Post by Melanie Ross on Jan 7, 2016 21:13:29 GMT -8
Melanie looked back again to make sure she was not being followed. The man had followed her on foot for the last three blocks. Every turn was perfectly mimicked. What the hell was his problem? There was way too many things that could go wrong. Her fosters did not even give her money to take a taxi. Maybe they wanted something to happen to her. It was not like she couldn't take care of herself, but still. It was creepy to have a man follow you. She had left the house for a soda and maybe some chips. If she had the money, she would get some chocolate too. Melanie looked behind her. This time she was sure she heard footsteps. What the hell was going on? "Who the hell is there? If you do not stop following me and beat it, I will totally kick your ass!" Melanie waited for a few seconds before turning back and continuing to the store. She made it two more blocks before she heard footsteps again. Stopping dead in her tracks, she looked back to see if she could make out any figures, and darted behind the nearest item that provided cover from the rear, a garbage can. The footsteps continued after a minute. Closer and closer. Once they were right next to her, Melanie jumped out, pulling her homemade rose whip out and swung it. The offender fell back barely avoiding the strike and cut from the whip, babbling something about protection.
Melanie let him sit there watching her twirl the whip. If he moved, she would strike him.
After another minute of sitting still the man finally quite his child like babbling. "My name is Tim. Please do not hit me. I was a friend of your father's. He asked me to look after you. I did not mean to frighten you. Please put down the... whip."
Melanie scoffed. "Yeah sure. That must be why I totally know who you are right? Who are you and why are you following me? I suggest you try telling me the truth. I hear this thing hurts when it cuts you."
The man crawled a few paces back. "I swear. I knew your father. I was just... I was scared i would die too. Did you not kill that one kid?" Melanie raged. "I can not believe people will not let that go! I did not mean to kill him! I just wanted him to leave me alone! Why does everyone think that once you accidentally kill someone it automatically makes you a bad person?! It was not my fault! He pushed me and pushed me. Then he called mom a slut! I CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED! Why did no one ask 'What did he do'?" Why do I carry all the blame?" Melanie paced back and forth, letting the whip fall to her side but not letting it go. She stopped after a little while and looked back to the man who was now standing against a nearby wall with his hands in his pockets hanging his head in thought. "You said you knew my dad? From where?"
The man picked his head up and blinked a few times then looked back at the ground as he spoke. "I worked at the biology lab with him. Well, not the whole time. Just the last week he was there. We were walking home together and I stopped to use the restroom in the Grocery store near where he was shot. I blame myself a lot. If i had not of gone then, if i had waited until i got home... He would still be alive. Had i held it, he would still be here and you would not have to go to that school. I am sorry Melanie. I cost you your father." He looked up at her and then back down. He figured she needed time to digest. After a few minutes he continued. "After i heard the shot, i came running out fearing the worst. Unfortunately, i was right. Your father had a chest wound and a stomach wound. Are you sure you want to hear this? After she nodded, he continued. " He was spitting up blood, but he pulled me close so i could hear him. 'Watch my daughter. She is just a little girl. She does not understand the power she has. Please... Please help her. Watch her. Help her. Stay near her. When she is ready, teach her.' I promised i would stay. I promised i would never leave you.It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than her. Looking up to meet her gaze, he would apologize again.
A tear rolled down Melanie's cheek. This man, Tim, cost her everything. She could take out all her frustration on him. But that wouldn't be what her father would want. Her hands fell from her arms to her sides. She sighed and dropped the whip. As it hit the ground, Melanie sank to the ground sobbing. Her father was gone. This, the anger, was all the had left. It too was being let go. It hurt so bad. It felt like she was losing her father. She was letting him go after all that had happened. After everything, she was going to move on. She knew deep down that if she ever met the thug who killed her father, she would surely kill him. He would pay for everything he had taken away from her.
