Drop Dead.

Gel is with Ken and Mimi shopping for groceries while I’m on the other side of Walmart in the clothes section. I roam through the sections of clothing, glancing at things I like and checking their price tags. I don’t really need any clothing but the more I look the more of it that I want. My fingers tremble as I run them across the fabric and I bite my lip before quickly pulling them away.

I keep forgetting that I have money now. I’m not homeless. I don’t need these things. But my eyes can’t seem to look away.

I go into the dressing room and do what I do best. No one notices the second shirt I’m wearing beneath my own. Ken and Mimi have no idea that as we walk out the door I have an item neither has paid for. It’s not a big deal to me but once we get home and I lay it on the bed I realize that I really shouldn’t have done that.

It’s only one shirt though. It’s not even that nice. Lots of kids steal so it’s normal for me to do it too.

Why do I feel so bad about it then?

“Jinx, hey, why is the door locked?”

I jump at the sound of Laker’s voice. Spinning around with the shirt in my arm, I toss it into the closet and walk over to the door. Although Laker is completely annoying and drives me insane most of the time I really need to get my mind off stupid things right now so I unlock the door. It opens to show Laker grinning from ear to ear.

“What do you want?” I snap.

“Just came over for a visit,” he replies, stepping into my room without permission like always.

“And if I don’t want you to visit?”

Laker ignores me completely and takes a seat on my bed. Humming, he turns on the TV and suggests playing video games. I sigh and decide that it’d be best. Laker doesn’t question me about how willing I’m being this evening, which I’m grateful for. And for the rest of the afternoon we play until it’s nearly dark.

“Laker, are you going to stay the night?” Mimi asks, appearing in the doorway out of no where.

“Yep!”

“Who said you could?” I shout, glaring at the boy who doesn’t seem to care.

“Well why can’t he?” Mimi giggles. “It’s the weekend. He can stay Jinx. Dinner will be done in a few minutes. I’ll call for you two when it’s ready.”

Before I can protest Mimi is gone. Looking at Laker from the corner of my eye, I see his eyes on the shirt lying in my closet. I bite my lip when he asks, “Hey, when did you get that one? I haven’t seen you wear it before.”

“Today,” I reply. “While we were at Walmart.”

Laker stares at me oddly and I know he doesn’t believe me but he doesn’t ask. Instead he and I continue playing games until Mimi calls us down for dinner. The two of us head downstairs and dinner is a lot louder with Laker around. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

“So Laker, how is Jinx doing in school?” Mimi asks.

“Why are you asking him?” I grumble.

“Eh, all right.” He shrugs. “I got him to finally start talking to some of my friends. He’s pretty bitchy though.”

Ken chuckles after I manage to elbow Laker in the gut. He coughs violently for a moment before huffing, “That wasn’t nice.”

“I’m a bitch, remember.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Maybe.”

We all finish eating dinner and head our separate ways. Gel goes into the living room to watch some soap opera with Mimi while Ken goes downstairs to work out. Laker and I head back up to my room and I sigh after taking a seat on my bed. When I feel a hand on my shoulder I look up to see Laker looking down at me with a frown. “What’s wrong, Jinx?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

“How do you know?”

Laker smiles and sits next me, his arm sneaking its way around my shoulders. He brings me into his side and I am tempted to shove him away and shout at him but I don’t.

“I stole that shirt,” I mumble, not expecting him to hear me but he did.

“What’s so bad about that?” Laker asks, not seeming to catch on to why it’s as terrible as it is. “I’ve stolen things before.”

“But I don’t need to,” I groan, throwing my head into my hands. “I’m not on the streets anymore. I don’t have to fend for Gel and I anymore.”

“You’re overreacting Jinx,” Laker sighs, rubbing his hand into my back. I may not admit it but it’s comforting. “You’re not use to the way you’re living now. It’ll take time, Jinx. Everything will be ok.”

“You don’t know that,” I grunt, sitting up to look over at him. Before I have time to do anything Laker grabs hold of my chin and in a blink of an eye his lips are pressing against my own. While my eyes widen with shock, his close. All the air in my lungs disappear at the feel of his lips moving over my own. The kiss is quick but it still manages to make my heart skip.

Pulling away, Laker says, “Trust me.”