Alone together.

Chapter 2: Hello

Briella looked up at the voice, the tears on her face reflected the streetlight, illuminating her face. upon seeing this the figure sat up and shook her head, "no, you're not..." she said, swinging her legs off the bench moving from a laying position into a sitting one, twisting where she was to pop her back. Briella cringed at the noise and subconsciously scooted back from the stranger and the uncomfortable noise.

"you can sit if you'd like," the stranger said, patting the seat next to her, her voice was soft and deep, it was oddly calming. Briella felt a sharp pain in her knees and then realized she was in a collapsed position; her adrenaline had worn off. with a groan, she sat back on the cold floor examining her newly bleeding knees then her cut up hands. she pulled her knees to her chest, lowering her head into them.

The events from dinner began to play over and over in her head. Already she regretted the way she acted, revealing that she was gay, spitting insults, her reckless behavior. Because now she was shivering, bleeding, and being stared at by a stranger.

"Oh goodness," Briella heard in a concerned tone, followed by the sound of fabric moving against fabric as the figure stood. Briella watched as the girl kneeled in front of her, clutching a big camping bag. Briella noticed quickly that the other girl was beautiful, despite the tired face, and dirtied appearance, "my name is Amora" she said in what seemed like a comforting tone, but Briella wasn't sure. She had learned not to trust tone.

After a few moments of awkward silence, she realized she was supposed to reveal her name as well or at least say something, "I-I'm Briella... My friends call me Ella though" she said. As she was talking Amora had unzipped a pocket of her camping bag and pulled out a tube of medicine, "roll up your jeans" she said softly, adopting a very caring tone. Briella quickly shook her head, "no- I cant... that's yours" she said, she had realized that this girl was homeless.... homeless too. As the thought passed her head, she teared up again, was she homeless? Officially? She had been kicked from her home...she didn't have a place to live anymore, yes, she was homeless.

Briella pictured driving past people with signs, their sad looking faces, ripped clothes, shopping carts filled with what they needed to survive. She thought about her nameless they were, how people treated them, how they were seen as less then human, especially by people like her parents. More tears fell

Amora frowned, assuming the tears were from the pain, not anything else, "it hurts... this will help" she said pressing her thumb to the small indent on the lid, flicking it open, "please" she added concerned for a girl she didn't' even know, "you really don't want those to get infected"

Briella thought for a moment, then she slowly rolled up her pant leg, it got increasingly tougher the further she rolled it up, wincing when she had to grip at it harder, the cuts on her hands burning. A hissing sound left her when she took in a gasp of cold air through her clenched teeth.

Amora leaned closer, cupping Briella's cheek, making Briella's stomach do an uncomfortable flip...she wasn't a touching person. Amora removed her hand a squeezed a glob of cream onto her calloused fingers.

As Briella watched her, she took in her features, behind the dirt on her face she was gorgeous, she had piercing blue eyes, Briella quickly thought about her own dull black ones and how much more interesting Amora's were. With that she also recognized the girl's nose, a button nose, with a thin bridge, something Briella would do anything to possess as it was one of her biggest insecurities. Amora's skin was dark and beautiful, soft freckles decorated her face and body.

Briella stared dreamily at the girls soft, kind eyes. She was quickly woken from her daze when she felt what seemed like ice on her knees, she looked down to see Amora rubbing in the cream, Briella let out a soft sigh of relief, the pain she was feeling dulled down. Briella untensed and relaxed. Thinking Amora was done she was surprised when one of her hands was taken, more cream being applied to the cuts there. Briella watched as Amora carefully removed some of the glass shards from her hands.

"what happened?" Amora soothed caringly. Briella swallowed, she contemplated just keeping it to herself, but the stranger had been kind so far, and she could use a friend right now. Briella let out a deep sigh, "I was kicked out" she said simply, "it was all my fault" she added quickly, "I got angry, took it to far"

Amora furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity, "I... I don't think it was your fault...at least not completely" she doubted, "it is!" Briella argued, "I... I was being rude I guess and then it came out I barely realized what I was saying, I told my parents I was-" she stopped herself, she couldn't tell this stranger what she was! It had already got her kicked out of her home; she did not want to lose what seemed like her last hope at not only survival but a friend.