Tim pushed himself off the wall and sat down on the ground next to Melanie. Wrapping his arms around her, he whispered soothing words. Knowing they would do nothing, but still wanting to help somehow, he continued to whisper. "Melanie, it is going to be alright. I will get better, you will see. Soon you will be able to rest in peace. Hopefully, we will get to see the man convicted of this crime and he will go away for a long time. Then we can both heal. At least a little. Do not worry about your living situation. I can open a flower shop near here and put a place for you to live up stairs. Then you won't have to live with your foster parents. That may make it easier for you to adjust. If you like, I can even let you work there. When you aren't going to school, you can work if you want. I will need a manager to run the store when i am not around." He paused briefly as Melanie lifted her tear stained face to his. "You do not have to face this alone anymore. I am sorry I was gone, but now i am here. And i will not leave until you send me away. That is a promise."
Melanie pulled herself out of his warm embrace and stole a glance at her watch. It was a quarter to ten. Shit she had to be back at the McFerry's in half an hour for curfew and she hadn't even made it to the store yet. "I need to get to the store and back to the house, Mr. and Mrs. McFuck-Nuggets have a curfew set for me. I need to be back in half an hour. If i am going to the store I need to leave now. It was a really odd experience seeing you. I need to go. I still have to walk there. If you want, you can walk me there. Keep me safe, ya know? If not, i'll see ya later." Melanie knew she ha an odd way of showing people of what exactly was on her mind. She was always honest though. Even when it got her in trouble, which was most of the time, Melanie always spoke her mind. She looked Tim in the eyes. He needed to decide now or she would just get up and start walking. Even if her dad did ask him to watch her, it wasn't worth the McFuck-Nuggets calling the cops because she wasn't home in time.
Tim watched her face closely as she spoke. She needed to go. OK. not cool. He was enjoying talking to her. He did need to keep her safe, but not at the expense of her getting in trouble with her fosters. He stood up and gestured for her to lead the way. He would follow her to the ends of the earth. He smiled to himself when she called her fosters 'McFuck-Nuggets.' It was funny. He had to give her that. But seriously, a ten fifteen curfew? When he was her age, he could come back home in time to change his clothes and jump on the bus and his parents did not care one way or the other. As long as he was in school and not out doing something that would reflect badly on them, they did not care. "I will follow you. You may find this creepy, but I have an apartment near where you live. I was keeping watch just out of site. I did not want you to react... well, like you did tonight. I wanted our first meeting to be much uh... well, I wanted it to be me saving you from some street thug. Not quite the entry i was hoping for." He smiled at her and rubbed the back of his head. Hopefully, she did not mind him being as honest as she had claimed to be. Hopefully she would accept it with no words edgewise. He wanted her to like him. He wanted her trust and to keep her happy. Above everything else, he wanted to make sure she was safe.
Melanie walked on as he held his hand out to let her lead the way. He sure was an odd character. He seemed to be really jumpy on her feelings. Like he wanted her to be happy. Right, her happy? OK, sure. There weren't many ways that was going to be a possibility. Especially not right now. She just wanted to be able to avenge her father and go on with her life. She wanted nothing more that that.
They arrived at the store just in time to grab her stuff and head right back to the house. Melanie grabbed all the things she wanted and headed to the counter. The man grabbed her things and scanned them. The total was just enough that she would be able to get the chocolate as well. Grabbing it and tossing onto the counter as well, she smiled and apologized. I needed to see if i could cover that as well. The cashier rang it up again and Melanie reached into her pocket to grab her cash. Be fore she could pull it out, Tim reached forward and gave the man a twenty dollar bill and smiled at Melanie with a 'I got it' smile. Melanie beamed back and they got the change and left the store.
They didn't say much to each other on the way back to Melanie's house. Occasionally a topic about the weather or the city's ordinance would come up but nothing like before. Not even close. Once they got there, Melanie hugged Tim and thanked him. Tim responded with a grin and patted her head. "See ya kiddo. If you ever need me, i will be right behind you. All you need to do is turn around and i will be there."
