A/N: This is just a one shot about Angel from his point of view. And Angel's out of drag so Angel's a 'he.' Inspired by my koolio new Converse from my adopted sister and sheer boredom. Hope you like it.
You never realize how your trash can be someone's treasure. Unless your most treasured possession was someone else's trash. When you have no home, and you wonder the streets of New York every day, you come to some hard realizations.
Since I was kicked out of the house when my parents found out I was gay, I've had it pretty rough. For the most part, I've been able to eat everyday, and it's not too bad sleeping outdoors in alleys, except of course in winter.
I would get a job, except I have no shoes. My last pair completely fell apart a year ago. I knew it would happen. They had withstood two years before they actually bit the dust. But if I had shoes, I could get a job at a gas station, be inside all day, get some money, and get free food. Not bad for a 17 year old guy living on the streets. Except for that one small problem.
Eventually, I had explored all options in the center of the city, so I hopped a subway and rode a while. I ended up riding it farther than I planned it, as I fell asleep. I get off as soon as I woke up and I found myself in a middle-class neighbourhood. The sign posted by the nearest apartment complex said 'Forest Hills' in fancy script.
I wandered around for a while trying to get my bearings. Eventually I wondered by a park and sat down on a swing to people watch. There was a golden retriever that was chasing squirrels up trees. An old couple taking a walk. A few college kids were playing Frisbee in an adjacent field. Some kids played on a nearby jungle gym and I fixed my attention on them.
A Hispanic girl a year or two younger than me chased a little boy around. Her brown, curly hair was flying out behind her. Her cheeks were rosy from running and laughing.
"Come here Benny!" she called. The three year old stopped and looked around and she swept him up in her arms. A pre-teen boy was nearby hanging upside down and called over to the other girl and the little boy, "Look at me Maria! I can hang upside down really long!" The girl named Maria laughed and called back, "Rob! Come down from there! It's time to go home now!"
The boy flipped over and walked over to his older sister. She grabbed his hand, switched the toddler's weight onto her hip, and they walked out of the park.
I sighed heavily. They reminded me so much of my old family. How my older sister would take me and my younger brother and sisters to the park. And then one day when I was 11 how she never came home from that movie…
I decided to follow the girl and her siblings at a safe distance to make sure they got home safely. I didn't want anything to happen to the happy little scene that I had just witnessed.
Apparently, their apartment building was just around the corner from the park we had been at. The went in the front door, talked to the doorman, and walked to the stairwell. As they dissappeared from view, I leaned against a tree and began to zone out.
A few moments later, the door of the apartment building opened. The girl from the park came back out and saw me standing there. She walked over, hands behind her back. "You're that boy from the park aren't you?" she said glancing at the ground as she did so. Her eyes widened and she looked up at me.
"Do you want these? I was going to throw them out cause they're too small, but…" she trailed off and I looked at what she was holding out to me. A pair of bright green high-tops were in her hands. A peace sign was drawn on the left shoe, but other than that, they looked brand new. And they looked about my size.
"Thanks," I said. I crouched down to put them on. They fit perfectly, better then my old shoes ever had. These would help me get on with my life. I straightened back up and felt a huge thanks was in order.
Before I could say anything, she held up her hand. "Don't thank me," she said, "I'm happy I could help." So instead of thanking her I said, "Hi, I'm Angel." She flashed a brilliant smile in my direction.
"They call me Mimi."
A/N: So what did you think? Was it ok or did it horribly suck? Review and let me know!