A Twinkle In The Stars

Chapter 2

We woke up the next morning, sun in our eyes hangovers taking over our bodies. We had fallen asleep on the roof. I was holding Margo, her curls tangled up in my hand. Denver and Star were sprawled out a small distance from us.

I was the first to wake up so I went into the house to see what actually worked. 

The house was a foreclosure and belonged to the bank. So I hoped the water and electricity worked. It was just our luck that everything except the lights worked once I got all the switches turned on.

I showered and brushed my teeth and threw my hair into a bun. I looked in the mirror and my bruise painted my face like a canvas.

I looked rough.

But by now I was used to it. Looking rough.

"I see you've made yourself at home." Star yawned.

"I guess. I'm gonna go out, get us some food." I grabbed my backpack.

I had thirty bucks saved so it should get us something.

"Margo wants to have a family meeting once everyone wakes up. Just be back in time you know how she likes to micromanage." Star gave me a small smile before heading into the bathroom.

The house was two story. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The door to the bedroom was stuck so all we had was the bathroom and living room and the stairs were damaged so no need risking it.

The windows were mostly boarded up and the appliances were old as well as the mattresses that littered the floor.

I walked down the street to the convenience store and bought a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, milk, chips, and some candy.

"Twenty five eighty seven." The old woman put all the items in the bag.

I handed her the money and got my change walking back to the house.

"Morning." Denver mumbled as he climbed down from the roof.

I looked up and Margo was gone too.

I went inside and put the food away.

"Thanks for the food. You didn't have to do that." Margo kissed my cheek.

"It's no problem. I wanted to help everybody out." I planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Cut it out lovebirds and let's get on with this family meeting." Denver opened the bread and began making a sandwich.

"Well, I want to know how we plan to support ourselves. Considering the fact that we can't stay here all our lives and we need to make a living to get food and other stuff." Margo sat on the counter.

"Well I got that side job I told you about." Denver winked.

He sold drugs.

"I guess I could go down to that convenience store and ask them for a job or something." Star shrugged.

All eyes fell on me.

"I'll play guitar in the subway for tips. I usually get fifty to a hundred dollars a night. That's maybe seven hundred a week depending on where I go." I shrugged.

"Alright and I secured a job at the library. We should be fine as long as everyone is pulling their weight." Margo sighed.

"It's ok. We'll be fine. As long as we have each other we're gonna make it." I reassured her.

For the rest of the day we chilled and then once it got dark, Star went to a club downtown. The rest of us wanted an easy night considering we all just basically uprooted ourselves and ran away.

Denver had a christian family who persecuted him because he was gay. Sent him to all the military schools, reform schools, and mental hospitals in the state. But Denver always found a love interest to keep him going. Eventually, his parents made him decide against himself or their money. He chose himself and they kicked him out onto the street. It was heart wrenching but he'd never admit he was hurt.

Margo was an only child. Her Mom killed herself when she was ten leaving her with her alcoholic father. It was always a bruise here and there or a sprained ankle or wrist. She knew she had to leave once he broke her arm. I always offered her room at my Aunt's house but she never came for fear of causing me more trouble. She ran away once her Father escalated and tried to kill her. 

She was more open than the rest of us. More trusting. But it was one of her good qualities. 

"What are you thinking about?" She asked plopping down on the mattress next to me.

"You." I winked.

She blushed.

"Hey! Keep the PDA  to a minimum please. It's already bad enough that I'm single but please don't subject me to all this cutsie stuff." Denver sneered making me and Margo laugh.

The front door burst open making all of us scramble to our feet.

Star stumbled in with a man in an expensive suit slinging to her side. He was a drunken mess.

"Star who is that? Why is he here? What are you doing? Are you crazy." Margo fired off questions, fear in her eyes.

"Quiet! I have a plan! He's drunk and high on xanax and percs. He won't remember anything tomorrow so I brought him to get some money." Star shoved him onto a mattress.

"What?! How are you gonna get money from him?" Denver shrieked.

"I found him at a strip club and got him drunk before he could spend any money. Check his pockets." Star pointed at the guy who was barely conscious. 

No one moved so she dug into his pockets, pulling out a stack of cash.

"How much is that!" I felt like the room was spinning.

"Two-thousand dollars." Star stared at the money in her hands.

"Check for a wallet!" Denver commanded.

She dug in his suit pockets and found his wallet. She took out his ATM card.

"We have to use this. We can go to the convenience store and take out the max amount." Star planned.

"No! That is immoral and wrong!" Margo shook her head.

"Margo, we need this money. Depending on how much we can take out we can get a place by the end of the week! Margo this is gold!" Star reasoned.

"I agree with Star." Denver spoke up.

There was silence and all eyes fell on me.

On the one hand it would get us some well needed money but on the other hand it would bring our morals into question.

"I agree with Star." I face palmed knowing that was the wrong decision.

I should've agreed with Margo.