Outfit

Elli took deep breaths as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, rolling her neck around and shaking out her muscles. After a few minutes of stretching, she re-laced her sneakers, an essential tool for any Tracuer, and then began the runup to a nearby building. When she got to the wall she jumped, planting a foot against the wall and using her momentum to drive her body upwards, managing to get a hand onto the bottom of a fire escape. She pulled herself up, and climbed the rest of the way to the roof, a process that took about a minute. She was, at that point, about 22 stories above the ground, and she ran towards the edge without hesitation. When she reached the edge she leapt, sailing through the air to land on the next roof over and a little down. She continued to run, using billboards, fire escapes, and the occasional window ledge to maintain her momentum. As she neared her destination, she began to work her way downwards, eventually getting to a point where she could safely jump to the ground.

Instead of doing a mundane drop, however, Elli turned on the ledge she was on, about 15 feet above the ground, so that she was facing the building. Then she jumped up, planted both feet on the wall, and did a backflip corkscrew down the drop, to land and roll forwards, leaping over a bench and running through the crowd. Elli didn't stop moving for a moment as she deftly manuevered between harrassed business people and tourists. However, without warning, a woman in front of Elli, going the same direction, dropped her purse, and stopped to bend down for it. Thinking fast, Elli dove over the woman, doing a dive roll to land on the other side, ignoring the bewildered stares, she ducked into an alley across the street from the coffee store she was going to, breathing healthily. It was several moments before she realized there was someone else in the alley.

Silence. That was all that had been for Matty for... Oh, about an hour or so. He wanted to take a walk. Maybe people-watch for a bit. He was never too big on it, he didn't see what could be so cool about people watching. Lots of people did it, yeah, but they were in big cites. In his tiny Connecticut suburb-of-a-suburb, there weren't many people to watch.

When he came to New York, he learned everything there was to know. He could develop personalities around how someone carried themselves down the street. Sure, he was probably wrong most of the time, but it was through mistake that he learned. Someone who walks with a perfectly straight posture looking forward is someone who is ambitious, maybe even a bit egotistical at times. If they walked with a slight slouch, they were laid-back, perhaps even too laid-back for their own good. Some people stared at the ground while they were walking. Matty assumed they were shy, maybe awkward. Then there were people who had a slight bounce to their step. Bubbly. Maybe annoying.

The next person threw him for a loop. She came running into the alley, breathing heavily. Hm... An athlete? Running? Through the streets in this place? No way. But why would that person be panting? Before long, Matty realized that she knew he was there. Or maybe she didn't, and Matty was being dumb. Either way, he would have to explain to her as to why he was hiding away in an alley. That would be... Difficult.

"Oh! Um... Hi there?" He asked it more like a question, rather than a greeting. He asked it like his welcoming was more of a sheepish gift, not with a tone one would generally use. Well, whatever. He could imagine what she thought of him right now. Some creepy kid, maybe antisocial. He found a tendency to think the worst of people. Only a few people ever really said to him 'I like to think of the best in people!' Among others, one person was his mother. She didn't phrase it exactly that way, but it was close enough. He wished he had gotten that quality from her. Instead, he got his father's reverse philosophy. Guilty until proven innocent. Everyone was condemned.

Luckily for Matty, one thing he did pick up from his mother was openness. If they talked to him, he would talk back. Simple as that. Unlike his dad. He was always... introverted. It was hard to open him up. His mother was good at that. They fit together well. Matty was glad for that. It saved him a lot of potential hardship as a kid. He knew lots of people whose parents were divorced; they had to be shuttled back and forth between their parents' houses, spending a week at mom's and a week at dad's or something like that.

He studied the girl in front of him for a bit. She seemed dressed well, for an athletic outfit. Hopefully she would actually respond. Many rich people Matty knew would just give him an ugly look, then continue on their way. He would know. He used to be one of them. One of the most important life lessons Matty had learned from his mother was to not judge people on first glance and if he did, then to give them second chances. He frequently had to enforce the second part.

It wasn't anything negative about the person. It was just that Matty was used to thinking who he did not want to talk to by looking at them. Their hairstyle, what kinds of clothing they wore, how they interacted with friends, everything was taken into consideration. In this case, he didn't have much to work on. He hoped she was nice.

A hesitant, slightly puzzled-sounding voice came from Elli's left, and she turned to see who it was that was in the alley next to her. It looked to be a guy, maybe 19 or 20, with a slightly disheveled appearance. "Oh! Um... Hi there?"

