Page 4 of Lilah
"Take it, please," he takes it gently from my hands, "I hope that helps you a little."
"Oh yes! It will," he smiles, "thank you, ma'am."
"You're welcome," I begin walking away from him and still down toward Donny's shop. I look around for any stores I can gointo that a) aren't bars, b) aren't closed, and c) look safe enough for a small teenage girl.
I pride myself on being tough. Just not physically, I'm a little vertically challenged at five-foot-two.
I cry but never in front of anyone else.
Why cry and possibly make someone around you upset when you can smile and maybe make someone around you happy?
I pass through the main part of town square, where the tall marble fountain runs, and after passing it I begin to slowly walk down the scariest part of town square.
The part where the bars are. Red Street.
During the day, it's fine and most of the places are restaurants during the day. Not a night.
But, there's no other way to get to the other side of town square.
I put on my big girl britches and continue on my path.
That is until I spot someone sitting on one of the benches far enough away from the bars that it makes me feel comfortable enough to approach them.
Maybe it's another kind homeless person? A friend is a friend, whether they have a roof over their head or not.
I approach the bench and the closer I get, the more I want to turn back and walk away from the bench.
More often than not, I'm not a good guesser. But, I guess that this man is not homeless.
As I get closer and closer, I see the defined shape of his jaw and his wonderfully sculpted arms that are shaped from a distant light off the front of a bar.
Just as I'm about to say forget it to my 'let me go see if this man is homeless too' idea, his head snaps to mine.
The night surrounding us prevents me from seeing exactly what he looks like but I can feel his gaze on me.
It makes butterflies flutter in my tummy a little bit. Butterflies? What am I even thinking?
"Just so I feel better, you aren't going to kidnap me right now are you?" I mutter before closing my mouth tightly.
That was probably on the top five list of worst things to say to a stranger who's sitting on a bench at night.
He doesn't say anything and I'm quite thankful for that. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself further.
"Don't answer that question," I decide to continue after a few more moments of silence, although I don't think he was going to in the first place.
It's very possible he's figuring out how to kidnap me right now. Very possible.
Instead of responding, he just leans back against the bench. Maybe he doesn't talk. He could be deaf.
Or, maybehe'sscared ofme. I don't want to scare him.
"I'll be on my way..." I give a small smile in his direction, although he can't see it in this darkness.
He can't see me and I can't see him.
I could break out in a dance and he'd only see my shadow.
Taking a step forward, my foot catches right onto his.
