Prologue

A young man walked quietly down one of New York’s busiest streets in search of some place to crash for the night. It was always the same routine every night, find somewhere to get a meal, and some place dry to sleep until the next morning, only to wake up and do it all over again.

Sighing, he stuffed his hands into the ratty old jacket hanging loosely off his boney frame, and fingered a cigarette that he had bummed off someone earlier in the day. Now only if he could find a lighter or some matches he’d be in hog heaven.

Turning down a damp alleyway where many of the bums around New York City lingered, he scanned the area quickly, and found one of his friends sitting down in the corner nestled in a holey blanket while trying to keep warm in the brisk atmosphere.

As he made his way towards his friend, he nodded his head to the few who looked up and gave him a weak smile. He ran a hand through the matted hair on the top of his head as he came to a stop in front of the older man in the corner.

“Hey man.” He said in a raspy voice due to the coldness of the air.

Looking up at his younger friend the man smiled slightly. “Hey, I didn’t think I’d see you down here tonight.”

“Couldn’t find any where else to go. So here I am.”

“I know the feelings all to well man. Wanna share this blanket or do you have one in that backpack there on your back?”

“I do actually, I stole it from the last place I stayed.” He replied sitting down next to him while unzipping his bag and pulling out a wool blanket. “You wouldn’t by chance have a lighter or matches would ya?”

Patting his pockets then reaching down inside, he pulled out a book of matches. “Yeah, here ya go man.”

Reaching over the younger man took the book of matches then reached into his jacket pocket, grabbing the cigarette, he quickly popped it between his lips then lit the match and took a long drag off the smoke. “Aw this feels like heaven.”

“So where you been all day?”

“Walking around mostly looking for some place to get a warm meal, since I haven’t eaten in a few days.” The young man replied solemnly, taking a few drags off the smoke which warmed his entire body, and calmed his frazzled nerves.

“No luck, huh?”

“Not even a nibble. Usually I can find something in Times Square but that place was vacant, which was really abnormal considering the status of the street. What I wouldn’t give for a hamburger at the moment.” Snubbing out the cigarette, he brought his jean clad knees to his chest then wrapped the blanket around his frail frame in hopes to warm himself up. Which didn’t help much considering he only had a t-shirt, jeans and worn out jacket under the blanket.

Trace looked over at his younger friend as he fought to keep warm, and couldn’t help but feel bad for the kid, yeah they were about the same age but he had been on the streets longer than Justin. Sighing, he reached into the pouch of his ripped cargo pants and brought out the food he had saved earlier in the day. “Here J eat this.”

“Naw man I’m cool you keep it.” Justin replied pushing it back towards his friend’s chest. Even though the mere mention of food made his stomach growl.

“Take it Justin; you need it more than I do.”

Sighing dejectedly, Justin reached to grab the food that was wrapped in tin foil. “Fine” he said while eagerly ripping into the foil to find a half eaten sandwich inside. Bringing it up to his mouth, he took a bite and groaned to himself.

The older man smiled with satisfaction as he watched his friend devour the sandwich in mere minutes. Truth was he had saved it just incase he had ran into Justin that night, because he knew the younger man probably hadn't eaten in a while and more than likely wouldn't have had any luck in finding anything to eat that day.

“Thanks man, I don’t know what I would do without you,” Justin said clapping his friend on the shoulder giving it a light squeeze.

“No problem.” Trace replied snuggling further inside the blanket. “Hey man I got a question for you.”

“Okay.”

“Do you ever miss home?”

Justin sighed to himself while turning towards Trace. “Yeah I do. I miss my mom, and my little brothers, but I don’t miss the asshole she married.”

He nodded his head, and understood the feeling all too well. He missed his family more than anything in the world, but that was another story all on its own. “Yeah man I hear you.”

The conversation came to a quick halt after Trace’s word sunk into Justin’s skull. He didn’t know much about his past but what he did know wasn’t good and was almost exactly like his own. Broken family, abuse, you name it he had been through it. Running a dirty hand over his face he let his gaze fall on the only person who had his back and showed him the ropes to survive the harsh streets of New York City.

After the area around him quieted down he unzipped his bag and dug around for the one thing that knew him best. His journal. It was something that he had kept with him since he left home all of those years ago. Pulling it out, he opened it up to a fresh page and began to pour out his feelings.

