AUTHOR NOTE: I HAVE TRIED SO MAYBE TONIGHT I MIGHT POST THE OTHER CHAPTERS REMEMBER DOUBLE CHAPTERS DAILY UPDATES, PLEASE ADD THE BOOK IN YOUR LIBRARY I KNOW MY WRITING ISN'T PERFECT BUT I HAVE IMPROVED SORRY FOR THE EARLIER ERRORS I WILL TRY TO EDIT THE FIRST CHAPTERS. LOVE YOU ALL PLEASE I NEED YOUR THOUGHTS AND REVIEWS THANKS FOR COMPLYING.
Damian stared at him in awe, his voice finally breaking free. "Thank you," he whispered, still in shock at the turn of events. The pain from the slap and the embarrassment from the public scene were overshadowed by the unexpected kindness this wealthy boy had shown.
Lamia smiled, the kind of smile that held both warmth and mystery. "Don't mention it," he said, standing up and extending his hand to Damian. "What's your name?"
"Damian," he answered, still hesitant but feeling a strange sense of relief in the boy's presence. For as long as Damian could remember, people from the upper class had always looked down on those from Raven Hollow. Yet here was this boy, wealthy beyond measure, treating him with decency.
"Well, Damian," Lamia said as he helped him stand, "you have to be more careful around people like that. Some of these folks are meaner than they look."
Damian couldn't help but laugh a little, despite the pain in his cheek. "Yeah, I noticed."
The two boys stood there for a moment, both feeling an odd connection. Despite their wildly different backgrounds, there was an unspoken bond forming. Lamia's eyes softened as he studied Damian for a second longer.
"You're brave," Lamia said. "Most people would have run away. You didn't. I admire that."
Damian blinked, unused to receiving compliments, especially from someone like Lamia. "I didn't have much of a choice," he admitted. "Running doesn't fix everything."
Lamia chuckled. "That's true. My father says the same thing." His eyes flickered, as though he was lost in thought for a moment. "Listen, I have to go now, but we'll meet again. I'll make sure of it."
Damian's heart skipped a beat. He nodded, still unsure what to say, but feeling grateful. As Lamia turned to leave, he glanced over his shoulder, his midnight blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "Stay out of trouble, Damian."
As Lamia walked away, disappearing into the crowd, Damian felt a strange surge of hope swelling in his chest. He didn't know why, but meeting Lamia had stirred something within him—a belief that perhaps, just maybe, the future wasn't as bleak as it seemed.
Damian looked around, scanning the bustling market, but his thoughts kept returning to the encounter. Lamia, or Alexis, as he had introduced himself, was like no one Damian had ever met. His presence was commanding, but there was also something gentle beneath his aloof exterior, something that made Damian feel as though, in some way, they were similar—both trapped in lives they didn't fully control.
Before he could dwell on it any longer, Mr. Wayne's voice echoed through the market. "Damian! Where in the world have you run off to?"
Damian turned, rushing back toward the family stall, where Mr. Wayne stood looking around, concerned. "I'm here, Grandpa!" Damian called, waving as he pushed through the crowd.
Mr. Wayne sighed in relief, then raised an eyebrow at the bruise forming on Damian's cheek. "What happened to you, boy? Who hit you?"
Damian hesitated, but then shrugged. "Just an accident with some crates. Nothing too serious."
Mr. Wayne didn't seem convinced but let it go. "You need to be more careful. This place isn't like Raven Hollow. Things are different here."
Damian nodded but said nothing about Lamia or the incident. He didn't know why, but something told him that what had happened today wasn't just an ordinary encounter. It felt like the beginning of something much bigger.
As the sun began to set over the horizon and they packed up their remaining goods, Damian couldn't shake the memory of those midnight blue eyes or the boy who had stepped in when no one else would. For the first time in a long while, he felt like maybe there was more to life than the small world he had known.
Back in the Ferrari, Lamia sat quietly, staring out of the window as they drove away from the market. His parents were discussing something about business deals and dinner parties, but he wasn't listening. His thoughts were on the boy he had helped—the scruffy, brave kid with hazel eyes who had no idea how much his resilience had impressed Lamia.
Something about Damian had piqued Lamia's interest. Perhaps it was the way he hadn't backed down in the face of adversity, or perhaps it was how different their lives were, yet they had shared that brief moment of understanding. Either way, Lamia knew he wanted to see Damian again.
A faint smile played on his lips as he leaned back in his seat. "Damian," he whispered to himself, knowing that the name would stay with him. He would make sure of it.
The following weeks passed in a blur for Damian. Life in Raven Hollow continued as usual, with its hard labor, modest meals, and the constant struggle to survive. But now, he had something new to look forward to—his growing friendship with Lamia.
True to his word, Lamia found ways to meet with Damian again. He would sneak away from his parents' estate in Silverhill and find his way to Raven Hollow, where the two boys would explore the countryside, share stories, and dream about the future. Despite the stark contrast in their lives, they found solace in each other's company.
Lamia taught Damian about the world of the rich—the luxuries, the rules, the hidden struggles that even the wealthy faced. And in return, Damian showed Lamia the beauty in simplicity, the strength in resilience, and the joy in small things.
Their bond deepened over time, though they both knew that their friendship would not be easily accepted by the world around them. But in each other, they found something they had been missing—an escape from their respective worlds, and perhaps, a glimpse of a future where things could be different.
For Damian, life in Raven Hollow no longer seemed so confining. He had a friend now—a true friend—who believed in him, and together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.
But in the beautiful friendship forming something deadly was about to strike that will change everything forever..