GAGE

02| d r e a m

The wind rudely nips at my skin when I finally get to the other side of town and the darkness from the sky creates eerie shadows along the pavement.

For the third time today, my parallel parking fails and I hate myself even more than I did after the second time.

All different types of people filled the sidewalks and corner stores.

My breath comes into view and takes form of a cloud before me. I walk towards an alley that seems interesting enough to draw.

The art company that I 'work' for could take it and shove it up its ass. Not too far though because it's the only thing that keeps me from living on the side of the road in a goddamn box.

My eyes scan over the area and I decide on using the graffiti on the brick wall for my next mission.

I want to get a closer view before I start to draw the scene in front of me.

Suddenly, I lock my gaze to a hooded man with a cigarette hanging between his lips. As I get closer, I notice his bloodshot eyes.

"Druggie," I scoff to myself silently.

I watch his eyes glance over the noisy night. He leans on the wall that caught my eye. I come to a stop and advert my gaze from him.

I trail my eyes over the colorful wall. Some of the red brick peaks through.

I admire the secret codes cleverly composed onto the walls and I, myself almost want to add onto the large masterpiece.

The man next to the quote, "stay gold," shifts and I unintentionally breathe out, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It's shit." His eyes don't meet mine and they stay looking forward.

"What's not to like?" I question softly. My eyes trail from his clenched jaw down to the muscles I could see under his sweatshirt.

"I don't like a lot of things." He squints.

"Well, I don't like a lot of things either."

"I didn't ask." He takes another drag of his shortening cigarette.

I lightly chuckle at his response.

"Everyone has at least one thing that they love- or at least like."

I could tell he's getting annoyed by me by the way a slight scowl forms on his face when he replies, "Not everyone, princess." His deep voice mocks me

"Well they should," I walk to his side and snatch the lit stick from his mouth and stick it into mine, "and don't call me princess."

For the first time his head tilted to see my smug face and he grinned my way.

"You're... different." I press. I take the cigarette out of my mouth and exhale the cloud of toxins. I hate cigarettes, I just wanted to prove a point.

"You don't know me, babygirl."

'Babygirl'

Fuck him.

"I don't have to. I'm not scared of you."

"You should be."

"Maybe... But I'm not." I stare at the ground and bite my bottom lip.

"You're cute." He eyes me up and down.

"You don't know me." I mock.

He rolls his dark grey eyes and says, "Let's keep it that way."

"I plan to." I reply sharply.

He's confusing me. I turn to look at the reflection of the street lights above us shining on the piece of metal on his lip.

I suck in a breath and he kicks himself off the wall, turning to me. As he inches closer, I can see more details of his face.

Light freckles dance upon his nose and part of his cheeks.

His hooded eyes lock with mine and he huskily says, "Don't dream about me, baby."

He then walks off after I inhale his cold smoke and disappears into the dark alley.

I throw the bud on the ground and step on it, listening to the simmer it created.

• • •

I tuck away the sketch of the nose that I drew with freckles spotted around it deep into my trash can. I drink straight out of the Ciroc bottle as I do so.

"Ugh!" I groan, exasperated. The skin connecting my fingers to my palms nearly tear as I crack my knuckles for the seventh time this hour.

In the process, my bare tit pops out of the side of my muscle tank and I let it hang free, not bothering to cover it back up.

The clock strikes 1:28 am and the bun loosely wrapped on the top of my head is nearly undone.

The only piece of fabric covering my bottom half is my lace thong and I suddenly question what I'm doing with my life.

Trudging up the stairs, I pause the playlist on my phone and disconnected it from the bluetooth speaker.

My life momentarily flashes before my eyes as I accidentally skip a step and almost plummet to my death.

I recover and continue my journey until I reach my dark room. I snap the light on immediately and dive into the fluffy sheets.

My fear of the dark has followed me for as long as I can remember.

Nonetheless, darkness falls over me as I drift to sleep.