Bzzzzzzzz…….Bzzzzzzzzzzz……. Bzzzzzzzz…….Bzzzzzzzzzzz

Reaching down to her hip a petite brunette girl searched for the source of the throbbing. She picked up a cell phone.

"Hello…………No……….No………I'm sure………..Yes, I know…………..Bye."

The rattling of the stewardess snack tray stopped beside the girl.

"Ma'am would you like some peanuts." The girl looked over at the tray and saw a Dole bottle.

The sound of engines and people roared from off the street. She looked up and said.

"What"

"Would you like some peanuts? I've got some juice too. I hope you like Ruby Red."

When I first saw the kid I just had to help. She looked lost and scared. Most newcomers on the street are.

"Sure" she said

I gave her the nuts and juice. She ate everything delicately.

"So kid what's your name" I said leaning sown to get a better look at her. She hesitated.

"Jamie"

"Oh, okay! My names Lani. How old are ya Jay me"

"Just turned eleven a month back."

"Cool. I'm turning seventeen in a week. How long you been on the street."

"two weeks today" She said it excited.

"Hmmm. Well, ya hungry Jamie"

I stood and motioned for her to follow. What could happen from helping a newbie on the streets?

Like a dog I fed the kid and she followed me home. She was there when I picked up my little siblings. She was there when I worked my shift at the diner. By the time I got to my night jog I had forgotten about her.

"Lani you were supposed to be twenty mi... Hey who's the cute chick?"

I froze dropping my raggedy sweat jacket in the closet.

"She's a virgin. Aren't you? Hey honey, give me a kiss" she gave me a scared look.

"Man, leave my sister alone." She gives me a big smile. "I just had to bring her along. She's not here to work."

He left her alone and I left her staring off the balcony, watching one of the most popular local bands.

A few months later the same smile woke me up in the morning.

"Lani I already dropped of Katy and Skyler at school."

"Hmm Wha?" I grunt rising up from the ground. I open my eyes to see her bright cheerful face. Her long brown hair was all tangled and her face dirty from sleeping on the ground.

"Come on so we'll have time to go to the library."

She starts pulling me up

"Jamie, you don't know how…. How much I need you"

We spend the morning at the library. She reads so much. We leave two tables filled with books that she read for fun. I know the librarian loves her. They talk about the books. I can't understand a word. I usually just read a magazine while they smile and giggle at each other like they know a secret that no one else knows.

Most of the day is spent looking for odd jobs. I go to my steady job at 1:00 and get off around 4:00. Jamie helps me by picking up my little brother and sister and taking care of them till I get off work and we head to my band practice. The guys in my band warmed up to Jamie fast. She is so cute and petite. When I take her and my siblings to the movies I always say: "Three children tickets and one adult please" She can work miracles too. Somehow she can get us in the most impossible gigs.

I remember the last night I saw her. We had come home from a block party. I was drunk high. I asked her if she really wanted to get high and she was completely sure. I only let her get a buzz though. Anyway, I broke into a warehouse to spend the night. We were both sitting leaning against a wall, just talking. Then she just stopped.

"Lani they're coming for me to take me back"

"What, who"

"Don't worry"

"Jamie, why did you run away in the first place?"

"I was running away from being given away. My parents were about to trade me in for money so I left."

"That's deep. My dad opened the front door one night and threw me out, literally and said don't come back………. I remember that day."