Ai sat on a bench in the rain, waiting for the bus and waiting for the sun. In her hands were ten pennies and she counted them religiously. To remind herself how good she'd been. To remind herself that she hadn't hurt anyone yet.
"Hey girl." A voice said and she turned at the sound, her tiny body tensing up as the man approached her, dressed in a black business suit. "You coming yet?"
She didn't answer, picking up her tattered backpack and getting ready to run.
"Aren't you tired of running yet, girl?" he said, his voice sounding disapproving.
"Never." She said and he grinned.
"No one is around this time, Sherry."
"Heartless bastard." She hissed.
"We aren't going to hurt you, come with us and we'll give you everything you want." He offered and sounded like he meant it too. He did, really.
"I'd rather have nothing." She said and scooted to the end of the bench, her toes touching the ground.
"We'd love you like your parents never did. We'd be your family." He said and she imagined it for a moment, herself, dressed in black and Akemi kissing her cheek and promising her forever. But all that world offered was this empty lie.
"Fuck off."
"Such foul language for a girl your age. The streets have really hurt you, haven't they? We don't care, of course, we'd still love you." He said and she told herself that he lied, lied, lied and she wouldn't be tricked again, not again, never again.
"Leave me alone!" she said as she sucked in a foul breath of city air, dampen by the rain and it left her lips moist.
"I've been told not to take no for an answer this time. Please, I really don't want to force you." He said and he looked so damn honest. She selected a penny from her hand, shiny and new, and hurled it at him, fast as a bullet and just as deadly. It grazed his side and he doubled over in pain. She took off then, but then a trail of burning pain encompassed her leg and she fund he'd grazed her leg with his own bullet, fired from a gun, this time.
"Hey!" a voice shouted and she looked over to see a teenager running towards them through the rain. He assailant his and ran, holding his side the entire time. "Little girl, are you okay?"
Ai smiled wearily as his hands found her, warm against her fridge skin and the fingers were gentle, so different from what she had become accustomed to. Ignoring his frantic voice, she let unconsciousness claim her in all its mercy.
Let's be honest, I've done worse and you all know it! Mwhahahahaha! Getting my Driver's License tomorrow (hopefully)! Wish me luck, everyone?