AN:
Hey guys, so this has been edited as of 01/29/2017 at 2:54 PM EST. I rewrote some of it, not a whole bunch, but I moved stuff around and made it a HECK of a lot more legible. I honestly have no idea why I even published something so atrocious all those years ago. *shudder*
Let me know what ya'll think, I'll be working on chapters 2 and 3 next.
~D.R. Out
We all have those days, you know what I mean? The bad days? The ones where you wanna scream, cry, rant, and punch something? The days where you can feel the oppressing crushing weight of life upon you? Yeah, for me it was one of those.
Sighing, I padded barefoot through the house. The small bundle in my arms squalling and little fists flailing. My crimson hair falling in pixie style hair cut around my thin face. My eyes, while normally cold and unemotional, now only held sheer exhaustion and worry in their mismatched depths. I say mismatched because one eye is brown and the other blue.
Placing, Annabelle, in her chair I turned and grabbed a plastic bowl . Pouring some Cheerios into said bowl I placed the box back into the top wooden cabinet and padded to the fridge to grab the milk. I glanced at the carton and sighed, just enough for Annabelle's breakfast.
I know what you might be thinking, but Annabelle is actually my current foster sister. Her and I were both taken in by this...couple. I suspected they took us in for the government money and not because they actually wanted us. It was all the same to me, just another home...at least that's what I told myself. I couldn't help but to wonder what it'd be like to be in a loving family. Somewhere where I was wanted.
Grunting irritably I poured the last of the milk into the bowl and placed it on the table for her. Sighing through my nose, I snagged the crusty end piece off of the last bit of a loaf and nibbled on it. I couldn't exactly afford to be picky when it came to food around here, so crunchy and moldy bread it was.
After all, the rents were rather stingy and that is what brought me to my latest...hobby. We lived in Metropolis, not exactly one of the most notorious cities for crime. However, it still happened. Huffing through my nose I glanced up the stairs and listened intently. They weren't up yet and if the snoring was anything to go by then they would continue to sleep for awhile still.
Smiling faintly I looked back at my little sister. Sure we weren't related, but she was stuck in the same boat as me and she had no way to defend herself. Be as that may be, it was now my soul responsibility to help her. Heroic..maybe. But I couldn't leave a three year old to try and fend for herself, that just wasn't my style.
Checking the clock I smiled faintly and turned to my sibling who happened to have ate some of the cereal and tossed the rest of it. Rolling my eyes I quickly grabbed a clothe and cleaned up the mess.
Picking Anna up I cradled her to my hip and grinned at her, maybe I was biased but she was the cutest three year old out there. It was time for us to do a little 'people watching' which was code for stealing. I hated that word actually, preferred five-finger discount. The rents probably wouldn't even notice we were gone, they tended to forget that there wasn't school on Saturday. Not like I tended to go to school much anyways, what was the point?
I was in the twelfth grade and am a pretty average student. Don't get me wrong I wasn't stupid, but I also wasn't some brainiac. Course I was average in a lot of things I guess, except for street smarts. I have lots of those...and an inherent talent to irritate people, I'm good at that too.
Breaking myself from my random thoughts I quickly trotted up the stairs and set Anna down. Digging through the closet I pulled out a cute pink frilly dress with black flats for the toddler, and pulled out a simple pair of blue jean shorts and a black v-neck shirt.
I got her dressed first, smiling at the rather adorableness of her. Anna's blonde hair was all pulled up into a pony tale, her big baby blue eyes and chubby baby cheeks be in easy view and it made her super precious. Especially to the elderly.
I was quick to dress as well, sliding white tennis shoes on so that if we got caught I could make a run for it. The last time we were caught both Janet and Rodger beat the ever living hell out of me. Not fun. I had to miss a weeks worth of school and told everyone I had the flue.
Pulling Annabelle up onto my hip I quickly trooped down the stairs and left the house, holding her close as I strolled down the suburban side walk. I still wasn't sure how two people like Mrs. J and Mr. R got a house like this. Like seriously...when did they ever work? Was it blood money...? It honestly wouldn't surprise me I thought darkly.
Grimacing in disdain and shaking my head, I focused on getting to the business district which was ALWAYS busy. Smiling faintly I set Anna down and pulled her into a convenience store. Her tiny and pudgy hand clinging to my own.
Waltzing in I let go of her hand and walked among the shelves. Annabelle would realize she was alone in a second and then make a fuss. Right on queue I heard the man's foreign voice cutting over the sound of his T.V.
"Little girl? You alright?" He questioned in his heavily accented English, quickly walking around the corner and crouching next to Anna. A smirk graced my lips as I quickly snagged a few candy bars and stuffed them into my brassiere. Luckily for me being a C-cup verging on D, it allowed me to do stuff like this without being noticed right away.
Quickly snagging a few other things, such as a small bag of chips, a monster, and a banana (Anna loves those), I stuffed them into the side strap bag I carried. It was like a glorified purse, but I used it to put my school books in it. I pretended like nothing had happened when I slipped from the shelves and quickly walked over.
"Awe Anna you fell again huh? Looks like our busy morning already has you in a mood." I pretended to chuff in irritation and quickly picked her up. The little monkey of a girl wrapped her limbs around me and settled on my hip, multicolored eyes studied the man in front of me.
