"Its not so bad." I whispered, trying to make everything seem a little better than it was. But I don't think anything in the world could make what I'd just done right. Mello sat on the edge of the bed, his feet pressing hard into the hardwood floor. His elbows were digging into his knee caps as he rested his face in both his hands, slowly rubbing circles into his temples.
"It's my job, so I kind of have to do this, I wish I could back out, I'd give anything if I could." I bit my lip as Mello sighed, sounding aggravated and really upset. I wanted to walk over there, to rub circles over his exposed back. I wanted to comfort him as much as I wanted to be comforted. But I couldn't bring myself to move, my body was bolted to the ground, and there was no way I was moving. I said the worst thing in the world a few seconds ago, and I found myself wanting to claw them back into my mouth, and tape it shut so they never come out again.
"It's just one person. One man." My voice felt like it was echoing off every wall, booming back into my ears, ringing loudly. I wanted to stop talking, to change all that had happened and make it right again, but nothing would change anything.
"Just one man! Just one. . .Josie. . .that's a person. Someone with a family." Mello whispered, his hard eyes snapping over to mine. I flinched away, feeling my skin crawl with anticipation. A fight was brewing between us, I could feel it. But he sighed, not really wanting to fight. It was still too early. "Come here."
I followed his voice, stumbling over towards the edge of the bed to stand in front of him. Far enough so that if we fought, we wouldn't hurt each other, but close enough to reach out and touch him. I wanted too, I wanted to run my fingers along his soft cheek, to feel the warmth that laid dormant, waiting for my touch to rouse it. I wanted to touch, and feel something real, something right, while my world tilted out from under me. But I kept my arms locked firmly by my sides, resisting what I knew might cause the calm to snap and the war to rage freely.
"Closer, I'm not going to bite you." I stepped up, looking down at my toes, my long, baggy, pajama bottoms covering most of my feet. I tugged anxiously on my tank top, knowing that my stomach was showing a little from how I'd rolled out of bed this morning. He sighed, reaching out with both his arms, and wrapping them firmly around my waist, pulling me in until he could rest his head on my stomach. I hesitated before I lowered my hands on the top of his head, running my fingers though those soft, blonde, tangles. Gently coaxing each knot free. We stayed that way, in a bubble of clam, before my stomach rumbled loudly. Screaming that it demanded to be fed. Mello pulled away, a laugh billowing free from his mouth, his eyes as bright as the sun outside. They swam, like melted golden pools, so beautiful.
"Go get something to eat, but make sure it's light. You've got a hard day ahead of you." I nodded as I swallowed hard, softly stroking his cheek. As I got ready to pull away and run to the kitchen, I could of sworn that I felt him press his face into my palm, but that could of just been my imagination playing tricks on me.
*~*~*~*
I stood against the building I'd soon have to infiltrate to kill the guy I was assigned. I swallowed hard as I watched another woman slip out of the doors to the hotel, shame etched into her face. I know what she just did, and she knew that people knew. Even though she tried to pretend no one did. I was surprised at first to see her in pants, and a regular tee-shirt. But any prostitute will surprise you. Suddenly, I felt a wave of rage as I watched this young girl walk away. She was going home, probably to shower, and then spend the rest of her day laying in bed, wishing she hadn't done what she just did. I wanted to go in there and hurt that man for making her feel that way, for making a lot of women feel that way.
I guess that's why I hated my job so much. Dressing up like a guy really wasn't anything, anyone could do it, but it was the fact that I was helping the men who were causing girls like her great pain. At least now I get a chance to stop one more man from doing this. Even though I really wanted to hurt Big Lu, my boss, for causing men like him to be able to do this. Apparently the only reason I was out doing this job, was because this kid was taking the women that Lu gave him, and not paying Lu back. After three tries, Lu got fed up, and so he sent me, his trusty assassin, out for her first kill.
