• --Chapter One

    “May I help you with your bags?”

    Those were the words the sent me into a daze. Finally, something good in my life! Finally, someone’s asking me if I need help, not the other way around.

    “Uh…” I said, heart pounding. ‘Come on,’ I thought to myself, ‘It’s not like he’s gonna be like every other guy and run off with my stuff. I mean, I paid for his stuff, so.’

    Yeah, he was a little short on cash so I choked up a few bucks. I'm a pushover, my bad.

    “Uhm…” I looked back up into his green eyes. ‘Come on. He’s not gonna take it!’

    “Sure.” I said with a smile, handing him the plastic bags. He smiled back, then…he….he took my stuff and RAN!

    I stood there in shock as he ran out the doors of Staples. I watched him slide through the revolving doors.

    He’s kidding, right? Nope. He’s gone. I can’t believe I trusted him again!

    My reaction was a little late, but I threw myself out the door, after him. I soon caught up to him; I'm a pretty strong runner. “Come on, dude!” I yelled a good ten feet away from him.

    “Ugh. Not again…” I heard a number of people mutter when I ran past them.

    He skidded to a car that was parked in the Skyline parking lot. I pushed myself to run faster when I saw him fly into the backseat; he yelled something, which sounded like ‘I got her again!’ at the driver, who seemed to be his friend. Driver waved at me with a smile as he began to drive away.

    “No!” I whimpered, coming to a stop. “Come on, dude!” I yelled again. “What the hell! I need that!” yeah, that’s going to make him stop. “Uh…That’s not yours?”

    I sighed, feet shuffling in the gravel. ‘What am I going to do?’ I thought as I sat down in the grass instantly pulling the blades of grass out of the dirt. Even though I didn’t buy anything really important, I still paid for it. I wasted five bucks on an Easy button! And now that jerk has it.

    I groaned, lying down in the sun. I even bought my Mom three packs of Skittles: Original fruit bite size candies, 41 oz (sorry to get technical but that’s the way it is), and like a 150 pack of Twizzler’s, the Twizzler’s alone cost $5.99, by the way.

    I like ran to Wal-Mart first for the Skittles, though. They don't have ’em at Staples.

    I probably laid there on the little section of grass for a couple hours. I didn’t realize how long I’d been there until I got a call from my Mom.

    “Hello—,” I started but got cut off by a frantic woman.

    “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOUNG LADY?” She practically screamed into the phone.

    I sighed, closing my eyes, “At Staples, sorry I forgot to call—.”

    “YOU SAID YOU WOULD CALL ME AS SOON AS YOU GOT THERE AND IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE LATE!” She still screamed, cutting me off once again.

    “I KNOW!” I yelled, irritated. “AND WOULD YOU STOP YELLING?”

    “I'M NOT! Oh, sorry.” She apologized sheepishly. I shook my head, “It’s fine,” I said. “And I wasn’t gone that long, Mom.”

    “Uhm, yes you were! Do you have any idea what time it is?” She said. “Yes, like 3:30, maybe.” I muttered back. “3:30?!” She shouted. I tried to say yes, Mom, but she was at it again. “3:30?! AM, maybe!”

    “Huh...” I started, but stopped as I became aware of my surroundings. IT’S FLIPPIN’ DARK!

    “Okay, okay, Mom! I’ll leave now.” I said a little louder, flipping the phone shut with a sigh. I stood up, wiping the dirt of jeans and headed down the street, over the bridge, past McDonalds, and into the dark alleyway that led to my house.

    (Un)fortunately, I ran into some…old friends in said alleyway. Eh…Chances are, knowing them, I probably won’t make it home…with my sanity still intact, at least.

    --Chapter Two