Dumpster Dive for Destiny

[Oh my god!

This poor girl is actually digging through the trash for leftover pizza!] [Only the male lead will help her, but too bad they won't even cross paths for another three years.] Blinding, holographic text flashed frantically right in front of my eyes.

It hit me. I had transmigrated straight into a tragedyporn romance novel. And the frail girl currently elbowdeep in the dumpster?

She was the chosen female lead, doomed to suffer through endless chapters of absolute hell.

I snatched the stiff, icecold slice of pizza from her grip and pitched it back into the reeking garbage.

The scrawny girl flinched, her hollow eyes widening in pure terror. "I—I'm sorry," she stammered, her thin shoulders trembling as she shrank back. "I thought you didn't want it…" "We don't eat out of dumpsters," I said, locking onto her panicked gaze. "Come with me.

I'm treating you to a massive plate of pasta." Screw the toxic male lead. I'm taking this poor girl in myself today. Chapter 1 [No way! Is this random extra really that cruel?

He won't even let her eat from the trash?] [I've never wanted to reach through a screen and slap someone so badly in my life.] The girl's chin dropped to her chest, her pale cheeks burning. "I'm sorry." I forced a bright smile. "Like I said, no dumpster diving.

Come with me, I'm buying you some food." She had that unmistakable, terrified freshman look about her.

She froze, instinctively stepping back. "No, no, it's fine!" "My family owns a little diner down the street.

It's on the house today, let's go!" I grabbed her wrist—gently but firmly—and practically dragged her over to my Vespa.

We zipped straight toward my family's diner. [I take back what I said.

This random upperclassman is an absolute saint.] [Wait a minute, this completely derails the plot!] [Must be a spinoff. Honestly, I'm here for it.

Hope our girl gets out of hell sooner rather than later.] [But what if she falls for the random upperclassman?] [Nah, the male lead is endgame.

Though this guy might just get upgraded to the second male lead.] I rolled my eyes at the floating text. They were worrying over nothing.

I had zero interest in playing the third wheel in some twisted love triangle. On the ride over, I asked for her name and grade. My guess was dead on—she was a freshman.

Her name was Eden. Once I parked, Eden dragged her feet, too intimidated to actually walk through the diner doors.

I sighed, catching her wrist again and tugging her inside. "Mom, I'm back!" The diner was dead right now. My parents were sitting in a booth, scrolling on their phones.

At my voice, their heads snapped up. They both froze. I knew exactly why they were staring. I only ever brought my loud, obnoxious guy friends over to scrounge for free food.

This was the first time I'd ever brought a girl home. It didn't take them long to recover. Identical, beaming smiles plastered across their faces.

My mom bolted up. "Sweetheart, sit, sit! What can I get you?

I'll cook up whatever you want." My dad chimed in. "We've got meatballs, grilled chicken, Italian sausage, and short rib." Eden slid into the booth, her posture rigid. "Thank you, sir, ma'am," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I… I'm not a big fan of meat.

Just a plain bowl of pasta is fine." [Baby, isn't spaghetti bolognese your absolute favorite?] [She just doesn't want them to spend too much money on her.] [Our girl is too pure for this world.

Her life is just too damn tragic.] I cut in, making the executive decision. "Mom, hit her with our largest signature spaghetti bolognese.

Extra melted cheese on top!" My mom chuckled. "You got it!

Declan, get your butt in the kitchen and help me out." "Yeah, yeah." I trailed my mom into the back, leaving my dad up front to chat with Eden.

The second my mom fired up the stove, her warm smile vanished.

She shot me a dark, scrutinizing glare and lowered her voice. "What is your relationship with that girl?" I threw my hands up in defense. "Nothing! Literally nothing.

She's a freshman at my school. Thirty minutes ago, I didn't even know she existed." My mom scoffed. "If you don't know her, why drag her all the way to the diner?

Do you really think she's starving for a plate of pasta?" I let out a heavy sigh. "Mom… she was eating the cold pizza crusts I threw in the dumpster." Chapter 2 My mom's jaw dropped.

