His eyes opened and he dreaded everything. Just as he had predicted, he was back to his own cruel and merciless world. He was standing next to the rude man at the car wash. The man continued to yell at him like before.

He looked at the man and with all the courage he could conjure, "I'm sorry." He choked up, his voice cracking and more tears falling from his already wet cheeks.

"Good, are you the manager?" The man yelled, looking behind the boy.

He turned his head and standing behind him was none other than his grandmother. That evil look in her once gorgeous blue eyes, that messy bun she made out of her beautiful long blonde hair, that angry sneer that formed on her pretty full lips. He remembered it all. She walked closer to him, hand rested on her hips.

"You useless piece of shit!" She hollered. "You can't even do one simple job without fucking up! Why are you even still living?!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He said repeatedly, body trembling greatly. His hands clenched to the sponge so tightly he could feel it begin to rip little by little.

She stood in front of him, only centimetres away and raised her hand high, he knew what was coming. He shut his eyes as her hand cane contact with him left cheek and at the moment...

"Ah!" He screamed and his head sprung up from the pillow, hair drenched from sweat and stinking to his forehead, his breathing uneven and body shaking.

He looked around, still panting and now confused when he noticed that he was back in the room from what he thought to be his dream.

"It's okay, I'm right here." He heard the man's soothing voice. He turned to his right and saw him sitting on the bed. Had been holding on to his hand tightly. "Don't worry, just breathe okay?" He cupped his left cheek. "You were just having a bad dream." He reassured.

"B-bad...dream?" The boy repeated.

He nodded. "It's all over now."

His breathing began to even a little more. His tears fell from his eyes again, wetting the man's hands. He hugged the man and just let himself cry in his chest. That had to be the first time he had ever felt so many emotion all at once. He tighten his arms around the man and let all of it go. He didn't know why but he felt safe where he was, it was a new feeling and he never wanted it to ever disappear.

The embrace went on for about five minutes before he lifted his head from the man's chest and looked up at him. The man smiled and slightly brushed his thump on his cheeks to wipe the tears away. "How are you feeling?" The man asked.

"I'm fine." He replied. His eyes travelled down to the man's chest, his nice white shirt was covered with tears and snot. "I...I'm sorry." He apologised, feeling ashamed of itself.

The man followed his eyes and once he saw his shirt, he chuckled. "Don't worry about that. All that matters right now is to make sure you're okay." He said. "Now," He he started. "Why don't you tell me your name." He said to him.

"A-Aaron." He replied shyly.

"What a cute name!" He cooed. "So how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Wow, you're big. What school do you go to?"

He was about to answer but stopped himself. He finished high school but couldn't afford to attend college. What if the man thought he was stupid? What if he thought that he wasn't educated and was nothing but a waste of time?

He fidgeted with his fingers and thought thoroughly. "If you don't want to say that's okay. You don't have to push yourself." The man said kindly.

"Y-your name. What's your name?" Aaron asked, face a bit rosy from shyness.

"oh, you can call me Simon." He replied. "Simon Storks." He added.

"H-how did I...get here?" Aaron asked. He honestly didn't want to know.

"Oh um...well," Simon trailed, scratching the back of his head. "You were standing in the middle of the cross road and I had just come from the coffee shop near their so when I saw you, I kinda of panicked and pushed you out of the way." He explained.

"Thank you." Aaron said. He didn't have anything else to say other than that. He wanted to end everything because all life has ever given him was misfortune. He had never once met a person who actually looked at him and asked if he was okay, someone who felt sympathy for him, someone who wanted him to live—never. But he stayed quiet afterwards. He knew once he stood up from that bed, he'd have to go back to his crappy life.

"No worries. I'm sure you would've done the same." Simon grinned while nodding his head.

"W-what time is it?" Aaron implored.

The man looked at his wrist watch before turning his head back to Aaron. "4:15." He replied.

"Oh no!" Aaron's eyes grew big. "I'm already late. For work." He pulled the blanket off his body and jumped off on the left side of the bed.

"Wait, I think you should skip today, you don't look too well." Simon said with worry, holding onto his hand.

"I'm fine, but if I don't go, I won't..." He didn't finished his sentence. He wouldn't have enough to pay rent or even buy food. He couldn't afford to be late for work on any day. If he missed there's a huge possibility the boss would fire him. And he couldn't say it in front of the man, he just couldn't!

"I just have to go." He said quietly and pulled his hand away.

"I understand." Simon said sadly. "I washed your clothes for you, just wait here and I'll bring them over." He added, standing up from the bed and walking out of the room.

"Be careful on your way." Simon said as Aaron stood by the door while fastening his shoelaces.

"Thank your for everything Mr. Storks." He said sincerely.

Simon chuckled. "Good God! Just call me Simon. You make me feel old even though we're only a few years apart." He said to him.

"Alright, Thank you very much...Simon." Aaron said a little more shyly.

He waved and opened the door, stepping out and closing it behind him. Looking around, he noticed that he was on a large front porch. He looked back and saw how huge the house really was. It was painted blue and white—emphasizing how much Simon must've liked those colours—and had nice cosmos flowers and many other types on the front.

Aaron wondered if someone else had been living with Simon, I mean it was plausible. It was a pretty big house, a little too big for just one person. Maybe he had a girlfriend, or even a wife.

He ignored and went on, trying to figure out where he was so he could run to work. He quickly got there and the manager scolded him but none the less let him stay. His punishment was to stay overnight and work at the convenience store. All he had to do was clean up the toilets and mop the floor until twelve.

The manager at the convenience store was nice enough to give him a few bucks in which he used to buy some instant ramen.

He reached his crappy rundown apartment. It was one area that had a bed a small stove and microwave along with a bathroom in a separate room. It was all he could afford so he didn't complain, he new there was others who had it worse than him and just having a roof above his head was a luxury to him.

He sat down on the bed as he waited for his instant ramen to cook. He though carefully about what had gone on that day. He was thankful to be alive another day but...deep down, he kinda wishes he hadn't been saved that night.

He wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore, all his worries would've been thrown down the drain and he'd have a peaceful rest. No one would care if he had died anyway so what was the point.

He ate his ramen, showered and got into some sleepwear. Nothing fancy, just a pair of black shorts and a grey T-shirt. He shuffled into bed and hugged his pillow, although he couldn't fall asleep afterwards.

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