Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
"Hey! Undersee!" Voices traveled down the street to the blonde, who only averted her eyes when she heard them calling. They had longer legs then she did, and Madge couldn't walk fast enough to lose them. "What you got there, eh?"
Madge has seen the boys before around school. They were a few years older than her and from the Seam. "Nothing," she tightened her grip on the bag and continued to walk.
"I highly doubt that," one of them replied, reaching for the bag and attempting to pry it from her grasp. It was over her shoulder, hard enough to get a grip on, but they managed.
"Please," Madge shook her head. "It's for my mother, she's sick, she…"
"I don't got a mother," one of the boys said.
"And I don't got a father," the other added, "so I think you should be appreciative." Madge shivered at their words and continued to walk, keeping her grasp on the bag. "Give it here,"
"Please," Madge said again, chewing on her cheek. "Don't, I…" they snatched it from her hand and snickered as they tossed it back and forth. "That… that's mine, that…" Her voice never lifted above much of a whisper.
She forced back her tears and clenched her jaw to keep it from quivering. Just as she was about to give up and go home empty handed a voice stopped everyone dead in their tracks. "Give the bag back." Madge looked up to see the stony expression of Gale Hawthorne; a certain anger glistened in his eyes.
"Aw, come on Hawthorne," one of the boys playfully pushed him. "She's got money at her disposal. One measly necklace isn't going to ruin her."
"I said give the bag back," Gale stepped closer and pushed Madge behind him. The girl was frozen in shock, unable to move other than follow where he placed her.
"We could eat for a year if we sold this! It's solid gold!"
"I'm gonna say it one more time," he muttered, taking one more step closer.
The boys looked down at the bag and snickered. They thought the fight was in favor, two against one. So they taunted, "Or what?" Gale didn't hesitate to rear his arm back, throwing his fist forward and knocking one in the jaw.
The boy who had the bag started to run but Gale was quick, rushing after him and pulling his shoulder back. Once he was him again Gale punched him in the nose, not caring as the crunch echoed through the streets. The bag fell from the thief's hand and Gale picked it up, flexing his hand and returning the bag to the blonde.
"T-Thank you," she said quietly, slowly taking it into her own hands. He nodded once but she rested her hand on her forearm. "Really, Gale. Thank you."
He shrugged before saying, "Let me walk you home." Madge accepted his request, sliding the bag over her shoulder and walking quickly next to him. "Do those scumbags bother you often?"
"No," Madge replied. "Not before today."
"Good," Gale nodded, flexing his hand again. "Don't walk anywhere at night alone, alright?"
"Sure," she glanced at his knuckles. "Are you hurt?" He waved her off but she slowed her pace, grabbing his hand. "Gale, you're bleeding." He frowned, watching as they stopped under a streetlamp so she could examine his fist.
"I'm fine," he said, pulling his hand out of hers. "Worry about yourself. Are you okay?"
"Yes," she said simply. "But you're bleeding…"
"I'll clean it up when I get home," he replied as they stopped in front of her house. "Let me know if they bother you again."
Madge walked up her porch but stopped before she reached the door. "No one's ever done anything like that for me before," she called to him. Gale turned back, the corners of his mouth lifting in a minuscule smile. "Thank you."
He watched her a moment before responding, "You're welcome." And then vanished into the night, nothing but the tingle of his hand in hers to remind her what he had done.