Hello all! I'm very happy to be able to present you with the second chapter of this story today. It tickled me to see such a good response to the first chapter, and I'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who enjoys my work. I'm looking forward to continuing this journey together!

The night after Red's encounter with Leaf, he found himself thinking about what had happened non-stop. He tried to take his mind off it by distracting himself with his usual gaming, but the thoughts would slip in and he'd find himself mentally wincing in pain. He felt ashamed of what had happened. Everything about it made his stomach churn. In the heat of the moment he'd felt so awkward with her touching his crotch through his pants. And then that scary lady came in and started yelling which was even more humiliating. And then there was the thought that someone had totally lost their job because of him. The guilt was overwhelming. He'd never forgive himself.

He kept telling himself that he had to help her. He had to make sure she was okay. She'd seemed so fragile when she was standing outside in the cold and at a total loss for what to do. She wasn't at all like the girl that had waited on them inside the restaurant. That girl had seemed confident. Like a girl that doesn't take crap from anyone.

Maybe her personality from inside the restaurant was a façade. Maybe the fragile version he'd seen was the real Leaf. Or maybe the real Leaf was locked deep within herself. It's not like he actually knew her after all. It was arrogant of him to think that he understood her at all.

All he could do was hope that she would show up to meet him tomorrow. The only problem was… he had no idea how he was supposed to actually help her. He'd never even had a job himself, so how was he supposed to help her find one? She was about the same age as him and she had leagues more experience than him. He would be nothing more than a little kid trying to help and adult.

Unless…

Red took off his headphones and threw a shirt on. He needed to talk to his mom.

He found her sitting at her computer. It looked like she was working on some paperwork for the restaurant. He felt bad for bothering her, but he knew that this was the only way he'd ever be able to bring anything of value to Leaf tomorrow.

"Hey, Mom… can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Sweetie," she answered casually. Even though she was acting nonchalant, Red knew he had taken her by surprise. It wasn't like him to ask for anything, especially when she was busy.

"Do you… need any more help at the restaurant right now? Like… would you be able to hire someone?"

"Are you looking to earn some money?" she asked him.

"It's not me. It's… a friend."

"A friend? Does Blue need a job?"

"No, it's not Blue either. It's a girl that I met today. I sort of… promised to help her find a job."

"You met a girl and made a big promise like that all in one day? You must really like her," his mother teased. Honestly, he was surprised that she was exhibiting so much restraint. He'd been half expecting her to jump for joy when he said he'd made a friend. A friend that happened to be a girl nonetheless.

"You know that I only hire top tier staff at the restaurant, dear," his mother said sternly, "I can't just hire some college student because she's friends with you."

"She's not a college student! She can work full time!" Red told her.

"But she's young and inexperienced, right?" his mom asked.

"She is young… I know she has experience waitressing though. And she might have other experience I don't know about."

"Red… I'm so happy to hear that you made a friend. I couldn't be more proud," his mom told him as she made eye contact with him. He could see that she really was happy. "I really want to help your friend, sweetie, but I can't make any promises when my business is on the line."

Red's mom must have seen how disappointed he was, because she gave in a little bit at the last second. She let out a deep sigh and offered him what little she could.

"Listen, tell her to apply, and she can come in and interview with me personally. If I think she has potential, then I'll see what kind of position I can offer her, okay?"

"Mom, you're the best!" Red shouted. He couldn't help himself. He rushed over to her and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She seemed shocked. He couldn't blame her. Just a few days ago she'd given him the "you need friends" talk and here he was saying he had a friend. He couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed her cheek either. She was probably about to go into cardiac arrest.

"Red…" she whispered. She quickly regained her composure, "Like I said, this isn't a sure deal. All I'm promising is that I'll let her interview, okay?"

"I know, I know," he told her. His heart was racing. He had to find a way to make this work. If he could set up this job for Leaf, then she'd get to work in a classy restaurant and make good money doing it. She was probably going to drop her jaw when he told her tomorrow.

