Life of a Street Kid ☑️

Chapter 12

Morning came faster then I wanted. It seemed like I was only asleep for five minutes. All the stressful thing going on were getting to me, but I got up like any other day and got to work. It was still dark out when I got out so I snuck outside one last time and did a few soothing exercises, but nothing too complex.

I was nice and warmed up when one of the kids came out. It was a young girl with red hair like flames. She had blue eyes and she seemed to be around eight. I didn't recognize her so I assumed that it was the new girl Pete said he found when we were catching up. I stopped what I was doing and walked up to her.

"What are you doing up? It's still early." I said gently. She didn't answer me. I tried something different. "What's your name? Pete told me but I'm not very good at remembering names, at least not right away." I told her. She kept quiet.

"Won't you please tell me your name? That's all I'm asking. If you don't want to talk after words I'm fine with that."

The girl hesitated for a second. "Alice. Everyone calls me Alice. My real name is Alicia though but everyone calls me Alice."

"Nice to meet you. Do you want me to call you Alicia or Alice?" I asked. She seemed to be a little surprised someone asked her that.

Then she answered at least asked, "Can you call me Alice in front of everyone else but Alicia when it's just you and me?"

"Sure. Well nice to meet you Alicia. I'm Max." I put a hand out for her. Her small hand took it and shook it gently.

"I know who you are. Everyone is always talking about you. They all say that you are the bestest, most fun person. Are you?" she asked shyly.

I gave her a puzzled look that made her laugh. "I would like to think I'm a fun person at least, but bestest I'm not sure. Pete may be the best though," Then I added, "Or Will." The girl smiled at his name. "Do you like Will? Do you think he is fun to play with?" The girl nodded. "Lucky for you then because Will and I both are going to be here for today, for the whole day and that means that you can play with him until he is too tired to play anymore. Is that okay. Would you like that?"

"I'd like that very much." She said. "Very much."

"So Alicia why are you up now, it's early."

Alicia looked down at her feet shyly. "I always get up early. Everyday I'm up before everyone even Pete but I always go to bed so no one will know. Sometimes I like to be alone by myself."

"Well Alicia I understand how you feel. Sometimes I think that the only time that I can be alone is in the morning. Sometimes it is nice to be alone."

"That's what I feel like especially with all the kids here. I feel like I can never be alone." She looked up at me like I was someone that finally under stood her. "Max, why are you up?" she asked.

"Same as you I want to be alone." She looked sad that I said I didn't want her by me. "But today I wanted to be outside before I'm forced to go in for the day. You can stay if you want I don't mind." I told her that and she seemed to perk up a little bit.

"What are you doing anyways?" Her curiosity rose.

"Well I like to exercise and stay fit just in case something bad happens or I have to get away from some where or fight someone." I regretted the last part about the fighting. She was still young and didn't need to know too much about the world right now.

She surprised me by saying, "Can you teach me to be as fit as you and to protect myself."

"Why do you want to know?"