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llamangos4eva

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            Startled, I jumped about a foot and turned. I came face to face with the most handsome guy I had ever laid eyes upon.

            “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you!” The guy placed a hand on my shoulder when he said sorry.

            I felt happy for once in a long time. He seemed so familiar yet to vague. “Well, I just spent a night in that house, I’m a little edgy right now. It’s my fault really.”

            “A whole night? And you survived?” He looked shocked.

            “Yeah.” I smiled lightly. “Might I ask your name?”

            “Oh, how terrible of me.” He held out a hand. “My name’s Martin.”

            I shook his hand. “I’m Kwanii.”

            “Ooh, love the name! Is it Indian?”

            “Korean.” I let go of his hand.

            “I love it!” He smiled.

            I felt kind of weird. I was standing there, about half a foot shorter than he. The first human interaction since like three towns back, and I had touched him.

            Martin shook his head then moved to put his arm around me. I felt really awkward now. I wasn’t the best smelling.

            “Uhh, I don’t know if you want to get too close... I’m an orphan and don’t smell, or look, that great.” I lowered my head, ashamed that I had to tell him this.

            He didn’t move away. In fact, I think he moved closer.

            “I don’t mind. I feel as though I’ve known you forever.” Martin said as he started walking me down the road a little bit.

            “Really? Same here.” I said, but then clapped my hand over my mouth.

            “What’s wrong?”

            “I’m probably going to scare you off.”

            “No way.” He stopped by a clean looking car. It was red and looked really neat. “Here, sit in here and I’ll take you to my house.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “Positive.” Martin opened the passenger door for me. I got in and he closed it. Then he walked around and climbed in the drivers seat.

            “You can drive? How old are you?”

            “I’m 17. How old are you?”

            “Sixteen.” I said shyly.

            “Oh, not that young. Buckle up please.”

            I buckled up and he pulled away from the curb. There were, what felt like, a few minutes of silence before Martin spoke up.

            “What were you doing in the old Manor house?” He asked, not taking his eyes off the road and where he was driving.

            “Well, last night it started pouring like non-other. I was looking for somewhere to stay and found the house.” I glanced out the window at all the houses passing by. I didn’t recognize any of them, but when I passed them the night before, it was extremely dark.

            “Wow, that was late last night. Almost midnight when it started pouring!” Martin turned the car onto another road, this one had less trees and houses. All the houses we set back far from the road and had perfectly cut, green lawns.  “Why were you out so late?”

            “Well, I have no sense of what the time is, or the date for that matter.” I looked at Martin. He looked so calm for someone who has a complete stranger of an orphan in his car.

            “That’s probably true.” Martin turned right into a long driveway. I looked up at the house. It looked bigger than the one I had just stayed it. But it also looked more inviting. “Well, here we are.” He said, turning off the car and stepping out.

            I opened my door and stepped out as well. Closing the door, I turned to look around the yard. Perfectly cut grass on one half, not so perfect on the other. I looked farther towards the house and saw someone on a riding lawn mower.

            “Your yard,” I said, looking up at Martin. “It’s so pretty!”

            Martin chuckled. “Yeah, the groundskeeper does wonders with it. You should see the flower garden behind the house.”

            “There’s more yard behind the house? Wow, you guys must have money for that!”

            “Yeah, I guess you could say that.” Martin put his arm around me again and started leading me towards the house. “Let’s go inside. I want you to meet my mom and dad.”

            At the mention of ‘dad’ I stopped short. It startled Martin and he looked at me with questions in his eyes.

            “Is something wrong?” Martin looked at me. “Was it something I said?”

            I shook my head. “Sorry. It was just, well, when you said ‘dad’ it reminded me of when I was six.”

            “Oh, I’m sorry. Well, do you still want to meet him?”

            “Yeah, it’s fine.” I was a little embarrassed at having done that, but I shook it off and followed Martin into his house.     

Inside it felt really nice. It was a little cool, but nice. Well, for what I was wearing at least. I was in tattered pants and a torn t-shirt. My blanket was still around my shoulders.

            “I believe they are in the living room.” Martin said, wiping his shoes on the mat by the front door. “I’ll introduce you to them.” He stepped off the mat.

            I wiped my feet and followed him, hoping that my being barefoot wouldn’t upset his parents. These people looked very high class. Well, their house did at least. I didn’t know what the actual people were like.

            “Mom? Dad?” Martin said as he stepped into the living room doorway and stood there. I stayed just out of the doorway, pretty sure that they couldn’t see me.

            “Yes Martin?” I heard someone reply from in the room.

            “I have someone here who I’d like you to meet. Her name is Kwanii and she’s an orphan.” Martin turned to me and gently grabbed my hand. He pulled me into the doorway.