a collection of deep thoughts

red converse

My Converse hit rapidly against the concrete, their voices echoing through the tunnels whilst I'm just trying to flee for my life. Isn't a few black eyes and several broken joints enough? Apparently not.

"Get back here!" one shouted.

Today, I thought—just this once—I could walk home from school safely without the burden of a stinging pain to accompany me. They had different ideas.

Today, my nose was a little too big for them. My hair was a little too frizzy for them. I was a little too ugly for them. Seemingly punching the crap out of me would fix that.

My breathing quickly fell short as well as my pace. There were several corners of graffitied wall I could doge behind, but there was no doubt they would find me. I was wheezing like a dying animal. Swiftly, I tugged at the heel of my red Converse and continued my way along the cracked roads, sun beating down on my hot neck.

The shouts grew:

"Can't run forever!"

"You're fucking dead!"

Along with an assortment of lovely curse words my mother would scold me for greatly.

I thought I knew this path. That stop sign looked familiar, right? There was a lot of those in this town, idiot. Turns out, that stop sign was not familiar, and I quickly found myself at a dead end.

"Dammit," I muttered under my breath. There were a few trash cans. I could just pile those up and climb over the wall. But their footsteps were quickly approaching, and I had nowhere near enough time to do any of that, nor strength.

Frankly, I was fucked. Sorry, mom.

There was only one thing left to do. With a great inhale of courage, I leaned down, fastened the laces against my trusty red Converse, spinning around on my heels to face the group of the most feared bullies.

"Thought you could run?" the one with the ugly gap-tooth in front spoke.

A great surge of confidence rushed through me. Or stupidity. Probably the latter. "A few miles in between your gap-tooth, maybe."

He balled his fist up in anger as he slowly began to grow closer to me. There goes my confidence, flying straight over the wall. It could have at least taken me with it.

My back flattened against the coolness of the concrete wall. He was only inches away from me, sending waves of stench from his breath onto my face. I cringed in disgust.

He stepped on my shoes. Anywhere but the shoes.

"Wanna say that again, fuck-face?" he hissed threateningly.

Another quarter for the swear-jar, except I didn't say that out loud. I wanted to, believe me. I was slightly surprised, however, when someone's voice mimicked my exact thoughts from a crevice between hidden walls.

His voice was deep and brooding as he spoke from the shadows, "That's not a very nice word."

Thank God. He was finally off my shoes at the sound of yet another voice. I didn't know if I should make a run for it while I could, or dart behind the voice, or stray away from the voice. Overall, I just didn't know.

Heart hammering in my chest, he emerged from the shadows. He was tall, with broad shoulders, a hard glare that could send anyone six-feet-under if looks could kill. Against his rough expression, the dark hair only seemed all the more intimidating. The bullies immediately lost their rough demeanor and quickly backed away from me, taking that awful stench from Gap-Tooth with them.

The dude crossed his arms. "I would back away from the guy before you all get hurt." He raised an eyebrow. "Because I don't really like the 'F' word very much."

And just like that, they were fleeing down the graffitied tunnels once more, away from me and the big scary man. I didn't know if I should feel threatened. It was only natural to as I was in this large alleyway with some attractive hobo . . .

Wait, what?

My focus was glued to the ground. Should I say something? It was only polite. When my eyes landed on his shoes, my stomach did a somersault.

Red Converse.

A small smile graced my lips.

♥