New York New York

Mackenzie .. 10

"What is this...?" I looked around. My eyes darted back and forth, between the posters and graffiti. He laughed, probably because I looked a bit worried.

"I'm pretty sure it's called an alley," he laughed more. We were between two buildings. He jumped up on a ledge. It looked like it was made of wood, even though it was connected to a brick building. "You coming?" I shook my head, no. Knowing me, I'd fall and break something.

"No way."

"Oh come on, you'll be fine," he urged. He squatted, then reached for my hand and started hoisting me up. I stumbled, not ready to be lifted. I cursed under my breath when my pants got stuck on a nail and tore.

"Shoot, I'm sorry," I was finally up next to him, and he rubbed my knee where it ripped.

"It's fine... but since you've already made me come this far...."

"You ready?" He asked, jumping up excitedly.

"Bring it."

Niko jumped from the ledge, to a ladder near by. I tried to follow just as gracefully, but had to take a running start and still barely made it. We climbed the ladder to the roof of a building, and went to the back. I looked down from the roof, I'm between the back of this building, and the back of one facing the opposite way, there was a thin space. The space was about two feet wide, good for an average size person to fit in.

"See that brick wall over there?" he pointed to the side, and I could see the ledge we started on. "They built that because stray animals would always come back here. I think it's pointless, but it does make this more fun," he winked, then dragged me to the very corner of the building. He turned so his back was facing the space, squatted, then jumped down to the ground beneath us. He looked up at me, like he was making sure u was still there. He stuck his arms out like I was a little kid going down a slide and be was waiting to catch me. I shook my head, no.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you," he insisted. I definitely didn't believe him. I jumped anyway.

He actually caught me. He didn't let me down until he was sure I was fine, which I was.

"You ready?" I followed him through the thin space, and soon we were crawling through a hole in a wall. After about five minutes, we made it to a big, empty building. There were wooden benches, tables, and chairs. In the very center of the room, was a pile of books.

"What...?" I didn't really get what this was.

"This used to be a church, the first place I came when we moved out here from Canada. Everyone who came here, was from Quebec. Soon, not enough people were coming, and the church wasn't getting enough money for bills, and got shut down. I come all the time, it's just my quiet place, to chill out or be alone. Once, when I came, someone else was here. For the same reasons as me. When they closed the main way to get in here, her and I found a new way.

I don't usually see her, but we've ran into each other a few times." Niko picked up the books from the middle of the floor, and shoved the in a bag on his back. He took some out of his bag, and set them on the floor.

"We bring things that we like, to let each other borrow. Like books, games, anything. She went on a trip, took pictures, and left them for me to see. I've left her food before, something she'd never tried. We're like pen-pals, in a way. we even leave letters," he pulled a sheet of paper, folded in half, out of the back and set in on the top of the books. "I think that the way we communicate, makes this place cool, interesting even. No one else comes back here, no one else cares, just us. One day, we want to clean it up. We want to get the building reopened, but we're going to use it as a work place. She loves photography, and I'm into business, and one day, web things start to work out, we plan on starting a little studio in here."

Everything Niko said was so sweet, and you could tell he truly cared.

"That's amazing..." I walked around the big room, looking at everything.

"Thanks. You and Blake are the only ones I've brought back here. You seemed worthy," he winked.

We stated in there for about an hour, just talking an laughing. Niko was so fun to be around, and so easy to talk to.

It was a lot easier to leave than it was to get in the building, but honestly, I wouldn't have minded it being difficult, because it would have given me more time to spend with Niko.

Niko walked me home, which wasn't a short walk. when we got there, he followed me in. Blake was sitting at the counter with a girl, Liz was cooking something that smelled amazing, and Jonah was shadowing her, kissing her cheek or wrapping his arm around her waist every few minutes. I guessed everyone else was in the living room.

"Hey Nikky," Liz spotted him before we were even through the kitchen doorway.

"Hey Mom," he replied, laughing. "Hey Blake, hey Jonah, hey Em," he added, looking at everyone else.

"Niko! I missed you!" the girl next to Blake jumped up and hugged Niko. "I love you!" she yelled.

"Of course you do," he hugged her back the sat next to her at the counter, knuckle-touching Blake when he got there.

"Hey man, Leah Michaels is having a party tonight. Me and Em are going, care to join us?" Blake asked, and Niko simply nodded, but showed a smiled that said "absolutely."

"You must be Mackenzie!" the girl - Emily - jumped up again to greet me. She hugged me then smiled widely. "You should come too, it'll be a great way to start meeting everyone."

Blake rolled his eyes, and I didn't want to make him mad, so I said I'd pass. "Sorry." Blake laughed now, and I realized he wasn't rolling his eyes because she invited me, but because she was being very straightforward.

"I'm driving," Blake laughed. "And we're leaving around eight."

Liz jumped in, "No drinking, no drugs, nothing illegal. If you drink even one cup of alcohol, don't even think about driving. Call me, I'll pick you up." Everyone agreed. "And you're all coming back here after?" she asked.

"Yeah, hey, could you call my Dad," Emily asked. "He said he wanted to talk to you," she laughed.

"Sure thing, sweetheart. Back by eleven!" everyone was running up the stairs before she could even finish.

I stayed at the counter, not knowing if I was supposed to follow.

"Go on," Liz urged, "get ready," she winked.

I did what she said, and skipped up the stairs, finding everyone on Blake's room. I leaned in the open doorway, and everyone glanced up at me. I looked down at the floor, embarrassed, and Em jumped up toward me, dragging me out of the room, into Jessica's.