Disclaimer: This story deals with material that may not suitable for everyone. It contains coarse language, drug use, adult themes and a host of other things. I'd also like to point out that if you hold the idealist and innocent relationship between Edward and Bella in high regard this story isn't for you. You have been warned.
I do not own Twilight... I do however own the plot...
*Edward*
The Golden Arches...
Whoever thought of that marketing ploy obviously knew what they were talking about, to me they may as well be made of gold, because I only get to go in there on the odd occasion; usually when some kind person throws me a couple of spare coins out of their pocket. To me, a cup of coffee from here is like winning the lottery; today happens to be like one of those days.
A tall blonde guy, all arms and legs and well set in physique dug deep into his pockets and handed me over all the change that he seemed to get in that one handful. It was like all my Christmas', birthdays and every other day that the average person in the world would be grateful for had come at once.
"Happy Holidays." He said, handing me the change as we exchanged a soft smile, all the while, the dark haired petite lady hanging on his arm.
"Oh baby, that's so nice of you." She chimed.
"It's nothing Darlin'. Least I can do. It's the season of goodwill, and I swear the poor guy could do with it." I heard him reply as they walked off into the distance.
That's how I found myself here, basking in the heat that emulated from behind the heavy doors. Pulling them open and walking inside, I ignored the looks of disgust at my presence, after all, I'm not in the best of shape and my clothes had clearly seen better days, small narrow minded people were the least of my concerns, right then, all I could think about was the hot thick mud like liquid that would be sliding down my cold parched throat. I'd savour every minute of its warmth and comfort because who knew when I'd have the chance to experience that luxury again.
Taking a seat in the farthest corner, I counted out the change before I watched the world go by in a blur of color. The fall into winter crossover was my favourite part of the year, mainly because the depth of everything, the reddy brown of the leaves that had fallen from the trees, the heaviness of the air, the heady scent of earth; how can you not enjoy life when all this is going on around you before your eyes.
Most people, I guess, don't notice this though, far too busy rushing about to appreciate what is actually going on around them. Saying that, it's not like I had a bunch of stuff to keep me busy, there is only so much you can do when you don't have a job to go to, or a home to call your own. The only deadline I had was to be standing in line at shelter in time to get my bed for the night and a hot meal. You gotta get there for 3pm sharp if you were gonna be far enough forward in the queue to get a place. I'd learnt fairly quickly what to expect if you didn't make it in time. Sleeping rough in a doorway was not as bad as you'd think it'd be. It was worse; especially during winter. Many a homeless man had lost his life to the bitterness of winter.
I made sure, with every fiber in my body that I was standing in that queue at 3pm sharp, the small bag that held my worldly possessions, grasped in my arms, in front of my body, because shit was known to go walkabouts whilst you waited. I'd seen the lesser man riffle through another guys' things, taking anything of value whilst the victim stood there, unbeknown that he'd just been robbed. I should have said something, but in this world, it's dog eat dog and I'd of rather have kept myself to myself, that way I wasn't known as the grass, and I didn't become subjected to a beating the next time I crossed paths with the thief.
"Erm, buddy, you've been nursing that coffee for three hours, buy something else or you're gonna have to leave man." The spotty faced youth mumbled at me, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Of course." I replied, getting to my feet and shuffling towards the bin, trying to make the most of the heat before being greeted with the harsh cold outside.
Reaching the bin, I threw the cup away and took a handful of napkins. I may have been homeless but even I had hygiene standards. You try using public toilets as your main facilities. You can't always guarantee that they're gonna be stocked with everyday essential items like toilet paper. I also grabbed as many sweeteners and sugar sachets as I could physically manage without causing too much of a scene. It really is amazing how much of a pick me up a sachet of sugar can be if you have to go without a meal for a day.
A group of young girls were walking towards the bin as I stashed the sugar in the front pocket. They were gossiping and trying to indiscreetly talk about me, I wasn't dumb, I knew when people were whispering about yours truly. Can't say it bothered me too much, you learn to grow a thick skin when you're in my situation. I stepped backwards, allowing them access to the trash can, eyeing up the food that they were going to waste.
"Here, give me your trays, I'll meet you in the restroom, I'll throw everything away in one go." The dark haired girl with the glasses at the back said.
The other girls stopped, placed their trays on the nearest empty table, and sashayed off to the restrooms without even a thank you to the girl in question. She smiled awkwardly, putting all the uneaten food on one tray and continued to walk in my direction.
"Excuse me, Sir, please don't take this the wrong way, but I walk past you most morning on my way to college. I don't want to seem presumptuous but I'm guessing you're more in need of this than the trash is." She says looking down at the floor as she offered the tray to me.
So goodness to mankind still existed, and for the second time in one day, I felt like all my good fortunes had landed in my lap. Stacking the empty trays next to me on the provided shelf, she waited eagerly for me to take the remnants of half eaten meals.
I may be a proud man, it is after all one of the only things I have left, however, I'm not stupid, I'd be a fool to turn down the food that was being offered to me.
