bChapter /b52

Aurora’s P.O.V

After leremy bgave /bout the list, Roan and I headed out to get the groceries in his motorbike. Thankfully, he wasn’t a rough driver and was kind angle t help me up and down the bike as well.

However, when we were almost done with the groceries, he looked at the second list with a frown.

b“/bbIs/bb…/beverything alright?” I asked, seeing as to how he looked a bit worried.

“Did you notice that the address said Uptown, Loudon Street?” He asked me, turning the page in my direction.

I nodded, telling him that I had noticed. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“Thing is…Uptown itself if pretty posh. Not to mention, Loudon Street is like the Manhattan of Maine.” Roan shook his head. “Why would people from bthere /border food for a birthday from a tiny diner like oursb? /bEspecially when they already have some high end restaurants in that particr area?b” /b

Upon hearing Roan’s exnation, that sense of foreboding in my stomach only grew stronger.

The order was indeed unexpected and the most concerning part was that Caleb and his bcrew /bblived /bin that area. Even though I had never bbeen /bto that part bof /bthe city, I could tell that it just might have been him or one of his friends that had pulled off this stunt. But there was no way that Jeremy was going to believe me over the customer.

Now, as we headed back to the diner with fresh supplies, all I could do was hope that bmy /bgut feeling was wrong, and that we weren’t stepping into any kind

of trap.

b1 /b

“Riley…do you have any friends at school that you like a lot?” bI /basked him bas /bI served us both a ham and turkey sandwich with a side of fries, bwhich /bI had gotten from the diner.

Riley looked up from his te with a smile. “Yes…I do! I have Rosa.”

I smiled at him, knowing that he was talking about a female friend, but even though they were kids, I would prefer him to be with a maleb…/bjust in case the parentsin.

“How about boys, sweetie?” I pinched his cheeks lightly. “Do you have a friend who you can have a sleepover with?”

That just caused him to frown. “What’s a sleepoverb?/bb” /bHe asked in his adorable baby voiceb. /b

“It’s where a few of your friends stay at your house and you watch movies, have dinner together and have loads of fun!” I exined to him as best bas /bbI /b

could, even though my heart hurt for him.

1

Thest time I had a sleepover had been when I was eleven. bJoyce /bwas my best friend in middle school and she had invited me to stay at her house onest time before she and her parents moved to Seattle. It had been one of the best nights bof /bmy life.

She and I had stayed up watching High School Musical and then we had yed with the child–friendly makeup that her father had gotten especially for her. The way her family adored her had made me envious of her from time to time.

Unfortunately, Joyce had already left by the time my mom had gotten pregnant with Riley and by thenb, /bbI /bhad lost all contact with her bas /bbwell/bb. /bbHowever/bb, /bbit /bwas a friendship that I would cherish forever in my heart.

Now, I looked towards Riley to find him looking at me with his beyes /bwide in wonder. “Can I do that?” He basked /bquietly, his mouth full bof /bba /bbbig bite/b.

“Yes, of courseb./b” I smiled at him. “I’ll ask/one bof /byour friend’s parent’s tomorrow. If possible, you can have a sleepover bas /bearly bas /bbnext /bbweek/bb. /b

bI /bbwas /bhoping and praying that one of the parents would bagree /bto the sudden brequest/b, because if they didn’tb…/bI had bno /bidea of bwhat /bbI /bbwas /bbabout /bbto /bbdo /bbwith /b

bChapter /bb52 /b

bRiley/bb. /b

bHaving /ba five year old all alone in an empty house was a big NO–NO for me, but other than bthat/bb, /bthe only person I could bthink /babout bwho /bbwould /bhelp – bkeep /bbhim /bsafe bwas /bJeremyb, /bboth because he loved Riley and because he knew exactly how violent my father was.

Jeremy had basked /bme to file aint several times, so that my father would be sent to jail and I wouldn’t have bto /bspend all my bmoney /bbrepaying /bhis debt but each time, I had denied the offer, for the same reason. I couldn’t be separated from Riley; he was my life–line. If the authorities took him baway /bfrom ne there will be nothing left for me, no hope, and no will to live.

And despite everything that I was going through, a stubborn part of me wasn’t ready to die just yet.

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We all think differently I suppose but I think at this point this girl is being ridiculous. b1 /bcould 100% get it if he was some random guy that kissed her but her first kiss was wit…

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