with his clean fair skin, his eyes stand out even more. "You won't get to meet bad strangers again."

He looked at me with sincere eyes and eyes that are watering. "Uh, really? Are you sure? I won't meet bad strangers again?"

I wiped the tear that falls out of his eye and I nodded, wondering how he didn't cry when he almost died earlier because of me but he cried because he will not see bad strangers again, not when he's with me. He's brave but he's hurt and traumatized enough to not cry when he almost died, it's like he wants to die too. God really works in mysterious ways.

"Yes. I'll keep you safe and give you shelter, sapphire."

"Are you sure I can trust you?" He asked suspiciously but with a soft smile as if he knew that he can really trust me.

"Yeah, I can assure you that, sapphire, I'm not a bad stranger."

"Then I'd like to go with you." He said excitedly and he suddenly hugged me and I hug him back.

"Come on, sapphire. Let's get you home."