Bambina

23

"Hey, rise and shine, sleepin' beauty."

Someone tapped Luca, making her grumble and she say something incoherently before snuggling deeper into her warm blankets.

She heard someone huff before the tapping continued. "Hey, Lu. Wake up."

"Mmm... " she hummed sleepily. "Five m're minutes... "

"Come on, love" Someone called out softly, slightly shaking the little girl. "Breakfast's ready."

Luca whined childishly but still followed his order. She slowly opened her eyes, trying to adjust her eyes to the sunlight that was already illuminating through her glass windows. Luca was about to say something but the person in front of her made her immediately close her mouth.

Because right in front of her was definitely a stranger.

In front of her was a boy with brown hair and beautiful brown eyes just like hers. He was smiling amusingly at Luca as she just dumbfoundedly stared back at him.

Then the stranger chuckled, snapping her out of trance.

"U-uhm... " Luca was so lost. She just woke up and her brain was not following this surprising realization that this person in front of her was indeed a stranger.

But wait. Didn't papa tell her that strangers are bad?

Was it stranger danger?

Don't talk to strangers?

Either way, Luca just innocently greeted him. There was no use in ignoring him since he was already right in front of her. It would be rude for her to not greet him, right?

"G'morning, Mr. Stranger!"

The boy blinked in surprise before giving her a warm laugh. Luca, by now, was so confused.

"You seriously have no sense whatsoever when it comes to danger. Didn't your stupid family tell you that talking to strangers is bad?" He asked.

Luca nodded but then she hesitated and then she shrugged.

"Actually, Mr. Stranger would've been lucky to have entered papa's house without going heaven first... " Luca said with an overly sweet tone before remembering something. Oh, no! Where were her manners? She hurriedly sat up and smiled up at him respectfully. "Hi, s' nice to meet you, Mr. Stranger. M' Luca by the way."

The boy charmingly smiled at her as well before ruffling her brown hair. "I'm Harley, honeybee. I heard that you just turned six. Happy belated birthday."

"T-Thank you... " She then tilted her head to the side in mild curiosity. "How old is Mr. Harley?"

Harley hummed and protectively wrapped his arms around Luca before carrying her. "Well, I'm fourteen years old."

Harley walked out of the little girl's room and walked downstairs. Luca was just happy that Harley was not a stranger anymore. That means that he's not dangerous anymore, right?

"And if you're wondering why I'm here, I'm here because my guardian, Aunt Tasha, dragged your stupid family away."

Luca gasped and looked at him in surprise. "Aunty Tasha was here?"

Harley nodded. "Yup. She dropped me off here before drugging your family and kidnapping them."

Luca frowned. "She won't kill them, right?"

Harley just gave her a grin that told her that it was possible and Luca just hoped that her aunt will spare their lives.

When the boy entered the kitchen, breakfast was already prepared on the table and Pierre was dealing with a fussy Ali and Matteo.