Now I stand waiting for the perfect chance to slip in, to figure out where to go, what room to go into, and what gun to shoot him with. I reached down to my pocket, the pants baggy enough to hide the bulky weapon. Soon I'd have to use it, soon I'd have to kill him. I bit my lip as the door swung open, slipping through and rubbing shoulders with a rough looking man. While I bumped his shoulder, he looked back at me, his eyes accusing, his arms going up to fuss. In a flash, I slid my hand in his pocket and snagged the money that was crumbled up in there. I smiled to him under the bill of my hat, my eyes hidden, and held up a hand in apology. He stared for a second, confused, and I continued on into the hotel. Completely unnoticed. I un-crumbled the money in my hand to find a couple of twenty's and a few fives. That was more than enough to get a room here. Mello will be happy to know I got a small raise in my paycheck this week. I walked right up to the counter, dropped some money, and took the key to my room. As I slowly walked up the stairs, I spotted my target stepping into his room with a handful of candy from the vending machines. I smiled when I noticed his room was placed right next to my room, this was going to be way too easy.
As I unlocked my room door, he suddenly burst out of his room, frantically looking both ways down the hall until he realized I was standing there. Drug hazed eyes focused in on my shady appearance. Baggy pants, with matching baggy shirt and jacket, my hair tucked away under a hat, with the bill pulled down over my eyes so they couldn't be seen. He smiled a little, staggering out of the doorway, he might have been drunk too, or just surprised.
"Hey man. Uh. . .can I borrow five bucks. My girl, she's hungry, real hungry, and I need something to shut her up. You understand, right?" He laughed as he reached over, smacking my shoulder. I smiled, gritting back a painful grunt, and he pulled away, realizing something was wrong with my shoulder, just not sober enough to tell that it's a girls shoulder.
"Yeah, I have five dollars." I reached into my pocket, feeling the back of my gun and resisting the urge to shoot him now, and handed him the wrinkled five.
"Thanks man, I owe you. Hey, uh. . .how long are ya gonna be here?" He pointed towards my room, and I shrugged my shoulder.
"Not long. . .if things go my way." I watched as the guy laughed, throwing out his arm again, this time smacking me on the back, doubling over with laughter.
"I know how that is." He chuckled softly as he swiped at his eyes, as though what I said was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. With that, he walked off down the hall, random giggles escaping every now and then. I just pushed through the door, staring at my new surroundings for the next couple of hours. I just wanted to get this done and over with, so I can get back home to Mello.
*~*~*~*
A few hours of sitting in my own little solitude, I started to hear stirring in the room next to mine. I knew it wasn't the guy, he hadn't come giggling back, so it had to be the girl he had in there. I held my breath as I listened to her jump off the bed, or where ever she was once laying at, struggling to throw on her clothes probably, and right as her heavy, thudding footsteps started to dash towards the door, it swung open on her, and she let out a started yelp. It was the man, somehow, he just knew what she was up too.
Slowly, I eased myself down onto the floor, crawling on all fours towards the wall that separated my room, and this sick sleaze-bags room. I pressed my ear against the wall as the girl stepped back, dropping whatever was in her arms.
"Where do you think your going?" He demanded in a rough voice, probably used my five dollars to get drunk. "You do know that you are still my property, right?"
"I'm not anyone's property, you can't keep me here." She tried to sound brave, but her voice shook too much.
"HA! Yeah, I believe that." He laughed low, and I moved down the wall towards the sound of his voice.
"Leave me alone! I don't want to be here anymore." She took a few staggering steps back, and it sounded like she tripped on something.
"You're not going anywhere." I lifted up until I found the main source of his voice, and with a quick motion, I ripped out my gun, pressing the nose into the wall, and squeezing the trigger as hard as possible. There was a loud pop that rang loudly in my ears, before everything went dead silent, except for the noticeable shift of a body hitting the ground. The second it connected, the girl started to scream, hysterical, loud, gasping screams.
I raced out of my room, throwing my key on the bed as I darted into the mans room, finding him on the floor, a hole in one side of his head, the other half splattered across the wall and ceiling. His blood pooled out of him, making a stretching ocean around his body. The girl was on the floor next to the couch, her eyes wide with terror, her whole body visibly shaking.
"You have to get out of here." I whispered to her, and she nodded her head, her cheeks wet and glistening with fresh tears. I turned around and walked calmly down the hall as a man in a uniform raced past me, brushing my shoulder and softly apologizing under his breath. I picked up my speed a little but not enough to look guilty about it.
I managed to slip out of the hotel without anyone noticing me, they were too focused on the screams and then the sudden rush of help, that they never noticed the killer slip out the doors. Killer. I was a killer, I just took a mans life with out even thinking about it. My hands started to shake as I slipped into an alley that cut through the back of a bunch of hotel's. A short cut I'd used earlier to get to the hotel from mine. I leaned against the wall, my breath suddenly coming in ragged gasps. I'd just killed a man, me. I shot him through the head, killed him dead cold, right in front of a girl. I wasn't thinking, what if she had seen my face, recognized my voice.
