"Maya," he wheezed, reaching out with a hand that shook uncontrollably. "Are you... are you okay?"
Then the three men spilled out from the pool hall’s side door, laughing at a joke that died when they saw the girl. One of them, the one with the dog on his shirt, didn’t like being reminded that the world had edges he couldn’t smooth over with a beer. He didn’t like the way Leo stood—not begging, not shrinking. homeless dad and daughter gets beat up the end
The laughter from the boys had stopped. The reality of what they had done set in. Panic replaced the cruelty in their eyes. They looked at the girl, then at each other, and then they ran. Tires screeched as the truck peeled out of the lot, leaving Leo and Mia alone in the silence. "Maya," he wheezed, reaching out with a hand
But he was malnourished and tired. He swung a wild punch that missed, and then the retaliation came fast. A fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head back. Then a boot found his ribs. Leo collapsed onto the pavement, curling into a ball to protect his head. One of them, the one with the dog
The end.