10
"Alright Josie, what did I tell you to practise this week?" Xiao asked,
"The C major scale," she answered,
"And?"
"And, counting my crotchets: 1 2 3 4,"
"And?"
"And label 3 notes everyday on the sheet."
"Good girl," Xiao patted her head, and went out of the room into the foyer, Mrs Lankin came through from the kitchen,
"Thank you Miss Lee, that was exactly 1 hour, so how much will that be?" she asked opening her purse,
"Just $12, thank you,"
"Alright," she said handing her the cash, Xiao thanked her and stuffed it into her pocket,
"So same time next week?" Xiao asked, Mrs Lankin nodded,
"Yes, unless it doesn't suit you,"
"No, this time is fine," Xiao said smiling, putting on her coat. "Bye," she called, and shut the door after her, to find it pouring down outside. Great, she thought, and I have to walk. And she began her 20 minute walk back to her uncle's house.
It was dark by the time she reached the centre of the city, and she felt a little uncomfortable. Even though she'd be outside way past this time if she were in New Zealand, America was perhaps a little different. She passed a few dark alleys without worry until she heard some guys wolf whistling at her. She quickened her pace as she turned to find them following her. "Hey girl! Wait up, we just wanna have a chat!" one said, Xiao kept walking, faster and faster, then she was running, and so were they. Catching up to her, one of them grabbed her bag,
"Give that back!" Xiao shouted, he threw it into the air, and caught it,
"Come and get it babe," he said, Xiao raced at him and clenched her hand into a fist.
"Alright," she said, and gave the guy a sharp punch on his nose,
"Argh-ouch!" was the reply, the other guys laughed and grabbed Xiao's hands and caught them behind her back. The guy with her bag gave a crooked smile. "Thought I'd go down that easily eh?" He smelt of cheap alcohol and cigarettes. "Thought I'd take that from a little girlie?" He told her, and slapped her face. Xiao glared at him,
"Don't," she said warningly.
"Or what?" one of the guys holding onto her wrists said breathing more foul smells,
"Or I'll…" Xiao's leg swung up and kicked the guy with her bag at his neck, he tumbled off the footpath (or sidewalk for you Americans), and dropped her bag. Xiao ducked low and spinning swept the two guys gripping her wrists, they tripped up and let go of her wrists. Xiao quickly grabbed her bag and thanked God the ground was slippery, as the three tried to get up. "And that is why you don't mess with a girl that's been doing Kung Fu since she was four!" she called out to them as she ran off. "B**CH!" she heard them curse at her.
~