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The rest of the cars slowed down, piling up around us and bystanders rushed toward the driver.

Her body trembled in my arms as I walked us back to the bench.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” I asked, trying to set her down but she wouldn’t let go of me as her arms and legs around me tightened.

“I just wanted to go with you,” she replied in a tremulous whisper, her voice cracking.

For fuck’s sake. “No.”

“Sorry.” She lifted her head, her bottom lip quivering.

She wiggled her way out of my arms and back onto the bench, making me run a frustrated hand down my face. “Where are your parents?”

“It was her!” A deep voice roared behind me, and she gasped, eyes wide.

I cast an annoyed glance back to see an older man, probably late forties, marching toward us with his finger pointed at the little girl beside me. He was accompanied by a younger man.

“You little shit—” I cut him off as I grabbed his collar, lifting him off the ground.

My words were assertive. “Don’t even think about it.”

I shoved him back, watching him stumble in frustration and confusion.

“She made me crash my fucking car— do you know how much it’ll cost to have it fixed? And we could have died!”

I could almost laugh. “What would the world do without two fucking imbeciles who can’t drive.”

“Hey man—”

I couldn’t care less about what was going to come out of his mouth next, so I grabbed the little bedbug’s hand, pulling her onto her feet and with me.

A concerning amount of excitement washed across her face as I led her back to the store Nirah was floating around in.

The little shit couldn’t stop talking my goddamn ear off the entire way back, and I was starting to regret my decision.

With wide eyes overflowing with disgust, Nirah spoke. “Oh my God. You stole a kid.”

“I didn’t—”

“Hi.” The little bedbug waved. “You’re really pretty.” She giggled. You’re not wrong, kid.

A look of awe flooded Nirah’s face as she crouched down. “Thank you, sweetheart.” She smiled. The look vanished, and was replaced with despair as she darted her eyes up to me. “How dare you kidnap this sweet angel, you monster.”

“I like your hair.” The little bedbug beamed and I rolled my eyes.

“Thank you, honey. But where are you parents?”

The little bedbug simply shrugged.

“Okay. Tell me your name. Mine is Nirah.”

“Sally.” She happily smiled.

“Well, Sally, did you come to the mall with your parents?” Nirah asked and she shook her head.

“No. They said we were going to Disneyland, then they dropped me off here…” she trailed off, looking around. “They still haven’t come back yet.” Naive.

I dropped my eyes to the kid, and suddenly, her sunshine demeanor faded. “I think they went to Disneyland without me.” She added in a whisper, fiddling with her fingers as she looked down at her hands.