A Stray Cat

Finding A Stray

She blew her warm breath out into the cold air when she sighed making a small cloud of fog briefly appear. Her hands trembled as she held her hot cup of tea between them to warm her up. She hated herself for wearing fishnet sleeves in this kind of weather, but when you suddenly bolt from your house and run into the night you don't really have time to think or dress properly. She wondered if her mother was home from work yet, if she noticed she was gone, if she even cared. She wiped a tear away before it could make her cheek colder and quietly sipped on her tea. She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist and let herself drift off to memories of a simpler time with her best friend.

"We'll be best friends forever, right Peaches!" Her brunette friend giggled.

"Whatever you want." She smiled.

She sighed again. That friendship lasted all of one year, then her dad left and her mother wanted to move.

"No! I don't wanna leave Riley!"

Her mother sighed. "I'm sorry baby girl, but mommy got a new job. It's on the other side of the state. It's too big a commute to stay here. We have to move, but I promise things will get better." Her mother tried.

"I don't wanna move! I hate you!"

She let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah right. Nothing got better. Ever since I left Riley, everything only got worse." She wiped away another tear when she thought about the look on Riley's face when she told her she had to move away and she was gonna miss her like crazy. They both cried.

"I don't wanna leave!"

"I don't want you to leave!"

The two six year olds wrapped their arms around each other, clinging on tightly, practically choking each other.

"Don't leave me, Peaches! I swear I'll never make another friend again!"

"Me either! I refuse! No more friends!"

"Never! You and me forever! I love you!" Riley cried. "I'm gonna miss you so much Maya!" She screamed.

"I'm gonna miss you like crazy Riles!"

"I'll never forget you!"

"Me either!"

After a sad moment Riley's father pulled the girls apart and handed a kicking and screaming Maya over to her mother so that they could leave.

"I never forgot you." Maya whispered playing with her bracelet. "I never made another friend like I promised." She scoffed. "Not that I would want one. The girls in my school are just a bunch of stuck up bitches." She rolled her eyes. "I hate all of them. I hate everyone and everything." She sighed.

"That's a lot of hate."

She turned to see a man walking up to her and quickly looked away from him. She flinched hoping he would just walk away, but she felt him sit down next to her and gulped.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. Why do you hate so much stuff?"

She didn't answer him and just prayed to whatever god there was that he would just go away and leave her alone. He looked like he was 40 with his rugged beard and old sweater.

"Runaway right?" His voice was warm and friendly, but Maya didn't trust it.

"I'm not a street corner girl. Go away."

He frowned. "I didn't think you were. Did someone think you were?"

She nodded, let out a shake breath, then turned to him. "Please, leave me alone. I don't need money or-"

"Hey kiddo, I'm not thinking what you're scared I'm thinking." He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry if some other man thought that way, but I don't. I just know a kid having a rough time when I see one." He chuckled a bit. "I looked over here and for half a second I thought I saw myself. A kid running away from everything. I tried to run away a few times back in the day, but my best friend never let me. Always chased after me. Anyone chasing after you?"

She shook her head. "I don't have anyone. I'm not important enough."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Everyone is important to someone. Parents?"

She scoffed. "No."

He nodded. "Siblings?"

"Only child."

He sighed. "And no friends?"

"I'm anti-social." Maya shrugged.

"Well-" He scratched at his beard. "Then what are you running to."

"What?" Maya glanced over at him. "Don't people usually ask what you're running away from when you're a runaway?" She asked, but he just smiled and shook his head.

"That's none of my business. I'm sure you have your reasons that you don't want to tell a complete stranger, but if you don't have anyone to run to then what's your plan?" He asked nicely.

Maya glanced down at her bracelet.

"I see, you do have a friend. Cute bracelet." He smiled. "Did she move?"

Maya shook her head. "No, I did."

He nodded. "And you want to find her? What if she's not the same person she was before you moved?"

Maya gulped. "I don't know, but I know she was the only one who ever cared and I just want-" She sighed.

He blinked. "I get it. So how are you gonna find this friend of yours?"

Maya frowned and hung her head.

The man beside her chuckled. "You have no clue, do you?" He laughed.

She shook her head. "No." She said in such a small voice that he felt bad for laughing at her. "I don't even know her address or if she's still there."

"Then how were you planning on finding her in this huge city?"

Maya huffed. "I know her name. And she has a bracelet like this!" She held up her bracelet so he could see it better. "Except her's is pink, orange, and purple. Mine is blue, green, and red." She put her arm back down.

"It's very cute. So what is this girl's name? Maybe I can help you out?"

"I doubt it." Maya huffed again turning away from him.

"Try me." He chuckled.

"Fine. Her name is Riley Matthews."

"Small world." He thought to himself. "Any chance you want a hot meal?"

She looked at him skeptically.

"A friend of mine invited me to dinner and I don't want to be late. His wife is a lawyer maybe she could track down your best friend for you somehow." He said hiding his smirk. Before she could answer her stomach growled. He chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

Maya turned her head in embarrassment and nodded.