Black

chapter four.

Song for this chapter:

Youth by Daughter

I sit at an old plastic table as I watch Naomi grab a green cup and juice from the fridge.

I play with the jewelry around my neck until a man walks in, a worried expression on his face.

He walks up to Naomi and whispers something. She shrugs and says something back but I can't hear.

He looks at me, his brown eyes tell me he's worried.

Naomi turns back towards me and smiles as she places the green cup of red juice in front of me. I take it and drink small sips.

"Can you tell me your name, sweetie?" She asks kindly.

I look down at my sock monkey, whose covered in dirt. She's nice so I can trust her.

"Raina." I say and look back up at her. She smiles.

"That's a very pretty name." She says and I look to the man whose still by the counter, eyeing me suspiciously. Naomi turns to look at the man. "That's Todd. He's my husband. You can trust him too."

I nod.

"They're on their way, Naomi." Todd says.

"Okay." She says. "Raina, can you tell me why you were walking alone?"

I feel tears burn my eyes again. She says I can trust her. She let me wear her pretty necklace.

"My daddy left me." I answer. "But I don't know why." I shrug.

Naomi frowns and turns to Todd whose frowning also. There's a knock on the screen door that causes both Todd and Naomi to jump.

Naomi nods to Todd and he walks out of the kitchen.

"There are some really nice people here who want to talk to you. They're good people. They're going to ask you questions and if you don't feel comfortable answering them, you don't have to, okay?" She says.

I nod as two men dressed in tan uniforms walk into the kitchen.

•••

"So what's your story?"

I snap out of the memory and let it fade away just like the others. I turn to the stranger next to me.

"My story? Um. I don't think I have one to tell." I say, frowning as I let my legs dangle off the ledge of the roof.

"Everyone has a story." He says. "What do you do? Are you in college?"

I've already been through this questionnaire thing. I don't want to do this again.

"Please don't ask me about my life. I just had a very awkward conversation with the birthday boy who was supposed to be a one night stand but I'm not into him at all. Especially since he talks about his cat way too much." I say before I chug back the remnants of beer left in my red cup.

"Wow." He says with a small laugh.

"And why would I tell you, a strange stranger whom I've just met and likes to stand on the ledges of apartment buildings?" I say. "Who are you anyway?" I ask.

"I'm just a guy. A friend of a friend." He says.

I shake my head as I stare straight ahead.

I did not see my day coming to an end like this.