Even in the light of day, the alley was dark. I sighed. This scenery was getting boring real fast. Not that I could see myself anywhere else. This is where I fit in, this is who I am. Just a stupid punk girl with no reason to be in the world. I kicked a bone out of my way as I walked, wondering what animal it had belonged to. Hopefully not a cat. They're one of the few animals I like. But maybe it was better off, escaping life from this place. Exiting the alley, I snagged an apple from a fruit seller set up on the street. He didn't notice, of course. It had been months since I'd been caught. Up ahead, I saw a familiar face waiting for me. A smile appeared on my face, just like every other time I saw Aki. I kept my pace even, striding up to him with a simple "Hey."

He nodded his head. "Hi, Misa. Seen anyone else around?"

"Nope. I assumed that Nami and Hotaru would be with you."

"I saw Hotaru a little bit ago, but he was in a hurry somewhere so I didn't bother him."

I smiled, cocking my head. "Guess we have to go look for them."

He smiled back at me, just a little, and I felt my heartbeat increase. I wonder if he knows how I feel about him? "I guess so," he replied. 

We wandered around until it was dark, only finding Nami and Sozaku in the end. Honestly, I didn't mind it at all. Just being with Aki....it was something I wished would happen every day. Sometimes I dreamed of him and I, escaping this goddamned place together. It would probably never happen, but it didn't hurt to hope. At the end of the night, I meandered home, in a happy daze from the day. I carried a bag of food in my right hand, in case she had forgotten to go shopping again. That was probably the case. It's not like she gave a rat's bottom about me.

As I walked up to the house, I noticed that a light was on in the front room. I rolled my eyes, it was just like her to forget something as simple as turning off a light. Wait...was there a car in the parking lot? Who would be at our house at this time of night? The woman never brought work home with her, so it wouldn't be that. And there's no way she bought a car, we'd never be able to afford something like that. I pulled open the door, my guards up. I doubted there was a robber stupid enough to park there car in the street right in front of the house, but you never knew. I could probably take him, even if there was one. But instead of a thug sitting in the living room, it was an old lady.

.....

I could only stare. What the hell was I supposed to say? Who was this woman, and why was she in my house?!

"Uh..." I started. "Who are you?"

She looked amazed, whoever she was. Before I knew it she had gotten up and was standing next to me. I inched away, uncomfortable with how close she had gotten.

"Misa," she said. "I'm your grandmother."

...

What? No. No, that couldn't be true. My mom barely mentioned her mother, they hadn't gotten along. What the hell was some rich old lady doing out here in the slums, visiting a daughter she hated?

What was happening to my life?