Millie had been filming all week and she was now downtown LA for a break. She had gone out to eat and watched the sunset alone and was now waiting for her mom to come pick her up.
"Hey asshole! You can't be back here this isn't a place for the homeless!" a chef yelled. Millie looked and watched.
"I told you I'm not homeless. I was just tryna grab a bite to eat from the trash cans." a tall lean girl with blonde hair and glasses said.
"That is disgusting!" the chef said.
"Not for me! Ew! No it's for the man at the end of the block... the homeless man asked me to come look for food in here he said he's got a bad leg." the girl spoke.
"I tried to offer him a hot meal at my house but he said this was what he wanted." the girl said.
"This is the fourth time you've tried this this week for him. So scram asshole!" the chef yelled. The girl made a move to get to the trash can and the chef slammed her against the brick building.
"I'm sick of this bullshit." he growled and knocked her head against the wall.
The girl kicked him in the gut and he fell back dropping her. She felt her temple then saw there was blood on her hand.
The man grabbed her up again.
"Hey! Hey get the bloody hell off her!" Millie intervened coming over. The man let the girl go.
"You won't be so lucky next time. Asshole." he mumbled then went back inside.
"Jesus your head..." Millie said and went to gently push some of the girls hair back reaching up. The girl pushed her hand away.
"Um t-thank you but I'll be fine." the girl said.
"What's your name?" Millie asked.
"Baylee. Yours?" she asked.
"I'm Millie." Millie smiled.
"Not to be too nosy but I heard that conversation. I have some left overs. Want to go give it to that man? If he doesn't mind an extra visitor." Millie said.
"Yeah! Yeah sure this way. " Baylee smiled and headed to the man with Millie at her side.
"So where are your parents?" Millie asked.
"Ah they left me here a long time ago..." Baylee said.
"I'm sorry... so you are homeless?" Millie asked.
"No I've got a place." Baylee said.
"Where?" Millie asked not believing Baylee.
"Well it's a tree house." Baylee grinned. That was the cutest grin Millie ever saw she thought then tried to push the thought to the side.
"A tree house? Can you show me that after this?" Millie asked looking at her phone. She texted her mom to not come yet.
"Uh I mean if you really want to see it..." Baylee said.
"I do." Millie said and gave a reassuring smile. Baylee looked away and ahead somewhat fast after Millie smiled.
I bet it's my teeth... Millie sadly thought. Little did she know it was really because Baylee got butterflies in her stomach and didn't like it.
"There he is." Baylee said with a weak grin. Millie handed Baylee the box of leftovers. Baylee walked over to the man with Millie a little bit behind her.
"Hey John, I got you that food you wanted." Baylee smiled and crouched down to the elderly man.
"Thanks to my friend Millie here." Baylee said.
"You have a friend?" John asked in his weak voice.
"Haha very funny." Baylee said and rolled her eyes at him making him laugh.
"Thank you Baylee I can tell you went through trouble to get it... and thank you Millie." the man said.
"Not a problem at all." Millie grinned.
"No problem." Baylee said then stood up. She began walking but Millie caught her arm.
"Hey, your promised me a tree house." Millie smiled but didn't show her teeth.
"Oh right. This way." Baylee said and quickly walked out of Millie's grip.
"Careful with that one, she's had a lot of backs turned on her and I'd be careful with the touching... quite a few men have hurt her before might want to be gentle." John said. Millie looked back at Baylee and jogged to catch up. She began worrying a little, what had this girl been through and could Millie help her?
"Um Baylee?" Millie said.
"Yeah?" Baylee said.
"You don't have to take me if you don't want to... I know I've crossed a few boundaries..." Millie said.
"Is that your way of saying you don't want to go? It's totally fine I mean I'm a stranger and I'm kind of weird I know-" Baylee began talking.
"Your not weird! No no I want to go I just!- I don't want you to feel like you have to take me... I don't want to be a burden." Millie explained staring down.
"Your not a burden." Baylee said with a small smile.
"I'm not?" Millie said.
"Not at all." Baylee reassured.
They continued on.
"Do you always walk through the woods?" Millie asked slightly afraid.
"It's this or the alley ways." Baylee said.
"What's wrong with the alley ways?" Millie asked.
"Men. Nasty men." Baylee said.
"Oh... like the ones Mr. John mentioned...?" Millie asked.
"That man doesn't keep his mouth shut... but yeah. Those are the men." Baylee said.
"Sorry..." Millie said.
"Your ok." Baylee said.
"Here we are." Baylee said. Millie's heart dropped as she saw the disgusting tree house.
