Post by moonwick on Apr 30, 2006 0:10:10 GMT -5
Jade slipped out of the ring as American Nightmare stomped in angrily. The quarrel between Anthony Douglas and this 357-pound giant did not involve her, and she had no desire to stand between the two men as their fight played out. Unfortunately, Douglas was declared the winner in her absence from the ring, but then again, Jade was just glad to be alive.
As she backed away from the outraged men, who were now violently attacking one another, Emily felt a small, light tap on her spine. She spun around quickly to see who had touched her, half expecting to see a toothless old man grinning at her smooth, bare skin. At first when she turned, there seemed to be no one there.
“Ahem,” said a small voice from somewhere below. It was then that Emily’s attention shifted downward and beheld the round, shining face of Pete, the sad young boy she had met on the city bus a few days earlier.
“Hi, Pete!” Emily beamed, genuinely glad to see the poor boy. “Enjoying the show?” She glanced back at the ring, where American Nightmare and Anthony Douglas were throwing hard punches and shouting obscenities.
“It’s too bad you were disqualified,” Pete frowned, a little disappointed. “I wanted to see you win today.”
“Well, I’m not disappointed,” Emily laughed. “I wanted to see you today.” This brought a smile back onto his face that caused his cheeks to stain red all the way up to his big blue eyes. “Where’s your brother? I thought he was coming, too.”
“He went to get his girlfriend some soda,” Pete replied, rolling his eyes, a gesture at which Emily couldn’t help but smile. “But I told him I was going out for ice cream with Jade, and he said I could go!”
“I thought you wanted him to come, too,” Emily smirked.
“I asked him, but he got all nervous and decided not to,” Pete said. “I guess he’s scared of you because you could probably beat him up.” The little boy puffed out his chest. “I’m not scared of you. I don’t think you’ll beat me up.”
“Well, as long as he knows where you’re at,” Emily said, trying not to laugh again. “Do your parents know, too?”
“Yep, they don’t care. Just bring me back to my brother’s place afterwards, they said.”
“Okay,” Emily said, holding out her hand and trying to sound cheerful even though she was appalled by the carelessness of the young boy’s family. She knew she would never let her kid go out for ice cream with a complete stranger. Still, Emily decided, he’s probably safer with me than he is here alone. And it would break his heart if I didn’t take him out, because maybe he just needs a friend.
Come to think of it, so do I.
And with that, Emily DuPrae and her little friend named Pete walked out together, hand in hand, chatting excitedly about which flavor of ice cream each one liked best.
As she backed away from the outraged men, who were now violently attacking one another, Emily felt a small, light tap on her spine. She spun around quickly to see who had touched her, half expecting to see a toothless old man grinning at her smooth, bare skin. At first when she turned, there seemed to be no one there.
“Ahem,” said a small voice from somewhere below. It was then that Emily’s attention shifted downward and beheld the round, shining face of Pete, the sad young boy she had met on the city bus a few days earlier.
“Hi, Pete!” Emily beamed, genuinely glad to see the poor boy. “Enjoying the show?” She glanced back at the ring, where American Nightmare and Anthony Douglas were throwing hard punches and shouting obscenities.
“It’s too bad you were disqualified,” Pete frowned, a little disappointed. “I wanted to see you win today.”
“Well, I’m not disappointed,” Emily laughed. “I wanted to see you today.” This brought a smile back onto his face that caused his cheeks to stain red all the way up to his big blue eyes. “Where’s your brother? I thought he was coming, too.”
“He went to get his girlfriend some soda,” Pete replied, rolling his eyes, a gesture at which Emily couldn’t help but smile. “But I told him I was going out for ice cream with Jade, and he said I could go!”
“I thought you wanted him to come, too,” Emily smirked.
“I asked him, but he got all nervous and decided not to,” Pete said. “I guess he’s scared of you because you could probably beat him up.” The little boy puffed out his chest. “I’m not scared of you. I don’t think you’ll beat me up.”
“Well, as long as he knows where you’re at,” Emily said, trying not to laugh again. “Do your parents know, too?”
“Yep, they don’t care. Just bring me back to my brother’s place afterwards, they said.”
“Okay,” Emily said, holding out her hand and trying to sound cheerful even though she was appalled by the carelessness of the young boy’s family. She knew she would never let her kid go out for ice cream with a complete stranger. Still, Emily decided, he’s probably safer with me than he is here alone. And it would break his heart if I didn’t take him out, because maybe he just needs a friend.
Come to think of it, so do I.
And with that, Emily DuPrae and her little friend named Pete walked out together, hand in hand, chatting excitedly about which flavor of ice cream each one liked best.