Last But Not Least

~7~

A loud honk snapped me out of my thoughts and I swerved the car to avoid a car going the opposite way. I sighed with relief and groaned when I heard the woman shout something, "GET OFF THE ROAD! Who gave you your license?"

I simply took a deep breath and hardened my grip on the steering wheel, at ten and two, safely. I may be evil but I still abide by the driving law. That made no sense at all, whatever.

I studied my attention on the road in front of me and I realized I was at the destination, so I slowed the car and parked it at the side of the road, staring at the bridge that started mine and Donnie's friendship, and brothership.

We aren't technically related but he brought me into the family as his brother. His grandfather adopted me as his grandson when I was only seven years old and the memory still brings a smile to my face.

It was a cold day, and I was trudging across the bridge, my dirty and ripped clothes hanging loosely off my skinny frame. I hadn't eaten in what seemed like forever but was more like a few days.

I was homeless.

I slid down the stone wall of the newly built bridge and I hugged my knees to my chest, panic and pain building up in my chest. My parents abandoned me when I was only five and I ran away from the orphanage when I was six, because of the bullies, but that's another story.

My breath hitched in my throat as I sensed someone beside me, slide beside me. I tilted me head to see them clearly, my tear stained cheaks the only water I had in a day. My lips were chapped but I found it hard to move my lips as I stared at the boy, raising an eyebrow.

He looked like the sort of seven year old who'd play games for hours upon hours, never or barely seeing the light of day. He had messy black hair, big black glasses and a gap between his two front teeth as he smiled. He wore a big blue sweater overtop a black tee shirt and navy blue jeans, along with black dress shoes.

He stared at me for a minute before turning his attention to my clothes, eyeing me as if I was a hamster at a pet store. I self consciously tugged at my ripped sleeves and scooted an inch away from him, feeling more tears sting my eyes.

I hated when other people judged me on how I looked. I couldn't help it and te way they took it all in was so... so rude. I hated the feeling of everyone's eyes on mine. It was so direct and just uncomfortable.

He stood up and without a word, held his hand out, looking down at me with a sad smile, his goofy glasses beginning to fall off his face.

They crashed on the ground and I jumped back a bit, one glass shard embedding in my arm, causing me to wince in pain. I had worse, but it did look like it would leave a scar.

The boy jumped back and hastilly grabbed the broken frames and shoved it in his pocket, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Sorry." He mumbled, and I just looked away from him, another tear falling down my cheek.

He held his hand out yet again and I looked at him, wiping my tear as I took his hand and stood up, becoming eye level with me. I was a pinch taller than him although it might've been my hair.

I stared at him and without warning, he pulled me off the bridge, running down a neighborhood, my brain filling with confusion as he led me towards the unknown.

He stopped at a big brown house on the corner and pulled me in through the unlocked front door, stopping to take off his shoes after telling me the same. He then looked at my bare feet and apologized, before leading me to the basement.

His room was underneath the garage and he had a bunch of games, a desktop, bit and pieces, junk. It looked like an inventors lab but I smiled at the creativity of the items lining the desk to the far wall.

There was various inventions that littered the desk and definitly caught the eye. All I can say is they were unique.

The boy held his hand out to shake and I slowly shook it, his smile spreading on his face. "I'm Donald. Donald Davenport. What's your name?"

I cleared my throat and smiled weakly, trying to hide my face, although I couldn't break eye contact with him. "I'm-I'm D-Douglas. Douglas Hunt."

He smiled widely and I winced as I heard footsteps from behind me, and soon enough, an old man appeared, his hair grey and hunched over, holding a cane. He had a long beard and his eyes were narrowed, his big round glasses covering half of his face. He looked to Donald and then to me, his face soon looking confused.

"There is two of you right? Or is my eyesight playing tricks on me again..." He said, his voice weak and croaky, his face lighting up as Donald nodded. He held out a hand. "I'm Albert, Donald's grandfather. Donald doesn't have many friends and I'm very happy to meet you."

I smiled. "Douglas. But, um I should be going..."

"Wait!" Donald said, grabbing my arm in an attempt to keep me. He looked at me with puppy dog eyes before switching his attention to Albert. "Douglas is... homeless. Can you adopt him grandpa?"

I was shocked, and frankly quite confused. Why would this kid want me as their brother? I was never wanted by my birth parents so why would they want me? I'm useless...

"Well, son, there's a lot of paperwork involved and..." His voice trailed off as his attention seemed shifting as he looked between me and Donald.

"Pleeeeeaaaaase!" Donald begged, holding Albert's hand as he got on his knees. My mind seemed to be processing everything very slowly.

Albert sighed and looked at me, smiling warmly as he clasped my hand, his eyes squinty. "Well, son, welcome to the family."

After that, Albert signed all the paperwork and I moved in that week. I sighed at the memory and checked the time on my phone: 6:07. Only seven minutes late. Not bad.

I stepped out of the car and quickly noticed Donnie's silhouette on the bridge, his back to me as he paced, his vision on the ground as he walked. I smiled.

I walked up to the bridge and tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump back in alarm and hold his chest as he stared at me, his eyes wide in shock and fear.

"Douglas!" He hissed, slapping me on the arm, catching his breath. "You sca-startled me! Don't do that ever again!"

"No promises." I said with a smile, staring at him. I still saw the little seven year old in him, even without the gap or the goofy glasses. He was still there.

My vision came to his coat pocket, where a small black object was peeking out. I narrowed my eyes and they widened when I realized that it was the broken frame of the glasses he broke that day. He kept them. He actually kept them.

I walked closer to him and snatched the object out of his pocket, staring at the symbolic object in front of me, one that symbols my role in his life when we met, that fateful day.

"You... kept it?" I managed, looking at him as I slid down the wall, my vision still trained on the glasses. He slid next to me and smiled, his arms opening as he said the next word:

"Yes."

And with that, a tear rolled down my cheek and I tackled him in a hug, a reminder that no matter what, we were always family.

Family.

~~~