Even though he was still nervous, he found himself going to bed that night with excitement. He was really looking forward to being able to help Leaf and make things right. Maybe this was all a sign that their weird encounter was really a blessing in disguise. Their awkward, fated meeting would be what lead to a better career for her, and that thought put him at ease. As he drifted off, he thought about what her beautiful face would look like tomorrow when it was beaming a smile back at him.

The next day, Red found himself anxiously clutching the straps of his backpack as he walked with Blue outside the university. They'd both just finished their classes for the day, so the time to meet up with Leaf had come.

"So, you're meeting up with the hot girl from the restaurant today, right?"

"She has a name, Blue," Red sighed, "I'm supposed to meet her now. I gotta be honest though, I don't know if she's going to show up."

"Why's that?"

"Well, after everything that happened, and after having some time to think things through, she probably never wants to see my face again."

Red had told Blue about everything that took place in the restaurant. He'd been shocked of course. First he made light of the situation by telling Red he should've just let her blow him, but after seeing how upset Red was about what happened, he backed off and acted like the supportive friend that he was.

"You never know, Red. You said she seemed pretty desperate for cash. I bet she'll show if she needs it bad enough."

"I really hope so too. I just… I feel so bad for her. I don't think any girl would be doing something like that unless they were in a really bad situation," Red sighed, "I just want to help her. Even if I hadn't been the reason she lost her job, I'd want to help her."

"You're a good guy, Red. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thanks, Blue."

"I'll catch you tomorrow. Let me know how things turn out."

"For sure." With that, Blue took off toward the bus stop. Red continued to walk through the university campus toward the student center. He was kind of regretting asking Leaf to meet him here. After all, she'd called him "preppy" with such distaste. She must really have a thing against college kids.

As he approached the student center, he saw lots of people, but not Leaf. His heart sank a little. He'd probably never see her again, but he would always feel guilty every time he thought about her the rest of his life. He'd always wonder if she was okay.

He decided to hang around for a little bit just in case she did show up. His heart was beating anxiously. Every part of his body was tensed up at the thought that he might not get to help her. He played with his pokegear for a few minutes before he noticed someone he hadn't seen when he got here. There was a person crouching behind a bush motioning to him frantically. It was Leaf! She'd come after all!

He had no idea why she was hiding behind a bush, but he knew he'd better just go on over there like she wanted.

"Hey," she whispered, "get down here with me."

"Why?" he asked. She didn't give him a chance to question her. She just grabbed his arm and yanked him downwards without a second thought.

"Hey!" he whispered harshly, "What are we doing? And why are we whispering?"

"I don't want to be seen. I wouldn't be caught dead setting foot on this campus."

"I mean, you kinda did set foot on it."

"You gave me no choice, now can we please get out of here and talk someplace else?"

Red could see that Leaf was very uncomfortable here, and he felt bad. It seemed he just kept causing problems for her.

"Let's go to a café. There's lots of them not far from here. I'll treat you," he offered.

"Well… okay," she agreed, though she still seemed reluctant. Red felt a little uncomfortable too. He wasn't really used to talking to girls. Even before his dad died he'd had a bad track record with those of the opposite sex.

They went to a café that was one of Red's favorites. It was owned by a friend of his mom's. Their specialty was peanut butter cake and he really wanted to get a slice today. He also thought Leaf would enjoy it a lot.

"The peanut butter cake is really good," he told her, "feel free to order a slice if you'd like."

"Well, if you're offering I won't say no," she replied. They both ordered the cake and a cup of coffee.

"So, you've been job hunting all day, right?" Red asked, "How has it been so far?"

"I applied to a few jobs, and interviewed for one already."

"That's awesome! What kind of job was it?"

"Well… it's as a dancer. At a club."

"You mean… like, a stripper?" Red asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"Why do you want to do that?"

"I want the money. I need the money. You've probably never met anyone like me, but I'm willing to do just about anything for money. You wouldn't understand. You're probably a rich kid, aren't you?"

Red felt a weird mix of guilt and displeasure. On one hand, she wasn't wrong. On the other hand, he felt offended that she would just assume he was some clueless brat. What did it matter if he'd grown up with wealthy parents?

