Downstairs, I dug out stuff to make enchiladas, one of Jasper’s favorite meals. Or maybe it was just everything I made. But I had overheard him tell his grandma he missed his Mom’s meals, enchiladas, the most. I wasn’t sure if what I made was even close to the same as hers, but it was easy enough to make, and filling.
Seeing Jasper almost every day still made me crave to seek more warmth from him. I wanted to know what it’d feel like to have his arms wrapped around me. I was intrigued by the tattoos that were on his arms.
I hummed to a song that played through the headphones, the music low enough I could hear when Dawn came home. Thankfully, she hadn’t said anything about the few times she’d caught me humming along to songs.
The headphones were definitely one of the best gifts that Dawn had gotten me. I usedthem almost all the time. Either to listen to music or when I was watching something. They came in handy to help keep some of the noises down in busy stores, too.
I shook my head with a small smile on my lips. I never once thought I’d enjoy being able to listen to what I wanted, when I wanted. Or to cook, or even be happy.
But then the next second, my smile fell.
There were still boys that didn’t get to have this life. Boys who were stuck at the hands of monsters. They had to live in pain and fear every minute of the day.
I was one of the lucky ones, and I was more than grateful to have the chance at life. But my heart hurt for the ones that weren’t saved.
The boys I was held with were most likely dead by now, but I shed a single tear at the loss of life they left behind.
I knew a simple person like myself couldn’t change what happened to me and others like me. But there had to besomething,anything out there that could get word about the way life is unfair.
Boys aren’t the only victims of being sold, used, and abused. Girls were too.Just like it wasn’t always just men who hurt those younger and weaker than them. Females could do just as much harm, if not more.
The world was full of monsters. But in those monsters, there were good guys, too. People who fought for people like me.
I wanted to be one of them someday. Somehow, I wanted to make a change. I wanted to make a difference.
But first, I had to get over my fears.
Chapter 30
Winter hit hard and fast this year. One day, the weather was perfectly warm, and the next, there was an inch of snow covering the ground.
My dislike for the white powdered stuff hadn’t changed. I didn’t like the cold, as it wormed its way into my bones and never left.
All I wanted to do was stay under the covers and hide away from the world, but I had plans.
Mrs. Lee’s upstairs had been finished and cleaned out of clutter, which meant it was time to deep clean as much as I possibly could. The carpets would be professionally cleaned, but the rest was left up to me.
At least the bedrooms didn’t take as much work as the other parts of the house. Only dust and cobwebs covered the walls, and those were easy enough to clean and make it smell fresh and clean once again.
I knew that Jasper had plans to start painting the spare bedrooms this weekend, and I wanted to have the cleaning done before then.
Pulling myself from the warm bed, I wished I could just stay there.
“I’ll be back,” I told my covers, like they could hear me. Maybe if they could, they’d talkback and tell me to just stay home and hide away from the yucky weather outside.
I rolled my eyes. I was being dumb. A little snow and cold wasn’t going to hurt me. I survived worse.
It didn’t take long to dress in a long-sleeved shirt and toss on a coat and snow boots. I made sure to eat a piece of toast before heading out across the yard to the house next door.
Jasper’s car was still parked, which was surprising. Usually, he was gone by the time I got up and going, even though it wasn’t all that late.
I knocked on the back door before entering. Mrs. Lee had told me to just come in, saying I was family and I didn’t have to knock. It still felt weird to walk into a house that wasn’t my own, even after weeks of cleaning for her.
“Morning, Koda, dear.” She greeted me from her usual spot at the table.
“’Orning.” I muttered, taking off my coat and hanging it on a hook.
“Sure, you talk to her but won’t utter a word to me yet? I feel wounded.” Jasper pasted a fake hurt look on his face, hand to his chest and everything.
