Your POV 1 year later
I had finally found an abandoned still semi - neat house to live in for a short bit. I had to keep it on a lowkey because if someone ratted me out to the cops I'd be a goner. Maybe jail or foster care, or worse. Maybe back with my dead beat father if he's still alive or my scared mother who was always running away and never trying to protect me.
Luckily the house looked as if it had only been abandoned for a few months. There was an old dresser in one of the rooms so I just wiped up any dust inside with one of my shirts.
How long can I keep running around with no family, food, or money before it gets dangerous? I think to myself. It was only about mid day and I was starting to get kind of hungry. I push my hands deep into my pockets to pull out a crumpled few dollars. Only $3.
**
I walk into a small convenient store to see what three dollars can get me. My stomach rumbles as I walk around the store. I go by the candy section to see if there is any small or cheap bags of chips.
I grab a bag of chips that only costs about $1.92 . I walk over to the drinks and grab a cheap can of some soda. At this point I didn't care what it was.
I gather the chips and soda and walk to the front to pay for my things and set them down on the counter.
"This all?" The cashier asks kind of weirdly.
"Yeah." I say looking down as much as possible.
He rings up my items. "Your total is $3.18."
"Oh. I'm sorry I only have three-" He cuts me off.
"That's okay, take it. Come prepared next time." He says with a small chuckle.
I don't say thank you but kind of give him a look indicating I am appreciative.
I grab the items and try to walk away as fast as possible before he gets any bad suspicions. I walk with the items in hand until I find a nice bench farther away from the little store. I sit down and enjoy the little snack and drink.
Before I know it I had eaten every last bit of the snack and the soda was gone. I sigh and get up. I start walking and pass a little park. After passing the park getting closer to the highway a billboard catches my attention. It's a school billboard.
I mean I did just kind of leave school, I think.
Don't be stupid , someone could find out about you! I think.
**
I run inside the administrations office to get registered for high school. They were about to close up so I'm glad I got in soon enough.
I walk to the front desk and look at the lady on the computer with a big smile.
She looks up at me, "Yes ma'am?"
My smile sort of fades but I cough it back up.
"Uhm, I would like to register for ninth grade." I say softly.
I break eye contact and look down.
"Sweetie, where are your parents? Are you lost?" She says to me as if I'm a little kid. My eyes jet back up to her and my brow furrows. "What the f-" I cut myself off before I get myself into trouble.
"Excuse me?" I ask politely.
She giggles and then her face gets serious. "Oh honey, you were being serious?"
I slowly nod my head trying to get rid of the urge of jumping over the desk and hitting her.
"You need an adult or you can't register, school policies, sweetheart." She says.
I clench my fist and whisper angrily.
"I did not walk a year from Ohio to somehow end up in Chicago just to get rejected my education by some bitch who takes school policies seriously."
It all slipped out too fast.
"Excuse me young lady?" She asks with a tone.
I cough and cross my hands on the desk. "Look, I'm so sorry I didn't bring my parents!" I say acting as nonchalant as possible. "They got sick and couldn't make it, I had to drop out last year because my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we got way tight on money so they pulled me out!" I say putting on a sob story. "They're not feeling well these days but our money situation finally bounced back and we can pay for it off our insurance, Just give me a chance." I plead trying as hard as possible.
She wipes a tear out of her eye and I give a slight smirk.
"Okay, fine. But tell nobody I let you off this easy." She says pulling out forms.
"Count on me." I say with a grin as i snatch the papers from her.
