"I'm not desperate to follow a stranger home because he saved my ass."
The stranger chuckled, a low, husky sound. "I'm not asking you to follow me home because I saved your life, kid," he said. "I'm asking because I think you need someone to talk to. And I'm willing to listen."
Alsen raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You think I need someone to talk to?" He repeated, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"You think you can just swoop in here, play hero, and then suddenly I'm going to pour my heart out to you?"
The stranger's expression remained calm, but a hint of amusement danced in his eyes. "I'm not asking you to pour your heart out, kid," he said. "I'm just offering a listening ear. No strings attached."
He snorted, rolling his eyes. "Save it, stranger. I'm not buying what you're selling."
But despite his tough exterior, a small part of him wondered...what if he was telling the truth? What if he really did just want to listen?
