I was hungry and tired. It had been hours since my mom left me on the side
walk saying she couldn't take care of me anymore, her hands shook as she lit
her cigarette again and she whispered, "I'm sorry, but I just...can't. I just
need a new start." and then I was alone. Standing on the corner, the streetlight overhead glowing. I wondered why she had to leave me at night. She knew I was afraid of it. But she had and now I was alone, all alone. But it was morning now, another day on the street. By now I was broke, I'd spent my last five bucks on a greasy burger that I could barely keep down. I couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly, I
fell down on the sidewalk and sobbed like a baby instead of my fifteen years. I cried for myself and my stupid mom and her drugs. I cried for my empty stomach and emptier heart. And then I saw someone above me through my tears. I vaguely wondered what he would do to me but I didn't really care.
"You ok?" he asked making me jump.
"Do I look ok?" I snapped. Why couldn't people just leave me alone in my
misery? Or was he going to add to it?
"What do you want? Who are you anyway?" I was standing now, ready to run.
The teenager looked down at his chocolate colored hands and grinned.
"They call me...the Wild One," he said. Creepy.
"Ok, that's cool, now get away from me," I said, my voice shaking. But he
didn't.
"So who are you?"
"I said get!" I yelled starting to cry again.
Then he was gone. The second time today I was alone. I started to walk now,
trying to find a place with something to eat. Maybe a soup kitchen, not that
I liked charity or anything, I just needed someplace to eat.
"Hey you!"
I whirled around. There were two ugly guys who looked about eighteen behind
me. One had a tattoo and the other about five earring on one lobe. Tattoo got
in front of me. Rings grinned and I saw he had a missing tooth, gross.
Get out of here! my mind screamed, but I was surrounded. Stay calm, I thought.
Then Rings grabbed my arm and pulled my toward him. I screamed bloody murder,
"HEELP!"
Tattoo slapped my mouth, "Hey girl, that ain't nice, we just want to be your
friend." I shuddered, trying to pull away from Rings. "Yeah, what'd you do
that for?"
I tried to kick Ring but I missed and Tattoo grabbed my leg twisting it until
all I could see was red glowing pain.
Suddenly he yelped and fell down cussing as he went. I saw a flash of blue
t-shirt and brown skin before Rings let go of me and I fell too. There was a
blur of fists and blood before Rings and Tattoo disappeared into an
alley and I was alone with my savor.
"W-wild One?" I stuttered.
It was.
"Long time no see," he said, brown eyes glowing. He sure didn't look wild to
me. Then I remembered what he had just done.
"You fought them?" I asked.
"Yeah."
I smiled, "Thanks."
"No sweat."
I started to stand up when my leg burned and I fell back down. The Wild One
caught me.
"My leg." I gasped. It hurt like everything. The world tilted as the Wild One
picked me up. And then the last thing I remembered was the sound the steady
beating of his heart made against my ear.

The bright of the white sheets hurt my eyes when I finally opened then. I knew
where I was and grimaced. The hospital. I looked around my tiny room and saw
the white bulging cast of my leg. The door opened.
"You're up!"
I turned my head. The Wild One stood over me.
"Hi."
The Wild One sat down on the edge of my bed.
"Uh..." he started. I laughed realizing that even though we'd been through
a lot together he still didn't know my name.
"It's Jana," I said, "I'm Jana." I put my hand out to shake his, "Nice to meet
you Wild One."
"No," he said almost sheepishly, "It's Eddie."
"Oh." I thought for a moment I might like him better as the Wild One.
I looked at our clasped hands. One brown, one white, and something made me
think of chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
A nurse came in then and looked at me. "Is this your boyfriend?" she asked.
"No," I said at the same time that Eddie said, "Yes."
"Mmph. I'll leave you alone then." She left.
I cocked my head at Eddie. "You am?"
"Yes." He bent down and kissed me on the forehead.
"A new start for me too, then," I murmured.
"What's that?" He asked.
I laid back my head on the hospital pillow thinking of what life would be
with the Wild One after my leg healed.
"Oh nothing." I said. And closed my eyes.