Chapter 1

"Midnight Stranger"

On the humid night-time air flowed a range of soft noises, coming from cars jetting by, the continuous hum of a street lamp, the mumbles of several television shows that escaped the security of the numerous apartment homes surrounding her, and the rare chirping of crickets.

Valeria stalked along a narrow road that stretched in between two apartment buildings, above her, clothes dripped the tiniest traces of water as they hung on clothes lines, narrow frames or peeks of light lay unhidden behind curtains against closed glass doors that led out to the balconies, and the faint thudding of footsteps against pavement.

The twenty year old woman, with doe-like, hazel eyes, fine lips that had lately been set into either a straight line or a scowl, and wavy chestnut brown hair that fell down to her collarbone in choppy layers, cast sparing glances at the two buildings as she stared with her head tilted at the sky.

Valeria's heart seemed to lodge into her throat, as a pop can bounced against the pavement, groaning as it rolled ahead of her. Valeria gradually craned her neck around, to reveal a filthy, hobo walking towards her, a twisted smile on his rugged face.

"Hey there-" Valeria snapped her head back around, and immediately broke into a dash for the end of the road, where it split into one horizontal line.

"Hey!" He yelled out, but Valeria refused to heed him any attention, she'd almost made it to the middle of the road, when a sudden bright light blinded her as it made its way toward her. The motorcycle skidded to a halt just inches away from her, and Valeria stared at the boy, despite being unable to see his face due to his helmet.

Behind her, Valeria could hear the man's footsteps near her as they slapped against the pavement once again. Immediately, she sprint past the motorcycle, well aware of the heavy footsteps that had managed to near her.

Valeria pumped her legs harder as the opening grew closer, when the rumble of an engine, and tires skidding against concrete violated her ears. She snapped her head back and slowed to a stop at the sight of the biker separating the hobo from her. Planting his feet onto the ground, he tore his helmet off, his face still not visible to the panting woman behind him.

"Get outta here before I run you over" threatened his masculine voice. The hobo threw a glance back at Valeria, before muttering "she ain't even that special" as he turned and stalked away.

The boy slipped off of his bike, walking toward Valeria as she continued to stare at him with wide eyes. "What's he gonna do?" she thought.

He stopped before her, "Not that it's any of my business, but, isn't it kinda late for a girl like you to be walking around?" His eyes seemed to look her up and down as they took in the faint tremble of her hands, and shoulders.

"Do you live in any of these?" He gestured toward the two buildings, Valeria shook her head, no.

"Do you live around here?" She shook her head, no.

"Do you know what time it is?" Valeria crinkled her eyebrows, and once again she shook her head no.

"Are you mute?" Lowering her gaze, she shook her head again, no.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I can't help you if you won't talk to me."

Valeria looked up, "I don't have a place to stay" she revealed.

"What do you mean" he decided to change his tactics "I mean, you've got nowhere to go?"

"No." Valeria replied.

"I'm not trying to scare you, but it's the middle of the night, you're a girl, and you've got no place to stay. If you want, you could stay over at my place." Valeria's breathing stopped.

"I'm not gonna rape you or anything, chill. I just don't think I'd be able to sleep at night knowing that there's someone like you out on the streets all alone. You might get yourself killed."

"It's not like I have any other choice." Valeria thought to herself "besides, you have nothing left to live for. Things couldn't get any worse than they already are, can they?"

"Okay." She replied, her answer weighed down by a bout of doubt, and exhaustion.

"My name's Axel by the way." The boy stated as the two stepped through the front doors of the apartment building on the right.

Author's Note

Well there you go. :)

My sister finally agreed to writing a collaboration novel, the chapters will alternate between her character and mine. Please read and review, we'd appreciate constructive criticism. We're not perfect, there's gonna be mistakes, but it's up to you to teach us. :)