"I'll agree that we come from two different worlds," he conceded, "but if you think that my upbringing makes me incapable of understanding what you're going through, then you're wrong. My parents might have made good money while I was a kid, but they also taught me to be kind and compassionate, and to never judge people based on wealth. If anything, they taught me that a person's character is what's most important, and I agree with their beliefs. Now stop treating me like some spoiled rich kid and communicate with me like we're on the same level, because we are."

Leaf glared down at her cappuccino. He could tell that she didn't believe him. She probably thought he was just putting on some kind of act. Or maybe she didn't want to believe that someone like him could be anything beyond her idea of a snobby rich person.

"Forgive me," she told him, "It's just… every wealthy person I've ever met has been a complete asshole. You see… my dad left us when I was eleven years old. He couldn't stand my mom. I don't blame him for wanting to leave her, but I do blame him for wanting to leave me. He didn't pay any child support, or do anything after that to help us. The one thing he did leave me was an education. He paid for me to go to a fancy private school for the rest of my middle school and high school years. I think he thought that if he could ensure I'd have a good education which would lead to a good career, it would make up for his abandoning me."

Red watched sadly as the emotions flickered on Leaf's face. It looked like she was rapidly transitioning between heartbreak and laughter. It scared him a little, but he knew that she really needed him, a total stranger, to listen right now.

"Little did he know that he was leaving me in hell. By sending me to a school full of rich kids, he was laying me on an alter to be sacrificed. Nobody wanted to be my friend. I didn't have cool clothes, I couldn't afford to go anywhere… I quickly became a social outcast. I started to get bullied. I developed… rather large breasts in middle school, so a lot of girls were jealous that guys would look at me. None of the guys wanted to date me though. They just wanted other things. So I gave them what they wanted, and in exchange I learned a trade. I learned how to use the only thing I had to make money."

Red felt his face turning pink. He was devastated by her story, but it was also a little embarrassing to have a girl telling him something so personal. This girl he'd gotten to know had been horribly abused her entire life. She'd never really been given a real chance. He wanted to change that. He wanted to give her a chance. He wanted to offer something that could really help change the course of her life.

"Leaf…" he said gently, "would you like to work in a restaurant?"

"You mean another waitress job? Tips are good. On a good day you can make a lot of money, but there are always bad days to balance it all out. That's why my last gig was really nice. With the under the table cash I was getting, I was pulling in at least six hundred a week."

"I don't know if it would be a waitress job or not. It might be washing dishes or helping bar tend or something. You could make just as much money as your old job without having to do anything sketchy. It's a fancy restaurant, and the workers are well-paid."

"How do you know about this job?" she asked him curiously.

"My mom… she owns a four star restaurant. You've probably heard of it. It's called "Piccolo Raduno." If you want to apply, I got my mom to promise you an interview."

"Your mom owns… Piccolo Raduno…" Leaf said. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"I don't think so, Red. I don't even own any nice clothes or makeup. I just wouldn't fit in at a place like that. I'm sure your mom would just end up telling me it didn't work out."

"No she wouldn't!" Red objected, even though he knew in his heart that his mom hadn't made any promises. All he knew right now was that he didn't want Leaf to take that dancing job.

"Red, even if she ended up adoring me it just wouldn't feel right. I'm not a part of that world. I'm Leaf Green, destined to work and live in the shadows of society. Not front and center at a gathering place for the wealthy."

"I think you're afraid to dare to dream of a better future for yourself!" Red accused her.

"Are you crazy! Have you not heard me saying that I desperately need money?" she asked.

"If you need money so bad then why won't you take this opportunity?" he challenged.

"Because it still won't be enough! No matter how much I make, it'll never be enough. Maybe you're right! Maybe I am afraid to want something better for myself. Maybe I hate myself so much that I won't allow my life to improve. And the truth is… even if I did get a nice job… it wouldn't change anything. Even if I could pay for everything I need to… the situation I'm in is hopeless."

Red didn't know what to say to that. He really wanted to ask her why she needed so much money, and what her life was like that she felt the way she did. What was hiding behind this girl's beautiful face? He had a feeling that whatever it was, it was so, so very ugly that she thought nobody could ever be allowed to see it.