She stood frozen for a solid minute before smacking the back of my head. "Wasting food?

Are you asking for a beating?" I rubbed my head, shooting her a wounded look. "You packed way too much!

I couldn't finish it, and if I brought it home, you'd just yell at me for tossing it!" She gritted her teeth. "Pack what you can eat!

No more wasting food!" I flashed a cheesy grin. "Yes, ma'am!" Worried that Eden wouldn't have enough to eat, my mom served up a mountain of spaghetti bolognese, topped with a thick layer of golden, stretchy melted cheese and loaded with thickcut bacon.

When I set the massive platter onto the table, Eden looked completely overwhelmed. "Declan, this is too much.

I…" "It's fine if you can't finish it," I said. "Just leave the rest." She instantly backpedaled. "I can finish it!" "Eat what you can.

Don't force yourself and get sick." "Okay." Her eyes suddenly rimmed with red.

She ducked her head, staring hard at the table. "Thank you." My mom's features softened. "Don't mention it.

Eat up before it gets cold." [This random upperclassman's family is so kind. Looks like our female lead won't have to starve anymore.] [Not necessarily.

Helping her once doesn't mean they'll adopt her.] [Still way better than her own mom, who literally left her to die the second she got a new family.] Eden took tiny, hesitant bites, but massive tears were already streaming down her face, splashing right into the pasta.

A sharp ache tightened in my chest. My parents and I quickly looked away, giving her some dignity.

My mom dragged me back into the kitchen. "What the hell is going on with that girl's family?" The holographic comments hadn't spilled enough tea yet, and considering I supposedly just met her, I shouldn't know too much anyway.

I shifted my weight, playing uncertain. "Her mom remarried and completely cut her off.

Her dad's probably dead." "What kind of trash parents are they?" my mom hissed, her protective instincts flaring. "Listen to me, from now on, we are covering this girl's meals!

You bring her a hearty sandwich for breakfast, swipe your meal card so she gets a good lunch at school, and bring her back here for dinner every night.

We are absolutely not letting this kid starve!" I nodded firmly. "Done." Eden must have been starving, because she practically inhaled that entire mountain of pasta.

My mom loved nothing more than an empty plate.

She beamed at her. "How was it, sweetie?" Eden nodded solemnly, offering a sweet, tentative smile. "It was the best pasta I've ever had." My mom's smile widened. "Then you need to come support my diner every day.

It's on the house!" Eden bit her lip, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt. My mom instantly caught on. "Tell you what.

You come help out around the diner every night, and I'll pay you in pasta. Deal?" "Thank you." Once Eden finished eating, it was time to close up.

She immediately jumped up to bus the tables. Afterward, my mom insisted my dad drive her home. Eden tried to refuse, but she was no match for my mom's stubbornness.

An hour later, though, my dad walked right back through our front door with Eden in tow. She was clutching a massive, beatenup duffel bag. My mom and I exchanged a bewildered look.

Confused but welcoming, my mom ushered Eden to sit down. My dad downed a glass of water, his chest heaving with barely contained rage. "Her mother is a monster!

Trying to force this kid to drop out and work, she kicked her to the curb and left her for dead.

This poor girl has been living next to a public restroom for months, surviving by digging through the trash!" Chapter 3 My mom and I just stood there, completely dumbfounded.

My mom finally snapped out of it. She grabbed Eden's hands, her eyes brimming with tears. "Eden, honey, if you don't mind, just stay here with us.

We've got a spare bedroom right down the hall." My dad chimed in to ease the tension. "Don't overthink it, kid.

When you make it big one day, you'll have plenty of chances to pay us back." Eden kept her head bowed, a soft, choked sob escaping her throat. "Thank you." "Don't be silly, it's nothing." My mom shot a sideglance at me. "And you.

No picking on your new little sister, you hear me?" I rolled my eyes. As if I'd bully someone who looked like a stiff breeze could knock her over.

My mom quickly got the spare room set up.

