Michael leaned against the cold brick wall a few blocks away from his house, his face mostly hidden by the pair of pitch shades he wore. He watched the people passing him by, all of them reeking of marijuana and nicotine. It was his first day as a drug dealer and he was extremely nervous and he looked as if he were a man walking to his hanging. He was afraid that a cop undercover would ask him what he was selling and take him to the big house. He couldn't risk another strike. It was much too risky and he hated jail just as much as he hated school. Though it was better than home, he hated all of the grown men that stared at him like he was a slice of steak.

An emaciated man stumbled past Michael, scratching his flushed skin as if he were trying to rip it off and Michael instantly knew that he was a crack addict. He didn't know whether to sell him the marijuana or the crack. Either way, it would make the man more hyperactive than he already was.

"Hey." Michael whispered to him and the man abruptly whipped his body around to face him and his strong body odor made Michael slightly lightheaded.

"Whatcha want, boy?" he asked him quickly with an alert edge to his voice. Michael felt like he was being interrogated by only one question. He didn't think this was such a good idea and wanted to just brush him off and tell him that it was nothing but he was on a mission. He had to win her heart from him. He couldn't let his fears stop him from achieving his goal.

"I got what you want." The man smiled a rotting lemon smile as he slowly approached Michael, his fingernails still itching at his skin.

"How much?" he asked him, eager to feel the elated happiness the addictive drug gave him.

"Ten bucks," he smirked. He knew it was too much but it was a technique that he had rehearsed in his mind. He hoped he would respond the way Michael had planned.

"Ten bucks!?" he exclaimed, taken aback by the high price, "That's highway robbery!"

"Take it or leave it." Michael offered with a cunning smile and by the dismayed frown on the man's face, he could tell that he was defeated and most importantly, desperate. The man's stressed wrinkles settled on his face as his trembling hand dug in his pockets for some bills. With a loud slap, the man slammed a ten dollar bill on Michael's hand and snatched the small package out of his other hand.

"Thank you for your payment," he said slipping the bill into the front pocket of his jeans and received a vague wave from the addict. The job felt so natural to Michael like it was natural for him to inhale and exhale. All he had to do was make the customer feel like they had no other choice and they were putty in his hands. He knew he was going to win Angel's heart in no time.

After another successful sale, Michael decided to retire for the evening and started his way home. He had made over three hundred dollars in less than two hours and he was proud to be the new drug dealer on the block. Not only was he a fresh face but he was a successful businessman that could get under people's skin and make them do anything he wanted like a ventriloquist controlling their puppet during an act. Now the only thing that occupied Michael's thoughts was what he was going to spend his money on. He wanted to buy Angel something but he also wanted to buy himself something useful since he went through all of the trouble to receive the hard earn money.

He dismissed the thoughts from his mind once he was in front of his house. Before he could get his key out, he heard booming laughter from down the street and when he looked, he found two silhouettes strolling down the street, one tall and the other short. His ears strained to listen to the voices just in case he knew of them and his eyes widened in shock.

Angel? With Roylin? Michael couldn't believe they were together again! Did she really like this guy over Michael, the boy who was willing to risk his freedom by going out in the streets selling drugs? He desperately hoped that he wasn't walking her home.

He might try to seduce her...

"Man, Angie. You don't need dat boy. You got a man." He could hear the familiar nervous laughter from Angel's lips and she rubbed the back of her smooth neck.

"I'm sure both you and Michael are men," Michael's heart fluttered, "But really. I have to go check up on him. He seemed really mad last week." Roylin scoffed bitterly at her and Michael wished he could go up to him and knock him out but that would only disappoint Angel and that alone was enough to make him feel guilty.

"Man, don't mind dat boy, Angie." Angel sighed.

"Angel. My name is Angel, Roylin." she corrected as courteously as she possibly could but he only ignored her as if her words didn't effect him.

"Yeah, whatever, Angie." She obliviously shrugged her shoulders and bided him farewell before making her way towards Michael. Her eyes lit up once she saw him and she wanted to jump for joy but instead, she remained calm and greeted her with one of her friendly smiles. Fortunately for Michael, her smile was still the same, beautiful and admiring, just how he liked it. It was like nothing bad between them had ever happened. He was glad that his words didn't effect her personality. That would have put him in a deeper depression than he was already in and he himself would never be the same again.

"Hi, Michael," she greeted softly, joining his side. He could feel her suave skin gently brush against his and he shuddered at the delicate touch. In a way, he felt as if their hearts had briefly connected.

"Hey. Listen," he sighed, "I've been thinking about what happened between us last week and I know I shouldn't have snapped on you like that. I guess I was just a bit..." he struggled as he searched for the right words to say and stubbornly avoided the word he had felt the moment he saw them hugging and Roylin making goggly eyes at her like some hormone crazed teenager.

She could see the trouble in his face once his eyes darted from her to Roylin who was prancing down the street with a skip in his step and Michael cringed.

"It's okay," she assured him for the sake of his anger. He sighed in relief at the assurance but he still felt a feeling of guilt weigh heavily on his chest. He wanted so badly to apologize but the words just wouldn't come out. Apologizing was like confessing his love, both difficult tasks for all people around the world.

"Well, if your not doing anything, we can go get some ice-cream or something. Are you free?" she asked and Michael felt as if he had just been proposed to.

"Yeah, sure. When?" he asked eagerly.

"How about on Friday after school?" Michael nodded elatedly at the suggestion. He couldn't believe he was going on a date with her. Even if she didn't see it in that way, it didn't stop Michael from believing what could be. As he watched her walk off the porch, the guilt instantly returned like the pain after a powerful blow.

"I'm sorry," he choked abruptly. She turned to him and he was glad to see that she was still smiling at him.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." She turned away and started home, occasionally looking back at Michael who was blushing lightly in his cheeks like the bashful boy he was. All along, she had already forgiven him for his outburst. He felt so lucky, so blessed to have such a kind person in his life. A girl who gave without expecting anything, showering people with her everlasting kindness and forgiving the stubborn. She was just the kind of girl Michael needed to support him, to make hin feel the need to strive to become better to make him feel like he actually had the slightest chance to win her from any boy, including his closest friends, his enemies, and especially Roylin Pryce.