"Thank you Ma'am, you've a heart of gold." I replied, opening the top of my bag to put the food in for a later date. "You've fed a hungry man for a week with your kind gesture."
"As I said, you looked like you needed it more than the trash." She shrugged, pushing the glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"Happy holidays Ma'am." I answered, smiling at her in appreciation for her kindness.
She smiled back at me, placed the now empty tray on top of the others and turned towards the restrooms to go meet her friends.
Stealing the last of the free heat before I exited the building, I readied myself for the nine block walk to the shelter knowing that I'd have to get a move on to get there in time. Pulling my now holey black beanie down over my ears and the collar of my jacket up to cover as much of neck as possible to keep out the chill, I threw my bag over my shoulder and faded into the background.
Rounding the last corner, I looked at the queue to see a usually long line of people already stood there waiting. Mentally counting the people as I walked to the back I realized that I may not get a bed. Seems everyone had got the same mindset as me. Everyone wants a bed at this time of the year, everyone wants that all important hot meal. I now just needed to make the decision of whether I walked the extra four blocks to the smaller, lesser known about shelter or risked my luck here.
Realizing that I didn't really have much to lose, knowing my chances of bedding down here tonight were slim, I threaded my body back into the mass of people squeezing down the small walkway and walked briskly further out of town. The four blocks didn't take as long as usual, my adrenaline and possibly the fear of spending the evening in the expected snow pushed my body that little harder.
I'd learnt how to tell whether bad weather was on the cards by looking at the clouds, they'd become somewhat of a fascination to me. I'd sit in the park and try to decipher pictures, it passed the time and it let my once very active imagination run wild again. Daring a glance at the sky, I could tell that if it didn't snow heavily overnight, it'd be snowing by the morning for sure. If I wasn't to have a place in a shelter, I needed to find a doorway that hadn't already been claimed; that or a public toilet that had enough room between the bowl and the door to be able to rest my back. As disgusting and unappealing as the second option appeared it'd actually have been my preferred choice, saying that, most public facilities were locked at night to prevent vandalization by drunk Neanderthals who didn't realize just how fucking lucky they were.
It seemed my luck had run out when I got to the shelter and saw the queue running the length of the block already. Not surprising as the doors were just about to open, and I'd wasted time by taking too long deciding to come here. It was starting to get dark and I was starting to panic about where I was gonna end up for the night.
Watching as the staff at the shelter started to turn away people I sighed and turned the 180 degrees to head back in the direction I'd just come from. As I passed each and every side road and dark back street I peered down them to see if there was a somewhere I could try and bed down for the night. If you could find a doorway you were always gonna be that little bit more protected, not only from the cold but from the police, if they saw you resting in the street against the wall they moved you on. Not a second thought in the world, they just wanted to 'clean' the street up. So many times I'd wanted to say if only it was as easy as me getting up and heading home, if only they knew how easy they had it, but no, I was respectful and I'd gather myself up and head down to the next corner and try and find somewhere else.
*****
The first place I tried was being the back of this small restaurant, one of the waitresses there, all wild red hair and the sweetest of smiles, was really nice to me. I dunno if she did it every day, but whenever I'd been there and it'd been her break she used to come out back where I was leaning against the warm wall and she'd bring me out a cup of coffee and a whatever was kicking around in the kitchen. She spoke to me like a normal person and it made me forget the shitty situation I'd been put in that had ended with me like this.
I hung out there, leaning against the tepid bricks and hoped she'd come out like usual. I dunno how long I'd been waiting there, but I knew she wasn't coming. If the truth be known, I wasn't sure if I was more disappointed that I wouldn't be getting fed or that I wouldn't be getting the human interaction I missed so dearly. I'm not afraid to admit that my life was lonely. Very few people took a second look at me, and those who did usually did so in disgust. Conversation wasn't something that came readily and I sure as hell missed it. I'm intelligent and well read but I was slowing starting to think I was losing my mind.
Using my foot as leverage I pushed myself off the wall and set down the street knowing exactly where I was heading for. There was a small alleyway that divided the street between some disused warehouses. If I couldn't manage to force the locks on one of the old doors, I'd at least be able to use the doorway itself. Picking up my step I walked the five blocks downtown and headed across the last street. It was always dingy and I only ever used this alleyway as a last resort, I feared that I'd fall into a too deep a sleep and wake up in a dumpster somewhere thoroughly damaged and hurt, I shuddered at just the thought of it.
The street light half lit the front end of the wet passage and I could decipher two shadowy outlines. It'd just be my luck that yet again somebody has beaten me to it. I was going to turn around and head back until I heard a muffled scream and some scuffling. Usually I wouldn't get involved in other people's business but the scream sounded like a girl and I'd never be able to live with myself if tomorrows warmth from the sheet of paper was the same paper that told me of the death of a girl down this same street.
Hunching myself over, I ran down the cobbled path to see a man with his hand over her mouth, his pants around his ankles and forcing her against the wall. I'm not sure where it came from but my right fist pulled back on itself and hit the guy straight across his cheekbone, the sound of cracking bone on impact was enough to make my empty stomach turn. He let her go as he fell to the floor, I'm not sure if I'd knocked him out or he was just dazed but I didn't hang around long enough to find out, grabbing the girl by her wrist, I dragged her away from him and we started to run back towards the street.
