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more unique. There was this “I- don’t-care-about-anything ” ambiance to him. He looked rugged, unkempt, lackadaisical, and dangerous, and it all fit him perfectly. All these qualities, though imperfect singularly, somehow came together harmoniously for him. It made him all the more attractive.
    He was not usually the type of guy I’d go for, but I had to admit that I really liked what I saw. 
    He gave me a warm smile that lit up his handsome face. “No problem.” He looked compassionately from me to Sony, who stayed rooted behind me. “I’m just sorry I couldn’t do more to help.”
    “You’ve done more than enough,” I replied swiftly, beaming gratefully at him.  “Thank you again. Both of us really appreciate it.”
    He nodded, his smile still kind on me. “You’re welcome.”
    He looked like he wanted to say something else. Then, as if deciding against it when a gust of wind blew past us, he merely bequeathed Sony and I with a small hand wave, inclined his head at us, and chivalrously said, “Don’t let him ruin your day. Have a good one.”
    With that, he grabbed a shopping basket from the side and made his way into the store, leaving Sony and I outside alone.
    I took a second to stare after him. I wondered how someone could possess such strength to stand up for total strangers when I couldn’t do it for myself or Sony. I felt the shame return to me, along with the anger. When I felt Sony move behind me, my attention moved away from the bastard who ruined our day, the kind Samaritan who stood up for us, and my own inadequacies—it was solely focused on Sony, who I belatedly realized must have still been terrified.
    “Hey Sony, how you doing?” I asked gently, crouching down to face him at eye level.
    “Better,” he said faintly. He sniffled to himself and stared at me with teary eyes. “It was my fault, Grace. I dropped it on his toes . . .”
    “It was an accident,” I corrected sternly, placing my hand on his cheek as a means of comforting him. “He was just a big crybaby. It wasn’t your fault at all.” I went on, doing my best to make him feel better. His misery was sustenance to my hungry soul, but poison to the very fibers that made me human. I didn’t want him to cry. “Hey, why don’t you go wait in the cab first?” I suggested, knowing that he’d probably feel better in a new environment. “I’m going to pay for everything and I’ll meet you there, okay?”
    Eager to step away from the grocery store and possibly relieved to be able to go into hiding, Sony nodded in agreement. Smiling, I herded him to the cab, asked the nice cab driver to watch him for a moment, and then raced back to pay for all the items in our cart. After doing so, I ran back with all the grocery bags and was greeted by Sony. He eagerly helped me unload all the bags into the trunk. That was the thing I adored about Sony. He could be absolutely devastated about something, but regardless of his own misery, he never allowed an opportunity to pass where he could help someone else. 
    Once we unloaded the last grocery bag into the trunk, I announced to Sony and our cab driver that I had forgotten to buy something else for the pumpkin carving.
    “I’ll be right back!”
    I skidded away, running back into the store to buy the final crucial items for the pumpkin carving. After hurrying back into the store for the supplies I needed, I ran out of the store in haste. I didn’t want Sony and our cab driver to wait too long for me. However, instead of running in the direction of the cab, I found myself in the back corner of the parking lot where all the other cars were parked.
    I didn’t want them to wait long—so I was going to do this fast.
    Retribution cloaked my eyes as I made my way down the row of cars. My observant eyes roamed over the plethora of cars surrounding me. As though beckoning for my attention, a yellow Lamborghini illuminated under the glare of the overcast sky.
    In a parking lot filled with