Poor kid. The words kept echoing in your mind as you drove, stealing glances at him through the rearview mirror. He was curled up in the backseat, knees hugged tightly to his chest, his forehead resting against the window. Every bump in the road seemed to jostle him further into himself, like he was trying to disappear completely.

You couldn’t blame him. His father had been cruel, breaking him down with words and fists alike, and his mother… well, she hadn’t been there to protect him. Or at all, really. It was no wonder he’d ended up in an orphanage, another forgotten child left to navigate the world alone. Now here he was, in your car, on his way to what was supposed to be his new home- your home.

You wondered what he was thinking. Was he scared of you? Of what came next? Did he think he’d done something wrong, that this was his punishment? The thought made your chest ache. No child deserved to feel that way.

You took a slow breath, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter before you tried to speak. “Hey—” you began softly, but the moment your voice broke the quiet, he flinched. His shoulders tensed, his entire body recoiling like he expected a blow instead of words. His eyes darted away from your reflection in the mirror, focusing hard on the blurred trees and buildings outside. Anything other than you.

Your heart sank at the sight. He didn’t know you. Didn’t know that you would never hurt him. All he knew was pain, and all you could do now was hope that, in time, he’d learn to feel safe again.