It was only when I felt we'd gone far enough to stop that I let go of her wrist and turned to look her in the face. Smudged make up was down her face in streaks, I'm presuming from the tears that were spilling from her eyes. She was dressed a little inappropriately for the weather conditions, it was freezing out and she had the tiniest of skirt and vest on with a jacket that looked like it wouldn't provide much protection from the cold. Shrugging off my own jacket, I wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping it would help to stop her going into shock.
"Ma'am? Are you ok?" I asked.
"Huh?"
"I said are you ok?"
"Yeah fine." She replied, wiping her eyes with her fingers. Remembering the napkins I had in the front pocket of my bag I fished a couple out and offered her them. She cleaned her face up as well as she could do without a mirror.
She looked me in the eye for the first time and in that moment I knew she was on some form of drugs, her eyes were wide and she had a faraway look in them.
"Why'd ya do it?"
"What stop someone from attacking you? I'd of thought that was obvious." I answered a little shocked.
"You just cost me $100 you do realize that?"
"Excuse me?"
"You just beat on one of my customers. You just cost me $100." She said so matter of fact it frankly threw me a little.
"I thought he was going to kill you."
"So did I," she sighed, "I actually thought that was it."
"Excuse my ignorance, but you sound rather disappointed that I stopped him."
"As I said, you lost me money and you stopped the one thing that I ultimately crave."
Her carefree attitude to not dying concerned me more than I wanted to admit. She looked so young; I couldn't get my head around why she'd want to put herself in a situation that could potentially kill her. I wasn't even sure why I cared, maybe because I was involved now, either way I knew I didn't want her going back there this evening.
"Would you like me to walk you home?"
She cocked her head to one side, and stared at me for what felt like forever, it was like this really intense stare too, those deep brown glazed eyes penetrating deep into my soul. I started to fidget because her gawking was making me uncomfortable.
"Oh I get it." She said licking her bottom lip, "You want like a repayment for stopping him?"
She looked around and down the empty street and pulled me by the hand down a side street. It took me a couple of seconds to realize what she was insinuating. She honestly thought I wanted something from her in return? What the hell has this world come to?
Her hand reached for the fly of my jeans as she pushed me back against the damp cold wall. This seriously couldn't be happening. I pushed her hand away with my own, a little harder than I probably should have, but there was no way I was letting the girl do that. One, it wasn't necessary and two; I really wasn't looking for some cheap thrills in a dark alley. Admittedly, I hadn't had sex in a very long time, in fact, I'd had no form of sexual contact in as long as I could remember, but whatever she had planned wasn't happening here.
"That really isn't necessary."
"But… you said… you'd walk me back… I was just saving you the journey…" She purred out at me, her hand reaching back for at my fly.
"Really, please don't. I was offering to walk you back so you didn't have to worry about bumping into your… friend."
"Are. You. For. Real?" She enunciated each word with a prod of her finger into my chest.
"Deadly. If you don't want me to walk you home then I won't. However, that, whatever it was you were planning, isn't needed. If you'd like to go your own way, I bid you good night." I said, taking my coat from her shoulders and wrapping it back around my body and placing my bag over my shoulder before turning back towards the street. I still had nowhere to spend the night and I was rapidly running out of time.
I shifted on my feet as I took a couple of seconds to decide in which direction to head. Guessing that the park was the next place I'd try, hoping I'd find a bench and I could rest on, I took the left and started to stroll along the quiet and calm street as the big white sparkling snowflakes began to drop from the heavy grey sky like pieces of confetti falling on a happy newlyweds on the church steps.
"Wait!" She called behind me, the sound of her shoes hitting the concrete pavement.
I turned around to face her as she skipped down the street in my direction. She was all over the place and I was unsure how she managed to not fall over and smash her head. When she reached my side, she wrapped her arm through mine and started to tug me in the opposite direction of where I was heading.
"You're coming back with me. You may not want what I'd usually offer… but I can offer you a couch for the night. At least let me get you a cup of coffee?"
"You usually invite strange men back to your place?" I asked without truly thinking about my question.
"No, I usually go to theirs." She said with a straight face, like it was the most normal question in the world to be asked. "But, considering you saved me, I'm pretty sure you're not gonna attack me."
As ridiculous as it sounded, it kind of made sense, and I could see where her thinking had come from, plus, the sound of a soft couch for the night was as tempted as it came. I'd be mad to decline the offer and really, what else did I have to lose?
That's how I found myself sat on the worn couch, with a mug of sweet tea and a grilled cheese sandwich, in a small but warm apartment of the girl whose name I'd still yet to ask.
It was also the moment that my life changed forever, though, not necessarily for the better.
Thank you for reading.... if you get a chance please let me know what you think... as always constructive criticism is welcomed...
Huge thanks to everyone that left a review... you guys made my day...
Much love
Pixie-Tinks x