Chapter 16

Chrystal was internally beating herself up for leaving Oliver alone in the harbor; it was the dumbest thing she had done in the last four days. She had been looking for him, firmly believing that the boy didn't board the ship, knowing it wouldn't take him to his destination.

Where could he be? Dinashia was a big city, Oliver could be in any corner, she thought maybe he had gone north, she paid attention to him when he talked about how to get to The Gold Star, and if her assumptions were correct, she could meet him before reaching the shortcut in the forest.

Would it be too much to ask if the universe sent her a sign of where the boy might be? It had been four days since Chrystal had left her house to look for Oliver, and desperation was eating away at her. She searched in poor places, where there weren't many people, but they were dangerous places, and her motorcycle was the most precious and expensive thing she owned; with it, they could get somewhere a little faster.

Parks, shelters, bridges, and not a trace of the boy. The money was starting to disappear, and so was the chance to find him. In the distance, she spots a bar; Daly decides that beer would help her think of her next move. Walking in, the place was almost empty; she takes a seat at the bar and, showing a fake ID, gets a drink that she takes in one gulp.

She didn't stop for a second to think of a plan B in case she didn't find Oliver, maybe she could get to the supposedly ideal place and meet the chestnut's friends so they could help her find him, but... what if by then Oliver was lost, found or died from the terrible cold of the frost? She couldn't leave him alone again, Oliver was her problem now, and she had to solve it; for once in her life, she had to do something right.

"Trouble at home?" asked the bartender.

"I abandoned a person in a port thinking I was helping him, and now I'm looking for him to... apologize," I confessed, ordering another beer.

"It's a big city. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"The Gold Star."

The bartender was surprised by the answer, thinking that it could be a joke. However, the seriousness of the young woman was such that he dismissed that thought.

"A boy asked about that place last night, I thought it was a joke, but he insisted so much that..."

"How was he?" Chrystal didn't let him finish. She suspected that more people wanted to discover The Gold Star as much as Oliver did.

"Slim, brown-haired, and green-eyed."

Chrystal asks for his whereabouts and runs out of the bar, hoping Oliver hasn't gone too far. She had to find him before the motorcycle's gas ran out completely.

Around six o'clock in the evening, as the sun began to set, a fight in the park caught her attention; a bunch of young men was beating someone up. She had seen multiple fights over the past four days and always went over to see if the boy being beaten was Oliver. Without much thought, she drove to the scene, hearing barking and shouting from the bullies.

"Oliver!"

She didn't know if the boy would react to the name, but he did, and that green gaze met hers. The five huge men around her completely ignored Chrystal continuing their task of beating the poor boy. The redhead took advantage of their inattention to hit them in the back of the head and the calves.

"Let's get out of here."

Oliver was in fetal form, protecting his face; when he heard Crystal Daly's sweet voice, he raised his head slightly, seeing her hand towards him and a small smile painted on his face. He hesitantly accepts it, seeing how the men who beat him were now unconscious. They both begin to run away from the scene, but Oliver stops, releasing his grip to go back for his new companion.

"What the..."

Chrystal is a little surprised to see a dog as emaciated as Oliver in her arms; she waits for the boy to reach her, and they both stare at each other, waiting for one to speak.

"I can't leave him."

Well, maybe ask about it when they are in a safer place. Nodding, he directs her to get on the motorcycle, leading them closer to the famous Gold Star. They stop at a gas station, and Oliver breaks the silence, not standing another minute without answers.

"Not that it bothers me, but what are you doing here?"

He didn't look away from the redhead who had her back to him as she watched a colorful screen; he let out a sigh and sat down on the ground, leaning his head on the metal.

"My family died three years ago; some idiot didn't see us and... while making a turn, the trailer pushed us off the road. I lost everything; my parents and one of my brothers died instantly; I tried to save my other two little brothers, but it was too late. I had nothing left, and I thought I had to die to end this nightmare... until you came along."

Oliver opens his eyes slightly at how open the redhead was with him; he didn't expect her to tell him about her life, much less thought he would ever see her again, but there she was, in front of him, coming clean.

"I didn't want to run away with you because I was afraid that if I left what had been my home, I would forget them, but if I stayed a second longer, I would never know why destiny put you in my path. I want to offer you an apology for abandoning you, I thought it was best to send you away, but it was stupid. I'll help you get to the Gold Star."

They were silent again, Oliver was slow to fully understand what she had just said, again that girl was apologizing to him for what she had done; shouldn't it be the other way around? He was the one who intruded in her life and was a burden; why did he feel a slight warmth in his chest then? Without letting go of the furry creature, he sits across from Chrystal Daly, watching her wipe away a few small tears.

"I'm so sorry you lost your family; I'm sure they loved you very much. They seemed to be very happy."

"Yes, I... we were happy, even when we fought," she laughed lightly. "I was lucky to have a lot of love from everyone; I wasn't good at expressing my feelings, but I loved to play with my brothers and make mischief in the neighborhood. They had quite the imagination and wit."

Oliver smiled, imagining those three playing with their older sister. He understood the reason for her sadness, and although he didn't know if he was the right one to give advice, he was grateful that she confided in something as strong and intimate as the death of her family.

"My mother always said that it wasn't the words that mattered but the actions. If you said you loved them but proved otherwise with your actions, then it wasn't true, so I'm sure your siblings and parents knew how much you loved them."

Chrystal wipes her face with a nod, remembering the times she showed her love for her family, believing what Oliver was saying.

"Thank you for coming back."

"I'm really sorry, Oliver."

"Don't apologize; it's okay. I met this little creature while you were away, he was about to die, and I helped him, just like you did with me. Now we're friends," the green-eyed man strokes the jet-haired dog's head, looking at him tenderly. "Oh, and I know what money is; in this world, you can't live without it. "

He pulls a wad of bills out of his pants pockets, and Chrystal opens her eyes, taking the bills in surprise.

"Where did you get it?"

"I saw several guys taking money from other people....."

"You stole it," she said, still surprised.

"It's not the first time, but otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten it. Are you upset?"

"Stealing is not good, but this will be enough for gas; we can find a decent place to sleep, and tomorrow we can buy warm clothes for you."

Oliver smiles at Chrystal Daly's smile; he was glad to know he had been helpful.