"Zac! What the fuck are You doing here?"Shelly yelled at me from the corner of the Californian street.

"Shelly? Is that you....."I Called. wandering why she was out so late. I glanced to my watch whose digits read 11:24pm.

"Zac! Go away! You don't belong here!"She insisted, and began to run down the back of a cold dark alley.

I followed close after her, hoping for some explanation as to what I had just witnessed.I figured she must have been cold as she was only wearing a tiny, let me say TINY shirt, and just as small skirt. What was that about?! "Shelly?" I called.

I glanced to a musty, damp cardboard box, layered with nothing but a torn, dirty blanket. Inside, Shelly was seated, with her knees curled under her chin, and her head in her hands. Her soft sobbing echoed through the alley.

"Shells, was that guy trying to hurt you?"

"Zac you're so blond you know." She grimaced. "You don't get it."

"Get what? The fact some guy was trying to haul you into his car? Why aren't you home" I queried

She shook her head violently, as I crouched beside the box.She glanced up with her red eyes, and stared directly into mine.

"He was a client Zac."

"A client?" I repeated, climbing into the box beside her.

"Yes client. My CLIENT" She glanced over to me, and sighed. "Not the brightest are we."

"I don't understand. Look, I can take you home if you want. Show me where you live, and me and Tay we'll get you home."

She crawled out of the box, and stood up abruptly. Boy was I glad she had gotten out. I wasn't enjoying the stale cat pee smell that was lingering in there much.

"Well Zac, I've got news for you. I am home. See?! This IS HOME!" Her voice carried for miles around.

I frowned. Was she serious? Was this place really where she lived? I mean, she always told me she had a beautiful house that over looked the ocean. This was not over looking the ocean, for god's sake, it wasn't even a house!

"What about you're family Shelly? Where are they? They must be worried sick!"

She glared. "My family? You wanna know where my family is? Okay Zac, I'll tell you where they are. My mother is dead Zac. Yup 6 feet under. She was a hooker just like I am in case you still hadn't figured that out yet!"

I gasped. How dumb can I get?! I should have picked it up, but me, little squeaky clean pop singer wasn't accustomed to such ways of living.

"One day" She continued "Some drunk guy came along and raped her. Raped Zac. Hookers still have the right to say no.Then murdered her. Her body was found in several pieces. My dad, well god only knows what prison he's in now. Last I heard he was in upstate Manhattan, arrested for drug dealing. My older sister Karen doesn't want anything to do with me or my family. She is a well respected lawyer in New York, and if the media got hold of this info, her career would take a downfall. And Matt, my older brother Matt. He's lost it completely. No doubt he's gonna be dead soon. Achoholic and drug addicted. Regular at Rehab.So there, that's where my loving family is!"

She fell to her knees and cried more.

I glanced down the alley where the guy was still waiting, having a cigarette and leaning up against the street post. I had no idea her life was so hard, and instantly hated myself for taking advantage of all the things I had. It made me sick to think about all the times I moaned, or complained about not having enough, when I always had more than I needed. I made my way to comfort Shelly, but she flinched, pulled away, and stood up.

"Shelly, you're 14, you're too young for this.Don't you hate it ?" I asked, urging for an answer.

"Of course I hate it." She yelled. For a small girl she had one hell of a voice on her." It hurts like hell Zac. Physically and emotionally. I hate having to wake up to guys 4 times my age. I haven't got enough fingers or toes to count the guys I've had. I feel like shit all the time.And why do I do it?" Her voice softened. "Cos Zac, unlike you, I don't wish to have a number one single, or worldwide fame, I simply wish to survive until tomorrow. You have everything at the click of your fingers, and I need food. This is all I know how to do...."Her voice trailed off and the crying sat back in.

"Shells, you could do so Much More with your life!" I argued, overwhelmed but what I was hearing. "There Is SO much more you could do, then sell yourself out like this!"

Her head flashed up, and her eyes were once more, directly staring into mine. We stood there in silence for what seemed like an eternity.I could see all the pain, lingering deep in her eyes.

"Zac we're from two different worlds you and I.You have Everything, but what do I have? Tell me? That box, and these clothes are the only thing to my name. And even though, you might not always be rich and famous, you still have a fucking family that loves you, worries about you. My family couldn't give a shit about me.Probably celebrated the fact there goes one less mouth to fed."She wiped the tears on the tip of her nose. "You'll never understand Zac. Never."

And with that, she began to walk down the Alley, leaving me in a pit of sorrows."Shelly Wait! Where are you going? Come to my house, and I'll make sure you get some food."

"I'm not your charity case Zac. You don't belong here, in my world, so just go home, get lost. You don't need me, and I don't need you, so goodbye."

She contiued for the guy's car. He must be desperate. Really desperate. Rationalizing with myself, I ran after her, hoping to stop her, but it was to late. The dark blue benz took off down the street.I felt scared. Incredibly scared, and prayed to the lord. I trudged back to where Taylor was parked, and let the tears flow.

Please god, just please let her be safe....,