Max had found me the night the next night curled up on the soft carpeted floor where I laid last night, still asleep. Maria had the morning shift and had neglected to wake me up. She kindly left my sleeping body to be found and taken care of. Max wouldn't be pissed at me, oh no. He would rip into her for "not being a good co-worker". Either way, I knew Maria would be gripped at, so I honestly didn't mind at all. I was surprised I'd even slept through the commotion of the day.

"Cassandra, wake up dear," Max cooed lightly with a hand lightly on my shoulder. I didn't want to get up, that ride with Paul last night took a lot out of me, but the sloppy dog kisses that Thorn so lovingly administered happened to be quite the motivator.

"Why were you sleeping on the floor," he asked, a rather confused look adorned his face.

"Well you see," I mumbled stretching," I was recently evicted from my apartment and I just missed the church closing," I wish I could have seen his ever amusing visages clearer. To say Max and I were close was an understatement at best. Not only was he like the father I never knew nor had but he was my whole family. He was the one who set me up in the apartment, he pulled me into the shop and fed me. He was the one who gave me a job and he looked out for was the only one who ever cared about me. He had to care I think, if he didn't then he wouldn't have given me a job here. When I got to Santa Carla, I was a scrawny thing with long dreadlocked white hair, a sunken in stomach and face,and I stunk. I looked sickly but he saw past that and helped me. I owed him so much and we both knew it.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you go to my office and call? I would have let you stay with me, you know I have many extra rooms," he asked a small frown on his face but offered me his hand none the less.

"I thought I could make it to the shelter or church in time. You do a lot for me Max, I owe you big time. I didn't make it,then the rain started, I planned on walking back here."

"You were going to walk ten miles in the rain? Really? I have to insist that next time you call me,"he said as he walked with me to the back.

"Yes." It's not like I had any other way of getting here. He pushed and held the door open for me. The beads in my hair clattered as I made a point to look him in the eye for a challenge to my words. He made sure to get the point across before; trustno one in this damned town.

"Then is that why I saw you getting off the back of a particular blonde's motorcycle" he replied calmly as he hung his jacket.

"You saw that? He was really persistent and-"I rambled off melting under his fatherly stare. It was just something that he did and I automatically had to tell him. It was like I couldn't help it. Besides lying wouldn't have helped anyway.

"The security cameras show everything," he grinned as he went around his desk.

"Shit. You got me there. I forgot about those."

"Yes well, you'd do well to remember they're there next time. And try not to get rides from strangers. Do you even know that boys name?"

"Not exactly."

"He's one of those guys in that motorcycle gang. He's a punk, don't let him or his friends fool you."

"Well don't worry about me. I'll never be seeing him again anyway," I replied with an eye roll.

"I always worry Cassandra. Besides do you know how difficult it is to hire another work as efficient as you?"

"Oh how you wound me, I'll never be the same again and you'll never find another employee," I sighed dramatically, fainting in the chair with my head at my forehead.

"Cassandra please never be afraid to ask for anything Cassandra. I'll do my best to help in anyway I can," he smiled before setting the papers he'd been messing with down and pulled me into one of those fatherly bear hugs.

"Thanks Max," I whispered, hugging him back. We let go and Max trotted back out the door while I turned and set my bag down on the grey desk behind me. The walls were a light gray and there were metal shelves which held the extra movies and anything

had a random few desks in the back, one for paperwork and the other was just used for organizing. The walls are solid cinder blocks while the floors are a solid light grey but the florescent lights made them look like more of a light blue.

I ended up in a clean bra and panties, along with a new black crop top. It was plain but gave quite the view of my belly button ring again and it stopped right about mid rib unlike my other top. My pants were a pair of old faded black ones that I used

to wear more often when I worked in a garage back in New Jersey. I had my black Dr. Martens on with a black nose ring and crow feather earring in my right ear. What really made this special was how I tied my dreads up with some of my other dreads and used an old, black, stretchy, fishnet headband to keep it up and back from my face. I never usually wore makeup except some mascara and winged eyeliner to bring out my grey eyes. Today I had thought maybe I'd go a bit extravagant and throw on some red lip stick. I hoped making myself up a little more than usual would help my mood. Getting evicted did put a damper on my mood. Although they matched my long red nails perfectly. I have to say although Maria is nosy; she did do a fantastic nail job.

