Homeless Sunset

>I walked around the mall. It was a rare instance that I'd done so. It was night and the malls stores were beginning to close. There was a strange emptiness as the mall emptied, and fewer and fewer people began walking its interior.
>I had one single bag of miscellaneous things I'd bought throughout the day. Some might call it boring, but just being able to walk about the mall beat out a day moping around the house.

>I exited the mall just before it closed. Night had fallen over the city. Heavy rain had greeted me at the exit.
>I made my way down the street toward a bus stop. All the stores would be closing soon.
>I was about to cross the street when I noticed someone standing at the corner.
I> was going to merely take note of the person, but was surprised when something about them caught my eye. A striking red hair color. I turned to face the person.
>A young girl in dirty clothes sat out on the street with a sign,
>'Homeless, anything helps.'
>"Could you spare some change?" She said, her voice a tad hoarse. I sighed a bit reaching into my pocket and pulling out a dollar handing it to her.
"Rough night to still be out here."
>"Yeah, well, just trying to get by."
"Aren't we all?" She laughed. She had a pretty smile despite her disheveled appearance.
"Mind if I hang out with you here for a while?"
>"I guess, waiting for a bus?"
"Something like that." I leaned up next to the wall while she remained sitting.
>"Did you do some late night shopping?" She said looking at my bags.
"Oh.. Not really, I was just looking for an excuse to get away from the house for a while."
>"I see." She said. Her glace turned wistfully toward the road.
"You know, you don't have to be out here, there's a shelter just down the way."
>"I know about the shelter."

"Don't you think it's a bit late to be panhandling?"
>"I.. I can't go to the shelter.. I got into a fight with one of the other people there. It was stupid of me. So, it's my fault I'm out here, I just decided to make the best of it."
"You don't have anywhere else to go do you?"
>"Nope, the friends I had won't return my calls anymore so I can't go to them."
"Man, I'm sorry to hear that."
>"Don't worry about it, its my fault I pushed them away."
"Are you going to be able to get any sleep out here tonight?"
>"I doubt it, its so cold I can barely feel my feet."
>I looked down at her shoes. They were dirty with huge holes in them.
"Yikes, those are in pretty bad shape."
>"The shelter didn't have any in my size, and I haven't been able to get new ones in almost a year now." She was shivering, and the wind was starting to pick up too.

"Hey, whats your name?"
>"Its Sunset, Sunset Shimmer."
"Anon, pleased to meet you." I said holding out my hand, she shook it. Her hand felt like ice.
"Your hands are so cold, are you really gonna be able to make it out here all night?"
>"Heh, I'm tougher than I look. I've just gotta hold out till morning."
"Are you sure.. Look, I don't normally do this but, do you want to stay at my place?"
>"I..I don't know.."
"Come on, you don't wanna sit out here all night in the rain do you?" Sunset breathed out a heavy sigh standing up.
>"I.. Normally, I'd refuse but.. I can't feel my legs." She took a whiff of her armpit.
>"Ugh, and I really need a shower, would it be ok if I used yours?"
"Of course, let's go."
>I led her quickly to the bus stop. The last bus of the night stopped in front of us and we got on.
>We walked to the middle seats. Sunset sat directly next to me.
>Sunset breathed hot into her hands. She was shivering quite intensely. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her. She pulled it around herself before leaning into me a bit.
>"I can't thank you enough. You feel so warm.. I'm sorry if I smell a little bit." I wrapped my arm around her and smiled.
"Don't worry about it."
>I stopped the bus near my apartment complex. We walked up the stairs and made it inside.
"Alright, go get cleaned up."
>"Anon.. I hate to bother you especially since you've brought me all the way here but.."
"Relax, I won't bite, what is it?"
>"Well, Its just, I don't have anything dry to change into and-"
"Gotcha, I'll go find something for you, is just anything fine?"
>"Yeah, pick me out something nice ok?"
"Will do."
>I pulled out a shirt and the smallest pair of pants I owned.
>I handed them to Sunset before leaving her to get cleaned up.
>I went to my kitchen and decided to heat up a frozen Pizza. I clicked on some tasteful jazz on my computer and waited patiently for the Pizza and Sunset.
>It wasn't long before the Pizza was done.
>Sunset emerged in a few moments later wearing only the shirt I picked out for her.
>"The pants were too big for me. But I like the shirt."
"That's fine, Pizza's ready."
>"Oh man, I haven't eaten anything since this morning." She grabbed a slice of pizza and devoured it.
>She ate it so fast, grabbing another slice and going to town on that one. I marveled at the sight, she must've been really hungry.
>Before I'd realized it she'd already eaten half of it licking her fingers afterward.
>"Mmm, thank you so much, I haven't had a guy take care of me like this.. In a really long time, it means a lot to me." She smiled wrapping her arms around me. I could feel her chest poking through the shirt and her soft body pressed against mine.
>Her eyes were closed, she had a pleased look on her face. Then suddenly tears.
>"Oh, look at me, getting all emotional.." She breathed out hard, she covered her face with her hand, she was trying so hard to hide her tears.
"Shhh.. It's ok.." I said gently rubbing her back. I felt her chest heave a bit as she relented sobbing into me a bit.
>I held her like that for a few minutes. I could tell she was really embarrassed to have broken down like this in front of me.
"Come on, let's get to bed, you can sleep on the bed I'll take the couch." She peered up at me.
>"If its all the same to you, we can share the bed if you want."
"Ok, let's go then." We went into my room. Sunset snuggled in next to me. It wasn't long before we found ourselves drifting off to sleep in each others arms.
>I'd taken a homeless girl and brought her home with me. Something I never thought I'd end up doing.
>But being here with her like this. Giving her a safe warm place to stay, it made me happy.