"I'm sorry Dustin, but I can't keep doing this," Angela Pleasant said, trying hard to keep her voice level. This was not easy for her.
"Why not? What have I done that's such a huge issue?" Dustin asked flatly, slouching slightly on the park bench the pair were sat on.
It was a bright, sunny day. There was not a single cloud in the bright blue sky, and a gentle breeze filtered through the park. It was a hot day, and Dustin welcomed the wind on his skin. The park in the centre of Pleasantview was the place to be when the weather was as wonderful as it was, and it was Dustin's favourite place.
Except today. Dustin would rather be anywhere else than here, having this conversation.
"You know exactly what you did!" she cried. "You stole my father's wallet."
Dustin shook his head in resignation. "I did not." he said defensively. "I know what I do for a living isn't great, but I would never steal from your family."
When Dustin's father died a few months previously, Dustin had no choice but to step up and earn a living. This became even more important when his mother discovered she was pregnant a month after the funeral. Things at home were already challenging with Dustin's younger brother, Beau, who was only two years old. Now, alongside the toddler, would be a newborn baby. Money was tight in the Broke household, and it was about to get tighter very soon.
"Except the wallet's gone!" Angela accused. She couldn't believe Dustin would do such a thing to her family, but for him to lie about it was beyond insulting!
"Maybe instead of investigating me, how about you check out your dad's side piece!" Dustin shot back. This stunned Angela into a dumbfounded silence.
"My dad's... what?"
"Your maid? You didn't know?" Dustin asked, suppressing a smile. The girl looked devastated, so Dustin decided to press this further. "Lilith caught your dad with her, but he had to buy her silence."
"You're lying still!" Angela cried. There was absolutely no way her caring, loving father would do such a thing to his family!
"I'm not, Lilith said that's what happenec," he said as he shrugged dismissively. "You don't have to believe her, but that's your call."
"Well, I don't!" Angela snapped. "And you shouldn't either!" She folded her arms crossly.
"I'll believe her over you any day," Dustin shot back, resulting in a worried expression on his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend's face.
"What... what do you mean?" she stuttered, nervously wringing her hands, her emerald eyes darting around. What does he know? she thought. What has she told him?
"I mean, I know about what happened between you and Dirk over the weekend." Dustin said, trying hard to mask the hurt in his voice. "I thought you were smart Angie, but what made you think it wouldn't come back to me? Dirk and Lilith are still good friends, and you know Lil and I are on decent terms." He stood up, and turned to face Angela.
"So here's what's going to happen: I'm breaking up with you for being a cheat, and because you think I would steal from your family. Honestly, the fact that you think that is plain insulting. So goodbye Angela, don't call me, don't visit me." He began to walk away before stopping and turning around. "And don't think you can get back with me, because, quite frankly, I'd rather eat my own shoe."
Dustin sadly trudged along the pavement, on his way home. He felt deflated. Angela seemed like the perfect girl. They had been friends since they were children, and Dustin found that they simply clicked when they got older. Everything felt right with her. He felt safe and happy.
He felt like he actually meant something, like he was a someone. He sighed, shaking the thoughts from his head.
There's no point in dwelling on it Dustin, he told himself, it's for the best.
"Dustin!" a female voice yelled. "Wait up!"
He turned around to see who was trying to catch up with him.
"Lilith, hey!" Dustin greeted.
Lilith was Angela's twin sister, younger than her by a mere eleven minutes. Like Dustin, she too didn't take school seriously, and the pair bonded after spending many detentions together.
"How did... the thing go?" Lilith tentatively asked, brushing a lock of red hair out of her face.
"Good, actually." Dustin replied, starting to walk again. "She tried to break up with me for stealing your dad's wallet, and I broke up with her for cheating on me."
"Wallet?" Lilith questioned with a small laugh. "That would be my doing..."
"No way!" Dustin exclaimed, chuckling at the girl. She was unbelievable. She had such a gentle personality, but caused so much chaos at home: drinking, vandalism, getting arrested, sneaking out, the works. She was a loose cannon, but could befriend anyone if she put her mind to it.
"Sorry you had to get caught up in it, but my dad ought to know that buying my silence isn't a one-time thing."
"How long have you been lifting money from him now?"
"Six months."
"Well, today was your last payment Miss Pleasant," Dustin joked, "because I spilled the beans, Angela knows about your dad's affair."
"Damn," Lilith cursed, looking slightly vexed. "How did that come up?"
Dustin shrugged. "I dunno, I shifted the blame on the maid, but I referred to her as the 'side piece'."
Lilith winced. "It's going to be a warzone when I get home." She shook her head. "Angela won't keep quiet about something that big, you basically dropped a bomb on her by revealing my dad's affair."
"What about you? You found them in the first place."
"I wanted to bleach my eyes at first." she said, shuddering. "Other than that, I don't really care what happens to my parents."
"That's cold."
"Like I said, I don't really care."
They walked along in silence for a bit, watching birds flit across the sky, children playing catch, and cars driving by. Dustin gazed over at his companion, and wondered how the two sisters were so drastically different from each other. The sister he had been dating was at the top of her class and super-popular. The sister beside him felt lost and confused, and felt like acting up was the only way she could express herself.
He preferred the sister beside him. She was nicer and easier to be around.
"Thanks for tipping me off about Angela and Dirk." He said after a while. She smiled in response, but said nothing.