Natasha sat in the front passenger seat as Dustin drove them back. Cecilia and Haley sat in the backseat.


    “Haley<b>,</b>if anyone ever dares to pick on you in the future, just tell me, alright? I’ll deal with themfor you. Got it?”Natashapulledoutapieceofwet tissuetowipeadirtyspotoffHaley’s faceasshespoke.


    “Okay,gotit.”Haleynodded.


    “Haley<b>,</b>howaboutIteachyoumartirtsfromtomorrow onwards?<b>”</b>


    Dustinpersuadedearnestly.<b>“</b>Ifanyonepicksonyouagain,you canbeatthemup.Youcaneven


    beatthemupifyou feellikepickingonothers.”


    “Stopsayingnonsense.”Natasharolledhereyes.


    “Martirtstrainingistough.Idon’twantmybabyHaleytobeallwornout.


    “Besides,isitappropriateforgirlstobeat otherpeopleup?Wouldn’titbebetterforhertolearn


    drawingoryinganinstrument?”


    “There’snothingwrongwithlearning alittlemartirts.Haleywillbeabletoprotectherself<b>if</b>


    sheeverfindsherselfinadangeroussituation,”Dustinexined.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Thebest time tolearnmartirtswas whentheywereyoung.Thoughitmightbetoughinitially,


    itwouldbegreatforHaley.


    “Whatdoyouthink,Haley<b>?</b><b>”</b>NatashaturnedtoaskHaley’sopinion.


    Nomatterwhattheysaid,Haley’stakeonthematterwaswhatmatteredmost.


    “Whateveryousay,God–mother.”Haleywasalwaysveryobedient.


    “Hahaha!Alright.I’llmakensforyouwhenyou’regrownup.”Natashacaressedherhair


    adoringly.


    Ceciliapressedherlipsintoathinline.Hereyeswentslightlyredatthesightofthemconversing


    sohappily.


    ShehadseenDustinandNatasha’sinteractionswithHaley.Sheknewthatwiththemprotecting


    hèr<b>,</b>shewouldnever havetoworryaboutHaley’sfuture.


    “Sincewe’realreadyout,Dear,whydon’twejusthaveameal?”


    NatashaturnedaroundtoaskHaley,“Haley,whatdoyoufeellikehaving?”


    “Hmm…CanIhaveburgersandtries?”Haleycocked herhead totheside,askingpolitely.


    “Ofcourseyoucan!Youcanhaveeverythingyouwant today!<b>”</b>Natashasmiledather.


    “Yay!We’rehavingburgersandfries!”Haleycheeredexcitedly.


    Dustinand Natashaexchangedalookbeforesmilingateachother.Howpureachild’shappiness


    was.


    Justthen,Natashasawsomethingoutofthecornerofhereye.Hereyeswidenedinshock.“Watch


    out!”


    “What?”Dustinfeltasenseofforebodingashelookedoverandsawahugetruckspeedingtoward


    them.


    Thetruckhadrunaredlightandseemedtohavelostcontrs itwentintheirdirection.


    Dustincouldonlyturnthesteeringwheshardaspossibletoavoidgettinghit.


    Notonlydidthetrucknotattempttoavoidthem,iteveneleratedtowardthem.Intheend,the


    truckrammedintothesideoftheircar.


    “Bang!”Therewasaloudcrashastheircarwassentflying.


    Ittumbledseveraltimesbeforefinallyskiddingtoahalt.


    Alongskidmarkwasetchedintotheground,anddebrisfromthevehiclelitteredtheground.


    Everythinghappenedsosuddenlythattherewasnotime toreact.


    Dustinreflexivelyusedhis bodytoshieldNatashaattheverstmoment.Butshestillsufferedaheadinjuryandscratchesonherbodywhenthecarwastumbling.


    “Natasha!Areyoualright?”Dustin’sexpressionturnedgrave.


    “I–I’mfine…Quick!CheckonHaley!”Natashashoutedweakly.


    “Haley?”DustinturnedaroundtocheckonherandfoundHaleyunconscious.


    Shewasflippedupsidedown,withherheadonthegroundandherfeetintheair.


    Herrightarmlookedmishappen,andherribsmayhave beenbroken.Bloodflowedouthermouthandnose,andthebrokenssshardshadcutherskin.


    Shewasseverelyhurt.


    AndHaleywasnottheonlyonehurt.Ceciliadidn’tlooklikeshewasfaringanybetter.