New Beginning

• Eunice Balgos, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2013

I watch the on the streets, the people are pacing. Walking back and forth, with a destination to go. They go to work, they go to school, they go to their own home. Home. It sounds like a nice place. A place where in the winter you'll huddle near the fireplace, and in summer lounge around the cooler places.

But me. Where do I go? Where is my home? I sit around, in the side of the streets, holding a tin can out and begging people for their spare change. There are a few people that throw change my way, but it's only a few cents. But a few cents is enough.

The people that notice, they look and they don't want to look anymore because they are scared. They pity me. They feel sorry for me, because while they have a home, what I have are a few clothes, a tin can, and a few news papers for a blanket. The others look at me with disgust and hatred. They look at me, and look away, thinking that I am filth in their eyes, and if they look at me any longer, I will screw up their eyesights.

I see a few faces and I always recognize them. The guy with the thick eyebrows is always late for work, and the girl with the tall shoes is walking to school. The guy's with the hoodies are guy's you don't want to mess with, and the one with the suitcase is a richman. There's always one guy who I remember the most.

The one with the casual clothes, with his hands in his jeans, slick brown hair with long bangs and blue eyes with a nice smile, and he always directed his smile at me and gave me ten dollars every time. He comes by once a week, and I always spend that money on food. Then one day he talked to me.

"Hello," He had tilted his head, and grinned.

"Um, hi." I said awkwardly. I never talked to anyone. Just observed and thought about my pathetic life. So I didn't really know what to say.

"My name is Jacob, what's your name?"

"I.. I don't think I have a name." I said. "Or I don't remember it."

He observes my face and says "You look like a Crystal." He states, scratching his the back of his head sheepishly.

"Crystal?" I tilt my own head.

"I know, I'm bad at naming. But, you can start a new life. As Crystal. You just have to come with me." He smiles at me. Offering his hand to pull me up, and stand up.

I look into his eyes, looking a bit hesitant at first, but see that he doesn't show negative emotions. I can trust him.

I take his hand and pull myself up. I can start a new life as Crystal. Not the nameless-homeless girl that wondered the streets of the city. As a new person, I'll start again.