NATALIE SHOULD HAVE known that the night was going to end up like this.

Running.

The girl could never get a break. She would have insisted on staying the night at home. Even if her adoptive parents weren't home and she had enough freedom to do whatever the hell she wanted to. But no, she had been persuaded and for what? To take advantage of the freedom, to take it for granted and not return what was given to her.

Natalie was the poster child for bad luck. Her life was pretty much shitty. Being returned to foster care for the fifth time in a month was probably a record. And she knew she could run away from the system, she was pretty good at it, running. It began when she was five when she took off the moment she was told 'oops, kiddo. Your mom's dead, you gotta have to come with us now'. She had been missing for a good 48 hours before her social worker, Troy - who felt more like a friend - found her and dragged her kicking and screaming for her mom to the foster home.

Since then, Natalie's strike of bad luck began. Everyone said, claimed there was something about the girl that unsettled them, they didn't want her near their other kids. It continued with the several detentions she got that weren't her fault. With the neglectful parents, the addicted ones and tonight.

Natalie had hoped tonight being different. She was with her friend, - a guy she would never admit out loud had a crush on - who finally had the guts to ask her out. He took her to eat, bought an ice cream and while the two of them were totally nervous about the night going, they were comfortable in each other's company. They had a good time and for once, Natalie thought her bad luck finally ended.

He should have insisted to take her home. He shouldn't have been persuaded by her to take a walk at such time at the night.

Natalie should have known that bad luck didn't just disappear.