*** NEW AND IMPROVED ***
With her father missing, Shay will do anything to get him back, even if that means teaming up with a cruel gang leader and his band of psychotic men.
CHARACTER VIEWS DO NOT REPRESENT MY OWN.
***WARNING*** OFFENSIVE CON...
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SO COLD
AT QUARTER TO THREE in the late afternoon, I signalled to turn left, and sharply turn the steering wheel. The radio was playing an RnB song from the early 2000's, quiet enough to be background noise and not a distraction. Beside me, feet on the dashboard was Seth, fighting to tear off a chunk from his stretchy stick of toffee with his teeth. He moved his jaw about for some while before saying. "I've changed my mind. Take me to Gloria's house."
"Have you done your homework?"
"I thought my mother was dead," he half-rolled his eyes skyward and sighed half-heartedly, "yes, I did it yesterday. You don't need to stress. I'm going to be sixteen in a month. I'm not a kid anymore."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Where did the attitude come from?"
"It's always been there," he flashed a brazen smile. "Could you lend me some money? I want to take Gloria out."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"No, but she will be," he said, self-confident. "I'm going to ask her out today. I like her, she's very pretty and she's got ..." he caught himself in time, grimacing. "Uh. Never mind."
"I'm not trying to be an awkward parent but do I need to teach you about safe sex? I could take you to a pharmacist and buy you–"
He quickly interjected, almost choking on his toffee. "Can you please stop talking? I don't want to have this talk with you. I learned about safe sex when I was eleven years old. Let's change the subject before I die of embarrassment. Grandma's two month death anniversary is coming up. Are you going to be around? I think Uncle Isiah wants to arrange a small get-together with her friends. A barbeque, I'm guessing."
"Text me the date, I'll be there. How's he coping? He always seems to smile and tell me he's fine when I ask. It doesn't seem genuine."
"He's still mourning. He tries to be brave and put on a front. It hasn't been long. We need to give him time to heal and let him come to terms with the death. I miss her, too. I wish we had more time with her. We'd only just gotten to know her when dad came around and ruined everything. He's a fuck-bitch. Did I tell you Jade wrote to me? She wants me to come and see her."
"Burn the letter. Don't respond. She's been writing to me, too. Anytime I see the prison address, I throw it in the trash without opening the envelope. We owe her nothing. She can rot behind bars, alone."
"I kind of miss her, I did like her. She was fun when she wanted to be except when she kicked you out of the house and the whole working with dad behind the curtains. That shit wasn't cool."
"It might seem surprising but I don't miss her at all. She left me on the streets when I needed her the most. She turned her back on me and now I'm returning the favour."
"You sound so bitter," Seth placed a hand on his chest. "I'll pray for you."
I laughed. "I was going to give you forty pounds but I'm dropping it to twenty."