"Hello. How are you?" Though she didn't say it, there was an underlying question in that statement: 'Why exactly are you hanging out in an alley?' Still, at least he wasn't rude, unlike most of the city's populace. He, understandibly, didn't really know what to make of Elli resting in the shadow of a skyscraper, just as she didn't know what to make of him lurking in the darkness of an alley. "So.... I'm sorry, how rude of me, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Elli." Elli said tactfully, breaking the silence and attempting to make small talk. It was at that moment that something hit her. She didn't have any friends at all in NYC, and precious few aquantances. She saw that this guy could be a possible friend, if they had some things in common and got along. Was she really willing to consider friendship with some random guy she just met? Sure. Elli was a naturally optimistic individual, and believed the best of everyone unless proven otherwise, and this man had been nothing but polite so far.

Then again, he had only said four words.

"Hello. How are you?"

That was what came from her. Her, of whom Matty was being so judgmental and... paranoid. There. He got that out of the way. He told himself that he was paranoid. He thought it was true, he just needed something to wake it up. He hadn't ever guessed that someone he had never met before would wake it up for him. But she did.

"Fine, fine... You?" he responded. He was glad, so very glad that she didn't question him of why he was in an alley. What would he respond? That he was watching people walk down the street, trying to guess their personalities? It was weird. He thought of almost piping in, 'I'm not homeless if that's what you're wondering.' But, what stopped him from saying that was... He was homeless. He came to New York from Connecticut with nothing. Why did he come here, anyway? To blend in? He figured it was one of his friends he had back home. He always said that he hated it in Connecticut. No real music scene to speak of. He said he always wanted to come here to make it big. Maybe his dreams influenced Matty's.

Matty always thought and told people that other people barely influenced him, if any. He wasn't truly aware of how much the people around him really did influence him. Taking that into account, wasn't it the people as well who influenced him to say that in the first place? He figured this trend could go on for hours. Best to stop now. He almost began laughing quietly to himself at the insanity of it all. He was telling himself to stop thinking. What was this, some post-government takeover novel or something? George Orwell's 1984?

"So.... I'm sorry, how rude of me, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Elli." This caught Matty a little off guard. He wasn't quite expecting her to continue the conversation. He was... Almost grateful for her, somehow by fate's hand only ending up in the same alley as he.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm Matty." He was grinning, attempting to subtly show her that he wasn't some dirty bum, as his teeth were white. Bums' teeth weren't white, were they? Actually, Matty thought the better question as to why he called them 'dirty bums'. Could he really be so judgmental and look down upon the group he was a part of? Sure, he liked helping them, charity was a good thing. Being the person receiving charity... His world was being turned upside down and inside out. He didn't even know it, nor want it to happen.

Just go with the flow, take one for the team. That's what his mother would say. His father would only tell him that things could always get worse. He figured the both of them were right, but his dad was almost wrong. He had nothing. Only the clothes on his back and... This girl in front of him. Maybe, by some force of luck or destiny, they could be friends. At least he'd have someone.

That would be nice.

This man seemed generally surprised that Elli introduced herself, continuing the conversation, but once he recovered he wasn't rude at all. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm Matty."

Matty. Something about that name rang a bell on the inside of Elli's head. Connecticut, somewhere, there was something.... Nope, it was gone. Elli couldn't quite grasp where she had heard that name in connection with something in one of her classes at the Police Academy. Elli couldn't quite grasp it, but maybe later she would look it up from her notes. That is, if she could find them among the reams of similar notes in her dinky one bedroom apartment. Though it was probably just a coincidence, it had peaked her interest and thus would be duly investigated. But, for now, she was in the middle of a conversation with this rather scrappy-looking man. Maybe he didn't believe in baths? Or maybe he was homeless. either way it would be rude for Elli to ask.

"So, what do you think of New York? Beautiful isn't it? Yet ugly at the same time. There are two faces to this cruel, beautiful mistress New York, and most see only one or the other, yes?" Sure, a slightly strange topic to start off the conversation, but Elli was a slightly strange person. She was just trying to get a feel for what type of person this guy was, and maybe work her way into worming some information about him out, as he seemed to be the type that kept things close to the chest. But she could be wrong about that, or about any of the hundred guesses she made about him.

"So, what do you think of New York? Beautiful isn't it? Yet ugly at the same time. There are two faces to this cruel, beautiful mistress New York, and most see only one or the other, yes?"

