All that is skin-deep

6. You ran back

She would admit going for a little stroll at night wasn’t the best of the best ideas, more less of she had to pass by the pub.

It was the exact route she took to university, the exact same shops and no change but given the circumstances that it was night time—of course the pub would be packed, what did she expect.

Them in bed actually sleeping or being around their families. Them preparing for the church service tomorrow or how it went for today’s, or maybe something more important that required them to be sober.

And she couldn’t blame them at all. Going through life raw—no alcohol, drugs or weed, just living this shitty life ‘willingly’—a clear head and positivity.

She wasn’t promoting any of those practices at all nor was she persuading people to always see the world in negative.

It had it’s better days and mostly worse.

But humans needed an escape at some point.

It be it books, alcohol or anything they desired. Just that sometimes they tend to abuse it, beyond return point.

Beyond a person’s own recognition. They would loose sight of what they needed to do, what they were progressing in each time they found a sort of peace—a kind of relief.

Like everything it didn’t last neither do the hardships, they just happen to take a longer period.

Though despite those thoughts she was certainly close to killing the drunken man, who took the liberty of following her, complimenting her—flattery usually took to effect on her mostly from drunk men, his though—it made her cringe.

Almost poke her ears out or the memory itself.

Gosh how she felt embarrassed for the man but mostly herself. It wasn’t exactly an ideal lovable Saturday night—she hope it would be.

The little stroll to clear her head, hadn’t been great at ‘clearing’ her head or doing anything in general.

All it did was provide stress and keep her at high alert of the man. Of course she would be advised to like run or loose the freak, and she tried—every chance.

Speed walk, she did that. Turn at the nearest corner, did that. Enter a shop with an audience, did not do that—given half the shops were closed, amusing.

Go home, she would but that would require her to turn to the man and walk past him. Not that he wasn’t drunk already and almost stumbling at each step he took, but he was twice her height and far stronger even intoxicated.

Plus, she did not, certainly not want to man to know where she stayed.

He would not remember, maybe but still. She was not putting herself and her mother in danger—now how to lose the damn fucker.

Fall into someone’s arms and pretend to know them, most preferably a man—that could work.

One problem, no human being was in sight—no saviour.

And if she happened to, let’s say find a stranger and scare the man away. How certain was she that she had not fallen into more danger.

Generous people were hard to find.

Each step she took she knew the man was loosing patients and he would approach, shout? Fight her? Whatever it was—she had to find a solution soon.

And solution was approaching. Light footsteps echoed through the street, the shadow reflected upon the concrete ground with the illuminating light of the lamppost.

It wasn’t at all right for her to be given the overwhelming joy over a stranger she hardly knew or ever saw, but it was what it was. A way out was a way out.

Ready to cringe on the person for dear life, Petra readied her stance—her act, her lines—the emotion.

But that hope soon withered away as the so hoped for saviour stumped into the trash can.

Drunk, f*****g drunk. That was what the fool was—was there not a single soul out drunk at this hour!

Her time of demise had certainly approached. The stench of alcohol in her nostrils was far beyond revolting, that only meant that bastard actually had determination.

Impressive.

“Hey little slut, I’ve been calling you. Do you not know your job?” he slurred placing his filthy hand on her skin.

Repulsive.

“You’ve got the wrong person.” she winced her pulling her arm away, only to have it grabbed, firmly.

“No I don’t. My d**k needs tending to!”

Okay the audacity this man had was far beyond ‘audacity’, it was a will to die.

“Leave me alone!” Petra frustratingly hissed shoving the man away.

“You wanna see bucks? I’ve got them!” he mumbled rummaging through his pockets, pulling out each cent he had.

Desperation.

Before he could grab her again with the other bucks in his left palm. Petra felt a gentle touch pulling her closer to a warm body, and it did not reek of alcohol.

“Are you deaf?”

Ah, maybe after all a saviour was intended to find her and odds of it being a person she knew, barely but knew nevertheless.

Natasza Volkov.

She did not want to at all fall into the stereotypical damsel in distress saved by the stranger she had just met, then falls for at a point in a movie but she was just as damn close to marrying her—of course in gratitude.

“Who are you?”

“She said she ain’t a prostitute. Go find them somewhere else!” Nat barked glaring at the man.

“I want her cunt!”

It sounded more of a whine then a demand, and again he was begging for death.

“Okay, come here.”

Pulling herself from Petra, Nat walked over to the man grabbing his clothing before he ran.

The next think Petra saw was Nat’s knee kicking him in between his legs—and down went the weasel—stupid man.

“How was that, cunt enough for you? Or would you like a second one.” Nat hissed swinging her fists at him, not that he would do anything he was hugging his knees and crying.

Painful to watch not because of guilty but he was crying ugly, very pitiful.

“Cunt enough for you?” asked Petra as she broke out laughing, problems of before faded.

The girl stared up from the man a wide grin on her face. “I was going for, ‘was the extravagant cunt up to sir’s expectations’ but I can’t waste fancy words for a fool.”

Another laugh escaped her lips, this time more vibrant. “Extravagant?” she wheezed.

“You alright?”

“A little shaken up but alright. I should go home.” she spoke glancing around the street.

“I’ll walk you back. The streets aren’t for a pretty lady like you.” with a wide smile Nat commented wiggling her eyebrows a bit.

“Well thank you knight and shining armour.” Petra winked making her way to Nat, so she walked by her side—a bit more secured.

“At your service.” the girl winked back. A couple of buildings down the silence became unsettling, not nothing a little small talk couldn’y fix.

Nat cleared throat earning Petra’s attention. “What are you doing out here at this hour?” she asked.

“A stroll?” it wasn’t at all a response more of a question because her planned stroll turned to a well thought out sketch of ‘How to escape drunk men at gloaming—midnight’.

Maybe it would be a best seller.

“You should stroll in the day time.” Nat suggested with a light smile on her face.

“Noted!” Petra shook her head completely understanding the scenario, she wasn’t going to do this again. “What are you doing out here?”

“Well, I was clearing my head after the shots I took and I was thinking of grabbing something to eat. So a stroll!”

“You should stroll in the day time.” Petra mimicked her words and tone, a raised brow even.

“I feel like if I say no. This will bite me.”

“It will.” she cheerfully piped. She turned to the store in front of them and back to Nat. “Well we are here. See you around?”

“Wait that reminds me.” she stopped the girl, handing over the plastic bag she nervously rubbed her neck. “That is yours.”

“What is in here?” the moment she saw the familiar fabric and pink colour, she squealed—internally of course. But that bright smile dropped the moment her mind got clouded. “Don’t tell me you carry it around like a good lucky charm?”

“I might have lied, I was having a stroll but to kinda give that back. I did have a couple of shots that explains why I was planning on giving you this at this hour. Really really sorry if this looks creepy.” the girl gushed glancing between Petra and the ground.

A smile broke through Petra’s worried stare. “No it’s thoughtful and I wouldn’t have let you have it if it wasn’t my favourite.”

“Don’t worry it’s not my style.” she sighed—it went well after all.

“Wait a second!” she instructed running through the door. No long did she wait as the girl stood in front of her with a blue container.

“What’s this?” she questioned receiving the container from her hands.

“A midnight snack and thank you!”

“Well thank you.” she beamed.

“Goodnight Nat!”

Maybe that stroll had not been a bad idea for both, the night did take a wonderful turn of events.

“Night!”