Chapter Three: The Streets

Chapter Two

   I opened my eyes to find the sun shinning on my face. I sat up and looked around. The woman was standing infront of the car. I pulled the blanket off and got out.

     "Where are we?" I asked.

   We were parked at a gas station in a brick building neighberhood.

     "It doesn't really matter. I know you'll be somewhat safe in this neighberhood. Do you have a knife?" She replied.

   I pulled a little pocket knife out of my jacket and handed it to her. She gave me a dirty look and stuck it in her pocket. She handed me a larger one.

     "That one is sharp. It'll do more than that s****y one you had. And here." She said handing me a couple of hundred dollar bills.

     "I don't understand why your helping me. I don't deserve it." I sighed.

     "I don't know what made you leave your home. Whatever it was, you didn't deserve it. Now you should get lost before someone see's you." She replied.

     "Thank you." I mummbled.

   I grabbed my bag out of the car and walked off. I looked over shoulder to find the woman and car gone. I walked down a crooked side walk next to a rusty iron fence around a small playground. I opened te gate and went inside and sat down on one of the swings. It was quiet except for a few dogs barking.I started swinging back and forth and thought about my family. Were they looking for me? Do they suddenly care?

  A small group of teenagers were walking by laughing and goofing around. One looked over at me and pointed. I stopping swinging and watched them ran towards me. There were four of them-3 boys and a red headed girl. One of the guys had short spiky black hair.

     "Hey, it's that girl I saw on the news this morning. Haylee Swain." He laughed.

     "I don't known what you are talking about." I sighed.

   He laughed and stepped closer.

     "I know who you are, Haylee. It would so easy to pull out my cell phone and dial 911 and tell them where you are." He threatened.

   Someone ran up behind him and grabbed him by his jacket collar.

     "Alex! How dare you threaten to snitch on someone! You know the rule!" They guy hissed.

     "Terri, please let me go! I wasn't really going to do it! I was only messing with her head!" The Alex kid whimpered.

   The Terri person let him go and the others wandered off. Before Alex was able to escape with his friends I jumped up and punched him the face. He howled in pain and ran off bleeding.

     "Are you ok?" The Terri person asked.

     "I'm great. Some loser just threatened to call the cops on me." I hissed back.

   I grabbed my bag and started to walk away from him.

     "Hey, wait up." He called out catching up to me. "I'm Terri."

     "Well, you already know my name. What do you want?" I replied.

     "I guess I'm looking for a new friend. You know, it's ok to have friends." He said.

   I stopped and looked at him. He was taller than me. Brown eyes, long, curly dark brown hair. He wore blue jeans and a black sweatshirt.

     "I had a friend until she ditched me." I snapped.

     "Than she wasn't your friend. And I won't ditch you." He replied with a smile. "You could use a friend that knows these streets. I know people too." He added.

     "I'm sorry. Right now I have enough things to worry about than having a friend." I replied looking around.

     "Do you always push away people who might give a s**t about you? I've been were you are. I know how it feels. I don't know what made you hit the streets but I do know how to get past it." He snapped grabbing my arm.

     "You don't know anything about me." I sighed.

     "I'd like to get to know you, of you'd let me." He whispered.

     "Please let me go. You're hurting my arm." I replied.

   He let me go.

     "Come on, let's get off the streets. My apartment is right over there." He sighed pointing to a brick building.

   I nodded and followed him across the play ground and street to the building. There was something about this stranger that made me want to run and hide; like I could feel his reckless, rebel vibe. But something also made me want to stay.

   I followed him up a staircase to the second floor. His apartment was the first door on the left. He led me inside and dissapeared into his bedroom. His apartment was big and surprisingly nice. I sat down in a black leather chair and waiting for him to return, which he did. He looked different. He shed his black sweat shirt and wore a tight white tee shirt. His arms were bare too. I set my eyes upon his very detailed black and silver dragon tattoo on his right arm.

     "That, my friend, is a very special tattoo." He purred sitting in the chair across from me.

     "Really?" I replied.

     "Have you ever heard of Jace Marshell?" He asked.

   I laughed and shook my head. "I haven't been around here long enough to find out. I bet he has something to do with that tattoo."

     "Exactly. He's a drug dealer and a street fighter. He also saved my life a few years ago." He explained.

     "What do you mean?" I asked softly.

     "The men in my family join gangs, it was a tradition. When I was old enough to join, I decided not to. My father got mad and beat the crap out of me. I ran away and hid on the streets but I was found by a few of my older cousins. One of them stabbed me and Jace found me. I got healed up and I hit the streets again hoping I'd find him. And I did and that's when I joined his crew." He explained. "Your turn." He added.

   I looked away. "Um, well, I had this one friend that I got arrested with. She ditched me." I sighed. "My dad kicked me out. Not for the fact that I got involved with weed but for getting arrested. I had to live with my aunt and little cousin, which was hell. I didn't have any friends and school drove me crazy. I was always getting kicked out of class and I was fighting with everyone." I explained.

   I slowly pulled my jacket off and pulled my sleeves up and showed him the scars on my arms and wrist. He gently traced the this deep scars across my wrist.

     "Did you know that if you throw a snowglode against the wall in a hospitle, they will sedate you." I laughed.

   A tear escaped the corner of my eye. Terri reached over and wipped it away.

     "I wanted out. I couldn't take it anymore." I whispered.

   He held my hand. "And here you are searching for your place in the world." He said. "You might find it here. Welcome to the streets."