Chapter One

It wasn't really my fault. To be honest my only fault was being such a good friend and having such a big heart that I felt it was necessary to do what I did. I mean it was dire circumstances. One that could not be ignored. She needed them really bad. It wasn't as if I could give her the clothes off my back. I had less than her. Okay let me back track.

My name is Wanda Adnaw. Yeah I know who in the hell names their child their last name backwards. I mean if they did that they could have at least gave me a last name that fucking sense. Anyway. I am technically a ward of the state but it doesn't really matter who I belong to because I run with the streets. I am seventeen years old and take care of a group of misfits who were abandoned by their foster parents, just like me. The only other girl was ten. Her name is Jasmine. Last name unknown. Well to avoid working flat on our backs we dressed like boys, talked like boys and walked like boys. SO as the saying goes: if it walks like a duck and talks like duck then it must be a duck. Or something like that.

So on the fatal day when everything went down, Jasmine saw a necklace that she just had to have. But her being so young it was way to obvious if she went in there without a parent but she was desperate. SO I went in there instead. I asked to see the necklace and when it was in my hand and the sales lady was turned I ran. Another fact about me is that I am clumsy. While sometimes my clumsiness is a problem, sometimes it's an asset. This time it was a problem.

"Security!" I guess she finally got a clean look at me. Dirty face, dirty clothes and just plain old dirty. I tried to run but the next thing I knew, two burly men were holding my arms. The sales lady started to search my pockets but alas she found nothing. Come on I deserve a little more credit than that. I have been a thief for more than ten years. I know how to hide something in case this happens. "Okay set him down. Don't you come in here again, you little hoodlum." She stormed away and the security people put me down outside the store. And there was Jasmine.

I walked away with a huff as soon as they went back inside. Jasmine walked up to me and slipped her hand in mine. I pulled the necklace from under my shirt and gave it to her as soon as the sales lady started to scream. I made Jasmine run the other way as I ran straight promising to meet up with the whole group later. But later was not to be. I ran under a bridge having the same two burly looking men chase me. I stopped to catch my breath but then felt something hard hit my head and then saw the ground coming up to greet me. I hit the ground really hard and saw the black creeping up on me.

I woke up a few minutes later with the cops leaning over me.

"Boo!" I just I couldn't help it. Seeing people stare at me has never been something I have been particularly good at receiving. They helped me up and started putting hand cuffs on me. This I objected to. I didn't even have anything. "Woo. Hold up! What am I being arrested for? You have to tell me."

"Actually we don't. Manasky read the boy his rights." He handed me off to some female cop. I droned out after that. What about my kids? Who would look after them? The oldest one after me is Jacob and he is only twelve. I had to think of how to get a message to them but it was to late. I was shoved into the back of a police car and was off. We pulled up to the county jail and I was locked in a cell for the night. When morning came they took me to the courthouse where I faced the judge.

"Well come on now. I haven't got all day. Which one is it? Camp Green Lake or Camp Blues?" Before I could say anything though he made the choice for me. "Camp Green Lake it is. A camp full of boys just like you," the judge sneered.

"Can you tell me what I got hit with?" I just had to know.

"Well a bucket full of books. Of course," the judge banged his gravel and I was gone.

They put me on a bus and that was that.