Raven Thatcher

When I opened my eyes the next morning the sun was already bearing down on me. Damn it was going to be hot today. It had already been two weeks since I had seen that boy with strawberry blonde hair. I pulled the primrose seeds from my pocket. I had assumed they had fallen out when he dropped his bags. Ugg ever since that day I haven't been able to get him out of my head. “Annoying” I said out loud and got up from the park bench I had been sleeping on. 

The park was already full of people. Runners, bikers, family getting out for walks I had forgotten today was a Saturday, great. I started to walk out of the park I did not want to deal with people today, plus the ugly gash on my left cheek from a underground fight won’t stop people from staring at me. I can't help it, thought I needed the money and I was fairly certain the other guy was in way worst shape. 

I crossed the street from the park and headed towards the library. Most days I just sat in the back corner and slept. I mean no one was stupid enough to wake me up and none of the people I have pissed off  would expect me there so it was a pretty good deal. 

I walked about two blocks till I was in front of it. A big tan building perfect for my hiding place plus none of my “lackeys” liked to read so they never came here unlike me. I walked inside and headed towards the back till I reached the history section then walked to the back and took a right. Where there was a table with a light and a oak chair my saving grace. I walked over and sat down my bones seemed to sigh with relief as I laid my head on the table. Last night had been a long night plus the higher ups in the ring placed an opponent two times my size in the ring. It took a lot of blows to take him down and I didn’t come out unscathed either. I looked at my hand it had begun to bruise from all the punches and my knuckles were split from a blow to the face when I KO'd my opponent. I closed my eyes trying to rest hoping for the sanctuary of dreamless sleep. 

“Is he dead?” “No I think he's just sleeping although that would make it a lot easier.” I opened my eyes and noticed a small group of boys standing in front of me. “Got a problem?” I asked, lifting my head off the table. “I didn't know anyone else used this table.” “Oh no, I don't have a problem with you using this table. I have a problem with you being a fag and threatening to fuck my friend, so I guess I'll just have to teach you a lesson,” the boy in front said. He had light brown hair and was most likely college age. Good, I would not get in trouble if I hurt him, he's not a minor. I looked at him and then smirked “ You’re going to have to be more specific I happen to make that threat a lot. Boys, girls, they're all the same to me. You son of a... “ before the boy could do anything else, another boy stepped forward. “You threatened me.” I glared at him for ruining my fun with the other guy only to realize that I was looking at the boy who had been beating up the strawberry kid. “Oh, it’s you” I said. I glanced at the other boys all about the same age as the first boy, then focused back on the bully, what had that kid called him, Jade, Joe, Jack? Oh well, I don't care, “Well, I see you went to get your boyfriends. Just one question before we go outside to talk like gentlemen” I say and look at the bully, “How do you decide which one goes home with you today? Is it whoever takes me down? If that's the case, if I take them down, does that mean I can finally taste that sweet ass of yours?” The first boy growled and grabbed me by the arm, “Come on,if you so much as make a break for it I swear we will destroy you. And then he dragged me out of the library, down the front steps and into a back alley. 

He slammed me into the alley wall, “Not so rough, otherwise I won't have any energy left for later tonight with your bitch.” I sneer at him. His face reddens from anger but he does nothing. I watch as two other boys walk over and grab my arms, one on each side. Joe or whoever was standing back watching when he saw me, looking at me he grins, takes his hand, slides it across his neck and points at me. I roll my eyes, I have been in enough fights to know how to deal with this but I wanted to have some fun and the way these boys reacted was fun. 

I turned to the browned haired boy “As kinky as I think this is, I don't think I know you well enough” I said. He grinned and then punched me square in the jaw. “ I waited to do that to you the moment I met you. He grabbed my face in his palm, “Your pretty face doesn't suit that mouth of yours.” I stare at him and then stick my tongue out and lick one of his fingers that is close to my mouth. He pulls back swearing I grin faintly at him. “You bitch!” he yells and hits me in the stomach right where I had been nailed with a low kick from last night’s fight. I let out a yelp. The boy grins and then punches me in the face again this time I feel blood roll down my cheek from where a ring on his finger hit my face. I have had my fun, now it was annoying. 