Tears slipped free and I found myself sitting down on the ground, pulling my knees to my chest, sobbing into my pants. My whole body hurt all over, the thought of killing someone kind of freaked me out at first, but now that I've done it, it's a lot worse. I sniffled a few times, taking in deep breaths as I wiped my face clean. Mello will want me home soon, I had to look okay so he wouldn't think anything was wrong. I could get over this, it was just a little bump right now. It'll get easier, it has too.
Right?
Age Twenty-two and I'd killed my first victim.
Age Twenty-two and I was on my way to becoming an assassin.
And the rain didn't start until I was home with Mello.
*~*~*~*~*
Just as I thought, the killing started to get easier and easier, pretty soon, I was the best assassin Big Lu had. I could go in, get the job done, and then have enough composure to act normal in front of the guys. Yeah it bothered me whenever I'd do it, it was only human nature to feel a little creped out, but I learned how to block it out, to not think too much about it. And things slowly put themselves together. So I continued my work, I continued being the hit man of the biggest mafia organization in New York.
"I still don't see why you do this. Your going to get killed one day Joe." Mello fussed as he plopped himself down into a chair. I rolled my eyes as I tugged on my jacket, pulling my long hair out from under it.
"That's not going to happen and you know it. So stop saying things like that." I growled bitterly. He'd been pressuring me to drop my job a lot lately, but I don't think he realized the minute I did that, is the minute we stop affording things. We were barely getting by as it is, so what does he think will happen when I had no money left to buy him food, and pay for the bills?
"What if they find out your not a boy, that your not who you say you are?" He pressed, knowing he was entering a territory that he didn't want to get stuck in. I glanced at him for second, catching the darkened gaze, and the tension rippling through his shoulders.
"That wont happen either. Now just stop talking about it before you jinx me." I playfully glared at him, but in his sour mood, he didn't catch it. Instead, it just helped to fuel his irritation with me, and he slammed his hand down on the table top, hard. The sound of it echoed through the kitchen, startling me and Matt.
"Dammit Joe! This isn't something to joke about! I'm being serious!" Mello shouted and I narrowed my eyes dangerously at him. He wanted to fight, I'd felt this coming all week. So did Matt, he'd taken coverage in his room most of the day, only daring to come out around dinner time, or when only one of us was in the house at one time.
"And you don't think I am? I'm watching my back Mello! I'm taking caution! The only reason why I'm doing this is for your lazy ass!" I scream right back, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"My lazy ass? I'm the one risking my neck everyday to bring in money!" He growled, standing up, tipping the chair over in his blind rage. It clattered to the floor, and I saw Matt stand up, his beeping game the only noise as he trailed off into his room, not really wanting to be a part of this fight. It was going to be a bad one.
"WHAT?! You can't actually be serious!" My voice pitched shrilly and Mello stepped closer, until he was just inches away. He was just close enough so I could smell the chocolate on his breath, hear the excited pants as he prepared himself to start yelling. I could feel his anticipation for every blow, could taste his rage.
"I am serious! It just so happens I'm the only one that is!" He shouted and I stepped right up to him, until our stomachs touched and our faces were inches apart.
"You know what, just screw yourself Mello!" I sneered and stepped away, snatching my hat and gun off the coffee table.
"IF YOU LEAVE JOSEPHINA, DON'T YOU DARE EVER COME BACK!" I turned around as I shoved my gun with the fancy new silencer into my back pocket.
"I wasn't planning on it." And I slammed the door as hard as I could, causing it to quake in the frame. I shivered in the early autumn air. As I headed down the sidewalk, stuffing all my long, curly hair into my hat, the rain started to pound down from over head, drenching me in a matter of seconds. But I didn't care, I was fueled by hate, by complete, unending anger. And it was all Mello's fault, it was always his fault!
*~*~*~*~*
"Joe my man! Your soaked, have you never heard of an umbrella before?" I glanced over at the burley man as he grabbed my wet shoulder, shaking me slightly in a friendly, manly greeting. I nodded my head a little, letting a small smile grace my lips.
"Shy little bastard! When are you going to grow out of all that?" A thin man asked with a pointed nose. He was tucking in a new case of bullets, freshly bought.