Amora squinted, trying to study Briella's face, "you were what?" she pressed, Briella shook her head hurriedly, letting the other girl apply cream to her other hand, "nothing" she insisted quickly

Deciding that Briella had been through enough tonight Amora dropped the subject, considering when to bring it up again as she took off the blanket she was wearing around her shoulders, wrapping it around Briella's shivering body.

Briella's eyes widened at this further act of kindness she had done so much already! "no- I cant take this" she said, shock and sternness lacing her shaky voice. Briella went to take off the blanket, but two hands pressed the blanket to her body, "I have this warm coat, I'll be okay I promise!" Amora said sincerely giving her a sweet reassuring smile. With a deep sigh and much thought Briella nodded. As soon as she allowed herself to keep the blanket she melted into its warmth, feeling suddenly very tired.

Amora realized Briella's newly slumped position and let out a soft chuckle, "you're exhausted" she said surely, "take the bench" she insisted, pointing to the uncomfortable looking seat. Briella shook her head in disbelief, "no way! you've given me your blanket, your medicine and your kindness!" she exclaimed, "there's no way I'm taking that too... the ground is fine" but even as she said this she knew it was a lie, the ground was cold, hard, and covered with an assortment of nature. She knew she wouldn't get a wink of sleep.

Amora thought, "we'll both sleep on the floor, that's fair" she said stubbornly with a nod. Briella bit at her bottom lip, feeling the broken, chapped skin against her tongue. She considered, "but-" she started, "please, I don't want to do that to you" she said sadly. However as she was speaking Amora was only shaking her head, "I am sleeping on the ground" she said sternly, "you can either join me or sleep on the bench the choice is yours" she said grabbing a pillow off the place she was laying before. But to Briella's further surprise she set the pillow into Briella's lap and grabbed her bag, she plopped it in front of it and rested her head right on top of it, "don't worry!" Amora said seeing Briella's shocked, confused face, "I got a loaf of bread in here, more then comfortable!"

Briella couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, "I've never met anyone like you" she said, suddenly suspicious. Amora looked up at her, "I know what it's like Ella" she said, "to be hurt, scared, lonely..." Briella watched as Amora's kind faced turned sad, her suspicions fading away as she recognized her emotion "when I came out here, just a year ago I would have done anything for a friend, I want to give you what I didn't have" she explained.

Amora thought for a second, "all I want from you is your friendship, I've been so lonely" she said painfully. Briella nodded, "me too..." she sighed, "me too" Briella laid her head on the pillow she was given, it was stained, dented, and uncomfortable but she knew it was far better then a loaf of bread and even more so then nothing but concrete.

Amora turned to her back, staring at the stars, "ya know... most people are staring at a boring ole' ceiling right now" she grinned, "but look at these stars... it's a clear night, they shine so beautifully don't you think?" Briella was taken aback at the positive statement, right now nothing felt beautiful but she found as she looked up at the sky a smile crept to her face as well, "wow" she mumbled, primarily to herself, "heh- I mean way to look on the bright side" she joked, seeing as stars were smaller, more far away suns.

Amora turned to her with a snort, "cheesy" was all she said.

Briella stared at the stars, studying them, searching for constellations, failing as that wasn't something she'd ever studied. She turned to Amora who was also studying the stars, "Do you see any constellations?" she asked curiously. Amora chuckled, "are you kidding?" she asked, "they're everywhere! Sometimes when I stare up at them, I make up stories" she said, her smile only growing wider, she pointed up, "see that? That constellation is Leo... the lion" she explained, "Pisces over there, fish" she said, "want to hear the story of the Lion and the fish?" she asked excitedly. Briella looked at her and nodded, "yeah! I'd love too" she said, eagerness filling her for something to distract her from her pain.