Mateo

2

I laid back on my brown leather couch, ready to turn on a Hallmark movie and chill.

All alone. . .

With no one to cuddle with. . .

You know what? Never mind.

I got off the couch and slid to the kitchen in my light blue fuzzy socks. I clung to the counter to stop myself from falling.

I opened the refrigerator, searching for some food that I could devour. After moving around a couple of spoiled food containers, I let out a huge sigh of frustration. Now, I would have to go put on some clothes and get something to eat.

Ugh, so much work.

I grabbed a baby blue PINK sweatshirt out of my closet, followed by my trusty dusty black leggings and grey UGGs. I laid my edges pretty quickly because you never know who you're gonna run into, and first impressions are everything.

I got my keys and phone and walked out of my apartment. "Hey, Mark," I greeted politely as I walked through the hall.

Mark glared at me and continued walking. I huffed and continued with a smile. Good thing I went to anger management classes.

I sat in my car for a while, deciding where to go. Should I go to CookOut, which was about thirty minutes away, or should I go to Dairy Queen, which was five minutes away? Hmmm, Dairy Queen it is.

I turned on the heat and drove those short five minutes to Dairy Queen. I pulled up to the drive-through and my heart sank as I read the eight words that were taped on the microphone:

Sorry, the drive-through is not available at the moment.

Dang.

I parked, got out of my car, and walked into the building, clicking the lock button on my keys.

As I continued to walk, something hard hit the back of my head. I stopped to see what it was, and it was another half-eaten apple. This time I decided to not brush it off and search for the culprit. I spotted some bushes and decided those would be a great start. As I approached the bushes slowly, I heard some rustling and crunching of something, probably leaves.

I pushed the bushes aside, and there sat a skinny young boy, maybe a toddler, with matted curly dark brown hair, hollow cheeks, and rags for clothes.

I froze in shock until I finally found the words to say, "Hello, my name's Cleo. . . what's yours?" I spoke as softly and calmly as possible.

He blinked his pretty grey eyes at me. "Mateo."

I examined his body once more, making my heart tug at how bad he looked. "Do you have a mommy and daddy?"

Mateo looked away from my eyes, something else catching his attention. "I dunno."

"Have you always been here?" I spoke slowly so he could both understand me and so I could make sure I was asking the correct things.

Mateo nodded his head adorably.

"Here," I extended my hand for him to grab. "I'll buy you some food if you'd like." I smiled, moving my falling box braids out of my face.

Mateo slowly focused his eyes on my hand. "Stranger danger?" His eyes found mine again as he fidgeted with some fabric on his "shirt".

I shook my head. "I'm not going to hurt you, Mateo." I put my hand down by my side. "But if you don't feel safe, I won't push it."

I pulled out my phone and headed into Dairy Queen on a mission to buy him something anyway. What kind of person would I be to leave that poor boy out in the cold starving?

Once I opened the door, I felt a small body run into the back of my calf. I glanced down at a frightened, wide-eyed Mateo. I hesitantly rubbed his back reassuringly.

•

"So. . . let me get this straight; you found Mateo on the street, bought him food, bought him some clothes, got him some toys, and brought him into your apartment without making sure he had a legal guardian?" Rainy scratched her head from where she was seated on the bar stool in my kitchen.

"Uh. . . yeah?"

Rainy scoffed. "Girl, you can get yourself into some serious trouble." She paused to take a sip of her hot cocoa. "What if his momma was poor too and left him there until she came back? Or what if he ran away and has very worried parents searching for him?"

"I wasn't thinking about that at the moment." I watched Mateo laughing as he cheerfully played the small piano I bought him. "Look at him, Rae; he deserves to be somewhere other than on the street."

"And I never said he didn't." Rainy ran her index finger around the top of her mug. "I just don't want us getting involved with the cops or anything."

"We won't." I washed the last dish and put it in my drawer. "I will put up missing child posters with Mateo's picture, and I'll go to the police station to see if anyone reported a missing child, and if no one claims him, I will."

"Cleo," Mateo called. "I'm hungwy."

"You just ate, Honey Bun." I grinned at Rainy.

"I know, I want some ice cweam." Mateo batted his cute little grey eyes at me.

"Ugh, al—"

"No siree." Rainy finished off her mug as I shot her a death glare. "What? One of us needs to be the one to tell him no."

I rolled my eyes, knowing she was right. "Sorry, Mateo, but your mean aunt says no."

Mateo pouted and crossed his arms. "Okay. . ."

It pulled my heartstrings watching him being so sad. "But, that doesn't mean you can't have any tomorrow." I smiled, trying to encourage him to do the same.

A small smile made its appearance on Mateo's adorable, round face; his dimples were adding tons of cuteness to the joy he was experiencing. "Yay!" He threw his small arms up in the air as he ran in to hug my skinny legs.

Rainy shot me a knowing look. I shrugged it off, already getting too attached to Mateo than I should've been.

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