Chapter 14
I walked out of the school, along the long road, on and on. Night fell, and lights lit up the streets.
I passed an unfamiliar square. Inflatable castles and a carousel were set up, and many children were laughing and playing.
My classmate was there too, brought by his mother to play with other children.
Even in the dim light, he recognized me from afar.
He screamed, saying something to his mother and friends while pointing at me.
The aunt holding his hand glared at me with disgust, pulling him a little farther away.
His friends threw snacks at me from their hands.
I kept my head down and hurried pas them, heading across the street.
A sharp horn blared.
A car window rolled down, and an adult yelled angrily. “Red light! Whose kid is this? Trying to get yourself killed?!”
I backed up to the edge of the street, panicked.
But what echoed in my mind was the word “kid” from his angry shout.
I didn’t have a home. I didn’t know where to go.
The day my uncle drove me to the school dormitory was the one and only time he had personally taken me to the school gate.
He told me, “The Millers will give you a living allowance. Don’t come back.”
But he seemed to have forgotten that the school didn’t allow students to stay during winter and summer breaks.
Or perhaps, after half a year, he had already forgotten about me.
I carried my backpack, a bank card from my uncle, and some cash in my pocket.
I wandered the streets until midnight, when I finally spotted a small inn with a “Vacancy” sign.
I went inside and showed my card. But the woman at the front desk said minors weren’t allowed to check in by themselves.
She asked where my parents were, then turned to make a call, saying she would call the police for help.
While she was distracted making the call, I quietly left the inn.
I really had nowhere else to go. I found an underground passage to shelter from the wind and curled up in a corner until dawn.
But the next day, and the day after, I still had no place to stay.
I could buy food, but not a room to spend the night.
After much thought, it seemed my only option was to go back to the Miller family.
I decided I would go and speak to my uncle, and beg him to find me a place to stay during the breaks.
Then, I would behave and never return again.
Mom was sick and hadn’t recovered. Ethan had said she couldn’t see me.
I thought for a long time, and only by evening did I finally remember the name of the Miller estate.
I tried to hail a cab like I’d seen adults do, intending to go to the Miller estate.
Passing a bakery, I saw beautiful pink cakes displayed in the window.
Chapter 14
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My hand clutched the cash in my pocket. I couldn’t resist and went in to buy one.
When I was very little, Mom had told me one night–before she came to the Appalachian Hills, every birthday, she would have a huge pink cake.
Even though she was no longer a child.
She said she was the youngest daughter of the Millers, with parents and an older brother who loved her dearly.
I had watched her in the dim light. When she spoke of it, her eyes seemed to sparkle.
If I gave this pink cake to Mom, would she be a little happy? Would she hate me a little less?
Maybe, even if just for a moment, she would be willing to look at me with kindness again.
Chapter 14
