The streets of New York at midnight were crowded. Always crowded. The alleys and subways were teeming with homeless people of all sizes and ages. Each one had a story to tell. some more than willing to explain how they got in their situation, others were embarrassed by it.
Down in one of the dark abandoned subway stations laid a young girl. Barely legal. Her blond hair so covered in dirt it was starting to look brown. Curled in a ball she was obviously struggling to sleep. Her story was one that she told only a few people.
When she was younger she didn't have any imaginary friends and she wasn't really different. She was a loner but just because she chose to avoid people. People weren't terrible they just were NOT interesting enough for her. She was just barely 15 when her parents died.
It was burned into her mind. Her in the backseat. Dawn, her mother, in the passenger's seat. Robert, her father, was driving. It was calm in the suburbs and things were going just fine. "Robert, I think that she's been so great today we should stop for icecream." Said her mother.
Robert laughed. "Does this have anything to do with the hungry baby in your stomach?" He rubbed Dawn's stomach in a chipper way and turned back to his daughter. "How are you managing back there? Want some icecream?"
"DADDY THE FAIRY STOPP!" She shrieked unbuckling her seatbelt. Robert swerved causing her to slide into him. Then it went black. When she sat up the car was smoking and her parents weren't moving. They were bleeding all over. Kicking the door open and staggering out she grabbed her aching arm and walked over to her mother.
Her chest wasn't rising so she must have been dead. Both of them had to be. Her eyes welled up with tears as thunder began to crash and rain poured down. It didn't even seem like a cloudy day. She reached in and undid her mother's necklace. It was a fleur de lis that her mother wore everyday. No real meaning behind it just a necklace. Not an heirloom or anything of the sort. At least that was what she was told. Staring at her mother she pushed back her hair. Such a beautiful woman. Her bottom lip quivered as she opened the door, leaned in and kissed her cheek and then her bulging stomach.
As she heard the sirens she shook her head grabbing her father's wallet and took the money out. She wasn't going to go into foster care. That was not an option. As they got closer she started running and ran until she was stopped by a girl...and there she was..In the subway three years later.
Clove's eyes opened suddenly and she slowly sat up rubbing her damp head. Her spot in the subway and a few others leaked during storms and they were happening a lot lately.
That particular station had one group of girls that stayed together and took care of eachother. Clove loved each one of them, but Skye was the one who saved her. Fed her. Found her clothes. Of course, she also loved her dog Yun. He always managed to get himself fed but that didn't mean Clove didn't feed him when she was able!
"Hey sleepyhead! Guess what? We are going out to eat tonight! Everyone has enough money for it finally." Skye smiled.
"REALLY? O..okay yeah I'm ready let's go!" Clove jumped up excitedly. Her arm never fully healed. There was a large scar all the way up her arm and a constant dull pain but it made sure she would never forget for one second what she had done.
All of the girls walked out to the street and into the cheapest restaurant they knew of. They still had to conserve. The cafe they went to loved the business. The girls always paid because they wouldn't go out unless they had the money anyways.
If they worked hard enough they could probably afford apartments...But none of them wanted to give up what they had developed over the years.
Taking their seats Clove looked around with a hunger, and it wasn't just because she hadn't really eaten well in weeks but the whole atmosphere of the place always got her excited. So many people. Interesting people, but judgmental people none the less.
Tarina, one of the other girls, leaned over biting her bottom lip and obviously trying not to let the girls hear. "Hey...There is a really cute boy staring at you..to your left."
Clove took a deep breath. "Tari...I'm filthy and wearing disgusting clothing that I've been wearing for weeks now...I probably smell terrible. Of course, he is staring." But her eyes couldn't help but wander.
He was beautiful. Blue eyes..and he looked fiery...like a fantasy creature. His clothing looked too normal for him to be wearing...and his smirk...He was smirking at her.
She turned away and buried her face in the menu. Her mind had to be more realistic than that. As much as she enjoyed daydreaming it was time to get back to the real world. "I'll be back I'm going to go wash my face." She smiled standing up and going to the restroom.
The water didn't take long to heat up. Or maybe it was because she was used to only feeling rain water through cracks in the ceiling but it felt so nice and she finally felt clean. Her hands and face were at least. She inhaled nodding at her reflection and left the restroom walking right into the boy from earlier.
