Chapter 14

The young Darren looked at me with innocent eyes. He didn't fear that I might have vile intentions and obediently followed me home. There, he even gobbled two plates of spaghetti. Mom asked me where this hungry boy came from, and I told her I picked him up from the street. He sat pitifully on the roadside, hungry and trembling in the cold like a stray cat. His school ID fell to the couch from his backpack, and I accidentally saw his information. "So, your name is Darren. And it's your birthday today!" I exclaimed. Darren, ready to devour his third plate, stopped in his movement and stared nervously at me. He hadn't heard me clearly and asked, "What's wrong? Have I eaten too much?" Sensing his concern, I waved in dismissal. "No, you're fine." I stuffed his school ID back into his backpack and zipped it to ensure it wouldn't fall out again. It wasn't until 10:00 pm that Mrs. Preston hurried over to my place to pick him up. When she heard my mother praising his good appetite, her f