looking at the swimming pool, a boy

at her. With the sun shining directly behind

ck White. Wha

nce she could make out his features, she gave him a bright smil

e other kids, and none of them talked to her voluntarily. Jac

a up and led her towards the swimming pool. "Let's go swimming. I

You are so kind to me. How did you know that I'm not

s and beamed at her. "I guessed i

Patricia followed Jack to th

ar the edge of the swimming p

her mouth to breathe and ended up swallowing a few mouthfuls of water. Soon, she was choking des

he pool and were laughing loudly. Ou

of air, a little boy swam over

ink water!" The boy's voice was domineering but pleasant, w

pulled her to the surface of the water, a

ricia squinted at the boy, who was

ittle boy's face was covered with water droplets. He had a sligh

ed, "What's your name?" She had barely any stre

swam, he said, "My name is Zac Reynolds. Since I saved you, you have to be my little

ghtheaded she felt, Patricia didn'

I will protect you no matter what ha

out as well. By the time Patricia finally came to

to her house, dripping from head to toe. But the sudd

rthday today? So where had everyone gone? The house ha

he was about to go and look in the backyard, she heard someone wailing from inside the house. Fol

d the room, she was s

andpa's side?" Sullivan gave Patricia a slap on her face, followed by punches and kicks.

rowd and made it to his bed, she f

swimming? It's all your fau

ve to suffer hardships with your mother. But who woul

re of him, what are you g

bruises, and her whole body was convulsing from shock. After a while, she lay on the ground, u

reall

of the word "dead" that sh

ole family had already dispersed, leaving her lying there alone by then. She got up from

her brother who had said

the street frantically looking f

rs, she learned from her classmates that Zac was j

they both had the s

ndpa

e adult Patricia kept shivering,

er grandfather, and tears fell from the corners

Please don't

p another quilt and covered her with it, but she continued to s

wake her up from the nightmare, and he d

xpected her to

In the past three years, he had never touc

ed the iron raili

t she was pregnant. How the hell

ecially when the image of her being with another man pop

room, kicked over the trash can

meone else the whole time and

ut some other man had dared to touch his

mper tantrum. He didn't even realize the real reason why he was angry,

lly woken up by Zac's kick. She opened her m

? Where was Zac? Hadn't he come to the Sam

at Patricia had woken up, Z

led his facial expressions, but now, hi

ody, Zac helped her sit up. His movements were slow and gentle, and hi

ge look, but Zac did

ood fluctuated too much, and

, but continued to sta

after seeing Patricia wake up that he had