Different Paths

Chapter 1

Tilda story: Chapter 1

Cooking club was my favorite place to go to after school. It always kept me busy keeping my mind focused on just cooking. Most of the time when cooking I can also lose track of time, because before you knew it the clock showed 7:00pm and it was getting dark outside.

"Hey Tilda, don't you have to leave? It's getting late," Nick was always acting like an over protective older brother with me, but he had my back for the past two years going on three school years since i moved here from Florida.

"I'm about to go, I just need to finish cleaning up my station, then I'll walk home," I said to Nick as I was washing the dishes. That's when I heard Nick get up and came to my side to help me dry the dishes.

"That way we can be done faster," he said and I smile at him. Everyone was still cleaning, but close to finishing their stations.

"Tilda, we can leave together and if you want I can walk you home because by the time we are done it's going to be 8:00. Even if we get done early you still have to walk in the dark," he said sounding concerned.

"Nick, I've walked home in the dark before, I'll be fine, besides if you walk me home then you're going to have to walk twice as long as me just to get home," I said

"It's ok, I can take care of myself Tilda. You know that. I walk faster than you anyway so it's no big deal," he said.

"I'm fine. I've walked home by myself before and I'm going straight home, so it's no big deal for me either. I'll be fine and I'll call you when I get home," As I'm telling him this I was thinking to myself that I'm going to forget to call him and I'm sure he was thinking the same thing too. When it's a Friday night I go straight to bed; if I don't have homework.

"Ok, just be safe walking home remember this is New York, watch your back," he said looking at me with concern. I did tell Nick that I would be fine and I meant that really, but I never promised him. I only make promises on things that I'm sure of and no one can ever be sure that nothing is going to happen to them. I could never make a promise like that.

Once we were finished with the cleaning we both got our coats and bags, and said our good night to our teacher as we making our way outside to the sidewalk.

Nick traveled the opposite way from where I live. As I was walking on the sidewalk I started to hear footsteps. At first, I thought maybe whoever it was were just walking the same way as I was, but then when they noticed me they started calling out to me.

"Hey sweetie, hold up let me talk to you for a minute," One of the guys in the group said behind me. I knew who he was talking to, but I acted like I didn't hear him, so I just started walking.

"Hey I know you hear me bitch! Don't walk away from me," The same guy as before yelled out to me. When I knew they were catching up to me I went from walking to stopping and turning around. I knew I wouldn't be able to out run them. They caught up to me and the guys got in front of me. I was about to scream, but when I saw that 7 guys was all around me I knew that would be a bad idea to try to run. So I try to be calm and not look afraid as one of the guys put their arm around me on my shoulders.

"Now, I know you heard me calling you. I just wanted to talk to you," The guy said with a smile as he looked me up and down.

"Well for the record my name is not sweetie and nor do i answer to bitch. What do you want?" I said looking at him. All he did is stare me down like he wanted to do something.

"Guys just leave her alone," I heard someone say in the back. When I looked to see who said it I can see it was a classmate from Engilsh class. I've never talked to him before. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to him it was just that he was always to himself in the back of the classroom the same as I was, but on the other side. I think his name was Michael.