I was just about to take out the boys on the sides when a shaky voice cuts in. “Let him go” I look at the front of the alley and see the strawberry haired boy, my eyes widen and I see Jack or was it Joe laugh and then start to walk toward him. No, no why had that idiot showed up. “Stop” strawberry shouted. And the bully stopped. “I have already called the police saying there’s a gang fight in the alley. They're going to be here soon so if I were you I would leave right now” the boy said shakily. The older boys swore and let go of me. That was my chance, I grabbed one and punched him in the face he fell back and slammed into the wall. I heard the other boy swear and take a step toward me. I dropped down swiped my leg and sent him tumbling to the ground then I jumped on him sending him into a fit of gasping because I knocked the air out of him. Then I turned toward the main leader boy. 

He looked at me and then lunged, I dodged him, but just before I got completely out of the way he grabbed some of my hair and pulled me down with him. I landed on top of him. He then grabbed my neck and put me in a choke hold. “There how’s that” he grunted. I lifted my knee and then slammed it down in his crouch. He cried out and let me go. I got up and looked at him. He tried getting up but failed. “Don't worry it'll still work just no fun time tonight” I said to him. 

Just then I heard sirens. I ran to the boy at the entrance, the bully Joe, Jaden, Whatever was just standing there dumbly staring at the boys he had got splayed on the ground. Smirked and blew him a kiss then grabbed the strawberry boy's arm and pulled him out of the alley across the road and into the park I was almost to the other side when the boy pulled out of my grasp and stopped. I stopped as well and turned to him. 

“What the hell were you thinking? Trying to act the hero? You idiot!” I yelled at him. The boy shrunk back, his ice blue eyes filling with fear. I only realized then he was panting his chest rising and falling. I cursed myself for not realizing how thin and fragile his body looked. A faint cut still lingered on his cheek and I could see faint ink peeking out of his shirt collar. The complete opposite of me, with my lean muscle from years of running and prowling around outdoors. My skin seemed dark compared to his fair white skin even though I was only a golden tan. His strawberry blond hair was sticking to his forehead which glistened with sweat. “Sorry I didn't realize how far we had run” I confessed. “It’s ok” the boys, pants slowing down. 

“But, seriously what were you thinking you could have got hurt plus the police would have caught you.” I said calmly. The boy tilts his head thinking then says “The police station is only half a block away I figured if I lied and stalled them eventually they would hear a siren. Plus if need be I could have just yelled if I was going to be hurt and I’m sure someone would have heard me.” “So you bluffed” I breathed. The boy shrugged “It seemed like the best option."

He stared at me. "Do you have a house I can go to, to help you patch up those cuts" he asked. I shook my head. “No I don't." “I don't mind if its dirty or small I won't judge” the boy chimed. I hate people like this who won't stop bothering you till you explain everything to them.” “No, I don't have a home. I live on the streets.” The boys eyes swept up and down my body and I could see the click when he put all the hints together. I held my head high ready for a rude remark, it definitely would not be the first time. Instead All he said was,“You can come to my home then” and turned around starting to walk towards the edge of the park, towards the school. 

He only turned around once to make sure I was following him and stopped for me in front of the school. Once I was next to him he kept walking. “Are you in school?” He asked turning from the building to me. “No i'm nineteen and finished high school three years ago.” “That would have made you sixteen when you graduated” strawberry boy said in awe. “Yeah well, I’m smart, big shock. The teachers just let me take the tests and as long as I did well they don't care if I stayed in class or not so I only went to school to take tests. Other wise I was not there.” I looked at the strawberry boy and saw him staring at me. I was about to make a crude remark about how if he kept staring that way gawking his face would get stuck that way when he spoke. “That's so cool! You must be like super smart” he exclaimed. “Well I did just say that I mutter.” 

We had just walked to the start of the forest outside of town. We were walking on a gravel road. Big oak, aspen, and evergreens lined the road. I spotted a couple of pine trees in patches. The leaves on the trees were starting to hint of fall with the outlines hinted red, yellow, and orange. The boy kept going humming to himself his hair seemed gold from the afternoon sun. the birds were singing. Life, the frost was alive something that does not exist in my concrete forest home of the city. But here you can feel it, energy.

 I hadn't realized I had stopped till Strawberry said “We're almost there.” My eyes shot ahead to him. He seemed more loose here like all his protective barriers were gone. Stupid, I thought I could be dangerous, you don't know me but I kept my mouth shut. The road opened up to a prairie. A brick house stood in front with ivy climbing up the sides of the brick. Windows popping out where the ivy wasn't like it had been trained to stay away. A cluster of hedges were on both sides of the front door. The first on both sides a tall oval shape the others circular and small so you could still see through the bottom floor windows. It was charming, the road coiled around the house to a garage. The boy stepped up to the door and opened it “Well welcome to my home. Now let's get those cuts and bruises fixed.” He walked in and I followed.