Beautiful, ugly... He could see both. All of the people here made the city bright, vibrant, full of vitality. It was great. But at the same time, the dull gray of the walls, and the streets, and everything else... Wasn't too pleasing aesthetically. He could understand where she was coming from, definitely, but how she worded it was strange. Calling it a mistress was something someone normally wrote in a book.

Did she always talk like this? If so, Matty thought he'd find it... Refreshing. Those kind of people made New York really shine and stand out.

"It's okay. Apartments here are pretty expensive, but I'm just barely out of high school and came here not too long ago from back home..." He didn't decide to go any further. So, he simply left it at that, the sentence ending abruptly. Might it have been a bit rude? Maybe. But Matty knew that it wasn't, at least if someone did it to him. He wouldn't mind. But, thinking back, he really only didn't mind because he was the same way. Was she the way Matty was? He hoped so.

He never understood himself. He felt a constant yearning to feel accepted. Why? He didn't need many people, just his friends. Once he had his friends, he was good. He was set, forever. He figured it was his moving away from Connecticut. He left all of his friends, and now there were none. Nobody was waiting for him to come home, he was gone. As far as they knew, he was dead somewhere, or he was in California by now.

Even if he could go back, what would he say? 'Oh, hey guys. So, guess what? I'm a mutant!' No, that would be stupid. They wouldn't accept him back into their little group, and he would have to find completely new friends. It would be tough, he'd be like the new kid. He had to find somewhere, right? Or at least blow off some steam now and again.

(Blah, not my usual quality post. Sorry! I keep getting distracted. Next time I'll try to make another normal post)

"It's okay. Apartments here are pretty expensive, but I'm just barely out of high school and came here not too long ago from back home..." Matty seemed to show a slight bit of surprise at Elli's elaborate manner of speaking, and she was a little surprised herself. She normally only waxed eloquent when she spoke of Law and Order and her dreams of becoming a police officer, but she realised now that she was almost as passionate about the city as she was about them. It made sense, though, as it was the place wherein all her dreams and hopes for the future were contained. It was because of New York that she could have her job at the Taco Stand and send back money to her family to keep the bills paid.

Still, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Her apartment was the smallest, cheapest, dinkiest thing in one of the worst neighborhoods around, and it still cost more than any sane woman should pay. But she didn't have any other options, so the fortune it was. Still, at least it was big enough for Elli to take in a boarder if she really needed the extra cash, as the living room had a pull-out sofa. For the moment, however, her financial situation was secure, and she was almost done with her time at the Academy. Once again, Elli took in his slightly shabby appearance, and wondered. Her curiosity almost made her ask, but her polite nature prevented that. Barely.

"Don't I know it. I am just a couple years out myself, and am almost done at the Police Academy. A few more weeks and I will be an official force of the law." Elli paused, a look of wistfulness coming over her face unconsciously. She thought of all the good she could do, and it brought a large grin to her lips. "I want to become a SWAT officer, eventually...." She paused again, and then indicated her looks. "I don't really look the part, do I?" She meant that, in her workout clothes, she didn't look all that prepared, but it could be interpreted that a pretty blonde woman like her wouldn't be in the part of a SWAT officer.

"Don't I know it. I am just a couple years out myself, and am almost done at the Police Academy. A few more weeks and I will be an official force of the law."

Police Academy, huh? Matty didn't let his surprise wash over his face. Many different kinds of people wanted to be police officers, but the police officers he knew back at his old town were rather large men or abnormally tall, almost bodybuilding women. There was nothing wrong with that, but it was indeed refreshing to see someone normal join the police.

Before the... Incident with the senator, Matty had never been involved with the police. Sure, they had no way of knowing for sure that it was Matty who practically blinded the guy, but he could have gotten seriously injured, too! And how could he know that he was going to jump that far? He couldn't. It was a freak accident. That's all it was. And he was probably going to go to jail if anyone ever found out. For an accident. It made him boil inside, but he kept his composure in front of this girl. She seemed nice. He didn't want to go and give her bad impressions of him now. But it wasn't like he already did.

"Wow, the Police Academy? Nice!" He grinned. Yeah, it was pretty cool that he knew a police officer.

He nonchalantly put his hand to his chin. Yup, there's a bit of stubble. He realized that he probably looked like a real hobo now. At 19. His grin turned more sheepish. If his parents saw him now, his mother would be crying and his father would be in the process of disowning him. It was a good thing, then, that he was simply missing. He couldn't disappoint his parents that way.

