On a cold, harsh night in the city, a few homeless people had lit fires in barrels under a bridge and huddled together for warmth.

By one of the fires stood two seasoned homeless men. One was a 35-year-old named Kevin, and his partner in misfortune, Terry, a thin man who looked about 30.

Both were surprised when a frail, skinny girl, who looked about fifteen, emerged from the darkness.

The girl’s clothes were tattered, and her face was pale with hunger. She shivered as she approached the fire, her eyes wide with fear and hope. “C-can I please come closer to your fire, sirs?” the girl asked timidly.

The pair of homeless men started laughing, looking at each other and pointing fingers.

“Did you hear that, Kev? Sirs! I never thought I’d be called that again,” Terry said, laughing as he turned to Kevin.

“For you, it’s Mister Kevin, got it, Mister Terry,” Kevin said, making a mockingly serious face and tipping an imaginary hat like a gentleman.

“Sorry, Mister Kev,” Terry played along, repeating the gesture, and they both laughed again.

“Come on over, kid. There are no sirs here, we’re all freezing the same,” Kevin called her over to the fire.

The girl approached and immediately stretched her hands towards the fire to warm up. The flames danced, casting shadows on her gaunt face.

“What’s your name?” Kevin asked, looking her over with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Lisa,” she said softly, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

“What, did your folks kick you out?” Terry asked curiously, but Kevin gave him a light shove on the shoulder as if to stop him from prying.

“What’s wrong with you? Maybe it’s personal,” Kevin said. Terry nodded in understanding, looking a bit sheepish.

“I’m Kevin, my friends call me Kev, and this is Terry,” Kevin introduced himself and his friend to Lisa.

“Nice to meet you,” Lisa replied politely, her eyes flickering between the two men. She felt a little safer now, even though the night was still cold and the future uncertain.

“People like us need to stick together,” Kevin added, his voice carrying a hint of warmth. “We look out for each other.”

Lisa nodded, grateful for the small kindness. The three spent the evening by the fire, sharing stories of their pasts.

The next morning, Lisa was woken by Kevin.

“Wake up, kid. We’ve got a job for you,” Kevin said, nudging her gently with his foot.

Lisa rubbed her eyes and looked around, disoriented. Kevin was pointing towards a bank across the street. The building looked imposing and out of place amid the surrounding poverty.

“See that? While we’re freezing out here, people in there are swimming in money,” Kevin said, delivering the line like a rehearsed speech. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint.

Lisa followed his gaze and saw an old man slowly coming down the steps of the bank. He looked frail and unsteady.

Suddenly, a pompous man talking on his phone came out behind him, bumping into the old man and causing him to fall and drop his briefcase full of documents. The papers scattered everywhere, fluttering like wounded birds.

Without a second thought, Lisa sprang into action. She dashed across the street, her heart pounding in her chest.

The old man was struggling to gather his papers, his movements slow and painful. Lisa quickly and carefully picked up the documents, trying not to dirty them. Kevin and Terry joined her, helping the old man.

“Here you go, are you alright? Is everything okay?” Lisa asked, handing the documents back to him. Her voice was soft and kind, filled with genuine concern.

“Thank you, I’m fine. Bless you all,” the old man said gratefully as he walked away, a slight tremor in his voice. But Lisa noticed a strange smirk on Kevin’s face.

“Well done, kid. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders,” Kevin said, pulling a wallet full of money from under his coat. The sight of the money made Lisa’s stomach churn.

“What! Where did you get that?” Lisa asked in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Wow, how much is in here? Why does an old geezer need this much money? Must have been saving his whole life,” Kevin said, opening the wallet and revealing the thick stack of bills inside. Lisa, realizing what had happened, was horrified.

“You stole from that old man! You can’t do that! Give it back!” Lisa shouted, her voice rising in anger. But Kevin quickly covered her mouth with his hand.

“Quiet down, kid. We’ll share. It’s all thanks to you anyway,” he said, his voice calm but firm.

Lisa aggressively pushed Kevin’s hand away.

“I didn’t plan any of this! I just wanted to help! You can’t steal from old people! Give it back!” She reached for the wallet, but Kevin shoved her away roughly.

“Come on, Kev. The girl’s right. It’s just an old man,” Terry said, trying to reason with Kevin. There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

Angered, Kevin grabbed Terry by his jacket. “Listen here, if you want to play the good guy, fine. Then all the money is mine, and you and the kid can stay hungry,” he snarled.

Lisa seized the moment and lunged at Kevin. He hit her, causing her to fall to the ground, but she had achieved her goal. She wasn’t trying to attack Kevin, her target was the wallet.

“You little brat! Give that back!” Kevin yelled, his face red with rage. But it was too late. Lisa grabbed the wallet and ran in the direction the old man had gone, her heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through her veins.

She stopped behind one of the buildings to catch her breath. A bruise was forming on her face from Kevin’s hit, but it was a small price to pay to return the money to the old man.

She touched the tender spot on her cheek and winced, but she knew she had done the right thing.

Suddenly, she saw the old man near the entrance of a building, frantically checking his pockets and looking around the street he had come from.

His face was a picture of confusion and worry, and his eyes glistened as if he was about to cry.

Lisa could not imagine how scared he must have been. He might have saved up that money for decades, and now, having withdrawn it, he had immediately lost it.

Lisa summoned all her courage and ran up to him, the wallet clutched tightly in her hand. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for this to happen. Here’s your money,” she said, breathless from her run.

The old man looked at her with wide, confused eyes. “What are you talking about, girl? What are you apologizing for?”

“It’s all my fault. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Take your money,” Lisa said, handing him the wallet.

The old man took the wallet, his hands trembling slightly. Just then, a young man ran up to them. He looked concerned and out of breath.

“Grandpa, I found who took the money, but they no longer have it. They said a girl…” The man stopped, seeing Lisa and the wallet in the old man’s hands.

“Now I understand… So, you took the wallet from those men? You’re quite the girl,” the young man said, admiration in his voice.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to return the money,” Lisa said, bowing her head again.

She felt a mix of shame and relief. But the old man gently took her hand and looked straight into her eyes.

“Thank you. You’re a very kind girl, and it’s a great mistake that you have to live on the streets,” the old man said, his voice warm and sincere. He turned to the young man beside him.

“What do you say, son? Can we fix this mistake?”

The young man smiled and extended his hand to Lisa. “My name is Oliver. I’m a professor at the local college, and we have a spot in our program for a girl like you.”

Lisa couldn’t believe it. In just one day, she had the opportunity to turn her life around. She couldn’t refuse such an offer.

Tears of gratitude filled her eyes as she shook Oliver’s hand. “Thank you, thank you so much,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion.

Months passed quickly, and Lisa didn’t even notice how a year had gone by.

She walked confidently through the familiar streets, no longer a homeless girl but a top student in her class and an ambitious young woman.

Her once-ragged clothes were replaced with neat, clean outfits. She carried herself with pride and purpose, a stark contrast to the scared girl she had been.

Suddenly, she saw familiar faces. Kevin and Terry were still sitting by the same barrel, laughing. Their clothes were as ragged as ever, and they looked as though they hadn’t moved from that spot in a year.

Lisa approached them, and they didn’t recognize her at first.

Kevin squinted at her, then his eyes widened in recognition. “Lisa? Is that really you?” he asked, astonished.

“Yes, it’s me,” she replied, smiling. But Lisa didn’t seek revenge; she wanted to return the kindness they had once shown her letting her share their fire on a cold night.

She took some food and water from her bag and handed it to them. “I just wanted to thank you for helping me that night. Here, take this.”

Lisa smiled lightly and walked on. She was sure that kindness always comes back.