I didn't have to move far because she started to walk down the driveway toward her target, still shouting, hands flailing with temper. Did I really think she was plain? I thought, staring at her unabashedly. She was magnificent. Strong. Powerful. Her eyes were glowing like fiery embers, beaming deathly daggers. "You fucking piranha," she snarled. I glanced quickly away from her to see who she was chewing into pieces and I stopped cold when I realized who—or what it was. It was a monster. The guy was as wide as a house, neck as big and thick as her torso. Tall and hairy as Chewbacca. What the hell is she doing? Does she have a death wish? I was going to come and help her out, wondering how in the blue hell I was going to fight this motherfucker. He was heavy so he'd be slow and I could use his weight against him. I'd probably lose a couple of my teeth and get my nose broken by the end of the day. She drilled a finger into his chest, shouting in his face. "Remember the guy you harassed earlier, the one who came here to collect your car repair bill? That's my brother, you fuckwad dingle dick!" She didn't look like she needed my help. The guy stepped back and raised his hands in defense. He looked like he was willing to take her crap to get a chance to check her out. I gritted my teeth. Should I interrupt? She didn't look like she was in danger. I leaned against a parked car on the street across from them, alert and watching. It would only take me about five seconds to jump in the middle of them if needed. "Listen here, sweet tits, your brother owes me money. You're not getting a dime out of me!" She narrowed her eyes at him, as if she'd like to squish him like an insect. "Listen here carefully, potato face, because I'm not repeating myself. What's between you and my brother has nothing to do with what you owe our business establishment. You're gonna have to pucker up and spring me some money right now or else you won't like the consequences." He sneered, puffing up his chest. "Do you really think a little twig like you can scare me?" I felt my body go on full alert. I pushed away from the car, ready to attack him if he made a wrong move. That movement caused him to finally notice me. I placed my hands in my pockets, staring at him. He looked away. "Oh, probably not," she shot back. "But the cops will." She shook her phone right in his face. "Does your brain have the capacity to recognize this as a phone? Why, let me tell you what I'm going to do with this shiny phone. I'm going to call the cops right now and tell them how your vehicle was delivered to you in good working order and you refused to pay. How's that sound to you, Mr. Dingledick?" Mr. Dingledick didn't like that one bit. He turned an ugly shade of red and his left eye began to twitch. He opened his mouth, stopped, and threw another glance at me. "You get off my property right now," he growled at her. "You're trespassing." He turned around and lumbered back to his house, slamming the front door closed. I straightened, expecting her to turn around and finally notice me. But she just stood there, hands balled into fists. I could feel her anger and frustration. I was going to say something but she spun on her heel and hurried inside her vehicle. I jumped behind the car behind me just in case she had any ideas. Tires squealing, she peeled out of the driveway, crushing the two lawn gnomes that were happily sitting on the corner of his front yard. There was a loud popping noise over her screeching tires as she ground the gears back into first. I watched as the broken head of one of the porcelain figures bounced across the street and roll to a full stop by my feet. I looked up, eyes fixated on the little Honda as it zipped down the street and turned the corner until it disappeared out of my sight. Wow. Just... wow. I had to see her again... or die. But first, I had something to take care of. I pressed the doorbell and waited outside Dingledick's porch. His face was confrontational as he opened the door, but cleared when he spotted me. He must have been expecting her. I suppressed my smile. "Hey," he said, blocking the doorway from me. I didn't blame him. People were usually wary of me. My best friend Caleb said it was my size. I towered over almost everybody. I was lean, and working out at the gym and doing demolitions for a friend filled me out. He also said, "Sometimes when you turn all quiet and dark, you get this look that freak people out. You look at them as if you're assessing them and you can see right through them. You're not afraid and that makes you unpredictable. That freaks people out. It's really cool. Like Batman, bro." The truth was I knew how cruel and ugly people could be behind the masks they show the world. I also knew how to be like them when needed. And I despised it. Maybe that was why I was so drawn to her. She didn't hide anything. She was so... real. "You're the guy who lives across the street, right? The one with the cool ass bike." "Yeah." He scratched his head. "Look, man, I don't want no trouble." I nodded, trying to appear friendly. "I figured. See my bike out there?" I pointed with my thumb over my shoulder. He shifted. His eyes bugged out as he spotted my bike. "Son of a bitch. What happened?" I gave him the saddest look I could muster. "She happened." His jaw fell open. "You mean she did that?" I looked at him solemnly. Not agreeing, not denying. Well, technically she did. "I may have forgotten to pay my bill." He sighed, scratched his beard. "It was just a hundred and thirty bucks, man." I shrugged. What a piece of shit. "Mine was only fifty." "Well, shit." I could see the wheels in his head turning. "I really don't want no trouble. My old lady will be back tomorrow." "I heard this other guy owed her money and she phoned his work, his parents, his grandparents, his girlfriend, his neighbors a few times a day. She stalked him everywhere he went until he cracked and paid." He looked horrified. "Well, shit." He hung his head. "I guess I better pay that bill." * My mind was too busy thinking about her that it wasn't until I was on my way to the gym when I realized I had no idea where she worked. I could ask Dingledick, but then I'd blow my cover and he might not pay her at all. Son of a bitch. How the hell was I going to find her? My phone vibrated as I was storing my things in the gym locker. It was my dad. Automatically, as if my brain was conditioned by it, my body braced for a fight. Resentment whirled in my chest. What the hell did he want now? I ignored it, slamming the locker door closed. I didn't know how long I stood there, brooding, sucking me back to that hateful place, before I shook my head to clear it. I headed to the pool. It was still too early so I had the pool to myself. Just the way I liked it. Alone. I adjusted my swim goggles, raised my arms and did a good long stretch before I dove in the water. As soon as the water surrounded me, muting the sound of everything, I started to relax. I cut through the water, and an image of her flitted in my head. I smiled. Her eyes had that upward tilt at the corners. I felt sudden regret that I wasn't close enough to see the color of them. The sun was too bright, making them transparent. They could've been green or brown, I couldn't be sure. And her legs. Jesus. That girl had long, long legs. I wondered what they'd look like in a skirt. Or tight jeans.