I could feel new tears beginning to form as he made his way closer. I really didn't want to have anyone's blood on my hands. The guy didn't seem to have a chance against five thick skinned thugs. Obviously Lenny thought so to because he quickly straightened up a bit more and smirked at him. This could only end badly.

"So punk, I guess you're lookin' for a beat down as well?" Lenny asked, flexing a little.

The skinny guy had a calm look on his face. He didn't even seem phased as he walked closer to the group of men who wouldn't think twice about popping a bullet through his head. Suicidal maybe?

"Maybe, I haven't seen any action for awhile." His voice dripped with arrogance and superiority as he stood now five feet from Lenny, still closing the distance and looking him straight in the eyes. "I might as well kick your ass for some fun." Yep. Most definitely suicidal. At least I was doing him a favor rather than giving him an involuntary death sentence.

The thug holding me threw me to the other side of the ally wall as the other men joined their leader.

The crazy suicidal skinny boy looked directly at me, ignoring the others, "Why don't you just run off now. I'll handle this."

I didn't think twice as I began to run as fast as I could, amazingly without tripping, to the ally exit with my school bag jumping up and down on my back. I was just at the opening when loud grunts and sounds of struggling from the fight behind made me stop.

"No Bella, just keep on going. Even if he is losing, he knew what he was getting himself into…" I whispered to myself. But the cheers from the thugs made me groan as I turned back around to find two of the men down, apparently knocked out cold, but one with his strong arms around the skinny boy, while Lenny and another, both slightly limping, circled around the two, popping their knuckles.

I knew I didn't have much time before the beat down would start. And even more than that, I knew my weak arms wouldn't be enough to take on two full grown thugs, who probably did street fights for fun, and win. I turned to my last hope. My backpack.

I rummaged through it quickly, desperately trying to find something that would save the guy. I came across a pen, a rubber band, and some matches that I always kept in case I had to stay out in the street for a night and light a trash can to keep warm. Seeing those three things sparked an idea.

I remembered when I was six and my mom placed a pen on a burning stove by accident as she rushed to answer a phone call. A few seconds later, the pen burst, spraying black ink all over the tiny kitchen. I figured the same method would apply. Should apply. Hopefully.

Lenny was in the middle of insulting the boy, going into full detail about how he was going to beat up and then slowly kill the guy. I rolled my eyes. The dumb ones always made a speech before they got on with their plan.

Quickly, I ripped out ten of the matches and fumbled to get their heads near the tip of the pen as I tried to get the rubber band around them. I finally managed it, but my stomach did a flip when I heard someone, most likely Lenny, throw the first punch. I quickly lit the matches and began to run, again, down the long length of the ally way.

The pen was about ready to pop. I just prayed this would not all be in vain or else I would end up getting sexually assaulted and murdered.

I was ten yards away from them now and closing the distance. I gave one last prayer and put my plan into action.

"DUCK!" I yelled to the skinny guy as I threw the ink bomb at him.

The bomb sailed through the air and several surprising things happened.

One. It was actually headed towards the target- in this case the head of thug that was holding skinny boy.

Two. Skinny boy actually bent his head down to duck just in time.

And three. The ink bomb actually popped at exactly the right moment, shooting hot blue ink inside the thug's mouth and eyes. The thug recoiled as he yelped in surprise and let go of the boy, rubbing his eyes vigorously.

Cool.

Skinny boy used the distraction to take down one of the thugs. I had to admit, for a suicidal skinny guy, he had some skills.

The thug tried to make a swing for him, but skinny guy caught his hand and pulled one of those Kung- Fu moves where you twist your opponents hand backwards and crack the wrist. The thug screamed in pain as skinny boy gave him an upward punch and to the jaw and then kicked him into the wall.

I watched horrified as Lenny began to sneak up behind skinny guy with a large pocket knife in hand. I ran up behind him and jumped on his back, realizing to late what a dumb move it was. I felt a sharp pain on my thigh. He had made a long bloody slice on my leg.

In desperation, I began slapping and punching the sides of his head as he backed us up into a wall, sandwiching me in-between the wall and his back. I tried to see if I could gauge his eyes as I scratched them with my nails in our struggle. But in horror I saw his hand rise. He was going to stab me, and the knife was long enough to get to my bone, and sharp enough to do some serious damage.

