It's Perfect. Until It's Not

how few people were out on the boardwalk. I also did

d lot when I heard a voice s

see in homeless kids who hung out on the boardwalk. The leader was a white boy with cornrows who looke

ldn't have. I turned my head and kept walk

n the pavement behin

in' is you so pretty you shouldn't be cryin'. I c

nd cackled th

ut their footsteps

n' so fast? You gon

towards me. Even in the dim light, I could see his beady eyes and acne-sca

me alone," I said,

d up the pace and got right up next to me again. "Wh

it went from threa

leave me alone

inst the brick wall of a closed store front. I nearly gagged o

face. "You ain't gonna do shit, 'cept l

y mouth muffled my cries. I tried to wrench awa

mpletely

no one around, and I knew someth

o," said a

erful, comm

caught a glimpse of a man in a hoodie, with broad, po

amiliar, though in my panic

s don't concern y

iously doesn't like you or what you're doing, and I don't like th

fired up the

in' to get your ass be

n come on and try," the ma

rnrows ordered

him like wolves. I tried to fight and twist away but Cornrows braced himself ag

the other two lowlifes

im before he reacted – but when

is arm, caught it by the end, and swung

H

left in the head, sending h

– but as he threw it, the surfer swung the board in front of him

l the surfer's right cross slamme

eyes and feel the hesitation in his body, but he was apparently just

as he could. I cried out as I hit

gonna kick

nt first, directly at him. The sharp point slammed right into Cornrows' chest

d wheezed, a shock

happening, though, the man in the

H

ut on the ground. He started whining and cryi

n – I didn't mean nothin',

feet, but he was still looking back at Cornrows when he

ck at me. "C

n't even see his face yet becaus

d. We raced down the boardwalk, leaving behind the

ide street. After we passed four or five houses, m

ause of the shadows, but I d

ank you – than

lcome. Are

aked out, or traumatized. I felt a little scared, but having this powerful

ed that wasn't the end of the m

Did they tak

, I

hing but my keys. I patted down both my front and back pock

me. Do you have

" He took my hand. "Come

eing dragged behind as we ran. Light from an apartment window flooded

arlier in the day – the o

God – i

could see his brow furr

suddenly I grew bashful. "I... uh...

sked, sounding s

r self-conscious saying it, so I c

really confu

ex wax

ss, because I'm sure my face was crimson. I co

"You know that's wax fo

sked, tentatively. Now I w

es

ard part, so I continued in dull stupefaction, to my

smoky rumble. "Yeah – the

ng to shield myself from his gaze. My cheeks f

I was putting 'sex stuff' on?" he as

e just drop this?" I m

e on my wrists. I jerked away, shocked, and s

hands. It looks like you

O

scratches and a fair amount of blood on them. In all the exc

nd to me again. I sti

, "I wasn't going to put

rtified outrage. "Can

, as he took my hands in his, he fro

ng any pain. Not with those pow

knelt in front of me, a

h

ise you this: pain wasn't the sens

you," he said. I could h

hing," I

'nothing'.

not to touch my cuts. The warmth of his

we going?

here. After we call the cops, we'll get you clea

he had saved me from horrible danger, but I had a tiny

t stranger,

he joked, "And I won't even make you tou

won out ov

ng to let me live

't worry, I w

ot wor

ed. "Yes

f-confidence. I hate having people

g to sympathetic. "But given what you've

his eyes reflecting street lights from further up the block. His gaze was so soothin

nd took my hand. "You

g me a choice, he gentl

se I totally and com