es. I left the apartment without a backward glance. There was nothing for me i

he sun was hot, and the air was thick with the dust of the countryside. As I walked, I s

s that were clean but patched in several places. The boy, who looked slightly older, was try

ally gave way, and a cascade of tomatoes, cuc

of frustration. The boy' s

them. "Do you

learly wary of strangers. But I saw something else in their faces, t

sound tough as he started gathering the

hodically to pick up the tomatoes and wipe the dust

moment before she gave me a small,

gathering everything back into the broken basket. I saw a worn textbook peeking out from a small bag Chloe c

ound here?"

t over that hill. We' re takin

re your p

away a few years ago," Chloe said softly. "It'

is past as a weapon for manipulation, these two were simply surviving, their dignity intact. They

Liam said suddenly, his eyes sharp a

ed fast in

a, bold and life-altering, began to form in my mind. This was my second chance. Not just to live

here are better schools there. Better opportunities. I have a little

d you two consider coming with me? I can' t offer you much, but I can giv

eir faces a mixture o

is voice filled with suspicio

hitting me with surprising force. "I see something special in both of you. You shouldn' t be spe

a life of learning, was clearly an overwhelming dream for her. Lia

ck at me, searching my face for

pered, her voice tre

d put a protective arm around her. Then, together, they stepped towards me. Chloe, in a

ading through my chest, a feeling I hadn

n as it passed. It was Mrs. Gable, the town' s biggest goss

off. And now you' re picking up two m

ve off, leaving a c

er. "Don' t listen to her," I said softly. "We k