Cassandra

Old friend

The next day I decided, that I really needed more money to get by. So I went to the busiest street in the city and started walking along the sidewalk. I chose the "nice way" of pickpocketing, which I didn't exactly call illegal. Basically I stole a wallet from a person, who looked rich, then I ran to them and asked if the wallet was theirs. Usually they were happy, that someone found their wallet and returned it to them, so they gave me some cash. Not everybody though, but I still thought, that it was more effective than just begging for money and less illegal, then just taking the wallet for myself.

"I saw that," said someone behind me just as I had stolen another wallet. I flinched, but then saw Kendra and relaxed.

"I don't know what you are talking about," I said with a sly smile and ran to the person whose wallet I had stolen. He just took it and walked away, without even saying thank you or smiling. At these moments I really felt I should have just kept the wallet.

"You look good," said Kendra, who had followed me. I didn't even wanna know how she had found me. Probably because that was her street too. It used to be our street. We spent the day pickpocketing and during the evening we could afford ourselves a nice dinner or some new clothes, unless the boys stole the money from us, which happen a lot more often, then I like to admit.

"You look like shit," I said honestly. She was a drug addict and by the looks of it, she had definitely risen her dosage since I last saw her. Her skin was pale white, she had dark rounds around her eyes, she was shaking even though it was warm outside.

"It's not easy being the only girl with five boys around."

"Are they still hurting you?" And by them I meant Jake and Ryan.

"Nah, those two freaks are gone. It's the new guys that are getting on my nerves."

"Is it the same?" I asked with actual horror.

"What do you think? I am the only girl. Don't have you to guard my back anymore. Seth beat them up the first time they tried, but that just encouraged them."

"You know you don't have to be with them, right?"

"And where would I go?"

"You can go anywhere you like."

"So where did you get the bag and the new clothes?" she completely ignored what I was saying. Clearly she was too afraid to leave.

"I made them." My old clothes didn't exactly fit me anymore and I didn't want to wear them anyway, so I joined a grafting class and made my own clothes. It took me forever though.

"So you're a seamstress now?"

"Not really."

"That's a shame. I could use some new clothes too." When we were still hanging out, she kept stealing all my things – clothes, money, etc. She didn't want them for herself – she just sold them to get money for the drugs.

"Why not just get some for yourself then," I said simply. She was right about needing new clothes. She looked like a homeless drug addict, which she was. "Seth said you were doing better, that you have money now."

"We are doing better... not good. We have a three room apartment for the five of us. Plus we have some extra freaks coming and going occasionally. We're not exactly starving every day, but we don't have anything normal to eat either. The gigs we get are stupid, some pointless things that nobody else is willing to do. Seth keeps saying that things will get better, but I doubt that, especially since he is the only guy with an actual brain."

"Sorry to hear that," I really wanted to feel sorry for her, but actually I just felt really glad that I wasn't part of that anymore.

"So anyway, when are you coming to the apartment."

"I'm not."

"What do you mean you're not?" Her tone changed. Before she had been quite happy, now her voice was cold, threatening.

"Didn't Seth tell you?"

"He came to the apartment yesterday, all pissed off. I have never seen him that angry before. He even punched a hole in the wall. I asked him where you were and he said that the bitch is not coming back and the he just kept saying all the bad things about you, but I don't think he really meant any of them."

"So you got your answer."

"You can't just say you are out and then be out. We are in this shit together!"

"Not anymore we are not." There was no way I was going to let them drop all that on me again. Every time they did something I was always the one taking the fault for it. That's why I had been to prison already 3 times and their records were still all clear.

"You can't do this to me! I have waited for you for four years."

"Didn't exactly seem like you missed me."

"What did you expected then? A Christmas card? If I had come to see you, they would have put me in there with you. Look at me!"

"Maybe being there with me would have been good for you." That was a lie, she would have probably died like in the first week or at least ended up in a hospital for various reasons, but getting away from the guys she was currently living with, would have definitely done her some good.

"Don't be stupid." I guess she realized my lie herself.

"I'm not. Anyway I got things to do, so see you never."

"Oh no, you are not just going to walk away from me, bitch!"

"Keep it down. You are causing a scene. I'm out. I can't help you anymore and I can't help you, if you don't want to be helped. If those guys are being jerks, tell Seth or the police about it and don't just get high."

"You think Seth would listen to me. He doesn't listen to anyone. He doesn't care about anyone except you. You are his little star in the dark sky," she said with bitterness. That is what Seth used to call me. He meant that I was the only good thing in his life, but every time I looked at the sky, all I could see was darkness.

"Well acting like this and blaming me for all of your problems isn't going to get you very far. And if you think Seth cares about me, you are so wrong. After all, if he really did care, I wouldn't have been the one spending my teenage years locked up."

"I am so done with you!" she said with pure anger in her voice and walked away. For a moment I thought about contacting Seth and saying he should keep an eye on Kendra, but then I changed my mind. They are not my problem anymore.