𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮, 𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏

𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑬 - 𝑨 𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑷𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑻𝑬𝑹

𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑳𝑰𝑳𝒀 𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑰𝑨 𝑴𝑨𝒀𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑲 was twelve years old, she shoplifted. Don't get me wrong, she's not a bad kid. But that week, the fridge at the Maybanks house had been even emptier than normal. Not even a jar of those disgusting beans, or that cheap peanut butter, was left. JJ told his sister to go and ask if they could have anything from Big John. But Lily hated asking for help, she felt like she was being a burden, and the old man had already done so much for the two kids, she couldn't ask for anything more, right?

However, the young girl went to the market instead. Ms Lana, a nice woman from the same block as the Maybanks, sold vegetables and newly baked bread at a stand. Lily instantly stopped walking and eyed the food from where she stood. She didn't even have to check, Lily knew there was not a single dollar in her pockets. And she would never ask Lana, who she didn't even know, for free food.

Suddenly Lana got a phone call, and turned around to talk. Lily bited her tongue and as quiet as possible she grabbed a baguette and stuffed it inside her sweater. As she looked around her nervously, everyone else was in a rush and no one seemed to have seen the girl. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding and started walking away when she heard a voice,

"What do you think you're doing?"

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"Lily!" The blonde got snapped out of her thoughts as she saw her brother in the front seat of the van, trying to catch her attention, "Stop being anxious about it. She won't remember a thing."

"I'm not anxious." Lily protested and rolled her eyes. It was a lie, ever since that day Lily had avoided the woman and her husband at all costs. Lana was a very beloved woman in the town and if she saw Lily, she would for sure remember her, and make everyone else turn against the Maybanks, more than they already were. And the Maybanks couldn't afford that.

"Anyways, Johnny, what's up with you and my girl Kie? You two have been looking a little cozy lately." Lily teased, peeking her head between the two front seats.

"You should definitely try with Kie, she clearly likes you. She's like 'Oh John B!'" JJ moaned in a high pitched voice. John B shoot the two an annoyed look and said sarcastically,

"Is that what she does?"

"And you like her too. Don't lie, you look at her like she's a goddess, which is what she deserves. And therefor, I will approve. But if you hurt her, Johnny boy, I will hurt you and break your surfboard in half," Lily told her friend aggressively, not entirely sarcastic.

"You would, and could, never break my surfboard." John B laughed.

"Wrong. Let's just see who's the last one to laugh. Here's a clue: it's not you." Lily started, "You remember when I beat you in arm wrestling, right? Or when I punched Jonathan in eight grade while you cried?"

That shut John B up, and JJ let out a laugh, proud of his sister.

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"I gotta admit, your fathers compass in Scooters boat? That's freaky." JJ stated.

"Yeah. That's why we're going to Ms Lana, to figure this whole thing out." John B nodded.

"I still thinks it's a bad idea. I'm the last person she would wanna see right after her husband drowned." Lily mumbled from the back of the van. Suddenly the van pulled up in Lanas driveway. Lily adored the house. It was cheap and small, but still managed to have that charm with the pink facade, purple windows, and small flowers surrounding it. Before the incident with the shoplifting, Lily always had felt safe approaching the house. Today, the house was everything else than safe.