Bubble Gum Kisses
CHAPTER 7

**Kapittel 7**

***Vanessa***

**"Also, I think you should get going. Your little brother's nibbling the seatbelt."**

"What?! Zach!" I immediately ran back to the car to apprehend him from eating the seatbelt. What a stubborn kid, gosh! I gently grabbed the seatbelt from his grip and tucked it in the seat's furthest corner so he wouldn't be likely to get it ever again, let alone have the slightest sight of the object.

"Be careful on your way," the guy said, patting on the car's door sensitively once everything was fine again and I had reclined on the seat.

"Right." I nodded, and a thought flashed into my mind. "Anyways..." I trailed off and grabbed a pen and paper from the compartment, scribbling in my name and contact number. I handed it to him. "If anything happens to the do- I mean Supremo after this, please tell me. I don't have much, but I could probably give even the least compensation."

He was hesitant for a moment and looked at me for a few good blinks. Quietly, he slowly reached his hand and took the paper. "Sure."

"Good." I nodded my head approvingly, hoping that nothing would actually happen to Supremo after this encounter. "I guess I should be heading now," I then announced.

He nodded. "Try not to hit more animals," he said when I sped off, and my face immediately flushed redder than a tomato.

Thankfully, opposite to what happened earlier, the rest of the trip was delightful and was filled with Zach's laughter. Seriously, he seemed to be rather amused than terrified after what happened. The sudden halt should have affected him somehow, or maybe it did happen when he suddenly stopped crying.

I parked the car on a curb once I found a grocery store near the county's outskirts. I didn't have the slightest clue if this was what mom was talking about, but who cares? As long as I buy what was on the list, I'm alive and breathing. I turned the ignition off and left the car before grabbing the little thrill-seeker out from his booster seat.

He raised his hand and shook his head again. "No need. Thankfully I bought one beforehand since I knew this would happen someday," he said and fished out a brand new leash from his pocket. What a resourceful guy! "Also, you wouldn't be likely to want on having a stranger in your brand new Cruze that has your little brother inside. Also..."

He began to look around, then said, "Thankfully, there aren't cameras in this area too, or you'll be sued. This little guy's owner's a bit of a scrooge. He'd sue anyone that did him even the slightest wrongness against him for compensation money," he said, turning the dog on his other arm and carrying it like a baby, then scratched its stomach. My heart almost melted at how the pupper closed its eyes and shook its legs, looking relaxed and happy.

Once again, I made another sigh of relief. "Anyways, thank you. If it hadn't for you, the worst could have happened."

"No problem. The worst-case scenario didn't happen anyway." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you sure there isn't anything that you want? I mean, you almost had the dog you're hired for a walk to get into an accident," I said, crossing my fingers from behind that there should be at least a small favor he'd ask. I'd feel guilty if I wouldn't do anything to compensate for my wrongdoing. "I'm really, really sorry."

"I told you, it's cool. Supremo didn't get the slightest scratch and doesn't look bothered at all. You're apology's good." He looked over behind me. "Also, I think you should get going. Your little brother's nibbling the seatbelt."

"What?! Zach!" I immediately ran back to the car to apprehend him from eating the seatbelt. What a stubborn kid, gosh! I gently grabbed the seatbelt from his grip and tucked it in the seat's furthest corner so he wouldn't be likely to get it ever again, let alone have the slightest sight of the object.

"Be careful on your way," the guy said, patting on the car's door sensitively once everything was fine again and I had reclined on the seat.

"Right." I nodded, and a thought flashed into my mind. "Anyways..." I trailed off and grabbed a pen and paper from the compartment, scribbling in my name and contact number. I handed it to him. "If anything happens to the do- I mean Supremo after this, please tell me. I don't have much, but I could probably give even the least compensation."

He was hesitant for a moment and looked at me for a few good blinks. Quietly, he slowly reached his hand and took the paper. "Sure."

"Good." I nodded my head approvingly, hoping that nothing would actually happen to Supremo after this encounter. "I guess I should be heading now," I then announced.

He nodded. "Try not to hit more animals," he said when I sped off, and my face immediately flushed redder than a tomato.

"Broom! Broom!" Zach cheered as I walked to the entrance of the store, carrying him in my arms.

The doors automatically slid open. I roamed my eyes around to replace a trolley and found one near the cashier's counter. I grabbed it and placed Zach on it at once, ignoring the judgemental, disdainful stare of the middle-aged cashier was smearing on me. I flashed her a smile before walking to the aisles to do what must be done.

I made myself busy by reading the whole list when I heard Zach make a compliment, "Nice hiw."

I lowered the list to look at him and nodded in agreement. "Maybe moving back here isn't so bad after all," I said.

I released a grunt when something hard crashed against our cart, causing my stomach to hit on the handle. I shook my head and staggered a glare at the thing or person I bumped into, but my irritation soon melted like an ice cube under the hot sun when I saw those familiar pair of steel grey eyes.

Despite my dry throat and trembling lips, I managed to tell my brother, "...Or not."

A menacing smile ran across his face. "Hello, baby girl."

I smell trouble.

**

Thank you for reading Bubble Gum Kisses! To keep up with my works, future works, and endless frustrations on Twitter: https://twitter.org/RiosMorpheus**