But when she saw that Eden's beatup duffel bag only held two washedout, faded tshirts and a ripped hoodie, she started crying all over again.

Eden panicked, clumsily trying to comfort her. "It's okay, ma'am, I have enough clothes." That only made it worse.

My mom bawled harder, cursing Eden's mother for being a deadbeat who didn't deserve to have a child. My dad eventually had to pull her away and steer her into their bedroom.

I leaned against the doorframe, offering an apologetic shrug. "My mom wears her heart on her sleeve. You'll get used to it. "Wash up and get some sleep.

I leave for school around sixforty." "Okay." I took a few steps down the hall before spinning back around, flashing a smug grin. "Since you're part of the family now, no more 'sir' or 'upperclassman' crap.

Call me Declan." Eden nodded, a shy, timid look crossing her face. "Okay." I leaned in, teasing her. "Let's hear it, then." She pressed her lips together, her voice dropping to a shy whisper. "Declan." I flashed a huge, toothy grin. "Good girl.

Night, Eden." A tiny, genuine smile finally broke through. "Goodnight, Declan." [I hope good things happen to good people.

Declan's family better stay safe so our girl can spoil them rotten when she makes it big.] [If the author kills off his family just for character development, I'm dropping this novel!] I scoffed.

Surely the plot wouldn't be that ridiculously tragic. When I woke up the next morning, Eden was already in the kitchen, helping my mom prep breakfast.

Feeling a little guilty, I wandered in to lend a hand. But I was clumsy as hell.

After nearly dropping a carton of eggs, my mom shooed me out in pure disgust. "Stop messing up my kitchen!

Get out and wait at the table!" I grumbled under my breath. "Mom, can you be a little nicer to me?" She shot me a fake, saccharine smile. "Nice?

How about I nicely smack the back of your head?" "Are you sure I'm not adopted?" "Nope. Picked you out of a dumpster." We kept bickering back and forth.

My dad chuckled, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He glanced at Eden. "They're like this every morning.

Don't worry about it." Eden ducked her head, a soft, shy smile touching her lips. [Their family dynamic is amazing.

I'm honestly kind of jealous.] [Parents and kids acting like actual friends?

Definitely jealous.] [I just hope this kind of warmth can slowly heal our girl's trauma.] [Childhood trauma takes a lifetime to heal, but it's better than nothing.

Like I said, good things better happen to good people.] After breakfast, I gave Eden a ride to school on my Vespa.

At lunch, following my mom's strict orders, I loaded three hundred bucks onto Eden's student ID. Then I dragged her over to the cafeteria line.

My mom made it explicitly clear that I couldn't let her go hungry, so I loaded up her tray with portions matching my own massive appetite.

By the time we hit the register, her tray was piled as high as a mountain. Chapter 4 [No hate, but our girl is so tiny.

I had no idea she could pack away that much food.] [Teenagers are literal black holes anyway. Plus, she's probably never had a full meal in her life.

She's severely malnourished, so this is just… revenge eating, I guess.] [I kind of want to ship Eden and the upperclassman.] [I'm fiercely loyal to the male lead.

The upperclassman is great and all, but Eden and the ML are endgame.] I swear to God, I had absolutely zero interest in playing the third wheel.

But as her selfappointed older brother? I was totally down to ride her coattails. I was officially part of the main cast now. My future was practically glowing. Hell yeah.

Underclassmen got out of school at three in the afternoon.

Instead of hitting up any afterschool clubs, Eden camped out in the school library, quietly doing her homework while she waited for me.

Once my last bell rang, I met her by the secondfloor stairwell, just like we agreed. She was already waiting by the banister.

The second she saw me, she practically skipped over. "Declan." Hearing the female lead call my name like that made it impossible to suppress my smirk. "Let's go.

We're heading home." "Okay." [Declan really treats her like a little sister.

I'm tearing up.] [I think I want to switch ships.] [As cute as they are together, I am stubbornly Team Male Lead.] Ship whoever you want.

I was securing my VIP pass to her success story regardless. We headed back to the diner, just like usual. We grabbed dinner, helped close up, and headed upstairs.