"He'll never grow out of it Sid. The boys got all the girls after him, why would he want to grow out of it?" They let out a low laugh, before I walked off so they could start bad mouthing me like they always do. They thought I was gay, a queer that needed to just leave. But that was okay. I wasn't a guy, I was just a girl, but they could never know that, if they ever found out. . .I don't know what they'd do to me.
"I have a fresh load of pretty little girls, all here just for you Big Lu!" I heard a young guy bellow out proudly as I drew closer to where my boss sat, waiting.
"AH! There he is, the shinning hit man! Alive and well!" Big Lu crowed from atop his thrown. He smiled, causing the big jowls he called cheeks to pull up, almost making him look like a bloodhound with peanut butter stuck to his gums.
"So this is the famous Joey I've been hearing about, nice to meet ya man." The kid held out his hand for a shake, but I just looked at it, and took up my rightful position next to Big Lu.
"He's a shy boy, and not much of a people person." The boy nodded as though he understood before continuing on with his business.
"I have this one girl, she's a knock out. She says she's new. I know you'll love her Lu." Big Lu nodded his head, ordering him to bring in the poor girl, and I held my breath as the kid raced towards a door, reaching in and softly coaxing a pretty blonde out into the open. A gasp escaped my lips when I recognized who she was. The pretty girl with the green eyes like jewelry. Her long blonde hair was pulled back to show off her high cheek bones, and she was wearing a tank top that showed of her pale shoulders, and a short skirt that reveled her long legs. Lu made a rumbling noise, and when I looked up at him, he was smiling proudly down at me.
"It seems you've finally found one you like." He howled and I flushed up. That was just gross! This girl was the one I'd tried to pick pocket. If I'd known about her before that, I would of never tried. Most new girls only do this for the money, they don't realize how easy it is for them to become trapped.
"Come to me sweetheart, its okay, I wont bite. . .much." I felt my face twist up in a feral snarl. Sick old pervert. I hated to hear him coo little sick nothings to these girls. I watched as the girl timidly made her way towards Lu, her big eyes darting around at all the men gazing at her, making horrid and crude gestures. I wanted to push her back through that door, out of this building and out of this city. I wanted her to run, to not get caught up in all this. But there wasn't a thing I could say. She aloud Lu to praise her, she even flirted back a little, and when he found her to be a stubborn one, he ordered me to lead them to the hidden room. His room. The one he took all his little favorites to, to 'break in'. It was like they were a new pair of shoes to him.
"Make sure to stay with us this time Joey. I don't want you to miss a thing." I snarled as I unlocked the door, opening and stepping aside so they could squeeze in. The girl glanced at me, but I let the bill of my hat cast a shadow over my face. If she so much as recognized me, she'd rat me out. I couldn't let that happen. I closed the door behind me, and pressed my back against it, the only thing left to hold me up.
"I promise to be sweet on you little one." Lu cooed and I couldn't help but feel my stomach twist. The girl glanced around anxiously, looking in all the dark corners. She was probably scared of the dark or something, so I went and stood in one of the corners, so maybe she wouldn't be as freaked out, and I could turn away without Lu knowing about it.
"I just love this room." The girl cooed, making cooing sounds as Lu rumbled out chuckles and pick up lines. I wrapped my arms around my stomach suddenly feeling sick to the core, but right as I got ready to look away, there was sick slicing sound and the girl was dashing towards the door, throwing it open as Lu's fat head rolled to the ground. I ripped the gun from my pocket and fired as she dashed out of the door, clipping the frame, but not her. I ran after her, the damn assassin! I should have been able to pick up on that, I should of known. As I turned down a hall, the hall of whores, I started to fire randomly, missing her by centimeters. She started to throw open doors, making girls shriek, and men complain. I followed in hot pursuit, firing wildly, the silencer on my gun lowering the deafening pop. Just when I thought that I was going to get her, she turned and flung a knife at my head. I ducked, the edge of the blade slicing my cheek a little. Anger started to pump in me, I'd never had to fight a target before, so this was all knew.
I held up my gun and fired three more times before she took a sharp turn, heading towards the back exist. That was a dead end alley, if I cornered her just right, she wouldn't be able to run anywhere. I busted out right after her, catching her at just the right moment. In both hands, she held two gleaming knives, and I smiled as I stepped to the side, standing right in front of her, and her escape. I held my gun up, not even noticing how heavy the rain was pounding down. If she was just a few more steps away, I wouldn't be able to see hear at all.
