Amber was walking towards an alley. It was already dark. It is very unusual for her to be in this part of town since she has a very privileged life. Nonetheless, she always wanted to do something that is new to her. She wanted to do something that does not involve her father watching over her every move. She heard about this place. She wanted to see it for herself.

It was now past midnight. She was lost, so it seemed. She pulled her jacket towards herself for a little warmth her body has left. She heard sirens from police cars and ambulances. She heard screams and footsteps all around her. She saw broken glasses and windows. She heard gun shots. It seems there was a riot of some sort.

She ran as fast as she could, away from all of that. She was scared. When someone grabbed her by the arm and pushed her towards the nearest corner. “Let go o…” The man put his hand over , while his finger was over his, gesturing her to keep quite. Their faces were just inches apart from each other since he pulled her towards a tight spot.

Upon removing his hand over , she screamed instantly. The man again shushed her, covering once more. Amber tried to push him away from her but the man’s grip over her body is much stronger. “Okay” he whispered. “Just keep quiet for a sec, and listen to me, okay?” Amber was still trying to free herself from his grip. He checked their surroundings.

He whispered again, “I’ll remove my hand, just please do yourself a favor, and not scream.” His mouth was just inches away from cheek. She suddenly felt her face became warm, and her body as well as their bodies touched once in a while.

“Oh!” He spoke. His eyes widen, “She’s a girl.” He thought to himself. He was too preoccupied by what was happening around them. She blinked then nodded in agreement. He removed his hand, and finally she did not scream.

He stepped away from where they were standing. “Sorry, about that” He spoke again, and offered his hand to help her, as she regained back her senses from what just happened. “Sorry, if I scared you, and stood that close to you.” The man offered his apologies to the still shaken girl. Amber just kept silent.

“Miss, are you okay?”

She stepped forward, and suddenly, he rushed towards her side as she lost consciousness. Thank goodness, he wasn’t a second late or else she already had hit her head on the concrete. “Miss?” He spoke, as he carried her towards the dark corner as he saw police men running towards some masked men, and gun shots were being fired again. He pulled her closer to him, protecting her from harm. He rushed her to his place.

He placed her on his bed, grabbed a blanket to keep her warm. He grabbed a wet towel, and wiped the dirt off her face, fixing her hair. He never touched anything that soft in his life. Her skin glew as the moonlight hit her face. He smiled as he looked at her. “She is so beautiful.” He thought. He removed her jacket and sneakers, to make her feel more comfortable.  He pulled down the blinds, and let her sleep.

Amber woke up in the middle of the night, one hand supporting her head, as the other hand wiped her eyes. “Where am I? All I could remember I was talking to a….” Her thoughts were interrupted, when she saw a sleeping figure on the floor, lying on a couch near the bed, trying to fit his body in that very small couch, shivering.

Her eyes widened, when she saw his state. “You’re burning up.” She told him, placing the back of her hand on his neck and forehead. She helped him up towards the bed. She covered him up with a blanket, but it was of no use. “What should I do?” She asked herself again. “No, I can’t do that.” She spoke again. “But he helped me, and now he is really sick” She told herself, as she heard him continuously cough, and shiver. “Amber, you need to do this. You can do this!” Her mind shouted at her. She pulled her close him into a hug. “This will keep you warm. Hope this helps.” She tried to calm his shivering body.

She woke up and found herself still hugging him. “At least, he is okay now.” She spoke softly. He unwrapped her arm around his back, checked his temperature. “Thank goodness, the fever subsided.” She placed a blanket over him. She stood up when he grabbed her wrist.

“Thank you” and gave her a weak smile.

She smiled at him, and gently run her hand on his hair. “It’s okay. I am the one that should be thanking you for helping me.” She replied, at that he fell back to sleep. She sat on his couch, decided to wait for him to wake up. She didn’t notice she fell asleep.

He suddenly moved. He was trying to stand up. She was awakened by the sound of the squeaky bed. “Oh” as she ran to his side. “Let me help you” She grabbed him by the arm. 

“No, no need.” He insisted.

She stepped away from him, but still watching him if ever he needed help.

