A 16-years young girl was walking through the streets.

Her hair was blue, tied using black ribbons making two cute twin-tails. She was wearing a frilly white dress, and her blue eyes were looking at the street on that summer afternoon.

Her name was Miranda Clark. She started the first year of high school at a place close to her house.

The girl was going back home to meet with her sister, but a few minutes after she arrived at her sister's workplace, that day's plans were ruined.

Her sister Diana usually doesn't get work to do, so she just stay in wait until no customers are allowed to enter, and the two sisters go home together.

But on that day, Miranda returned home alone, because Diana got work.

So the young girl was on her way home. Passing through a few shops, looking at some clothes in shops nearby, she was wondering what to do that night. Stay alone at home, watching TV? School had already ended that year, so she didn't get homework. They had food in the fridge, so not much diversity was available.

However, those thoughts perished when she saw a boy squatted down near a dumpster. He was covered in bruises, his breathing was rough, and had glass shards on his body with a few drops of blood falling.

—"Hey... you should go to a hospital." The girl said.

The boy looked at her, making her back off a little.

—"You're right. Can I use your phone? I need to make a call first." The boy said with a smile.

The girl was certainly afraid, but that boy's smile shown a sense of security as if he was reliable, so she approached him. She ended borrowing her phone but was ready to run away if needed.

—"Alice? It's me. CALM DOWN. I'm close. Baby, please hear me. You know I'm not running away. I'm a few minutes from the hotel. Yeah, take that road. Sure, I'll wait. I love you. Bye."

The boy ended the call, shrugged, and returned Miranda's cellphone.

—"Thank you... Sorry for the inconvenience."

The girl kept looking at him, immersed in deep thoughts. The boy got a little startled at her staring, and she broke the silence after a few seconds, saying.

—"You said that you love that person on the phone. How do you know?"

Isn't it obvious? He wanted to say but kept these words to himself.

—"Well,  I think it's a strange love, to say at least. But... Now that you asked, because that person wants to meet me no matter what, and this is a pleasant feeling, I wanna call it love."

She pondered for a certain time.

Silence took place in that late afternoon. The sun had almost disappeared, but a few lights started illuminating that street.

These words reverberated through her mind, with no particular response. Trying to find an answer, confusion now took her reasoning.

After a few minutes, she replied.

—"You're weird... But I think that I understand. I wanna meet my sister, but she won't come until tomorrow.  I wanna meet her, so I love her, right?"

Now it was the boy who kept staring at the girl, thinking in an answer.

But in this case, she was not startled. Miranda has found her new plan for that night.

After a few seconds, he told her.

—"Yes, you love your sister. But your love and my love are different."

—"How do you know the difference? Love is love, right?"- The girl asked, folding her arms and making a pout.

The boy was thinking, what could he say to her, without sounding like an idiot? 

—"Hmm... You're right. But something inside me says that it's different, that's how I know." He told her, letting out a chuckle.

—"Something inside... I don't understand... But...

I decided. I'll wait for that person with you. I want to see it."

She squatted down, an sat together with the boy.

The boy was horrified.

—"No, wait... You can't. I'm serious. And why you're so obsessed with this?"

—"The phone is mine, so I'll wait. My sister said that everyone who told " I love you" to her were liars. So I wanna know what's so good about love. Don't even care to argue back."

He started to laugh in self-despise.

—"(Oh, shit... Please don't kill me on sight, Alice.)" He said in his mind. —"By the way, I'm Dean. Dean Langer. Where your sister works? You don't have anyone waiting at home?"

—"Miranda Clark. My sister works in a brothel. It's just me and her at home." She answered while typing her phone without looking at him.

Dean was in distress. What he just asked? This sounded like two bombs... But this girl is fine, her words had the same tone as the others. What happened in this girl's life? He thought.

After a few minutes, a voice was heard.

—"Thank you for helping Dean."

Alice apologized to Miranda.

In Miranda's house, Alice is now treating Dean.

—"So... should I pay a visit to Francis Cayden?" Alice asks.

—"Ouch. Wait. More important, where's Vincent? Francis must be after him." he says, looking at a window.

—" I don't know... He was at the party last time I saw him. And he don't answered my call."

—"Please be fine, buddy..."

—"Who's this Vincent?" Miranda asked, looking at the couple, and typing her phone.

—"He's our friend... he got into some trouble."