She grinned as well. "I want to become a SWAT officer, eventually.... I don't really look the part, do I?"

He took a quick look at her. Well, for one, she looked nothing like the police officers back home. He had never seen the SWAT officers, but they probably were scarier and tougher. No, he supposed she didn't really look the part of a SWAT officer.

"Well... Looks aren't everything. It'll... Just make it that much better when you show them how good you are at... You know, being a SWAT officer." He offered a reassuring smile. He didn't exactly word it so well. It sounded kind of awkward. But, hey, he tried, and the point was made, and she probably understood the gist of it. Or maybe she did understand it fully. He didn't know.

He wondered what the police were doing back home. Were they dusting everything for fingerprints? Did Matty but his hands on the windshield? He didn't know for sure, probably. So, in that way, he was done for. All he could hope for was the windshield being damaged beyond repair. It probably was, he crashed into a pole or a tree or something. He doubted how intact the windshield would be. Smashed to bits, please. He hoped he got lucky.

He had been very lucky so far. First, he accidentally kills some guy and gets away from it, then he comes here and meets someone nice. He wondered when his luck would run out. Not long. It was only a matter of time before something happened that practically gave him a heart attack. So, really, it was only a matter of waiting... Matty couldn't stand waiting for his luck to run out. But he didn't even have a choice.

(OOC: Random soundtrack for this post: The Beginning is The End is The Beginning)

"Wow, the Police Academy? Nice!" Matty casually put a hand to his chin, and Elli's attention was drawn to the stubble there. It was heavy stubble, short of any type of beard, but too long to be the day before he shaved or some such. Maybe h was trying to start growing a beard? Once again, elli almost asked what the heck was with that, but she had just met this guy, and really liked him. She didn't want to seem rude or a jerk by letting her curiosity get the better of her.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, but a lot of studies, and time in the shooting range and training room." Elli didn't mention that she spent more than double the amount of time required in the range, and at least half as much more in the training room. She did this because she, as a woman in the force, had to be better at everything than the men to have a chance of rising to any high position like the SWAT.

"Well... Looks aren't everything. It'll... Just make it that much better when you show them how good you are at... You know, being a SWAT officer." Matty grinned akwardly.

Elli laughed a tiny bit at his akwardness, but it was the kind of laugh that wasn't mean, derisive, or rude. It was more of aknowledging what he was talkling about and filling a bit of the silence while she responded. "Indeed, looks can be decieving. Thanks for the compliment." She paused, and a thing was brought to her mind. "You know, the police have been hit hard, lately. I mean real hard. These mutants, they have made a point to go after NYPD. Some, of course, are on our side, but its always the bad news that's publicised... Many in the force are prejudiced against mutants, having lost friends and partners to mutant attacks..." She cut herself off, realising that she might have offended this man's sensibilities. She didn't know how he felt about mutants, and anything she had just said could have offended him. She really shouldn't have brought it up, since they had just met, but it just sort of came out.

(I love that song xD)

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, but a lot of studies, and time in the shooting range and training room."

Shooting range? Check. Training room? Check. He didn't want to get caught between her and someone attacking her. Just knowing that she could probably shoot him right in the head from 50 meters was a scary thought. If she whipped out a pistol right now, she could kill him in an instant, and he would barely have any time to react. He hoped he could start jumping away...

Why was he even thinking this? She seemed nice, someone he can be a friend with. First, explaining his situation a bit further...

Or not. She continued, but Matty didn't mind. He liked her voice. It seemed nice, caring, warm... Everything that wasn't a SWAT officer. "Indeed, looks can be deceiving. Thanks for the compliment." He shook his head.

"No problem." He grinned, truthfully this time rather than awkwardly. His explanation would have to wait. He figured it would. Hopefully Matty was patient, and could remain so for a while. He had a feeling that it wouldn't work out so well for him in the end. He never really was extremely patient. Never was, won't likely any time soon. Though, he would admit, patience was indeed a virtue and a skill to be desired. If only there were classes on patience... And on acting with thought.

He didn't pay any thought as to simply going home and living his life normally. Instead, he chose to run away from his parents. And his friends. And his life. And his razor. God, he needed a shave...

"You know, the police have been hit hard, lately. I mean real hard. These mutants, they have made a point to go after NYPD. Some, of course, are on our side, but its always the bad news that's publicized... Many in the force are prejudiced against mutants, having lost friends and partners to mutant attacks..."