Deep inside Melanie felt something bending. She didn't know what it was but it hurt. Melanie watched him leave then turned around to head inside with five minutes to spare. She gave her fosters a generic greeting and headed straight for her room almost not hearing the Mrs call for her to make sure her homework was finished. She sat down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Turning to her side she picked up the picture of her parents together. She let a few more tears slide out of her eyes before she let herself drift off to sleep. Right before she attained her restful sleep, something snapped. What it was, she still didn't know. Only time would tell what it was and what it would cause.
Melanie let him sit there watching her twirl the whip. If he moved, she would strike him.
After another minute of sitting still the man finally quite his child like babbling. "My name is Tim. Please do not hit me. I was a friend of your father's. He asked me to look after you. I did not mean to frighten you. Please put down the... whip."
Melanie scoffed. "Yeah sure. That must be why I totally know who you are right? Who are you and why are you following me? I suggest you try telling me the truth. I hear this thing hurts when it cuts you."
The man crawled a few paces back. "I swear. I knew your father. I was just... I was scared i would die too. Did you not kill that one kid?" Melanie raged. "I can not believe people will not let that go! I did not mean to kill him! I just wanted him to leave me alone! Why does everyone think that once you accidentally kill someone it automatically makes you a bad person?! It was not my fault! He pushed me and pushed me. Then he called mom a slut! I CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED! Why did no one ask 'What did he do'?" Why do I carry all the blame?" Melanie paced back and forth, letting the whip fall to her side but not letting it go. She stopped after a little while and looked back to the man who was now standing against a nearby wall with his hands in his pockets hanging his head in thought. "You said you knew my dad? From where?"
The man picked his head up and blinked a few times then looked back at the ground as he spoke. "I worked at the biology lab with him. Well, not the whole time. Just the last week he was there. We were walking home together and I stopped to use the restroom in the Grocery store near where he was shot. I blame myself a lot. If i had not of gone then, if i had waited until i got home... He would still be alive. Had i held it, he would still be here and you would not have to go to that school. I am sorry Melanie. I cost you your father." He looked up at her and then back down. He figured she needed time to digest. After a few minutes he continued. "After i heard the shot, i came running out fearing the worst. Unfortunately, i was right. Your father had a chest wound and a stomach wound. Are you sure you want to hear this? After she nodded, he continued. " He was spitting up blood, but he pulled me close so i could hear him. 'Watch my daughter. She is just a little girl. She does not understand the power she has. Please... Please help her. Watch her. Help her. Stay near her. When she is ready, teach her.' I promised i would stay. I promised i would never leave you.It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than her. Looking up to meet her gaze, he would apologize again.
A tear rolled down Melanie's cheek. This man, Tim, cost her everything. She could take out all her frustration on him. But that wouldn't be what her father would want. Her hands fell from her arms to her sides. She sighed and dropped the whip. As it hit the ground, Melanie sank to the ground sobbing. Her father was gone. This, the anger, was all the had left. It too was being let go. It hurt so bad. It felt like she was losing her father. She was letting him go after all that had happened. After everything, she was going to move on. She knew deep down that if she ever met the thug who killed her father, she would surely kill him. He would pay for everything he had taken away from her.
Tim pushed himself off the wall and sat down on the ground next to Melanie. Wrapping his arms around her, he whispered soothing words. Knowing they would do nothing, but still wanting to help somehow, he continued to whisper. "Melanie, it is going to be alright. I will get better, you will see. Soon you will be able to rest in peace. Hopefully, we will get to see the man convicted of this crime and he will go away for a long time. Then we can both heal. At least a little. Do not worry about your living situation. I can open a flower shop near here and put a place for you to live up stairs. Then you won't have to live with your foster parents. That may make it easier for you to adjust. If you like, I can even let you work there. When you aren't going to school, you can work if you want. I will need a manager to run the store when i am not around." He paused briefly as Melanie lifted her tear stained face to his. "You do not have to face this alone anymore. I am sorry I was gone, but now i am here. And i will not leave until you send me away. That is a promise."
