Dedicated to @xAmberr_1Dx for editing this. YOU IZ AWESOME, AMBER. I love youu!

Based off of the song Crazy Mary by FM Static.

~'~'~

Crazy Mary is a slogan who looks up to no one.

Would do anything for a cold one.

Wishes she could find her way home.

Got the look on her face and the stare of a ray gun.

We walked by everyday And I wish there was something I could do for her.

~'~'~  

She glanced around. It was the usual drift of people, one or two sparing disgusted looks towards her. One particular lady turned her nose up at the sight of a girl wearing ripped and stained clothes so Summer stared daggers right back at her, before retreating backwards. Letting out a sigh, she walked until her back hit the smooth brick of the wall. She slid down until her butt hit the ground and her knees were against her chest.

She found herself wishing - not for the first time in the last hour - that she had a beer in her hand. Although it was chilly out, a beer would be refreshing. If only she had the money to afford it. Her fingers dawdled around the bold numbers on her phone, as she toyed with the thought of calling home.

She knew nothing good would come of talking to her parents, it would be the usual screaming fight that ended with tears in her eyes and her hands trembling. Summer knew she made mistakes; she wasn't a saint.

Quite far from a saint, actually.

Why should her parents forgive her? Why should they let her back into their lives? She really wasn't worth it. So instead of dialing the familiar number, she let out an audible sigh, her fingers letting out a steady beat against the pavement.

~'~'~

Maybe if I took a little time to talk,

Then she'd heal a little, if she wants to,

She can run, but let's teach her how to walk away,

now I'll shake a little if she wants to,

She'll laugh a little if she needs to,

There's a key to the door that she's hiding behind.

~'~'~

Summer couldn't summarize into words her surprise when there was a young man sliding down the wall right next to her. A chuckle emitted from his lips as he said, "Wow, sliding down that is not as easy as it looks."

Summer simply raised an eyebrow at him, scooting a bit farther away from him. He offered her what looked like a hot chocolate from the Starbucks a few blocks away. She politely shook her head, brown hair swooshing to the side as she turned away. Summer felt him place the drink next to her. He didn't make any attempts at talking, he simply sat there sipping at whatever coffee he had.

Summer tilted her head slightly to take in his profile. He had jet black hair that drifted down in front of his eyes. She couldn't quite see his eyes, but they looked to be green or blue. He had a darker skin tone, a silky caramel colour. He wasn't poor, she could tell that much. He had expensive jeans, a dark blue form-fitting graphic tee and a warm looking jacket.

Why was a perfectly groomed man sitting next to a girl like her? There was no way he didn't take in her ripped jeans (That were never fashionable) and dirty, grimy t-shirt. As if sensing she was looking at him, he turned to her with a wide grin. It wasn't exactly what she was expecting, although nothing this man had done was at all what she expected.

He shimmied out of his jacket and, without hesitation, placed it against her shivering shoulders. Her mouth opened to protest but he smiled. "Don't worry about it, you can use it more than I can. Drink your hot chocolate before it gets cold." With those words he was gone.  

~'~'~

She watches the world pass her by like a freight train,

And they all call her the same names,

Laughing as they point and stare at her

So she cries out to God up in heaven,

Been praying since she was eleven,

For Him to send someone to meet her there.

~'~'~  

"Slut." A girl who looked around her own age, spit out with a taunting smile. The girl's preppy friends all giggled and sneered at Summer. With an aching heart, Summer turned away and continued down the alley. It was typical. It shouldn't hurt any more.

But just because it shouldn't hurt any more doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt any more.

She felt something sharp pelt off her back and onto the ground. She didn't have to turn around to notice a group of boys catcalling. She felt a few more pebbles hit her, but she continued on without a glance behind her.

She was used to it.

She finally reached the small 'apartment' at the end of the alley. The lights were flickering on and off, as per usual, and there was a dusty smell that made most people want to gag. It'd taken Summer a good month to get used to it. She fished around in her pockets before producing a single key. She slotted it into the rusty, crooked door. With a few jiggles, the door opened.

"Home sweet home." Summer muttered under her breath as she slammed the door behind her, kicking a brick in front of the door to prevent any unwanted visitors. Her 'apartment' was more like half a room and half a bathroom.

Summer fell on top of the disgusting, old couch she considered her bed. Within seconds, her cheeks were soaked with tears. "God, please... Please just send someone to save me from this nightmare."

It was a routine thing. She wasn't even sure she believed in God, but every night she would collapse in her apartment and cry while screaming out to God to send someone to just help her. Someone she could trust. Really, was that too much to ask?  