His eyes widened at this. So, the police don't like him either? This could be very bad for Matty. Very bad, very soon. He figured to just tell her he was a mutant. It was better she found out now rather than later.

"Well, uh, I'm a... Mutant. But, um, I'm on your side. I wouldn't hurt anybody." He shook his head. He wouldn't hurt anybody, not on purpose. He only jumped on that guy's car because he was chasing him. He was just gonna shake his fist, note his license plate, then call 911 and try to help... Her. He didn't like thinking about her name. It would just make him... Cry. Almost. Not in front of other people. Never in front of people.

Elli took note of how Matty's eyes widened after she commented on the state of mutants in NYC, and figured that he was displaying shock at the level of bigotry that some displayed, but mutant and human alike. Not mutant and human alike, but mutant and non-mutant, Elli told herself, mutants are humans just as the rest of us are, I can't be thinking otherwise. Still, it was hard to think of them as human when they could do crazy things like fly, or shoot laser beams, or even control people's minds, Elli had heard.

"Well, uh, I'm a... Mutant. But, um, I'm on your side. I wouldn't hurt anybody." Matty shook his head in a rueful manner, almost as if the last statement had some sort of irony attatched to it. Elli didn't get the reference, but she did notice how Matty almost teared up right then and there, and saw his eyes get all watery and soft.

Obviously, something she had said troubled him, and as Elli didn't know what it was she had done, she didn't really know what to do to console him. As such, she took a step or two closer, and placed her palm on the back of his hand in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "We are all on the same side, Matty." Elli let the silence go for a small bit, and then asked, in a small voice, "I'm sorry if I upset you, I didn't mean to... I'll.. I'll leave now. If you want me to..."

She put her hand on him in a comforting manner. He smiled, and blinked a couple times to make the small amounts of moisture in his eyes disappear. She saw that. But, it didn't appear as if she thought it strange that he almost broke out in tears.

"We are all on the same side, Matty."

He nodded and stayed quiet. He didn't feel an immediate need to add anything. His mind once again wandered back to the days leading up until he ran away. The days were normal, seeming excruciatingly long in his high school. That is, until the final bell rang and everyone pushed through the hallways to get home quicker. There were a couple buses at his school, but must got picked up by their parents or walked. Matty walked.

If there was one part of physical fitness he worked on, and there really was only one in particular, it was his cardio. He figured if there was a bear attack, he would much rather run than try to pick it up. Plus, he liked walking. Not really running, but he liked just walking calmly. It was relaxing to him. Everything wasn't the same, day in and day out. Sure, the landscape in front of him generally was the same, there were always little things that were different. He appreciated that.

"I'm sorry if I upset you, I didn't mean to... I'll.. I'll leave now. If you want me to..."

"Oh, no! Don't, I was just... Lost in thought, is all. It happens sometimes. You'll get used to it." He laughed a bit and moved over to lean on a wall. He liked leaning. He couldn't explain it. Maybe somewhere deep inside, it made him feel cooler. Yeah, like he needed that in the real world.

"So, are you... Y'know, a mutant?" It was an odd question, but he figured he should just ask. It would comfort him greatly to know that there was another person like him out there, talking to him.

He had way too much stubble. Normally, a bit was fine. But just a bit. Just enough to make him seem a bit older than he was. But that bit of stubble grew and grew until he doubted he could see the skin underneath. He hated having that much facial hair. None or a bit, that's all he wanted. He would find some way to shave, even if he needed to steal shaving cream and use a bowie knife. People in the army did it, at least in movies, right?

Matty needed a shower. Sure, it had only been a couple of days, three tops since he left. He thought back on what he had to do. He left his home, jumped away, somewhere... He wouldn't get anywhere, he realized. So, he jumped on some train. With farm animals. God, it smelled disgusting in there. He wondered if the animals could tell how gross it was. Nonetheless, it was an interesting experience. They had neglected to close the doors. He assumed it was so that the animals could get some relatively fresh air. They were all caged up. He remembered just sitting there, staring out. It was rather scenic.

He never knew Connecticut could be beautiful. Sure, he heard all the time that it was a rich man's state, but now he was seeing why. He saw the sun rise. He remembered the feeling he got in his stomach when the train started to stop. That's when everything hit him at once. The fact that he had just fun away from his comfortable existence, the fact that he had to start running again or he would be found and taken to the authorities, the fact that he couldn't return home anytime soon...

Right here was fine enough. For now. Give or take a few days, and Matty would be going crazy from not having a nice place to sleep. It kind of seemed like a camping trip right now rather than being homeless. He'd find somewhere to live. It was his only goal.