February 1, 2000

Wow I left home 3 years ago today. An I’m sure you know why, because you’ve been the only thing that knows my real thoughts, aspirations, feelings, and so on and so forth. I was thinking today, maybe it’s time I go home because basically I hate it out here I hate not having a warm meal every night. And not being able to sleep in a warm bed.

But then again things wouldn’t be that great at home either. Because I’m sure mom’s still married to the dick head that caused this.

Alright it’s getting late and frankly I’m tired so this entry will be short.

Night
Justin

After flipping the notebook closed and putting his pen in the spine, he shoved it in his bag, then curled up in a ball on the dirty cement and closed his eyes. As he began to drift off he hoped the next day he would have better luck I finding some place better to sleep.

Chapter 1

He'd been sitting there for about an hour when Trace plopped down next to him. Sighing to himself he turned his gaze from the brick wall in front of him to his best friend. "What's up man?"

"Aw, not to much." Trace smiled pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his coat around them. "You'll never guess what I found man."

"What'd you find?" Justin asked

"I found us somewhere to stay tonight." Trace replied watching for his friends reaction.

"Where at? I've checked every and there all full." Justin replied disbelief written all over his features.

"It's a couple miles up the road from here. It's quite a walk but at least we'd have some place to sleep and get some warm clothes." Trace smiled just the thought of somewhere warm to sleep was enough for him. He hadn't slept in a real bed in months.

"Is it one of those program ones where they expect you to stay and go through all that life changing bullshit?"

"No it's not. Hell they have enough of those in this city. All you have to do is go there eat and sleep."

"Well what are we waiting for. It beats staying out here freezing to death." Justin said standing up and dusting off the seat of his pants.

After Trace stood back up the duo began there journey towards the shelter with two things on there minds, food and sleep. At this point in his life Justin was thankful he had someone like trace to watch his back he didn't know what would of happened to him if he had never met him.

Trace had been living on the streets ever since he could remember he didn't know what it was like to have a family or some place to sleep every night. His mom had left home after she had found out she was pregnant with him, scared that her parents would turn there backs on her for making such a mistake in her life.

When he was about 10 years old his mother had been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and was killed by drug dealers, ever since he had been on his own with no one to take care of him or even love him. So he had to learn fast how to protect himself and survive everything that went on at night. Living on the streets of New York city was harsh and without anyone to take care of you it's even worse.

The two had met right after Justin came to New York, he'd been in the city for a couple days when he had stumbled down the exact same alleyway they frequented now days, in search of somewhere safe to hideout from a bunch of gangsters who he had accidentally pissed off earlier in the evening. He'd been looking behind him to see if they had followed when he had ran into someone, he had looked up at the guy before and cowered away thinking it was one of them.

Trace had stood there watching the man before him scoot away on his butt with fear in his eyes and felt bad for the poor kid. When he had scooted back far enough to where he was pressed up against the wall Trace extended his hand out to the man in front of him helping him up and asking what was wrong. When he had heard the about the people chasing the poor kid he sprang into action telling Justin to hide while he took care of it.

Ever since the two had looked out for each other. Trace taught him the tricks of survival and protected Justin from other things throughout the years. They soon found each other best friends.

About 30 minutes later the two men found each other in front of and old run down building, with the words Soup Kitchen written across the windows in bold spray paint. Not wasting a second they scurried inside, grabbed a plate and stood in line to get something to eat.

Justin went down the line his stomach rumbled loudly alerting the patrons beside him to his hunger. He smiled sheepishly and mouthed an apology.

"Don't be sorry honey." A older woman voiced standing before him with a spoon full of soup. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."

"I haven't." Justin replied handing her a bowl so she could pour some soup into it.

She grabbed his bowl and filled It up then handed it back to him. "Well enjoy and if you want seconds don't hesitate to come up here." She winked at him.

"Thank you Ma'am" he said turning on his heels and walking to the nearest table where he found trace already munching down on his meal.

The older woman watched as he dug into his meal and couldn't help but feel bad for the poor kid. "Pour kid." She sighed watching as she sat down.

"I know Trudy I feel ya, these poor kids my heart goes out to them." A co-worker said.

"I didn't mean everyone, do you see that kid with the curly hair?" Trudy asked

"Yeah what about him?"

"He doesn't look like the type that would be out there fighting to survive, he looks like someone who was raised in a loving family, with home cooked meals and all that good stuff."

"Half he kids in here don't look the type but they are living on the streets. What makes this kid so special?"