I fired my gun, but it was a dud, and she took that opportunity to lash out at me, lunging as I swung out with my gun. I smacked her hard in the side of the head, knocking her to the side, but she slid her knife into the side of my stomach. I gasped as I looked down, an explosion of pain irrupting behind my eyes. I let out a strangled cry and lowered a shaking hand down, yanking it out and tossing it to the ground with a dull clatter. Blood pumped out of the deep gash in tune with my heart beat and I couldn't help but waste a few seconds of standing in shock and pain. She let out a high pitched noise as she came at me again, but I reached out, grabbing her other hand with the knife that she was trying to bring down on my shoulder, and I pushed the gun into her side, squeezing the trigger hard.
She yelped, her face twisting in pain, and I smiled bitterly. "Payback is a bitch." I whispered in her ear before shoving her to the ground. She looked up at me, and suddenly a look or recognition flashed across her face. I quickly turned and ran back inside, ignoring the throbbing burn in my side. I just had to get away from her. . .she remembered me.
*~*~*~*~*
Standing in my room, the room I was allowed to stay in if I ever needed to stay the night here, I stripped off my wet clothes, standing in my underwear, bloody towels laying at my feet. I was struggling to sew up my gash, but it wasn't working, just a big bloody mess. I grunted as I poked into the raw, tender skin, blood slipping out, racing down to mix with the rest that was flowing down my stomach and leg. I pushed back my hair, irritated, and attempted the last link, breaking it was my teeth and tying it in a tiny knot. As I turned to put on my clothes to go home, the door slowly opened and two guys stood there, sly smiles on their faces.
"What did I tell you? A smoking hot chick." The small one grinned as he stepped into the room, the bigger guy followed in, grinning like he'd just won the lottery.
"Is that our little Joe?" The big guy teased, walking until he was right behind me.
"Look at her Sam, she's a mess." The tiny guy snickered as he closed the door, locking it behind him.
"No, what are you doing?" I asked, trying to move away, but the big guy, Sam, grabbed my shoulders hard.
"Your not going anywhere princess." He snarled in my ear before throwing me onto the bed. The tiny one, Sid, slid over to the bed side as I tried to scoot away, but Sam grabbed me by my ankles and pulled me down into the middle.
"NO! Stop, please!" I trashed against him, kicking my legs as Sid slowly rubbed his crotch, rousing himself into a wide grin.
"You should of known this would happen baby girl." Sid whispered as he reached out, touching my cheek before slowly letting his hand graze down towards my bra. "How did you ever hide these from us?" He whispered as lust clouded his eyes. He slowly slid over me, until he was straddling my waist. I started to kick in a wild frenzy, tears rushing form my eyes, seeping into the small cut on my cheek, making it burn.
"NO! PLEASE! STOP IT! PLEASE!" I shouted, struggling with my hands, but Sid pined them down so I couldn't hit at him, Sam holding onto my wildly kicking legs. I could feel my makeshift stitches pop out painfully, but I hardly noticed it as Sid unzipped his pants. I screamed and kicked, wiggling wildly, but no one heard me! No one was coming to save me. I called Mello's name over and over again, pleading and begging him to come save me, but he never showed up. He never came bursting through the door as these men had their way with me.
Age Twenty-two and I lost everything in a couple of hours.
Age Twenty-two, and Mello never came to save me
Not even the rain could wash away this shame.
After awhile of being locked in a room while the men argued over who was going to be the leader now, I'd lost all feeling. The pain that was screaming in my bleeding side died down after the first few men, I didn't even notice it until they complained about the blood getting on their hands. I'd lost count of the beatings I'd gotten, but it didn't stop me from wondering what I looked like. They never hit my face, just my body, bruising and cutting it. I couldn't feel it, I couldn't even feel the tears that would fall down my face anymore.
As I laid on my side, clinging to the sheet that I'd dragged from my room, I waited for the next visit, wondering what would happen. Would they yell at me like some? Hit me or kick me? Or just become sick lusting monsters like most? I'd hear them walking up and down the halls, terrorizing the young women, and every time one would pass my door, I'd flinch, waiting for them to throw it open and start the next round of torment.