After I'd gotten dressed, I went out front and guess who I saw? The blonde who'd given me a lift home last night. He didn't seem to notice me at first as he was too occupied talking to Maria. I slipped past the shelves unnoticed as I preferred. I made my way towards the counter and started stacking VHS' intensely while ignoring them the best I could.

"She's right there," Maria pointed towards me. She said so begrudgingly, as she jerked her thumb my way. She thought Paul was attractive, it was obvious and I didn't blame her a bit. He was especially now that I could actually get a good look at him. He had a lot of nerve coming in here like this. He totally ignored Maria and just trailed right up to me with the same goofy smile he had last night.

"Hey Sandra!"

"Hello...?" I replied dryly as I stacked some video tapes that were recently returned and set them on a nearby cart with wheels.

"Do you not remember me?" he laughed, smiling even wider.

"Yes? Isn't your name like Matthew or Blake or something?" His belting laugh caught me off guard.

"Cold as ice babe," he laughed and leaned against the wall, "I know you know my name."

"Your name is relevant? Oh come on Paul, what are you doing here," I spared him a seconds glance just to see his smile was still plastered on his face.

"I was hoping the beautiful girl I drove back to her work last night would let me take her out to get pizza." Now it was my turn to laugh.

"No thanks," I had filled up the cart with enough tapes to sufficiently be considered 'working'.

"Why?"

"I don't trust you." My reason was plain and simple. I did not trust him. This town be damned, the people are demons in disguise.

"What can I do to make you trust me? I don't know what I've done to make you not trust me."

"Trust is earned not made. To me you are a stranger. Haven't you ever heard the saying never trust strangers for they are wolves in sheep's skin?"

"I can't say I've heard that one," his laugh was a hard one to miss, "Let me earn your trust."

"Says the spider to the fly," I whispered, pausing to look up at him, "you know I just might let prove I can trust you."

"How can I do that?"

"I might actually let you take me out tonight."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I figured since I hadn't eaten all day that pizza might be nice," I gave what I'd call a pretty believable smile as I looked him in the eyes.

It's hard to look someone in the eyes and lie to them but I won't crack and I am not going out with him.

"Hey," I smiled catching his attentions, it seemed like he was trying to crack through me. To see if I was lying," Don't worry about it, I have to work a bit longer. It's what eight o'clock? I have to work until ten at the most and then we can go catch a pizza. Does that sound good to you?"

"Anything sounds good with you," he laughed, "but I think I could help you if I stayed here. Besides if I do then you can hop on the bike with me."

Shit. Think of something. Quick.

"I don't think my boss would be fond of you following me for two hours."

Quick thinking, good work, he can't argue.

"You have a point and I don't want to make work harder for you despite how much help I know I can be," I paused to pull a joint from a pocket on the inside of his vest this time," Don't worry about it babe, I'll see you in two hours." Paul kissed my forehead and lit his joint as he rolled out of this joint and it didn't take long before I heard his bike squeal away.

Thank God. I'm not waiting for him to come back in two hours. Fuck that.

"Watch my cart." Maria knew I was talking to her, she was standing on the other side of the rack listening to Paul and I's conversation anyway.

I glanced out the window checking to make sure Paul wasn't around before I darted to Max's office.

"Yes, come in. How may I help you," Max called sarcastically from his seat at his desk.

"The motorcycle guy came in and Maria sold me out. He's coming back in two hours to take me out to pizza."

"Is that a bad thing? He's buying you dinner, that's what the we were taught to do back in my day."

"Regardless of the sweet gesture, understand that I am only following your advice of trusting no one. I don't know if I want him to be come a constant in my life either through friendship or relationship status, I'm sure that I can not handle letting him in."

"Cassandra did you trust me when you first met me?"

"No bu-"

"But nothing. Sometimes strangers are here to help. Sometimes strangers can see the best of you when even you can't. I'm not saying you have to go out with him but for him to come back, he doesn't sound so bad."

" I want you to remember this as the day you told me that going out with a dude in a motorcycle gang, more specifically a Lost Boy isn't a bad idea. I want you to remember this moment where you are encouraging me to sign my death wish." I was utterly frustrated. Wasn't he the one who told me to fear for my life and beware of people's demons and all that shit?

"Like I said, you don't have to go but if you really want to avoid him, I suggest slipping out the back door."

"Oh you do understand! Thank you, I'll take that advice and use it to it's fullest extent." With a wink and a grab of my bag, I had made it out the back door and straight down the boardwalk and down to a favorite shop of mine. Frog Comics.

Revised: 9/6/17