"I don't know what it is, but when I looked into his eyes they cried out for help and there was something oddly familiar about them like I know him from somewhere." She said gazing thoughtfully at the young man. "He kind of looks like my old friends grandson. Maybe I'm mixing up faces they haven't heard a word about him in years." She shrugged

"Well there's only one way to find out Trudy, go over to him and find out who he is. Maybe even give him some place to stay, you already took in one homeless kid."

"Yes but that was my granddaughter it's a whole different story." She replied but in the back of her mind was thinking about doing just what she said, she knew that it would bug her until she found out who he was and where he came from.

As she cleaned up her station she couldn't get the idea of bringing him home out of her mind, she had went back and forth with the idea for so long weighing the pros and cons of doing so and finally came to a decision. She tossed the rag she'd been using to clean up down on the counter and walked over with determination written all over her features.

She cleared her throat to get the boys attention and when she did she smiled down at them. "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you boys but I was wondering if ya'll would like some place to stay, you look like you could use a nice hot shower and some cleans clothes and possibly a place to stay for awhile instead of out there on those brutal streets."

Justin's eyes lit up at the mere mention of cleans clothes and warm place to sleep, it'd been so long he couldn't remember the last time he had slept in a warm bed. The past few weeks it'd been hell trying to find something to eat, not to mention some place that would let him crash there. He was about to reply with something positive when out of the corner of his eye he caught Trace open his mouth..

"We'd love to ma'am but.." Trace trailed off when Justin's hand covered his mouth.

Justin shot Trace a glare then turned towards her and smiled softly. "We'd love to ma'am but we wouldn't want to impose or put you out or anything."

"Oh nonsense I have more than enough room, and I'm sure my granddaughter would love to have some kids her own age to talk to."

"Well if you insist I'd love to" Justin replied

"Okay you two, let me get my stuff and we can be on our way." She smiled then turned toward the kitchen doors.

Trace pushed Justin's hand away from his mouth and scowled at him. "Why the hell did you tell her we'd go?" he spat

"Because I'm tired of freezing to death and living out there in filth, I want to actually live somewhere warm with meals all day and clean clothes. Call me crazy but I know we can trust her." Justin said leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. "Maybe you want to live out there all you're' life but I don't."

"Dude, if you want all that stuff you could go back to Tennessee to your family." Trace replied hotly.

"You know why I can't go back, I can't even believe you'd suggest that." Justin spoke through gritted teeth pushing back his chair and standing up.

"Shit, I'm sorry man. I didn't even think before I said that." Trace replied standing up and standing next to him. "I just don't trust many people okay."

"I know you don't but I'm telling you we can trust her. It's all in her eyes." Justin replied

"Alright man, we'll stay with her but if I catch one whiff of distrust I'm gone."

"Are you boys ready?" The older woman asked coming back out an standing next to them. "By the way my name is Trudy Connors" she said extending her hand out Justin.

"Justin Timberlake." He replied taking her hand an shaking it lightly. "It's nice to meet you Ma'am"

"You too Justin." She replied smiling the name gave her all she needed to know, he was her good friend Sadie Bomar's grandson. Sadie had called her no more than a week after he had gone missing to find out if she had seen him, knowing that she worked in homeless shelters across New York. When she had told her she hadn't, she promised to keep and eye out for him. "An you are young man?"

"Trace Ayala" He replied

"Well it's nice to meet you boys. Now lets be heading out."

After they all piled into her small car, they were on their way to some what of a better life. Trudy was a blessing in disguise in Justin's eyes, he was sick and tired of scraping for food, he was even more sick of sleeping in the cold. After doing it for 3 years it got kind of tiresome. He was looking forward to a nice hot shower and a warm bed to sleep in.

He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Sighing softly he let a small smile grace his lips.

"So Justin, how old are you?"

"19 ma'am" Justin replied licking his lips and turning his head so he could look at her.

"Hmm, It just breaks my heart to see kids your age out on the streets when you should be with a loving family." Trudy sighed softly while spinning the wheel to turn on her street. "Why aren't you with your family?"

"I don't like to talk about it." Justin said with a hint of sadness to his voice. He missed his family with everything in him, but he just couldn't take the abuse they put on him.

"Okay, I'll accept that for a while." She said softly then directed her questioning eyes toward Trace.

Turning his head so he could look out the window he blew out a breath. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time she asked about his past. But it if was a small price to pay for a home, clothes and good food then he would have to tell her. He just hoped he had the strength to do it.