Chapter 8

"So that's why everyone's looking at me as if I'm just a kid?" she asked, horrified at the memory of the faces traced with prejudice. 

"Everyone?" 

"Well, not everyone. Just some." 

"What did they do to you?" 

"There are just these faces, you know? These faces with the looks of disgust and judgement. I can't stand it. I feel like I shouldn't be there." She felt horrified at the thought. 

She jumped back slightly when she heard him growling. She looked at him and touched his arm. "Are you OK?" 

His growl grew louder, feeling the touch of her skin melting against him. His grip tightened on the steering wheel. Seeing this and thinking she just burned him, she quickly drew her hand back and shifted uncomfortably on her seat, looking out the window. 

"Sorry," she mumbled, blushing. 

He sighed. "Don't say sorry..I just don't like people who judge someone for no particular reason. You don't deserve that kind of treatment. Nobody does." 

Lips twitching, she gazed at him. "Thanks for saying that. I feel good now." Specifically, she felt good that she did not hurt him and did not ruin their first impression. 

After a few more minutes, they were entering a familiar gate into the small village which only a mansion was found. The McQueen Mansion was one helluva large house, surrounded by trees. From afar, Anna felt home sickness surging through her. 

The truck stopped. "Isn't it here?" Zach asked, getting out of the truck and knowing the answer. 

"Yes, it's here," she answered quickly, getting out her side and looking around the surroundings, trying to commit the sight in her memories. Though old, the McQueen Mansion was still as beautiful as a home could be. 

 Though old, the McQueen Mansion was still as beautiful as a home could be 

She turned around and looked at Zach. "Thank you so much for taking me home." 

"My pleasure, Kitten," he answered, smiling and staring at her. 

Hearing the word Kitten, her eyes widened and then narrowed, heat reaching up her cheeks in less than two seconds. 

"So I look like a cat?" she muttered low under her breath. 

Her question made him grin. She looked up at him and stared with such wonder. 

"Yeah, you look like one," he said, smirking. "So, see you tomorrow?" 

"Yeah. See you..tomorrow." 

"You should keep the cat," he said, stopping in front of the driver's door. "You got the same eyes." 

And they did have almost the same wide eyes. When he had taken a closer look at her eyes, he could see the deep azure shade of the blue sky. Truly, her eyes were supposed to be evergreen. He realized that. But often, it would reflect the deep mysterious ocean, making him want to drown himself in it. 

"Yes, I'm keeping him," she murmured, agreeing for some reason. 

"Him?" 

"Isn't he a boy?" 

Zach shook his head, smirking. "Look at those eyes. They're too wide and she's too fluffy and adorable." He was lying. He didn't like cats. Never liked cats in his entire life. It was his instinct that told him the kitten was a she. Not his knowledge. 

"It's a she then?" 

Zach nodded, watching her fingers stroking the kitten's fur. For somehow, he wished it could be his fur she was stroking. Just as the longing sunk in, he immediately shook his head, thinking it would vanish the thought. 

Well, it didn't. 

Shuffling his messy hair, he flicked his nose, leaning against the driver's door. "So I'll go now." 

Anna, who was examining the kitten's eyes, looked up at him. "OK." 

He opened the truck's driver's door and got in. She stood there, watching the scene. As he had turned the truck to the direction of the gates, he stopped by in front of Anna and opened his window. Tilting his head slightly, he took a side glance at her and winked. 

"Farewell, Kitten," he said, almost like how a Prince Charming would say to his damsel in distress. "Sweet dreams." 

When his truck left, Anna stood frozen. As seconds passed and crickets began singing around her, only then did she exhale a sigh and realized she had been holding her breath. She was dumbfounded. 

Sweet dreams. 

His words echoed inside her head and she repeated it over and over again. Was she overreacting and overthinking? Or was she absurd? 

Sweet. Freaking. Dreams. 

Shouldn't it be sweet nightmares? Or bitter nightmares? she thought to herself. Just when she was thinking Zachary Harrison, of all people, knew everything about her, her secrets, she was already thinking he was some kind of a wizard. How come he spoke of her dreams? Or was she only thinking too much about it? 

"Meow." 

Noticing she still had the kitten on her arms who was now shifting comfortably on the thick soft fabric of her red hoodie dress, she frowned slightly as she stared at its eyes which were staring back at her. 

"You resemble the blue moon for somehow," she said to the kitten, although she knew it couldn't understand her. "Your fur like the night sky. And your wide eyes, like the moon. So blue. So sad. And so..lonely. Hmm..How about I call you..Luna? Is that OK? Luna?" 

"Meow." 

She smiled brightly. "I'm glad you like it. It's the name of the Moon Goddess in Roman Mythology. I know you don't know anything about Mythology. But I think the Moon Goddess is just as pretty as you are."