Our apartment was right above the diner, so the commute was literally seconds. The second we stepped through the door, my mom pulled out a magic trick.

She yanked out a mountain of shopping bags she'd raided from the mall—stuffed with brandnew, cute clothes and namebrand sneakers—and practically shoved Eden into her room to try them on.

The sizes were all a little loose. My mom had a gut feeling Eden was about to hit a massive growth spurt.

On top of the wardrobe upgrade, my mom slapped a brandnew, studentfriendly smartphone onto the counter. Eden completely froze, panic creeping back into her eyes.

My mom grabbed both of her hands. "Eden, I talked it over with Declan's dad. We want to officially adopt you as our goddaughter.

Are you okay with that?" Eden choked back a sob, nodding frantically. "Yes.

I'd love that." I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms. "Then drop the 'sir' and 'ma'am' stuff." Eden nodded solemnly. She looked at us like we had hung the moon. "Mom.

Dad. Declan." I pumped a fist in the air. "Hell yeah!" My dad beamed, clapping a heavy hand on my shoulder. "That's what I'm talking about! We're officially a family now.

I finally got the daughter I always wanted!" My mom clapped her hands together. "We are closing the diner this Saturday. We're taking a family day!" I grinned. "Perfect.

I vote we hit the amusement park." "Done!" My parents genuinely adored Eden, and I was more than thrilled to have a little sister. None of us treated her like an outsider.

Eden adapted to our chaotic household fast, seamlessly blending into our routines. Once she finally got some real nutrition in her system, she shot up like a weed in the spring.

It was obvious she was going to be tall and stunning. That was the female lead for you. That was my little sister. Beyond the physical glowup, her whole vibe shifted.

She stopped slouching. She kept her chin up, and a bright, genuine smile was practically glued to her face. The holographic comments were mostly wholesome now.

Their only lingering anxiety was that I might accidentally derail Eden's romance with the male lead. Some of them kept swearing she had a secret crush on me. I didn't see it at all.

Besides, I already had someone I was into. I was planning to confess to her the second final exams were over.

Just to shut the comments up, I deliberately dropped that little tidbit in front of Eden one day, swearing her to secrecy. After that, the comments rarely brought it up again.

Chapter 5 My parents treated Eden like pure gold. Honestly, sometimes they spoiled her so much it made me a little jealous.

But the second I even thought about complaining, she'd bounce over, flash that sweet smile, and call my name. My annoyance instantly evaporated. Whatever.

I liked having a wellbehaved, sensible little sister around. Plus, she was the female lead! Before I knew it, winter break rolled around.

Since my finals were coming up, my mom completely banned me from helping out at the diner. She tried to make Eden stay home and hit the books too, but Eden was stubborn.

She insisted on working her shifts, swearing it wouldn't tank her grades. My parents eventually threw their hands up and let her go.

Just a few days before Christmas, it was Eden's sixteenth birthday.

My parents locked up the diner early at three in the afternoon, hauling bags of groceries home to cook a massive feast.

Before dinner, my mom sent Eden and me across the street to grab her custom cake from the bakery.

As we pushed through the bakery's glass doors, we nearly collided with a heavyset, broadshouldered middleaged woman dragging two equally stocky kids—a boy and a girl.

Eden's face instantly drained of all color. Her fingers dug into my sleeve in a vice grip. She shoved my arm, her breath hitching. "Hurry, let's go." But the woman lunged forward.

She snatched the cake box right out of my hand and glared at Eden, spitting pure venom. "You little slut!

You run away from home without a single phone call, and it turns out you're just out here messing around with men!

You make me sick!" She whipped her head toward me, her eyes manic. "Listen to me. My daughter is barely sixteen.

Hand over ten grand right now, or I'm reporting you for statutory rape!" [Did this woman really just call her own daughter a slut? Is she actually her biological mother?] [Classic.

Once they get a new family, the biological parents instantly turn into wicked stepparents.] Eden's eyes were bloodshot, her fists trembling at her sides. "Mom, I'm still in school.

