Rags and Riches

Ch. 6: A Series of Emotions - Shayne

"Bye," She said. It seemed that she waved too.

But I didn't turn back. Hell, I didn't even say anything! I didn't have to. I had the key, damn it. And that's all I needed. THE KEY. IT IS MINE!

"Hahaaa! What a sucker!" I smoothly took the key from my pocket, and tossed it into the air before swiftly catching it. I was relieved to have it back. It was comforting; as if the world had suddenly righted itself up again, as if everything made sense again. My at first slow exit had gradually became a speed walk, then a sort of weird skip, until it became a full on run. I had too much energy, and I was smacking into trees and stones and I probably kicked a rabbit at one point, but who cares!? I sure don't!

I almost tripped over my own feet as pure joy coursed through my veins. I ran all the way back to the bar where Keith said we should regroup again in case I never did find it and broke down or something. "I've got the drinks, you've got the boy. Bring them together, what do we got? A sad sad man." He said to Noah when they thought I was passed out. Man, what does he know?

But, holy crap! During my "date" with that girl, I swore that I would never waste so much money on anybody ever again. It was like she had no sense of money at all! Everything she wanted was expensive as all hell, and I was lucky I had coins from a recent heist. But, in the moment, when I pulled her in for a less than meaningful hug, it was worth it, taking everything in me to not run the minute I touched the beaded chain and unhooked it from around Courtney's neck.

Courtney.

Huh, wonder what she might be feeling right now. When you put a name on it, it suddenly becomes personal. Way too personal for my liking. My feet slowed down as I started fastening my key around my neck again. Where it belongs. Where it always belonged.

Do I feel bad?

A little.

Should I feel bad?

Probably.

But it should be fine, right? That girl's a princess. She gets everything she ever wanted, why not let a necklace get away for once? Serves her right anyway.

Even still, I felt a twinge of guilt inside me as I started to see the lights of the bar, like a small beacon for the partiers, the depressed, the addicted, and the lonely. My fingers wrapped around my key in a sort of protective way. How did Courtney get a hold of this thing anyways? Why did she keep it around? Was it special to her as well?

...Nah, don't be dumb. It's only been a week. How could she get so attached to something over the course of a week? Besides, I've done this many times before! How is she any different from any of the other person I've duped in the past? Because she was actually nice, stupid. My conscience seemed to slap me across the face for stealing from an innocent girl like her, especially since this was probably the first time she's been outside since forever. Plus, I guess it was sort of my fault that I had accidentally gotten to know her through our "date" anyhow. Like how her favourite colour was blue, and how she really liked pumpkin pie. Despite my happiness, I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel something when she asked me if we would ever meet again.

But this key. It was important. I had to get it back one way or another, even if it meant hurting someone like that. I tried giving her the best damn day ever, after all, in return for this thing.

When I finally opened the front door of the bar, my mood had mellowed out. That reflection of Courtney bummed me out and I didn't like it. Not one bit. I'm supposed to be happy, and here I was moping about the feelings of someone I just met over a day. Stupid girl. Stupid Courtney.