It's more than you can handle.

"Nowan wants me...not even my bes' friend..." Melody mumbles between tears.

"That's not true," you whisper. "I do want you Melody. I really do...just not like this."

She continues to cry into your shirt as the rain falls down around you.

"D-damn it Jack, I NEED you and you d-don't want me!" Melody sobs. She pulls herself away and levels her swollen, tearful eyes at yours. Her freckles are almost invisible in the night against her reddened face. "Th'hell with you!"

She kicks out in your general direction and turns, stumbling toward the entrance to the alley. As she nears the curious bystanders, she puts her hands up to her wet shirt and pulls hard. Buttons pop and cloth rips. "Who wants me? Who wants me? I NEED someone!" she cries out.

This is SO not right.

You walk quickly after her, trying to catch up to her before she does something really rash. The bystanders step back away as Melody approaches.

You catch Melody from behind, your arms around her chest.

"NO, NO, NO, NO!" she screams in a hoarse voice.

She struggles in your arms, and you have trouble staying upright, a little worse for the wear yourself.

A bright white light floods your eyes. Melody stops struggling.

"Now what seems to be the problem?" a firm voice asks from behind the light.

You're caught without a coherent word. "Uh, um, uh..." is as much as you get out.

Melody straightens up and takes a breath. "HE! WON'T! FUCK! ME!" she yells.

You hear a tittering laugh from somewhere off to the side.

The bright flashlight beam tilts down toward the pavement. Your eyes clear the afterimages and you see a police officer in a rain slicker standing in front of you.

"Sir, will you please let her go," the officer requests.

You drop your arms and Melody steps away with a snort of disdain. She catches her shoe on the sidewalk and stumbles. You automatically catch her, but let her go as soon as she seems balanced.

"Ma'am, are you able to get home safely?" the officer asks.

Melody turns her head toward the officer. Her hair is dripping with rain. Her ruined shirt hangs down off her shoulders. "I c'n walk," she says.

After a few more questions to the two of you, the officer says. "Ma'am, I'm going to have to take you to the police station."

"No!" Melody says.

"Sir, I'd like you to come with us to take your statement," the officer says.