He… Declan hasn't touched me. Stop slandering him." The woman didn't absorb a single word. Her face contorted into an ugly scowl. "Do I look like an idiot?

Pay up right now, or I'm pressing charges!" She still had a death grip on the cake box, so I just let go.

She immediately shoved the cake at the little girl beside her and instantly locked her thick fingers around my wrist, anchoring me in place.

I kept my voice deadpan. "Lady, I haven't laid a finger on anyone. If you have a problem, go ahead and call the cops.

Now take your hands off me." "Give me ten thousand dollars in compensation! Otherwise, I'm calling Child Protective Services right now.

I'll tell the cops you kidnapped a minor and throw your ass in jail!" Tears spilled over Eden's lashes, trailing down her pale cheeks.

She stared at the woman, completely broken. "Mom, please. When I make money in the future, I'll take care of you, I promise. Just don't do this.

Please!" "You're already throwing yourself at men at this age.

Why the hell would I count on you for anything?" She snapped her greedy gaze back to me. "Give me ten grand right now, and I won't interfere with your little relationship!

And if you want to keep her permanently, you're paying me at least thirty grand!" A dry, incredulous scoff escaped my throat.

Forget the holographic comments—I couldn't even believe these words were coming out of a biological mother's mouth. I opened my mouth to fire back, but Eden suddenly lunged.

She slammed both hands into the woman's chest, shoving her hard. Her fingers locked around my wrist. She yanked me forward. We sprinted down the sidewalk.

We tore across the street, weaving through alleyways, deliberately taking a long, convoluted route before finally slipping back into our apartment complex.

Once the front door clicked shut behind us, I recounted the entire nightmare with Eden's mother to my parents. Their jaws hit the floor.

My mom rubbed her temples, completely bewildered. "Jesus! What kind of mother acts like that?" My dad let out a heavy breath, shaking his head. "A total psycho.

I'm speechless." Eden stood in the center of the living room. Her head bowed. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Mom. Dad.

I think I should move out." She kept her chin glued to her chest, her entire frame radiating a heavy, suffocating despair. Chapter 6 I was absolutely furious.

Eden's mom was a real piece of work. In just a few minutes, she managed to crush the bright, sunny girl we had worked so hard to build up, dragging her right back to square one.

My dad looked at Eden, his posture completely relaxed. "Don't sweat it. You just focus on yourself. "Your mom and I aren't scared of her making a scene.

We're ready for her." My mom chimed in. "Your dad is right. You're a kid, don't overthink this. We know how to handle it." That was easier said than done. Eden was only sixteen.

Her mom was still her legal guardian, which made things incredibly complicated. [I'm seriously worried about Eden.] [Honestly, I doubt that woman is even her real mom.

Have you seen her? She and her other two kids are built like linebackers, while Eden is tall and gorgeous.

They don't even look like they belong to the same species.] Honestly, the comments had a point. It was highly possible. Too bad that woman would never willingly agree to a DNA test.

It took my parents an entire night of talking to convince Eden to drop the idea of moving out. But ever since that day, a heavy cloud hung over her.

Most of the time, her smiles were forced, her eyes completely dull. It killed us to watch. Sometime in early January, Eden's mom finally showed up at the diner.

And she brought a local reporter with her. She stood right in the middle of our dining room, screaming that my parents were kidnapping a minor and using her for illegal child labor.

She even pointed a thick finger at me, accusing me of "taking advantage" of Eden.

She wailed, demanding to take her daughter home—and slapping a two hundred thousand dollar extortion demand on my parents for their "crimes." A crowd of nosy onlookers quickly bottlenecked the entrance.

My parents didn't even flinch. Eden stared at her mother, her face completely blank. Then, without a single word, she spun around and marched straight into the kitchen.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I immediately followed her. Eden's fingers wrapped around the handle of a heavy meat cleaver.

Pure, unadulterated murder radiated from her tense shoulders as she pivoted back toward the dining room. "Eden, drop it