Scarred

Chapter 3.

Theo

When I solemnly retrieve my head from my hands, I turn to my left to find myself greeted by another figure standing there. This time, it's one I've come to know all too familiarly over the past few days.

"What are you doing back here?" I enquire, my shame speaking more volumes than my voice does.

"I thought you might change your mind."

"And why would you think that?"

"I don't know. I guess it's just because I feel that I know you so well," she says, causing me to stir up my face in distaste. The small giggle that escapes her mouth ensuring me her words fit into her idea of a joke allows my face to soften slightly.

"So you've just been waiting around this whole time?" I ask, wondering if she witnessed my last shameful encounter that is proving impossible to discard permanently from my soulless memory.

"Well I went to get a coffee, and I sat and drank it in there so technically no."

"Your money's gone," I blurt out.

"What did you spend it on? Insane amounts of beer?"

"No, it's gone, like... Gone. I thought you might have seen."

"Seen what?"

"Someone took it from me."

"Are you serious? When? How?"

"It doesn't matter how. But the money, it was taken just now. Right before you came."

"By who?"

"Another homeless guy. I tried to fight back but I... I couldn't." My words send a shiver infused with the never ending pathetic feeling that has become me, around my body, countered by the fact that I unknowingly just revealed to her how the money got removed from me in the first place. But, there is also a sense of confusion residing in me as to how I let the money go without a fight. Knowing the amount of strength that can build up inside of me, that I've exerted so venomously in the past, but not using it now, forces me to come to form the foundation of a solid inference.

It's like I wanted it to be taken. Because once it was taken, I knew that I would be back to having nothing again.

And that would make me agree to a certain offer.

"Oh my gosh, that's brutal. Do you know where he is now?"

"Why, are you going to fight him for it?" Her nonchalant expression followed after my words informs me that she is not aware that I am trying to settle the air with overt humor.

Well, I thought it was quite funny.

"Um so you still-- Are you-- You said you thought I would change my mind right?" I try immensely to get my words out in one but the pride instilled predominantly in me yet again proves to be stronger than my sour tongue.

"Yeah."

"Um... Well, it would be nice to sleep in a warm bed for once. Well, an actual bed." I stifle out a hushed moan at the ends of my words.