He walked towards the sink. “Thank you for what you did…last night.” He finally spoke, as he wiped his face. 

“That is the least I could do”

Silence filled the room.

“I’m starving.” She whispered to herself.

He heard her, and spoke, “You better be hungry by now. It is already past 12 in the afternoon.”

She smiled, nodded in response.

“Come on, let us buy some food.” He offered.

She grabbed her jacket and followed him by the door.

“You can’t wear that outside.” Henry noticed. “You’re not from around here. Huh?”

“Yeah,” She told him.

“That explains a lot. First, you were out late last night walking in a dark alley, and you’re wearing that.” He explained. “You need a change of clothes. Here, you can use some of my clothes. Let me get what could fit you.” He spoke as he excused himself from the room so she could change. 

He turned his head as soon as he heard the door opened.

“Thanks for the shirt…and for the….” Amber covered her exposed shoulders and arms, and pulled the shorts as it was too short in her opinion.

“Oh, I gave you those. Sorry.” He felt nervous of a sudden as he saw her, and looked away as soon as he could. “Let me put your clothes in an empty bag.” He opened the door for her, still not letting himself be mesmerized by her beauty. “Here” She grabbed the bag, and she smiled at him.  

They went to the nearest marketplace. It was crowded since it was already past noon. It was quite overwhelming for her, but she was happy because it was a new experience. She was amazed by simple things around her. It was all new to her, fascinated, thrilled, excited. She was preoccupied about the things around her that she did not notice the cart that was coming her way. He grabbed her hand, causing her to face him, touching his chest, as pulled her safely into his arms.

“Watch where you’re going!” He shouted to the vendor. “Are you alright?” He asked her, looking at her. “Again, sorry about that” He explained himself, as he noticed what just did.

Amber was also flustered.

“Okay, let us find a place to eat.” He tried to avoid the sudden awkwardness between them. “Oh, I know the perfect place.” He smiled at her.

-x-

“I have this one, this one, and that one over there.” Henry instructed the waiter.

Amber just watched him.

“And for the Miss?” The server asked.

"I guess I will have that one with the vegetables, that one over there, and this one.” Amber replied to the server.

“Ok, coming right up” The server spoke, as he instructed one of his crew to grab some plates, shouting.

Amber jumped in surprise, and Henry noticed. “Stop shouting! You’re scaring her” He spoke to his friend.

“Sorry, Henry” The man smiled at him and at Amber, “Sorry, Miss.”

“Sorry about him. It is just like that around here.” He explained to her.

“It’s okay.” She told him.

They looked for a table.

“Where are you from?” Henry inquired.

“Oh, I am from the city.” Amber replied.

“Uptown?” Henry asked.

“Uptown” Amber answered back.

“Well, that’s explains a lot.” Henry told her.

“Am I that obvious, huh?”

“What brings you here?”

“I just wanted a change of scenery, that’s all.” Amber explained.

“Alone? You should have brought someone with you.” Henry insisted. “Thank goodness, I was there to help you last night.” He continued, as the waiter came out of the kitchen with their orders. “The food is here!” He noticed.

“Now, I’m really starving.” Amber looked for the utensils.

Henry laughed while looking at her.

“Oh, sorry I never told you what is special about this place.”

Amber gave him a more confused look.

“You use only your hands to eat the food here.” He explained to her, grabbing his bowl, pouring some into his plate, showing how she would eat her order. “Cool huh?” He spoke, chewing. “It’s weird, but way too much fun, right?” He smiled at her.

She admitted that it was a very fun experience.

Henry grabbed his wallet for pay for their meal. “No, let me! Since you have been helping me a lot” Amber insisted, pulling out some money.

He went to her side. “You can’t pull out that much money here, out in the open, especially with that much money.” He jokingly warned her. “Just place some twenties and we’re out of here!”

-x-

She bought some random things she found amusing. “Things are way too awesome. I should have gone here long time ago. The food is great, people are great. I still don’t know why my father never allowed me to go here.”

