Chapter 4 Arleen

I didn't answer for a while and he was getting uneasy. The truth is that I don't know him, he is a complete stranger to me and worst still he tells me, he's a serial killer. How can I be friends with him? I'm just confused and don't know what to do right now. "But you said you're a serial killer?" I asked in a shaking tone afraid that he might get angry but he wasn't.

"I'm not one actually, was just trying to scare you!"

"What do you mean?" I'm bold to say from his submissive tone. "You have a gun in there, what do you use it for?" He has to defend this if he's not a serial killer.

"Just try to understand me here, I'll tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth!" He stresses the last phrase like he wants me to pay more attention to that. "After I ran away from my aunt, I came to live in the streets. For a while I'd tried to keep up to the morals which my parents taught me but I soon got overwhelmed by the influence of all the bad boys in the street. I was the only good child among them and I couldn't keep up with my goodness. Then I started doing what they do out there, smoking, drinking, having sex, later got into burglary and robbery just to survive." He was broken in his tone and I felt so sorry for him, his story is so heartbreaking that I can't help but pity him. "All I did, I did to survive!" His last statement brought me tears. He reached out to comfort me, I should be the one telling him sorry but it occurs otherwise.

"Look, this' how my face is." He pointed a torch on his face.

"Woww!" I couldn't help but exclaim. Though I see this in the night, he looks so cute and charming like a prince. His eyes really captivates me. I sigh in frustration to see this handsome young man struggling to survive in the streets.

"I'm just so sad to hear this!" I sniff. "Will you continue the rest of your life like this?" I get so concerned to see a handsome guy like him getting his years spent this way. I've totally forgotten about my own troubles, I thought my case was the worst among young persons until I got to know this. It's so heartbreaking, it's only a fool who wouldn't pity him.

"I'm dreaming that one day I'll go off the streets to find a better job. I don't like the life I'm living, there are several times I try to end my life.." He broke down and couldn't continue. This' the first time I see a guy like him cry, it's getting me more sympathetic and interested in him. I wish I was in a position to help him. I sigh in frustration that there's no way I can help.

"Why do you want to kill yourself?"

"I have no one who loves me, my life is just worthless but can you do me a favor?" He lowers his tone like in a whisper. I wonder what he will say next.

"What's that?" I'm so curious right now, what could it be he wants from me?

"I wish you to be my friend, if I can be loved in my miserable state, I'll never think of ending my life." Suddenly a car light flashes from a distance, it must be a police van. We hurriedly hid behind the short walls of the verandah squatting so we wouldn't be seen. The car comes closer, I'm scared not really for me but this young man. Are these cops actually coming for him, he was panting. Fortunately they drove past us. It wasn't him they were coming for, perhaps they are on patrol.

We get out of our hiding place, heave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness they didn't come for you, I was scared they were coming for you." I thought this because he was a criminal, a criminal that was forced into this lifestyle by his situations.

"No, but I thought so too."

"What's your name?" I have to know the name of the individual I'm speaking with.

"I'm Arleen and you?"

"Ava."

"Wow, A and A!" He exclaimed and I smiled.

"Hmmm," I heaved. "You're really a brave man." I had a classmate in junior high school who had this name. Once a teacher asked him the meaning and he said 'noble brave man.' The name really fit him, it wasn't easy to spend seventeen years on the street and still hope to coming out to live a better life. "Just a day and I'm feeling pains, depression and everything.

"Thanks but I think you can be strong like me too although I never wish to see you living in the street like me. It's really dangerous and you might never be the same again."

"I have a home," I defended. "I finished work late and my home is so far away. It would be more dangerous to walk home as it was dark, that's why I chose to stay here till morning where I'll resume work."

"That's okay but how about we become friends?" He repeated.

"I'll be, I can't let you die. I feel it's my responsibility to.."

"Not really that, I wish you to love me more than that. In terms of our present condition, don't worry about me. If you can just get out of your misery to achieve your goals, I'll be happy. My condition is the worst in the life of a girl, I don't really want you to stay out in the street alone." Arleen sighs in frustration.

"Well...." I'm short of words, can't imagine how a guy that has spent much year's in the street and should be hardened in mind can show this gentle pity and compassion towards me. It really amazes me.

We spent the rest of the night and the morning hours before dawn together. I soon slept as I had two hours left before 7 AM. He didn't but watched over me like a good lover would watch over his girlfriend.

The light of the sun came out fully and it was time to part. I remember the case of Romeo and Juliet, how I wish we could stay with each other longer but I have to go to avoid another punishment from my mistress.

"Bye, Arleen."

"We'll meet again in the evening!"

What makes him think I so much like to be out here in the cold and dark.