Be more cautious and find a less obvious route

(chapter originally by doragom333 on writing.com)

As much as Chie just wanted to sprint home and end this already, she just couldn't work up the nerve to do it. After being forcibly exposed and made a laughingstock at Aiya's, the possibility of even more people humiliating her like that was horrifying. To be stuck on the streets surrounded by people like that naked as she was, especially if she ran into anyone who knew her personally, was too much to bear!

Quickly, she dashed around from the restaurant entrance to the alley in between buildings and ducked behind a dumpster. Crouching behind her smelly safe spot, she shivered as she waited for the voices she had heard earlier to pass by. After what felt like minutes, two old housewives eventually walked past, gossiping along without a care in the world. After waiting a while until the voices faded away, she finally stepped back into the alleyway, looking towards the street.

"Damn it... getting so scared over a couple of old ladies," Chie berated herself. "I know I gotta keep it together, but if anyone sees me like this, I'm toast. Come on, Chie, think! How are you going to get out of this one? Any cover in here?" she asked out loud as she lifted the dumpster lid, and was overwhelmed with the odors of spoiled, bagged-up spicy food. "Hurk!" she gulped, **** back bile as she closed the lid. No way was she going to cover herself in garbage; especially that rancid crap. She still had some pride left, after all.

So, with a focus on getting back home unseen, Chie thought it over and over, but no matter what she came up with, there was no route that she could guarantee would be clear of people at this time of day. And the longer she stayed like this the more likely it would be that someone would find her. And that certainty was dragging her down. It gnawed at her deeper and deeper until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Argh! This isn't working!" she groaned, tugging at her hair. "No matter what I do someone might see me... and if I can't keep people from seeing me, then-" her eyes suddenly lit up. If she couldn't stop life from punching her, then she would just have to roll with the punches as best she could. "-I just have to make sure as few people see me as possible! Heck, if I'm fast enough, they may not even realize it's me. Now, what route to take...?"

But as she began to consider her options, she heard voices drawing near again, and it was more than a pair of housewives this time! Chie began to feel cold once again, but caught herself this time. "Don't think... feel... don't think... feel..." she chanted to herself as she took deep breaths and calmed her racing nerves. With her resolve restored, she made her move, dashing deeper into the alley as she set out on her course homeward. Having decided to trust her instincts, Chie felt that her best chance of getting home without being seen was by-