Melanie pulled herself out of his warm embrace and stole a glance at her watch. It was a quarter to ten. Shit she had to be back at the McFerry's in half an hour for curfew and she hadn't even made it to the store yet. "I need to get to the store and back to the house, Mr. and Mrs. McFuck-Nuggets have a curfew set for me. I need to be back in half an hour. If i am going to the store I need to leave now. It was a really odd experience seeing you. I need to go. I still have to walk there. If you want, you can walk me there. Keep me safe, ya know? If not, i'll see ya later." Melanie knew she ha an odd way of showing people of what exactly was on her mind. She was always honest though. Even when it got her in trouble, which was most of the time, Melanie always spoke her mind. She looked Tim in the eyes. He needed to decide now or she would just get up and start walking. Even if her dad did ask him to watch her, it wasn't worth the McFuck-Nuggets calling the cops because she wasn't home in time.
Tim watched her face closely as she spoke. She needed to go. OK. not cool. He was enjoying talking to her. He did need to keep her safe, but not at the expense of her getting in trouble with her fosters. He stood up and gestured for her to lead the way. He would follow her to the ends of the earth. He smiled to himself when she called her fosters 'McFuck-Nuggets.' It was funny. He had to give her that. But seriously, a ten fifteen curfew? When he was her age, he could come back home in time to change his clothes and jump on the bus and his parents did not care one way or the other. As long as he was in school and not out doing something that would reflect badly on them, they did not care. "I will follow you. You may find this creepy, but I have an apartment near where you live. I was keeping watch just out of site. I did not want you to react... well, like you did tonight. I wanted our first meeting to be much uh... well, I wanted it to be me saving you from some street thug. Not quite the entry i was hoping for." He smiled at her and rubbed the back of his head. Hopefully, she did not mind him being as honest as she had claimed to be. Hopefully she would accept it with no words edgewise. He wanted her to like him. He wanted her trust and to keep her happy. Above everything else, he wanted to make sure she was safe.
Melanie walked on as he held his hand out to let her lead the way. He sure was an odd character. He seemed to be really jumpy on her feelings. Like he wanted her to be happy. Right, her happy? OK, sure. There weren't many ways that was going to be a possibility. Especially not right now. She just wanted to be able to avenge her father and go on with her life. She wanted nothing more that that.
They arrived at the store just in time to grab her stuff and head right back to the house. Melanie grabbed all the things she wanted and headed to the counter. The man grabbed her things and scanned them. The total was just enough that she would be able to get the chocolate as well. Grabbing it and tossing onto the counter as well, she smiled and apologized. I needed to see if i could cover that as well. The cashier rang it up again and Melanie reached into her pocket to grab her cash. Be fore she could pull it out, Tim reached forward and gave the man a twenty dollar bill and smiled at Melanie with a 'I got it' smile. Melanie beamed back and they got the change and left the store.
They didn't say much to each other on the way back to Melanie's house. Occasionally a topic about the weather or the city's ordinance would come up but nothing like before. Not even close. Once they got there, Melanie hugged Tim and thanked him. Tim responded with a grin and patted her head. "See ya kiddo. If you ever need me, i will be right behind you. All you need to do is turn around and i will be there."
Deep inside Melanie felt something bending. She didn't know what it was but it hurt. Melanie watched him leave then turned around to head inside with five minutes to spare. She gave her fosters a generic greeting and headed straight for her room almost not hearing the Mrs call for her to make sure her homework was finished. She sat down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Turning to her side she picked up the picture of her parents together. She let a few more tears slide out of her eyes before she let herself drift off to sleep. Right before she attained her restful sleep, something snapped. What it was, she still didn't know. Only time would tell what it was and what it would cause.
