It's a misunderstanding, I swear! (Alex)
Alex had driven a few blocks away, but as expected, there wasn't any places open and she didn't feel like going inside any restaurant. She had stopped at the first convenience store she found working. But the best the place could offer was a "varied" selection of seafood cup noodle or curry flavoured, which she wasn't so inclined to buy; after eating too many times, she was already sick of the smell and taste of the artificially made broth. It didn't help when she entered the store, a 40-ish man wearing a beach T-shirt and a goatee was reading the journal, while an old-fashioned radio whirred Cindy Lauper – Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun.
The doorbell ringed and three men entered. They all seemed to have around twenty years old, laughing loudly of something stupid. Alex disliked them. She wasn't particularly fond of socializing, and got uncomfortable around a crowd – so much indeed that when she was in High School, she would walk almost two kilometers everyday and even woke up early, just because she didn't like getting the school bus with kids yelling and throwing shit at each other. She couldn't understand an old saying that said "only three things should be on a leash: monkeys, dogs and children", for her they were all the same thing. In fact, buying her Harley-Davidson was one of her best investments.
The shop owner who had been attentively reading his journal, glanced at the new customers. They didn't do much, grabbed a pack of bear, then went for the cash register. When they left, the old man got back to reading.
Alex finally decided to take a chocolate bar and a coke then go to the cashier.
– £ 2,79 – said the shop keeper without taking his eyes off the journal.
She pulled her credit card from the wallet; she didn't have the habit of bringing money bills with her. The old man lowered the journal, staring at her with visible annoyance. Then sighed, taking a card machine and handing it to her, she finished the purchase and went out of the store.
The outside was dark and chilly, the streets seemed dead, but she actually liked the silence of the city at that hour – the buildings enwreathed in a twilight veil, a few cars passing by and the cacophony left by the half-asleep city. A few meters away from the shop, she saw the three fellows from before, they were sitting on the sidewalk edge. A few cans of bear were opened already and they were laughing. One of them with a woolen cap touched the one squatting. They seemed to say something, but Alex was too far away to hear or to care.
A few moments later, she caught a glimpse of them moving near a bus stop, where a pretty girl seemed to be waiting. She saw when they neared her, laughing and joking, almost as if they were friends, but the girl seemed uncomfortable. Besides, if they already knew each other, why wasn't she with them from the beginning…
Forget about it Alex. I's not your business, she remembered, and turned her bike on. Just leave them be. That's right, whatever business those dudes had with that girl, it wasn't of her concern.
The one that had been squatting before passed one of his arms through the girl's shoulders, and a small panicked voice echoed in the streets:
– Please don't touch me.
That was enough. Alex watched herself as she did something stupid again. In a few seconds, she slid her bike next to them, skidding the tire on the asphalt.
– Get on – she asked the girl, which looked at her frightened and relieved, but still in shock. They didn't have much time before those men recuperated from the shock too, so Alex urged the girl again: – Now!
She jumped on the bike, passing her arms through Alex's waist, while they got as much distance as they could from those guys. When they seemed to be far enough, Alex felt something flouncing behind her.
– Let me out – screamed the girl. – Please let me out.
– I can't – she responded, trying to balance the bike. – Wait.
– Who are you?! – the girl pleaded again. – Please, let me out.
The girl started pummeling her shoulders and Alex viewed herself forced to stop the bike in the middle of the road, before they got injured. The girl quickly jumped, falling in the street, and crying, mostly out of fear than of any injuries.
– Get away from me – the girl screamed. – Please, please. I don't have anything with me. Please, don't hurt me.
Alex tried to move herself next to the girl, but that only scared her away, and finally noticed she was still wearing the helmet and gloves. She must've frightened the girl that way. Slowly, Alex raised her hands.
– It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you. – she said calmly while removing her helmet. – I'm not gonna do anything to you.
The girl still seemed a bit suspicious.
– What's your name? – Alex asked, moving slowly to the girl.
– Hayley – she answered with a trembling voice.
– Hi Hayley. I'm Alex, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. Here. – she gave the girl her phone. – You can check if I'm telling the truth, call anyone you want and they will assure you I'm not gonna hurt you.
The girl nodded, taking the cellphone. – It's blocked. – she said, and showed the screen lock that had her pin.
– Sorry, just a min.
Alex carefully touched the cellphone, without taking it from the girl's hand. She fumbled with her fingers, unintentionally rubbing the girl's hand. – Sorry – she said again, and pressed the digital ID behind the phone. – And here we go.
Hayley once again checked the phone.
She's a really pretty girl, thought Alex again. Even though the girl had cried just a moment before and her clothes were wrinkled and smudged from the road, she was still very attractive, rather, she seemed even more cute after crying. Hayley had a white milky skin, paired with a dyed pastel pink hair that fell as cascades on her back. She was wearing a brown coat that went all the way to her knees and a worn-out blue jeans, that fitted her body perfectly.
Alex was so absorbed in the girl, she got surprised when Hayley chuckled, covering her mouth.
– What? – she asked.
– The last person you talked was your mom? – she retorted, raising her eyebrow delicately in a arch.
Alex laughed awkwardly. – Uhm, yeah. She's a very worried mom.
– I can see that – Hayley smiled and it was a pretty smile, kinda like those make up models, she had well outlined lines in her cheeks, and a tiny dimple formed when she smiled.
Alex cleared her throat. – So, you gonna call her?
Hayley shook her head. – Don't need. I guess you're speaking the truth. Sorry for earlier, I was a bit scared.
– Just a bit? Well, I guess it was my fault, I'm sorry for that.
– No, no – Hayley shook her hand negatively. – I should be the one thanking you, if it wasn't for that, those guys would…
But she didn't finish her words, letting them disappear in the empty street. An autumn breeze blew the girl's hair, and a small cloud of vapor was formed from her breath. Her eyes and nose were slightly reddish, and her hands were trembling still.
Alex offered her own gloves. – Here, you must be cold.
– What about you? – Hayley asked, frowning her eyebrows.
– I'm fine, warm enough. – she said quickly trying to change the subject. – Why were you out there, though? If it's alright to ask.
– It's okay – Hayley gave her a wry smile. – I was waiting the bus to go home.
– Oh. Wait, are any lines working right now? – Alex asked, confused.
– No – she agreed. – I was figuring that out when those guys appeared.
– And my cellphone battery died – she added when Alex looked at her with an unspoken question.
– That explains a lot.
– Yeah – the girl's voice seemed feeble when she said that.
– Do you have someone to take you back home? – Alex asked, adding shortly. – I can call you a taxi or Uber.
Hayley shook her head firmly. – No, it's okay. You don't need to worry about me. I'll be alright. Thank you.
Alex fiddled her fingers, nervously. Is that how mom feels when I say that to her? If so, she really should visit her parents more frequently. Even if Hayley was saying she was fine, Alex couldn't leave the girl there alone.
– If it's alright with you, can I give you a ride?
Hayley raised her head suddenly, looking at her with puzzling expression, but then she said. – It's alright. You don't need to bother…
– Please – Alex saw herself begging. Why was she forcing this so much? – It won't bother. In fact, I think I'll sleep better if I do that.
The girl still seemed a bit unsure.
– Please Hayley – she asked again. – Let me have a good night sleep today.
That seemed to place a warm smile on her face.
She nodded. – Alright. Thank you.