"I appreciate your help, Red. Really, I do. But I'm going to take that dancing job if I get the offer. It doesn't matter whether or not you believe I'm capable of something better. Because one of the only things that makes me feel like I'm worth something… is when people want me. Whether they want me as a person or as an object… I just want to feel wanted. Nothing else could ever fill the emptiness I feel. And if I tried to work in a place like Piccolo Raduno… there would certainly be people who didn't want me there."

With that, she rose up from her seat to leave. She hesitated for a moment, then shoved the last few bites of her cake into her mouth before she left him there all alone. That was it. He'd tried his hardest to help her and the end result was still the same. But could he really just let it end like that?

Red felt a sudden rush of desperation. What the hell? How could he just let her walk away like that? He slammed down more than enough money to cover their bill and he took off out the door.

Shit. Which way did she go?

He looked in both directions, but she was already out of sight. This was bad. After a moment's deliberation, he decided to head in the direction of the bar and grill where they had met. He didn't know if it was close to where she lived, but it was his best bet.

Like a crazy man, he ran through the streets of the city. It was just beginning to get dark out, but the street lights illuminated everything in an artificial glow. He began to feel more and more hopeless as time passed. Surely he would've caught up to her by now? There were dozens of points where their paths could've diverged by now, so his chances of finding her were pretty grim.

"I didn't even get her phone number or anything," he sighed dejectedly. He felt like a complete and utter failure. Leaf Green was going to spend her life feeling worthless and he'd messed up his opportunity to help her believe otherwise.

For a while he just stood there, hoping that fate would somehow bring her to him, but nothing happened. She really was gone. As the sea of people flowed around him, he began to feel more and more insignificant. He was just one person in this vast world. What made him think that he was so special that he could help this girl? He suddenly felt foolish and embarrassed.

"It would be better if I forgot about her," he mumbled to himself. Who believes in a thing like fate anyway? Their meeting was just a coincidence, nothing more. She didn't need him. He was just a do-gooder who couldn't help wanting to help her.

Stupid Red. Go home and sink back into your gaming chair and mind your own business. That's all you're good for anyways. What did you think would happen? That you'd be able to help her and she would end up falling for you? This isn't some romance novel. This is real life.

He couldn't help mentally beating himself up as he walked through the streets. If he was being perfectly honest with himself, the ideas running through his mind weren't totally accurate. He hadn't really thought about making Leaf fall for him. Sure, she was an attractive woman, but they were still just strangers. Maybe a small part of him had entertained the thought that she might end up liking him, but he never took it seriously. After all, he knew for a fact that he wasn't her type. A strong willed girl like that didn't need someone like him dragging her down. If anything, he would've helped her and she would've soared to new heights he'd never reach. A girl like that would leave him in the dust without a thought.

Why am I like this? Why can't I just be… normal? he wondered. He felt sure that if his dad were still alive, he'd be disappointed in the way he'd turned out. He was a loner with only one friend in this world. A friend who probably only stuck with him out of pity. Red was the kind of person who was content to drift through life aimlessly. No one could possibly be proud of him.

And what was he going to tell his mom? She'd been so excited that he'd made a friend, and now he'd already lost that friend. This whole past forty-eight hours had just been a stupid pipe dream. Why had he been dumb enough to think he was going to solve all of Leaf's problems and be friends with her for real?

What gutted him more than anything was the thought that he'd really believed she was going to be happy and grateful when he told her about the restaurant. All last night he'd played out her ecstatic reaction over and over in his head. And to now be met with her rejection… it was a crushing feeling, but he knew it was his own fault. He'd set himself up for this humiliation. He had no one to blame but himself for being so confident that he could predict how she would feel. And why had he attacked her when her reaction was different than he'd expected? What business did he have making such accusations against her? He knew it had only made things worse. Maybe if he'd taken her feelings into more consideration… he might've been able to talk her into applying. Or maybe he could've found a different way to help her. But now that he'd driven her off… it was too late.

It's all my fault, Red told himself as he walked home. He didn't know what the future held for him now, but one thing that he did know… was that he was a lonely, hopeless, foolish person. And he was never going to be given the chance to make things right with Leaf Green now.