“Because it is also dangerous here at times; way too dangerous.” Henry told her, as a newspaper caught his attention ~ “The CEO of the biggest multinational corporation just have arrived back from the US, with his daughter” ~. “It can’t be.” He thought, and looked at her again while she talked to some vendors. “She can’t be.”

She approached him, “Hey, I have been calling you.” She teased.

Henry just shrugged off what he saw, and decided to enjoy the rest of the day with her.

“Here. I bought you something.” Amber gave a black cap to him.

“You shouldn’t. I can’t take this.” Henry gave it back.

“Take it! It is my ‘thank you’ gift.” Amber insisted.

Henry wore it immediately, thanking her.

“Oh, I want some of that!” Something caught Amber’s attention, grabbing Henry by the arm.

Henry just chuckled.

-x-

Later that night, “I think it’s getting late. I think it’s for you to go home.” Henry told Amber.

“Where did you saw it?”

“Saw what?”

“You saw the headline today in the newspaper. Haven’t you?” Amber noticed the headline a while ago.

Henry just nodded.

“And you never asked me anything.” Amber noticed.

“You’re having so much fun today. I can’t spoil it.” Henry explained.

“And I like having you around,” smiling at her. Amber smiled back at him, as he held her close to him. “I guess my dad is worried sick by now.” She frowned at that thought.

“I’ll walk you home, then.” Henry held her hand. Amber smiled back at him.

-x-

When they had reached the gates of Amber’s house, her father immediately instructed his man to go towards Amber. The men pulled Henry away for her.

“I have done nothing wrong.” Henry tried to pull himself away.

“Shut up!” Her father shouted at him. “Why are you with my daughter? If you did something wrong with her….” He threatened Henry, as he punched him in the gut.

Henry coughed in pain, as the guards let him fall on his knees.

“Please, Dad. Stop! He didn’t do anything wrong. He actually helped me. Just please leave him alone.” Amber pleaded her father, as the guards blocked her view.

As soon as the guards let her go, she ran towards Henry. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Amber comforted him, touching his cheek, helping him stand up. “No, I can do this on my own.” She told the guards that were trying to help her. She let him sit on the stairs.

Her father gestured to his guards to leave them alone. “So you helped my daughter?” Her father spoke to Henry, eyeing her daughter as well, whom was standing near Henry.

“Yes, Sir, she was lost and scared, so I helped her.” Henry replied.

“You saw her where, exactly?”

“Downtown, Sir, alone in an alley in the middle of the night” Henry explained.

“In an alley in the middle of the night! Downtown!” Her father shouted, looking at Amber. “What in God’s name were you thinking going there?”

“I guess, I just wondered off. And ended up there, and I wanted to go there anyway.” Amber reasoned.

“Wondered off? Wanted to go there?” Her father couldn’t believe what he was hearing right now. “What if something bad happened to you?”

“That is why I am telling you that he helped me.” She reasoned again.

“What is your name, son?” He asked.

“Henry” He was looking at her father. “Henry Lau,” then he looked at Amber.

Amber smiled upon hearing his name, “Henry” she whispered to herself.

“Well, Henry, I am sorry to misjudge you just like that. Thank you for helping her, and bringing her home safely. I was just worried.”

“I understand, Sir.”

“I am sorry too.” Her father spoke to Amber.

“I know you’re just being a 'dad' ”. Amber smiled at him. At that, her father excused himself.

“Sir, can I see your daughter again?” Henry asked.

“It is for Amber to decide regarding that matter.” Her father replied, entering the house.

“Amber” Henry thought, eyeing Amber.

Amber smiled at him. 

-x-

“Sorry about my dad.” Amber apologized at Henry at the gate. “Henry, thanks for everything.” She spoke as she was going inside.

“Hey, Amber, you didn’t answer my question.”

“What question?”

“The question that your father let you decide,” Henry shyly spoke, anticipating.

Amber walked towards him. “I’ll think about it.” And kissed him on the cheek, and walked away.

Henry grinned at her. “I guess, you have already answered my question.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Amber .

“But…”

“Goodnight, Henry.”

“Goodnight, Amber. See you tomorrow?” Amber just nodded at him, walking inside.

His grin never left his face, as he kept on repeating her name in his head, all the way home.

-x-