Something Else

Skateboard weels thunked under him as Aaron made his way down the street. He manuvered lazily around rocks and twigs, through alleyways and down side streets. L.A. wasn't the best place to be raised, they said, but Aaron didn't mind it; he liked the city. He liked the hustle and bustle; he liked the risk. There was something to be said about growing up in a place that is and isn't dangerous all at the same time-- it makes you sort of...aware. Aware of reality as well as fantasy.

Aaron was a a newcoming upperclassman in Kennedy Ridge High School, smack dab in the heart of L.A. He was well liked among most people, disliked by others, though not an unusual amount of people even knew his name. Kennedy Ridge was a large school, split down the middle into two campusses: upperclassmen and lowerclassmen. Through the years, Aaron had learned to blend in, not wanting to get involved with gangs and the 'it' crowd. Too much work to keep up with. so with his close group of friends, he spent his days in relative contentment. His grades were decent, managing a 3.0 most years, give or take a decimal or so; his home life was better than most with a single mom, since they rarely struggled with money even with the high cost of living.

As a teenager, and nearing almost-adulthood by every passing month, he'd had his share of girl drama. Though rarely in relationships, the ones he did have lasted (Aaron counted his shortest relationship to be about six months, give or take a week or so). He wasn;t the kind to go buying diamond neclaces with drug money (mostly because he wasn't involved with drugs, but also because his minimum-wage job wouldn't let him buy a diamond ANYTHING), but he liked to pick up roses in a just-because mood, and maybe a little kid movie for the two of them every once in a while. Dumbo was his favorite.

A rock flew up from under one of his weels and smacked him in the face, making him drop the 7-11 Slurpee he was holding.

"Aw damn!" He mumbled and stepped off of the board. There wasn't much left of the icy beverage, but he still wanted it. Ah well. He picked up the plastic cup and dropped it into a nearby trash can when something caught his attention. It sounded like rustling garbadge or crusty clothes or something. It made him venture into the suspicious shadows of the brick-lined alley. There was something hidding there, something whimpering.

"Is anyone there?" he asked, tucking his scateboard under his arm and taking the earbud from his ear and stowing it in his pocket. A pair of blue-grey eyes seemed to almost appear out of nowhere from behind a mass of matted hair. The figure whimpered again, hands clasping grime-crusted shoulders. It sounded female, and with the long, slender necks and jutting hips. Aaron was pretty sure that the figure was a teenage girl. She stared at him for a second, like a rabbit facing a falcon--awaiting slaughter.

"I'm not going to hurt you..." Arron said, chancing a step closer to the girl. He said it as if it was obvious, because why on earth would he want to hurt someone?

The girl bit her lip. "Can you help me?"

The words came out gurgled as if her tongue was taking up all the room in her mouth. The question sounded desparate, but the pitch was low enough that Aaron had to strain to hear it.

"Can you help me?" she repeated, now manic eyes bulgin and hands like hooked claws grabbing at his sweatshirt and almost pulling him down.

Oh shit! Aaron thought. Some meth-head was going to tear him to pieces! and only because he was too goddamn nice for his own goddamn good. Goddamn shit. Shit goddamn! Aaron frantically pushed at the girl, scraping at her arms and fingers, anything to get away! She was uncannily strong and soon had a vice-grip on his wrist.

"Please, I need you to help me!" the girl whimpered, tears now breaking up the grime and dirt on her face with shining trails of salt-water.

"Look lady, I don't have any money for you. Let go of me!" Aaron kicked at her but she didn't give.

"I don't know what to do! Its been days! I-I can't remember anything before monday! Please, you have to help me!"

"Let go!" The girl dropped to the ground sobbing, loosening her grip enough that Aaron could get his hand away. She still clutched at his sweatshirt, wiping her eyes on the fabric.

"I don't know what to do..." she mumbled and finally released. him. Aaron rubbed his wrist and contemplated bolting away from her and never coming back. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright..." he replied cautiously. Why he still stood there and listened to the girl he didn't know. "But I really can't help you."

"That's what everyone keeps saying but..." the girl stuttered, "I find it hard to believe that no one in this city knows what to do. If they would just try, I... I dunno."

Aaron looked at the girl. It deffinately seemed like more than a few days since she's been needing help. Like...weeks. Cause she was gross. Really gross. Worse off than most homeless people he came across. But hey, what did he know? People have to survive, y'know, and who was he to judge? She probably had to do somethings she didn't want to just to get this far.

"Well...well what do you need help with? I can't give you money or anything, but I'll try."

The girl looked up at him, almost hopeful, but not quite. She was apprehensive, mostly.

"To tell you the truth, I don't think you'll believe me."

Understatement of the century, that one.