On this particular night, it was snowing heavily. The air was dry, and the cold wind was hurting Ira like a sharp knife piercing bones as she was walking in a small alley. The street was deserted, no pa.s.serby or vehicles traveled the way.

The night was cold. She hugged her shoulders wrapping herself tightly in her jacket.

When she found herself lost, she walked with fastened steps vigilantly. The alley was dark with only two of all functioning streetlights. There was a rotten smell in the surrounding. It came from garbage spilled on the ground. 'Why did I take this shortcut?' she thought.

Just as Ira was walking a sharp voice rang from behind her: "Hey."

Having heard that this place is unsafe at night, she trembled. She felt endless fear, her knees got numb when she heard the strangers voice.

Ira felt a strong sense of panic but didn't dare to look back.

Shaking her head, Ira ran hurriedly. However, the fear in her heart got heavier as she heard sharp footsteps of the man behind her.

The Man was running after her shouting: "Hey Baby."

Her area usually is safe but its so quiet and deserted that it would come as no surprise that it would harbor hooligans at midnight. Just because she was late from school had she took the shortcut, but Ira didn't notice the time.

She was running blindly in the dark night until she abruptly b.u.mped into someone.

"Save me..." Ira pleaded in a weak voice. Her eyelashes shook in fear as she looked up at the man rather a boy her age.

With a pair of eyes filled with tears of horror, pointing at direction behind her Ira said: "Someone is running after me!"

The boy looked behind her and pulled her hand. She stood behind him hiding.

After realizing that he was caught, the man stopped for a moment but then discovering that his opponent was just a high school kid he shouted: "Hey girl, come over."

Ira was scared that the person may leave her. She held his arm tightly.

Only when she was certain that the person would not abandon her did she gained the courage to look at the man.

He was a middle-aged man in a brown jacket who was probably drunk. He looked dangerous.

The boy could a.s.ses the situation the poor girl was running from the man. Presumably, the man was hara.s.sing her.

"If you are a man don't do anything indecent to the girl."

"Don't get involved kid."

The man stepped forward and tried to touch Ira. But his wrist was caught by the boy who tightened his grip and shot a straight punch on his face. Just as the man fell on the floor, they ran hand in hand for a long time till they reached a safe place on the main road.

Ira saw the boy a handsome face with deep eyes and unconsciously smiled. She fell for him at first sight.

He was Steve Owen.

Back from her past memories, Ira shook her head.

Thinking to herself: ' Everything started out beautifully like a movie. He was first for all things. My first smile, my first sight,my first date,my first kiss,my first pa.s.sion... but I never thought that a path to him would end in desolation, the path I took in the pa.s.sion of youth.'