In that same second I thought about just taking my hands to either side of his head, and, in one of those swift moves that you see on TV, snapping his neck. It was a silly thought. Even if I knew the technique to do that, I wouldn't. I wasn't a killer.

I braced myself for the oncoming pain, but was surprised instead to hear a loud smack, instantly followed by a sickening crunching sound.

Skinny boy, finished with the other two thugs, came over, and with seemed to be with all the strength he had left, punched Lenny dead on the nose.

Lenny's stance wavered for a second before he collapsed on the grown, right on his newly broken nose. And I fell with him. Landing right on top of his now newly broken face. Vengeance was sweet.

I quickly scurried off of him, looking around the ally. We had really made a mess. All five thugs were completely unconscious on the ground, which meant one very important thing… I was NOT getting gang raped, OR murdered!

I smiled happily and turned to skinny boy, "Looks like we got that taken care of!"

My smile wavered as he just stood in his spot and stared at me. He looked me up and down inquisitively as if he was trying to reach a decision about something.

In the brief silence I noticed that he was actually quite handsome with strong square features and vivid green eyes. He was young too, maybe the same age as me, seventeen, or a year older. And I was mistaken about him being skinny, from a distance he did look rather small, but close up you could tell that he was actually toned. He just looked a little gaunt, as if he hadn't eaten in awhile. I knew the feeling. Despite all that, it was uncomfortable to have him looking at me at so close a range. I knew that he had just helped me, but he was a guy and I was a girl who still had the thought of rape on her mind. Do the math.

"Well, thanks a lot," I said hoarsely. I turned on my heels and began to walk away.

"Wait!" The skinny- or, hot toned boy called as he made a grab for my hand. I quickly snatched it out, tired of the act altogether, and faced him with a frown. If there was one thing I learned in life, it was to keep my guard up, and he was no exception to that rule.

"What?" I said almost rudely. His eyebrows shot up and his eyes showed some surprise, but a small crooked smile followed shortly afterward. Weirdo.

"Nothing much," He shrugged, "I just wanted to thank you as well." I noticed how silky his voice sounded and it made my heart melt, but my brain told me to get it together, I had a feeling he wanted something more than a 'Your welcome'.

"It was nothing." I said quickly, turning around again.

I grunted in annoyance when I felt myself being pulled back.

"Would you stop?" I cried, turning around.

"Sorry." He said quickly, but I was sure he was holding back a laugh, "I just wanted to ask you how you thought of making that… what was it? An ink bomb?"

I sighed, really wanting to get away, but something told me he would just follow me.

"It was just luck I guess, I wasn't too sure if it would work anyways." I stated truthfully.

"And that shot was amazing…" He murmured almost to himself, "And perfect timing to…" He said looking away.

I stood there for a second, and noticed angrily that he still had my hand in his. I tried to tug away, but to my dismay, he tightened his grip and began to walk the opposite direction of where I was going dragging me with him.

"Hey! Stop!" I cried, the fear evident in my voice.

"Stop struggling, I'm not going to hurt you. We're just going to get that cut checked out." He said, as he bent down and picked up Lenny's bloody knife and pocketed it.

"But what about my bag!" I wailed wondering why I was even worried about that now. I couldn't be sure if his words were true.

He turned around and looked at my backpack, empty from the school books I couldn't afford. I mostly just had a notebook, pens, and other miscellaneous items.

He shrugged.

"I'll buy you a new one."

I sighed heavily as we walked out of the ally and down the street. This guy seemed to determined to let me go easily.

We walked a block or two more and then came up to a slightly beat down car.

"Get in." He said, walking to the driver's side.

"This is unnecessary!" I said as I stomped my foot. I winced; I stomped the leg that had the cut. I looked down and saw blood dripping down my already crappy hand- me- down pants.

"Well, you could get in willingly or…"

"Or you'll force me in." I finished with a grimace.

"Naturally." He smiled, with a bigger and much more crooked and heart- melting smile now on his face.

I rolled my eyes and got in the car as he chuckled and started the engine.

As he drove, I noticed that he made two wrong turns if he was going to the general hospital. He said he knew and sped up.

Bella, why are you such an idiot? I asked myself.

I grasped either side of the worn car seat to control my nerves.

Well, I guess I wasn't going to school today.

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