~'~'~  

Maybe if, I took a little time to talk,

then she'd heal a little if she wants to,

She can run, but let's teach her how to walk away now,

I'll shake a little if she wants to,

She'll laugh a little if she needs to,

There's a key to the door that she's hiding behind.

~'~'~   

He came back the next day. With his shaggy black hair, designer jeans and two cups of Starbucks. He parked himself right next to Summer, placing what she assumed was once again hot chocolate down next to her. They were silent for a few moments before she slid out of the jacket he had given her the previous day. She placed it next to him.

"It's yours now, I have plenty." He assured her as he handed it back. She gave him a doubtful glance but the frigid wind pulled out her selfish side and she put it back on. "I should introduce myself properly. I'm James."

She refused to let her eyes wander back over to him. Instead, she focused on the businessmen and women yapping on their phones as they raced down the side walk. She nodded slightly in acknowledgement of his name.

"Pardon me if this seems rude, but do you talk?" He questioned and Summer felt his eyes scanning her.

"Yes." A simple response. Summer refused to let herself open up to this man, whom she knew nothing about. He must want something.

Everyone wanted something. People weren't just nice to her, it was always a trade. They would do this if she did that. He had a nice façade, but it would melt away soon.

"That's cool."

That was it. That was all he said the rest of the day. They sat in slightly awkward silence for another forty five minutes before he nudged the hot chocolate into her shivering hands. Then he left, with a simple goodbye.

All that was left was the lingering cologne.

~'~'~

James was a persistent little bugger. Everyday he arrived with a smile and hot chocolate. He'd also bring a mindful of jokes. His goal was to get Summer to laugh. There were moments when she would be crunched over, arms holding her stomach as laughter flowed easily out of her mouth.

James was starting to wonder if there was any girl in the world as beautiful as Summer. With her waist-length brown hair, unique purplish eyes and toothy grin. He noticed a few scars littered across her wrists, but never mentioned them, for which she was grateful.

There were moments when they would be chuckling over a corny joke James said and then their eyes would meet. People would give them strange glances as they walked past, but they wouldn't care. Summer was enchanted by James' blueish-green eyes. They captivated her. They reminded her of an ocean. Then, in the midst of their staring contest, her lips would spread into a soft smile. It would take his breath away.  

~'~'~

And who knows of her thoughts and her dreams,

And ideas she's got and contains inside,

She's so broken apart,

And her heart is still looking for some way to feel all right.

~'~'~  

"I wanted to be a dancer." Summer randomly said one day, about a month after their first encounter. There was a small silence as James processed her words.

"Wanted?" He clarified.

"I guess I still do. It was my passion. I still do it occasionally." She shrugged as James studied her face closely.

"You know, I have a friend. She owns a dance studio. I can introduce you sometime."

Summer froze, almost instinctively. Sure, they spent at least half an hour together every day... Did that qualify them as friends? She wasn't used to that concept.

Friends.

It was strange, she was a hidden person. She didn't trust openly, she had a closed personality. She had been hurt and abused too many times to just let anyone in who knocked on her door. But James was different. She knew he wanted to get her out of that horrible apartment. He wanted to get her back on her feet. He wanted to show her the better side to life. It didn't matter that he was richer than her. Nor did it matter that he had everything she didn't. He cared.

"I... I would like that." Summer eventually got out, with a smile.

~'~'~ 

Maybe if I took a little time to talk,

then she'd heal a little if she wants to,

she can run, But let's teach her how to walk away now,

I'll shake a little if she wants to,

She'll laugh a little if she needs to,

There's a key to the door that she's hiding behind.

~'~'~

One stranger. One cup of hot chocolate. One jacket. One name. That's all it took to change Summer's life forever. She knew she would have plenty more experiences in life, but those years she spent looking and praying for someone to save her... They would always have a special place in her heart, especially when she learned that God did listen to her pleas.

"You look gorgeous." Summer smiled at the red-headed bridesmaid and murmured a soft 'thank-you.' She felt like she was floating, but I guess that's something all brides say.

Her mind wandered back to the street days. She was just an eighteen year old. She thought her life was going to be spent getting called names and watching as other people lived their lives. It all changed with that one boy.

Once, Summer asked James what made him sit next to her. He told her that the lady at Starbucks had a hot chocolate that she was just going to throw it away. He stopped her, offering to take it. He was on his way to work early, when he noticed his usual walk to the office was detoured. Which led him to the street Summer was on. He had an extra hot chocolate and his exact words were, "You looked like you needed a friend."

That's all it took to change Summer's life.

"It's time."

Summer took in a deep, calming breath as she nodded.

There definitely was a key to the door she was hiding behind and it took a certain dark-haired stranger to find it.