But through everything, I never gave up hope that Mello would come for me. Even though we had that bad argument, he would come. I was never late coming home, I always told him if I was going to the store to get food, but he knew I wasn't tonight. And it had been hours since I was supposed to leave. He'd have to come for me, he'd have to come and save me, right?
My fogged mind started to wonder towards the girl with blonde hair. I'd shot her, but not in a bad spot. I wonder if she was okay? Did she manage to get away before the guys started to search for her? I hope so, cause there is no telling what would of happened to her if she was found. She might of ended up like me, maybe worse.
I lifted a shaking hand up to my face, feeling a fresh batch of tears pooling onto my face. I could feel my body shaking and my mind slowly slipping into the hazy half sleep. I knew now why none of those girls could run and get away. The doors were never locked, they were free to escape if they could, but the amount of pain they were in, the beatings and visits they would get, made them completely immobilized. There was no one I could even get up to sit, much less move to run.
After another hour slipped by and no one else came to visit, I was able to relax a little. They'd gotten their fill tonight, beaten each other up, and were to tired to fight with me right now. I was relieved, cause I was too tired to put up much struggle. As I started to close my eyes and try to coax my rigid body to relax to get some rest, but suddenly I heard my name ring loudly through the halls.
"JOE!" My heart stopped as my eyes shot open. My mind was still muddled so I couldn't make out the voice, but I knew it, and my numb body was slowly coming a live.
"JOE! GOD! ANSWER ME!" A door slammed open and a girl yelped but quickly got over it. Feet were pounding down the hall, doors flying open, complaints lifting into the silence between searches.
"JOSIE! ANSWER ME!" Mello! My whole body suddenly found strength and I sat up, ignoring the raw searing stab in my side. I tried to open my mouth and shout back, but my throat was raw and dry from screaming and fighting so much. Doors continued to bang open loudly, drawing closer and closer. My heart started to race and I found myself wanted to crawl towards the door and open it. To help him find me, but I couldn't move.
"JOSEAPHINA! ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!" Suddenly the door was thrown open and Mello stood in the door way. His eyes wild, hair wet from the rain, breath ragged, a single gun pointed and ready. The second he registered me through the tears, blood, and bruises, he quickly dropped his gun and sank to his knees. Tears sprang to his eyes as he stared at my battered body, blood caked around the puncture wound the girl had given me, shoe prints and ring outlines surrounded by bruises. Small cuts and scraps lined my neck and sounders. He let out a strangled sound and slowly crawled over towards the edge of the bed.
He was crying hard when he reached out and touched my face, seeing it was untouched except for the small scratch and the tears that were slowly chapping my cheeks. He lightly touched my shoulders, seeing my torn bra strap, but didn't bother to stop until he hand was on my waist, right under the seeping gash.
"Joe. . .oh my god. . .what did they. . .how?" Mello searched for words but I knew he didn't want any answers to his questions. He knew what happened, could see it on my face, could tell by the way I was holding myself up with all the strength in my body. His eyes were swimming with tears when he grabbed the tattered sheet and slowly wrapped it around my shoulders. Then he carefully picked me up into his arms, cradling me like a little girl. I clung to him, scared to death he might let me go, and I buried my face into his neck and sobbed hard.
I could feel him walking, could hear the pain in his voice when he promise me that no one else would ever touch me again. I heard him open the door, which was a little difficult since I was in his arms. I heard Matt and the rain. Heard the shock when Matt saw Mello's stained cheeks.
"What happened to her? Is she alright?" Matt asked, and I felt his hand softly laid on my shoulder. I slowly pulled my face away from the safety of Mello's neck and looked up at Matt's goggle covered eyes. His eyebrows were knitted together, and he placed a warm hand on my cheek, letting me know he was sorry for everything. Even though he had no reason to be sorry.
"Let's just get her home, she's hurt badly." Matt nodded and quickly ran over into the rain where I couldn't see him, coming back with a wet girl on his shoulders. My heart jumped to my throat when I saw it was the girl with blonde hair. She slowly lifted her eyes to meet mine, and gasped when she saw it was the pick pocket girl. She started to say something, but I never heard it. My eyes quickly rolled to the back of my head, and I blacked out.
Age Twenty-two I was completely lost to the world.
Age Twenty-two I had no idea how I was going to fix myself.
Age Twenty-two Mello was finally starting to realize why I hated the rain so much.