—"I don't know this Vincent... But I think I heard sis talking about someone with Cayden as last name... I'll text her."

—" Wait, but she's working, right? Let's not bother her..." Dean said, trying to keep his posture.

—"It's fine. The customer that sis got is a drunkard. I saw him before I left. He'll sleep soon." And she started typing her phone again.

Before Alice could ask, Dean whispered something in her ear, which caused her to get a red face, but she nodded after hearing it.

After a couple of minutes, Miranda's phone ringed.

—"Sis said Francis Cayden left a guy on the brothel. That friend of yours is Vincent Morris?" The girl asked, looking at the phone.

—""Yes."" The couple replied together.

—"Sis is taking care of him, she saw on his wallet."

—""What?"" The couple replied together.

Alice got red and made a flustered face, and Dean a troubled and awkward face.

—"Your friend is safe." Miranda said while turning off her phone.

—"Thank you, Miranda, you really helped us." Dean said to her.

—"Thank you for helping us." Alice completed.

—"Don't worry. By the way, this Francis. I think I know who he is. I saw a guy talking about  "Morris Family" being a target, while I was waiting in the brothel."

They both gulped, then nodded.

—" Fine, I'll warn him. I also need press charges on Francis. Thank you for everything Miranda, we'll be leaving now." 

Dean said, and when he raised, Miranda urged to stop him.

—"No-no, you two stay here. I want to see you both and your different love."

The couple nodded. Looking at one side, they really owed her. But eye contact wasn't necessary, the reason to stay there was leaving a young girl alone in the night. They couldn't do something like this.

So the two spent the night at Miranda's house, where they had an entertaining dinner. They watched TV for a few hours, and the 3 had a peaceful night.

 

—"So... Where are your new friends?"

Diana asked her sister, closing the entry door.

—"They already left, a little earlier. But I got their numbers."

Miranda replied, swaying her legs on the sofa.

—"Nice, you can meet them some other day." The woman said smiling.

—"Yes. So what left is..." Miranda said while raising her body on the sofa. -"How was that Vincent guy?"

Diana stared at her for a few seconds and said with a slightly angry tone.

—"What to do you mean? He was a customer. In fact... You're too young for this. Stop." She said while sitting on a table in the living room.

The girl tried to retort but was interrupted by her. —"But sis, when you had my age, you got the highest bids..."

{BANG}

—"STOP." She said while hitting the table. -"I don't wanna hear. I don't have that title anymore."

—"Okay..." Miranda replied in a low voice.

—" It's fine if you understand. I don't want the same for you." She resumed her talk. —"Well, I'll be transferred to your school. The Ring already appointed me. I gonna be responsible for part of the training."

—"Really? I can meet those girls?" She said, going back to her normal tone a little.

Diana stared at her, a little angry.

—"You can meet, but don't get any ideas."

—"Fine."

The girl returned her eyes to the TV, while replied with an unhappy tone.

The woman, although showing otherwise, was thinking about that night. The money she got from yesterday would really help her... But no more than this.

—"I must stay in reality. Even if he miraculously could afford the cost, there's no motive." She said to herself.

---

 

A couple entered the hotel's hallway.

When Dean approached, he saw some people carrying baggage.

—"Michael? Bob? What's happening?" He asked.

—"Some of the classmates are already leaving." replied Bob.

—"Why?" He asked again.

Michael took a look at Alice, then at Dean. He got a depressed and slightly envious expression and explained.

—"Apparently, someone told about the competition the girls, so all those who were participating got dumped. Though certain boys got success on their confessions. In all cases, only a few people will stay, most of them are still here just to go shopping."

—"Ah, I see. Thanks, Michael. Wait... Rebecca and Jennifer are leaving?" Dean replied while looked at the people who were leaving.

—"Dean..." Alice said, gripping his wrist.

—"Ouch. It's just for fun. Can you ask about it?"

As expected, Alice already heard about Francis's "dates".

She shrugged and done her research.

After a few minutes, she reported.

—"Ah, they're leaving. It seems like the date was up because "he was hot" or something like this. But he has shown up with something in his face, so both dumped him yesterday. Are you happy now?"

Dean started to laugh, while Alice murmured.

—"Idiot."

—"Sorry, let's look for Vincent."

When he said that, the one who appeared was Lisa Woods, with a sad and irritated expression.

—You saw Vincent? He disappeared yesterday."

—"Ah... I think he must be on his way here." Dean replied to her.