Unfortunately Unlucky

Unsafe

Asia's POV

"I-I'm not quite sure. It's called... uhh... New York City's Inner Apartments? Or something along those lines." I said, softly.

She looked at me like I was crazy. "Oh, goodness... You live over there? Here's what I'll do. I'll stay with you for a bit, but it's very unsafe over there. Why would your dad move you two there?"

"It's a long story. My mom and dad never got along. They weren't ever married. Dad finally had enough of it and said he was leaving and mom demanded he take me with him, since neither of them wanted me."

"Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry." She stopped for a second. "What's your name?"

"Asia Adams." I mumbled.

"I'm so sorry, Asia. But I have to tell you, I can't go into that part of New York with you. I don't even think you should be over there. Your dad clearly did not look into the area. I think you should come home with me."

"No!" I yelled. "Please. Please don't make me. I just wanna go home." I begged.

"Honey, it's dangerous."

"I wanna go home!" I yelled.

She sighed. "Alright. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm gonna try and find a police officer to take you over there. I can't go over to that area."

"Ok." I said quickly. "I just wanna go home."

Her comments made me even more nervous to be over there than I did before.

She sighed and we continued walking. I started to really focus in more on the scenery. It was a dark and sketchy area of town. The only dash of color was from a pizza place's red sign. And even then, it was faded and greyed out.

She finally saw a police officer start to drive towards us. She stopped in her tracks and waved her hands like she was calling a taxi.

The officer pulled over and got out of the car. "Can I help you, ma'am?" He asked.

"Yea, this little girl here got lost. She lives in the New York City Inner Apartments. Is there anyway you could drive her over there? I have to get back home and I don't want her walking alone." She said, very professionally.

"Yeah, I can do that, ma'am. Hop on in." The officer said to me. He opened the back door for me and I realized someone was already in the car.

I hesitantly got in the car, once I noticed there was someone in the back. He closed the door and said something to the woman before he got back in the car.

I stayed as close to the door as possible and far away from the guy. But I noticed something. The kid looked about my age. It still made me just as nervous, though.

"Hey." He said.

I hesitantly looked over at him and he was definitely talking to me. "Hi." I mumbled.

"I'm Charlie." I didn't respond. "And you are?" He asked.

"Asia." I mumbled.

"I'm not gonna bite ya. I'm just letting my curiosity take the best of me. I haven't seen ya around before."

I remembered my goal for New York. Be more confident and make real friends. This could be my chance to do both! Even if he is a criminal.

"I never thought ya were." I said, rolling my eyes at his bite comment. "And I just moved here so no wonder ya haven't seen me around." I said, looking out the window.

"Makes sense. I live pretty close to where you live. Did that woman say New York City Inner Apartments?" He asked.

"Yup. Moved there just this morning and went to find a school."

"New York City Middle School?" Charlie asked.

"I believe so." I said, trying to seem more confident than I already was.

"Cool. Maybe I'll see ya around." I didn't respond. I just tried to look like I wasn't nervous at all, even though I was. "What happened to your arm?" He asked.

I looked at my right arm. My stupid scar from when I was shot the second time was visible. I quickly covered it up with my jacket that I previously took off. "It's nothing."

"Obviously it's something. Come on, tell me." He said.

Ok. Just act confident and he'll never know. "Im from Detroit. In Michigan. I lived in a rough part of town and I got shot by someone."

"Woah! Really? That's so cool!" He said, excitedly.

"I also got this one, and this one from bullets." I said pointing to the two others I've got. "And I've been stabbed four times." I said, lifting up my shirt ever so slightly so he could see the two scars on my stomach and two more on the side of my torso.

"That's so badass! Wow, your parents must hate you for the hospital hills." He said with a small laugh.

"No hospital bills. I stitched 'em up myself." I said as I put my jacket back on.

"Woah! That's insane! Wow, my friends would love to meet ya. If I see ya in the halls tomorrow I'll have to introduce you guys." He said with a grin.

"I don't start till Monday." I said.

"Well, then I guess I'll introduce y'all on Monday."

I gave him a cocky grin. "I'll think about it."

He bit his lip and looked forward. "Fucking sick." He mumbled to himself.

I tried not to laugh as he was so impressed with my wounds.

We finally made it to the apartments and the officer opened the car door for me. "Alright, young lady. This is a pretty unsafe part of town. More so than the other areas. So stay safe and make sure your parents know you're ok."

"Can do. Thank you, officer." I said with a grin.

I walked upstairs and enjoyed the silence of nobody being home. I was proud of myself for what happened in the car. Someone really thought I was cool! I didn't feel very confident, but I looked the part and that all that mattered.

Making friends and being more confident might be a lot easier than I though.