Elli grimaced inwardly. Though she always tried to be polite and nice, she was so awkward in social situations. Her only friend, really, at the academy Gerald Butser, and maybe Officer Gonzales. Other than that, she was alone. With all her studies, and work, she didn't have much time for friends. Still, she should have made some effort to make at least a group of buddies. Thing was, back home, she never really needed friends, as she had her two younger brothers that she loved so very very much. They were the ones she had always hung out with, and as such she didn't have much experience in social situations.

Since she was so inexperienced in social conundrums, Elli had no clue whether or not Matty was lying when he said "Oh, no! Don't, I was just... Lost in thought, is all. It happens sometimes. You'll get used to it." Still, she smiled shyly at the implied thought that she would be seeing enough of him to get used to his little quirks.

"So, are you... Y'know, a mutant?" An awkward manner, for a naturally awkward question. It's sort of the same as asking someone, 'So, does your 20th chromosome have ATC or ATG??'

"Ahh... Well... No. And frankly, I'm glad. No offense or anything, but I certainly have enough problems to deal with as it is..."

"Ahh... Well... No. And frankly, I'm glad. No offense or anything, but I certainly have enough problems to deal with as it is..."

Yeah... Matty would be glad, too.

He didn't even know why he had these powers. Or curses. It depended on how you viewed them. He thought of them as a half and half. A bittersweet deal, signed at birth. But why did his powers start acting up now? Did he mutate later in life? Is that normally how it went? He figured it made sense, as from what he knew, doctors couldn't cure this. Or even throw medication at it, like they always did first.

"None taken." He shook his head and offered a smile. A genuine one. He knew this one didn't turn out awkward, because he wasn't really thinking as much as he normally did. It was natural. Something Matty could learn from.

All throughout his life he always tried to put on a happy face when sad. Or, at least, he would offer a meek 'I'm tired today,' as an excuse for people to not take pity on him. But was it really pity? Were his friends really feeling bad for him because he felt bad, or because it was the normal thing to do? He retreated to his own little world inside his music. Music always helped him calm down. Or wake up.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket. And good God, there it was. His MP3 player. He didn't have an iPod, he figured a normal MP3 player would cost less and hold more, which in this case it did. However, he didn't take it out. That would be rude.

"Hey, you want to get out of this alley? Maybe head on over to the park or something? I figure I can pass as one of those street poets." He grinned again. There, his first joke made since he got to New York. Baby steps, right? You have to learn how to crawl before you start participating in serious discussion about anything. And shave. That too.

He wondered if he had any music he'd like to share. There wasn't really much of a choice ranging from genre to genre. He had some indie rock, some more mainstream stuff... Though, taking a turn from the path of softer rock music, he had some weird stuff on there. Some where the lead singer doesn't really sound like his gender normally does, some in different languages about who knows what and some completely experimental and instrumental. That was the kind of music Matty would like to make. He liked new things, except if it was some of the more happier, upbeat kinds of music.

There were many people who had tried to get him into ska music. It never really appealed to Matty. He didn't even really know why he didn't like that music. He figured it was the lyrics, but the lyrics vary from artist to artist, band to band. So would it be the horns? Probably. Something about it just irritated Matty. It was too happy. He didn't like happy music. It wasn't even an angsty teenager thing either, he didn't fall into a deep depression when listening to songs that weren't happy. It was just that he liked the emotion.

He guessed his love for emotion would lend itself well in the park. In the alley, one could only really see a little stream of people. In the park, you were surrounded. But, then again, so was everyone else. Nobody really thought of it that way. Maybe there was a good reason for that.

"None taken." Matty smiled again, and this time it didn't look awkward or forced. It was a natural smile, and Elli responded in kind.

"Hey, you want to get out of this alley? Maybe head on over to the park or something? I figure I can pass as one of those street poets." A joke? So, it appeared the guy had some sense of humor after all. Elli was pleasantly surprised. Most peoples jokes, nowadays, were crude and unsophisticated insults or derogatory racial or political slurs.

"The park?" Elli asked, her head tilted slightly to one side. "Sure, I guess that sounds good... But, I was actually planning on going to the coffee store across the street for a cup of joe and maybe a bagel. You wanna join me?" She didn't blatantly say it, but it was implied that she would be willing to pick up the tab. Elli didn't have much spending money, but buying food for a friendquantance was certainly worth it.