Olivia

I walked down the street, shivering in the cold. I buried my hands further into my hoodie pockets. I turned down the street, taking me nearer to my house.

I was on my way home from a night out with the guys. Although I'd only had a couple of beers, I thought it better to walk home, rather than to try and drive back. It was only a twenty minute walk anyway. I'd pick my car up tomorrow...or, you know, later on today.

I turned down the street, towards my house. I stopped walking when I heard a quiet whimpering. I looked left and right in confusion. I couldn't see anything. I listened carefully again. There it was!

I followed the sound down a small alleyway. I stepped over a suspicious-looking puddle. At the end of the alleyway, I saw a girl.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"Why are you in my alley?" She asked, her voice croaky.

I crouched down in front of her, "Are you cold?"

She nodded so I took off my fluffy black hoodie and put it around her shoulders. She shivered as the warm material engulfed her bare shoulders.

"Why are you out here?" I asked gently.

At that she started sobbing, big fat tears sliding down her cheeks. She scrubbed them away with her dirty hands.

"I-I haven't got a home." She said through her tears.

My heart truly went out to this little girl living on the streets.

"Why?"

"It got b-b-burned down."

I gently placed a hand on her shoulder while saying, "You poor thing."

Now that I looked at her properly, she was scarily thin and her hair was a dirty blonde.

"Haven't got any parents either. They died in the fire."

"Do you want to come home with me? Have a hot meal and a shower maybe?" I offered.

"Really?" She said, her eyes open wide.

I nodded, "My house is only just down the street. D'you want to?"

"Yes." She replied, jumping up, still swathed in my hoodie, and grabbing a grubby pink backpack.

"Let me carry that." I said, offering a hand for her to put the backpack in.

She smiled as she put it in my hand. I swung it over my shoulder. She put her hand in my left one and pulled.

I laughed as she dragged me along the street. I pulled her to a stop outside my house.

"This is your house?" She said, shocked.

"Yeah," I replied, opening the front door, "After you, my lady."

She giggled quietly and went in. I followed her, pointing out the various rooms. We reached the kitchen.

"What's your name?" She asked, climbing onto a chair.

"Jack, yours?" I said as I prepared some beans on toast. It was all I had in the cupboards, but I figured as long as it was warm food, she would be happy.

"Olivia."

I set the beans on toast in front of her and smiled when her eyes lit up. I sat down and watched her devour the food.

"So nice." Olivia said, forking some beans into her mouth.

"It's hardly gourmet." I laughed.

"Oh it is. Trust me. It is."

Within a matter of minutes she had cleaned the plate. I got up and put it in the dishwasher.

"Where are we going now?" Olivia asked as we went upstairs.

"I'm guessing you'd like a shower before bed right?"

She nodded violently, "Yes, I haven't had once since... I can't remember."

"Well in which case... Go and have one Olivia." I said, gesturing into the bathroom.

"Wow." She marveled at the fluffy white towels hung up on the radiator, rubbing her fingers against them.

"Like the towels?"

"Yeah! They're so soft."

As Olivia had a long warm shower, I had a mental freak-out. I hadn't any idea how to look after an eight year old child (I was presuming).

"Shit, shit, shit..." I muttered to myself, pacing along the floor in my hallway.

"I know yanking your hair out is an expression, but don't make it true Jack."

I paused in my furious pacing and looked at Olivia. Now that she was clean, I could see that she had blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She was wearing one of my old JAGK tops, the sleeved of which fell down to her wrists, making it more like a dress, and her newly-cleaned holey jeans.

"I guess you're right." I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards what was now going to be her room.

"This is your room." I announced, sitting on the bed.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Now get some sleep. I'm just next door if you need me." I got up and walked out of the room.

"Night Jack." Olivia called, crawling into bed.

"Night Olivia." I said softly, watching her from the doorway.