Pacifier

The Fight

The rest of that day carried on as usual. A couple costumers came in here and there but only three people actually bought anything, and Corey was one of them. Mel found herself daydreaming about him through out the remainder of the day but this was nothing new for Thomas because Mel always daydreamed. Mel's dad use to say that she spent more time in her head than she ever did in real life.

It was close to closing time now and Mel was getting sleepy.

"So when should I move in?" Mel asked Thomas as they were preparing to close the shop.

"How about this weekend?" Thomas suggested.

"Okay I have to tell my land lord first."

"Oh right okay. Well we'll talk about it tomorrow." Thomas said grabbing his bag and leading them out of the store. It was around six and the sun was beginning to set. It was ordinarily cold as they stepped outside.

"You know I'm really excited about you moving in." Thomas admitted locking the shop door.

"Yeah it's going to be great I've always loved your flat, and your closets!"

"Oh yeah you're going to have so much closet space for your seven shirts and various pairs of jeans."

Mel rolled her eyes, "whatever I can expand my wardrobe with all this extra money I'll have." They both started to laugh until it eventually died down. Thomas looked at Mel then, really looked at her.

"You sure you don't want me to walk you home?" He asked hoping she'd say yes this time, but she never did. No matter how dark it got.

"No Thomas I'll be fine you go home and I'll call you."

"Promise?"

"Yeah." Mel smiled and they hugged goodbye.

"Be safe Mel." Thomas sighed watching her go.

Mel's daily walks back from the shop were always a little terrifying but the pepper spray in her jacket pocket made her feel a little safer. Mel lived on the poorer side of Birmingham, and Birmingham could be pretty dodgy at night. Especially for women. Mel knew that if you stood out or looked the slightest bit lost you would be targeted by the seedy men waiting for their next prey. So Mel was always wary of her surroundings. There was no room for day dreaming on her walks back. Still, she couldn't get Corey out of her head.

She was halfway home when she felt a man following close behind her. Mel quickly picked up her pace just praying to make it home, her hand tightening in her pocket around the can of pepper spray. As she neared the corner that lead to her house she could hear the voices of men fighting in the distance.

"You fucking owe me money Tony!" A familiar but distant voice yelled.

"Nah fuck that bruv I don't owe you a ting man."

Mel flinched at the sound of the guys screams that followed after a loud punching noise. Looking over in the direction of the voices Mel could see the figures of the two men that belonged to them. One of them was doubled over on the floor in pain while the taller man repeatedly kicked him in the abdomen.

"I gave you so much time to pay me back Tony and this is how you treat me? Running out here to Birmingham, wasting my fucking time?! You're fucking scum just like your whore of a sister." The man spat kicking the guy in the head.

"Shit." Mel whispered stopping in her tracks. The guy who was kicking the other man had saw her staring and was now making his way over. Mel pulled out the pepper spray not knowing what she should do, there was no time to call the feds. It was down to fight or flight? There was no third option.