Grayson Levi: Techsuit

3. Backstory

18 years ago my father married a kleptomaniac woman. That woman became my mom and she's the best woman I've had the pleasure of knowing. But she also left a bit of a sting on me, which is one reason why Techsuit got into my hands in the first place. I remember instances when I was younger which sort of explain a few things about myself.

11 years ago,

July, 2007

I'm 6 years old. I was born to very wealthy parents; Coraline and Shawn Levi. My dad worked at the lab and my mother, who didn't want a babysitter spending more time with her son than his own parents, worked from home and took care of me and we spend a lot of time together. Today she took me out to go to the mall.

I held her hand walking down the long halls of the mall. Until we got into a small clothing store that I didn't think either of us shopped in.

"Why this one, mom?" I asked.

"It's always good to try something new." She urged. I intend to remember that the rest of my life.

But I didn't expect that something new to be shoplifting. I saw my mom swiftly put something in her coat pocket, it was small and unnoticeable but that didn't make it any better. "Now here," my mom put a small toy found in the store's small toy section in the grasp of my hand. Walk out there."

"But the alarms will go off and they'll know." I don't want to be caught and I don't want to be arrested for stealing!

"You trust me, Gray?"

I stared into my mom's deep brown eyes which were different from my dad's green ones. I nodded my head. Then I walked out and the beepers went off. My mom was soon by my side.

"Grayson!" She scolded. Around me was a security guard. I almost started crying. "You don't do that!" She emphasized the 'don't' part.

"I'm sorry about my son," she told the guard. He nodded as if he completely understood or like it happened all the time. Then she took the toy out of my hand and gave it to the policeman with a smile. And then we walked away from the store.

I couldn't wait to ask her a question. "Why did you need to steal that? We have enough money."

I heard her breathe in. "This was different. I just- this thing has no meaning. It's okay if I take it without paying." I should have asked her more about that because it didn't sound right. But I didn't and chose to believe my mom.

A year after

I hadn't seen my mom steal since that day. But then we went to the mall again. And we went into toy store. I smiled up at my mom because I was delighted to get a new go cart, which I was sure was the reason for going there. But I was surprised when my mom slipped something into her purse. And then she put a miniature toy in my pants pocket. She smiled down at me before grabbing my hand. Then she took a toy off a shelf, placed it at her feet, and then kicked it past the security systems. The alarms went off and we walked out at the same time.

March, 2013

My mom wasn't with me this time. And I'd never done it without her. I just wanted to see what it was like, see why she did it so much and so easily. Nothing was wrong with me I just wanted to 'try something new'. I found my way into a small convenience store, one that was down the street from the High School I was gonna go to.

I took a look around the place to see what I wanted, even though my mom never took what she really wanted. I found the candy aisle and the pack of Mike and Ike's looked appetizing. I slid them into my shirt. I wouldn't need to do a distraction like my mom and I used to do. I couldn't just walk out though because that'd look suspicious. I walk up to the counter and greet the guy. "Hey, Wally."

He rose a curious eyebrow. "How'd you know my name?"

I pointed to his shirt. "Nametag." I always pay attention to name tags. "Anyways have a good day." And then I walked out touching the Mike and Ike's in my bag. I didn't get caught that day.

2014

I walked into a jewelry store this time. My mom was not with me again. I only shoplifted by myself twice before this.

I glanced at the cashier. My mistake was not looking out for security cameras instead. I went over to a wall of hung up jewelry and my eyes caught a silver chain that I was drawn to. My mom's unintentional lessons taught to only take what has little value. And it's not like my card wouldn't be able to handle the cost. It's just that I've never taken something so expensive.

I placed the chain around in my pocket. But then I heard a loud booming voice and the next thing I knew I was being told to keep my hands behind my back and the next month I was banned from the store.

I've got a record now.

This explains why it was so easy for me to take TECHSUIT. I haven't thought about my shoplifting days until now. When I'm sitting silently on the couch with my two best buds.

Thank you to @dreamerbae16