"How dare you try to steal my wallet again!" Mina screeched. She raised her other hand and attempted to slap him. He caught her arm with his other free hand and pulled her toward him.

Mina's head banged on his chest. "Shaddup," he whispered to her and dragged her into a nearby bush. He held her tightly, and Mina could smell his stinky breath. She wanted to barf.

His hand clamped on her mouth. "Mmm!!" Mina tried to protest, but caught his eye. She could tell he was serious. She quieted down.

"Search around here," a voice near them ordered. Footsteps were headed toward them.

Mina closed her eyes. Then she felt something tickle her. She looked down. A spider was crawling on her leg! She almost screamed, but remembered that she had to keep silent. That was easier said than done. As a child, Mina had always been terrified of spiders. And now one was crawling on her leg! She wanted to shake it off so badly.

"No one here, boss," another voice said.

"We'll head back now," the first voice commanded. Mina heard their footsteps fading away.

They waited silently in the bush. Then he grabbed her arm and together they scrambled out. Mina started jumping up and down and shaking her leg.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "They could still be near!"

"Spiders!!!" Mina shout-whispered. "Sorry, but I had to get it off!"

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's get across the street. It's safer." He started to pull her across.

"Hey, we can't cross here!" Mina yelled. "That's j-walking!"

"Let's go!" He grabbed her sleeve and they started running across the road.

Honk Honk! A truck was headed their way!

"So Mina, what's new? Did anything happen?"

Mina remembered that selfish person from the alley. Her thoughts drifted to that boy. 'Who does he think he is, trying to steal my wallet?'

Stephanie started to talk about her morning, even though Mina wasn't listening. She thought it was very rude to ask for someone's wallet, but she admitted that the guy was a bit good looking.

"...are you with me? Mina? Hellooo?"

Stephanie's words blanked out Mina's thoughts.

"Yes?" blabbered Mina.

"Where were you?" giggled Stephanie, "thinking about boys?"

"No! Where did you get that idea anyway?"

----

Then she saw him.He saw her, too. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Mina couldn't look away. It was like there was a force pulling them together. Then he walked up to her.

"Hey," he said. "Can I have your wallet?"

Anger started bubbling inside her again. He wanted her wallet again? What was wrong with him? She tried to slap him again, but he grabbed her arm in midair.

"Hey, let go of me!" Mina yelled, trying to break her wrist free from his clutch.

He smiled. His teeth were yellowish. But Mina didn't care. At that moment, she suddenly felt a warm sensation, a feeling she had never experienced before.

Later that night, Calvin sat up in his bed, thinking about the girl. She was different. He couldn't help but feel a special sensation when he took her wallet, and he felt anger biting him when she slapped him. He had resolved to tell his boss; he wanted his boss to punish her for her slap. No one had ever slapped him before. His other victims would just hand over the wallet. No one dared to slap him.

But now, sitting on his bed, he had different feelings. He knew that his boss would kill her. And he didn't want that. In fact, he wanted to see that girl again. He longed for a glance of her. And he was ashamed of that fierce longing. When he was near her, his heart started beating rapidly. He had never experienced that before.

He tried to sleep. He twisted and turned this way and that, but he was haunted by images of the girl. He could hear her talking to him, he could feel her slap. He touched his face where she slapped him. Tomorrow, he would go and look for her.

'Damn, who was that guy? Thinking he could steal my money,' Mina thought. 'He's going to end up in jail sooner or later.'

Mina had a strange sensation when she was with that guy in the alley. There was no doubt he scared her, but when she looked into his eyes, he looked lost and unsure. Mina stood up to him and he didn't do a thing. She wanted to go back. She needed to go back.

Mina walked up the block to the flower shop and made a left turn to her home.

"Danny, I have your hotdog!" shouted Mina, "take it or leave it."

"I'm coming." Danny snapped.

He took his hotdog and quietly walked away.

Mina was about to head out the door.

"Mina, are you leaving already?" asked Mina's mother - Mrs. Trael.

"Be back in time for dinner - because we won't wait for you," chuckled Mr. Trael.

Mina replied, "don't worry, I'm just going over to Steph's."

Mina put on her light jacket, walked back to the flowershop, then turned a right to the alley. That was where she saw him. Where was he now? Mina couldn't help but wonder about the strange boy. Who was he?

Two weeks had passed, with Calvin skipping school every second day and smoking four packs of cigarettes a day. His money was all spent, and his parents won't give him any extra money. ("Calvin, allowance day is next week!" said his mom.) Calvin sighed and walked down the street. He wanted to smoke, he needed to smoke.

Down the road he spotted a girl about his age at a hot dog stand. She had a wallet. Wallets meant money. Money meant cigarettes. He saw her turn around a corner and couldn't see her anymore. His heart pounded, and he ran to follow her.

She entered an alley, humming to herself. That was it! His chance to buy cigarettes! He ran in front of her and raised his arms, blocking her way.

"May I help you?" the girl said, her voice shaking a little. He could tell she was scared, but she didn't want to show it.

"Your wallet," he said gruffly. He held out his hand, and she gave it to him.

Calvin grinned. He had money to buy cigarettes! He could smoke! He was shaking. Just then, the girl slapped him across the face, grabbed her wallet back, and ran out of the alley.

Calvin's grin quickly turned to a frown. "That girl slapped me," he murmured to himself. "I'm going to tell my boss about that."