°A boy who is just a 7 Years old, who looks so much like a 5 and half years old boy , being abused by a man he doesn't even know, neglected by his mother ,relaying on his crutches to move , can't say a sentence without stuttering , is finally with...
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Massimo said in the car, after he fastened my seatbelt—I think that's his name?—that he'd get me a special seat for the car soon. I don't really know what that means...
And when we got to... a place that looked like... I remembered it from my book... oh, yes! A plane! Do they have a plane?!
I got out of the car with Massimo's help. Massimo... Massimo is kind. He always smiles at me and asks before he does anything. I don't think he would hurt me... but... what if he did?
Please... don't.
He held my hand, then went back to get my crutches from the car.
He smiled at me and said, "Here you go, Luca."
I wanted to smile back...
But... he always said my smile was ugly. Would Massimo say that too?
I didn't smile. I just looked at the ground.
And Massimo was still looking at me... Please stop looking.
I'm... worthless. He always said that. And he was always right.
Papa came toward me and smiled.
"Come on, Luca. Let's go."
I nodded and followed him. Climbing the stairs was the hardest part... I couldn't do it. I made them wait for me. I'm sorry.
From the top of the stairs, Leonardo called down, "Piccolino, do you want some help?"
He said it with a smile... Why is everyone smiling?
Idiot. You made them wait.
He's probably bored of you already.
"...S-s-sorry."
They all looked at me, surprised. Papa was the first to speak.
"No, no, no, Luca. Leonardo didn't mean anything bad, tesoro. He just wanted to help because you look tired, that's all. That's what big brothers do, amore mio."
His voice was soft... No one's ever spoken to me like that before. And that last word... what was it? Tesoro? It made something hurt in my chest. I wanted to cry, but I didn't... he doesn't like that.
"...I-I'll be f-faster," I mumbled as I started to move.
"Take your time, piccolino, it's okay," Leonardo said again with a smile.
When I finally reached the top of the stairs, Massimo guided me to... another seat, and he fastened something like a belt over me again, I think?
Massimo sat next to me, and Papa sat on my other side, with Leonardo beside him.
I stared down at my lap, fiddling with my fingers. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to feel... I just wanted someone... to love me. To not hurt me.