"Sorry about that!" I called, feeling the smallest amount of guilt yank on my heart. I really wished I didn't have to do the things I did, but living as we did at the moment I couldn't get a job, go to school, ANDtake care of Anna. It was simply impossible as well as impractical.
"Petty crime is still a crime you know." I jumped at the unknown voice and looked up quickly to see none other than Superman...how in the hell did he even know I was stealing?! I swallowed and took a step back nervously, he honestly intimidated me as he was a lot bigger than Mr. R.
His thick arms were crossed, muscles bulging, through the blue and red fabric, and that red cape billowing out behind him with some unknown wind. I felt my stomach drop in fear as my pulse picked up. If Mrs. J and Mr. R found out I was dead meat...literally!
"I...I don't know what your talking about!" I snapped defensively, backing away slowly while keeping my eyes locked on the hero. The blue eyes of the Man Of Steel narrowed as he frowned, the disappointing look he had surprisingly hurt more than I expected it too.
"You know, you theives seem to get younger and younger every day. Pulling...her...into this isn't smart either." He gave me a firm look and simply held out a powerful hand, "How about you and I take those stolen goods back together." I could hear the warning in his voice. He brought up a valid point too...how dare I bring Annabelle into this, it wasn't going to teach her anything but how to be just like me.
But...how dare this man tell me what to do! How dare he attempt to boss me around! I didn't care if this was Superman, Batman, a fucking Care-bear, or God himself. I would not stand by and do what he said. No. This would just simply not do!
"Tsk!" I hissed the low noise and turned tail and made to run, I didn't get very far however. After I snagged my foster sister and attempted to run I felt powerful arms grab me.
It was all a blur of color and motion, and suddenly I found myself at the counter with all of the stolen goods placed on said counter and guilt eating heavily at my mind and heart. Superman stood behind me with his arms crossed, Annabelle clinging to his red cape with wide eyes. The man behind the counter glared as his lips thinned out and his eyes hardened.
I hung my head and flinched when Superman placed his hand on my shoulder. His deep booming voice causing my insides to quiver in fear. I was so done for...and poor Anna would suffer with me.
"I'll take her home, I apologize for this." The man behind the counter merely smiled faintly to Superman and nodded. Glancing at me one more time before fixating his muddy brown eyes on the man in red and blue tights behind me.
"No worries Superman. Just get this hoodlum out of here." I flinched at that term, feeling tears of humiliation and anger prick the back of my eyes. My throat feeling thick and hard. Nobody understood that I did what I did so that Anna could eat. After all our foster home didn't exactly keep the cabinets, that I could get into, well stocked.
Suddenly a large warm hand encased my shoulder and gently steered me from the shop. The presence behind me was intimidating to say the least. If it had been anyone else, like a random citizen I would've just struck out randomly and hoped for the best.
"Wait!" I halted our movements and dug my feet into the ground. Even though I knew he could have just continued and dragged me along, he halted as well. I could feel the panic sweeping through me. I didn't want him to take us back to the house and I sure as heck didn't want him to get involved with the rents.
"I...I'll walk us home. I'm sorry!" I blurted out, looking up at him with wide eyes. He was completely silent studying me with a hard look. I squirmed and looked away from him, clutching Anna's hand gently in my own.
"If I leave, you'll go strait home, yes?" I quickly nodded, hoping he wouldn't insist on coming with us. Finally he nodded and backed off, slowly lifting off the ground as he did so.
"I expect to not see you doing that again, are we clear?" I nodded and stated yes even though I crossed my fingers behind my back. He nodded calmly and flew off. Blowing out a sigh of relief I looked down at Annabelle.
"That was close huh?" I questioned, Anna simply looked up at me with a cute toothy grin...the poor thing didn't understand what had just happened. It hit me again how selfish I was, how cruel it was to jeopardize teaching her to do this kind of thing so young.
I smiled sadly and picked her up, my belly rumbling painfully and clenching. Grimacing I touched my slightly bulging stomach, luckily the shirt was baggy enough you couldn't see the malnutrition causing the distended abdomen. To be honest I could have past as pregnant if I had to, maybe three months max? I shook my head and scowled.
Reaching down I snagged Anna's hand and slowly began walking. A deep rumble echoing through the sky as the grey clouds released a soft misty rain fall. I blinked up at the sky while we walked, ignoring the soft glitter of water drops on my lashes as the rain slowly got harder. I took Annabelle by the house and reluctantly allowed her to go in. At least Mr. R didn't abuse her...yet.
Swallowing at the thought I turned and walked away, for all the wold I felt like a ghost. A shadow shell of myself, walking in a field of gray whilst everyone else walked along in full on color. It was depressing, but so was I. A choked sob escaped me and a few pedestrians looked at me before continuing on their away.
I was so tired of constantly being overlooked by everyone to be honest. I plunged my hands into my pockets and hid beneath an alcove as I watched vehicles drive by quickly. It would be better if I ended it now...but then who would look after Anna? Who would make sure she was clothed and fed?
Turning away from the road I shook my head with a scowl and strode back the way I had come. Maybe eventually I could become something of worth. Something more than this shadow of doubt, a sliver of who I used to be. Maybe I could one day mean something to Anna and those around me. For now I stood just as her protector and provider, after all...what else was a street rat like me worth?
