STUPID FRANK!

Chapter Two

We walk in the door and who I assume Lip is, is standing in the doorway. "Hi, I'm Lip." I smile but stay next to Ian. God, I hate people. "DEBBIE, CARL, BRING DOWN LIAM." He yells up the stairs. "Fiona is out finding our Dad right now." He explains. Two pre-teens and a toddler walk down the stars. Debbie runs over and hugs me. My arms don't know what to do, I am not a hugger. I nervously laugh and so does she. "We made dinner." Lip interrupts. We all sit down and the door smashes open and in walks a man looking like a homeless drunk. Behind him was a young woman who looked tired. "Go to bed, Frank. We'll talk more tomorrow. He walks up the stairs and the woman sits at the table. "Fiona. And you're Amanda right." I just smile up at her. Everyone goes around and says name and age. I'm the last to go. "I'm Amanda. Uh, I'm almost sixteen. I steal cars for a living and I'm technically on the run." Carl whispers cool and Debbie hits him on the head. "I was stealing a car to pay rent, This car was gonna be about a year's rent." I pause. "Dads never been around. My mom's bipolar bitch who leaves about twice a year comes home for a week." Lip looks at me and I can feel the hurt in his eyes. "How long have you been alone?" He questions. "Well, I've lived at Mick's house for a few weeks out of a year. So I'm not alone then. Mom started dipping when I was around nine." I just laugh and motion for a cigarette. "You're fifteen, you can't have that," Ian tells me. "Oh blow me fire crotch." Lip hands me a butt and a light. I practically moan into the cig. It hits my lungs and I smile. "Been way too long since I've had that in here." I point to my lungs. We eat dinner and make small talk. "Anyone under 16, bed," Fiona calls out. I turn to Ian. "Yo, thanks man but I better get goin." They all stop in confusion. "Look, You're nice and all. But I'm done with the million kids in one house type shit." I hear Fiona mumble to Lip to follow me.

I leave and walk straight to the underpass. I take off my jacket and start folding it into a pillow as I walk. I can hear Lips' heavy and somewhat uneven footsteps behind me but ignore them. After a few minutes of walking, I make it to the quiet passing and sit on an old tire. My legs are cold and will probably be all night due to the goodwill jeans that are older than mom. My arms on the other hand are blue. My spaghetti-strapped tank clung to my body due to the force of the wind. I leaned against the wall and slid back on the tire. I was too tired to care when I heard someone call my name. It had been days since I'd been able to sleep. I feel hands slide under my arms and that pulls me up. I can faintly hear Lip asking someone for help. I feel my body get lifted and I curl into the warmth of whoever's holding me. I can feel a blanket or coat get thrown over my body as I'm carried. My eyes blink open as I hear chaos. "She can have my bed." I hear someone whisper. "Shh, your gonna wake her Debbs." My eyes are fully open to see Ian holding me and Lip holding my jacket. "Just go back to sleep." I hear someone say and I feel my hair being brushed away from my face. I don't fight it, I sleep. The last thing I feel is someone pulling my boots off. I wake up mid-slumber with sweat dripping down my face and scratches on my arm. Poor Debbie is standing next to me. "You were having a nightmare and scratching yourself." Shit, I think. I've scared her. I look down to see that in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. "I dressed you, don't worry." She adds. I smile at her and stand up. "You take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor next to you." She smiles. "Cool, Like a sleepover?" I nodded. "Yep, just like a sleepover." I look at the clock and it's only one AM. Car time...

I walk down the stairs when I see that Debbie is asleep and I take a house key on the living room table. I above it in my pocket and walk to the station. No police are outside by the time I get there because they are switching shifts. I smile and hook the lock breaker into the window of the unlocked car. Wish a crack it unlocks and beeps. SHIT. I hop in the car and drive. By the time I hear cop cars, I'm a few miles away. I stroll into the shit parking lot of Enzo's. "For once, I thought you got caught. Never again will I underestimate." He laughs. I get out of the car. "60, like we agreed." He pauses. "Your late." I step closer to him. "By a few hours. Come on Enzo. When have I ever fucked you over man." He smiles. "60. No more." I nod and take the wad of hundreds. I count it in front of him and then smile. "I got a family now. Need more jobs to pay for shit. Actually, less jobs but higher-paying ones." I start to walk away. "I'll call you," he yells to me. I don't turn around I just flip him off and hear the laughter erupt. Yes, he's a dangerous man, but he taught me everything I know and we get along. I've never fucked him over, never asked for much. And he pays me and keeps me off the streets if I'm ever very desperate.