p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"1/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The day had started like any other. Regina awoke when just the faintest of sunlight was beginning to draw long, creeping shadows over New York, and carried out the routine of any other highschooler: dress, eat, brush teeth and go. She'd arrived at school on time, as she usually did, and greeted her friends in the hallways. She arrived to each class early, stayed mute unless called upon by the instructor and sat silently through the hubbub of the cafeteria./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Now, though, as she stared into the blank eyes of her father, Regina Dawson regretted her voluntary silence. Stepping back to slide down the wall, the young girl replayed the night's events in her head, trying desperately to make sense of what had happened…/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"2/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Walking in the door, Regina had pulled off her fluffy grey hat and set it on the little wooden table by the coat closet. "Dad, I'm home," she'd called softly, hoping not to rouse an argument. The last thing she needed was /emanotherem style="box-sizing: border-box;" argument./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Come into the dining room, Gin," the deep, rough voice of her father replied, "I made dinner /emfor youem style="box-sizing: border-box;"."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"The tone in which the final words were spoken sent a shiver down his daughter's spine and she exhaled slowly, closing her green eyes to brace herself for the mockery of another "I was worried about you" talk. Stealing herself, Regina walked through the kitchen and into the dining room, her eyes reluctantly settling on the massive form of her father. "Yes, Dad?" she whispered, trying to make herself sound younger than she was. Like she /emwasn'tem style="box-sizing: border-box;" almost a legal adult./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Where have you been?" he'd asked, his voice devoid of emotion but his eyes screaming with rage. "Don't you know what time it is?"/em/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"3/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina stood and walked over to her father, crouching down beside him to better examine his still body. Reaching a hand out, she touched the tip of her index finger to the trail of red liquid on his forehead, smearing it around the burnet skin before lifting her tainted digits to her eyes in order to examine them. The sanguine fluid was the same shade as her lipstick, a deep, shining ruby that seemed to dazzle in the copper tinted light. It ran down her hand. It dripped slowly onto her short plaid skirt, staining the sandy fabric a dark merlot./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"4/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""It's quarter after seven."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""It's /emquarter after sevenem style="box-sizing: border-box;"," he echoed merrily, "/emyouem style="box-sizing: border-box;" were supposed to be home /emover an hour agoem style="box-sizing: border-box;"."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Regina took a deep breath, staring at her father's deep jade eyes. "I got held up at work," she explained candidly, "and traffic was pretty rough uptown."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It was an hour and a half before he let her go to her room. Without dinner. Again. Regina felt a new wave of disdain wash over her. How many nights did that make this month? Five? Six? Regina decided that she didn't care. She'd gorge herself on breakfast and lunch tomorrow./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Her bedroom was at the very back of their apartment, with a large window set in the wall opposite the door. Her bed was decorated with fluffy multi-colored square pillows and a single turtle plush with large navy blue eyes. His name was Silver—Captain Silver to be specific—and he'd been a young Regina's first mate on all of her childhood adventures. She still remembered the tale of how he became a pirate—and dragged her and her younger sister, Daniela, with him on his outlaw escapades—and giggled at the memory, a bubbling tear meandering down the curve of her plump cheeks./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Flinging her arms out, Regina crashed onto her soft comforter, letting the colorless essence of despair darken the mauve cotton. She sniffed several times and a sob escaped, but she was skilled in the art of silence. Not even the harshness of a wall against her littlest toe could pull more than a whimper from her, and she refused to allow /emcryingem style="box-sizing: border-box;" of all things to do any more than that either. She stayed face-down on her blankets until her breathing was more regulated. She then pushed herself onto her hands and knees to crawl over to Captain Silver. Hugging him to her chest, Regina made a frustrated noise at the back of her throat as she remembered something. She gently tossed Silver back onto her pillows./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Can't believe I forgot to unload it,em style="box-sizing: border-box;" she thought, pulling open her sliding closet doors. /emDad'll have my head if he finds out./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Regina pulled the small shoebox from the top shelf and lifted the lid, intent on doing little more with the shiny ten-millimeter glock than riding it of the magazine. However, as she stared down at the silver slider, her amber face nothing more than a brown-red haze reflected on the surface, her hands and feet seemed to begin moving on their own./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Out into the hall her heeled feet carried her, leading her on an unknown quest to the living room. The G20 felt abnormally heavy in her hand, as if it were a large weight instead of a handgun barely the size of her plushie. She stared into the TV for a moment, watching the woman on the screen cry for help as the killer dragged her away./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Regina?"/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Her eyes traveled to her father. She noted the slight alarm in his voice and the beer bottle in his hand. She settled her gaze on his face. She tightened her grip and walked into the kitchen, waiting for him to rise. "I figured it out," she said softly, opening the fridge door. She grabbed the milk from inside./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Figured what out?" Jeffrey asked as he slowly stalked toward her./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""What to do," Regina pulled a large cup from the cupboard and poured herself a glass, setting the glass on the counter rather than relinquish her weapon. She turned to face him./em/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"5/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The final seconds of their interaction were loud and then Regina was alone in their—em style="box-sizing: border-box;"her/em apartment./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"She scrubbed her face with her hands, not caring about the smears across her cheeks. Which ones were from her lipstick and which from her father was something she hardly cared to distinguish. She stood from the body before her and silently dumped her glass into the sink. Gods, she wasn't even em style="box-sizing: border-box;"hungry/em anymore. What was wrong with her? She'd been down a similar road before, hadn't she? But even so, her hands were trembling and her pulse was loud in her ears. The pistol lay discarded next to the island. Regina tried to suck in a deep breath, failed, and opted for harsh panting instead. She dashed for her bathroom, locking the door behind her out of habit./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God…" she whimpered through her teeth, her harlequin eyes wide and gleaming with unshed sorrow. "Oh, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Gods/em, what do I do?" she squeaked pathetically./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Once Regina reigned herself in, she washed the smears and makeup off of her face. She then sought out her cellphone, quickly tapping her contacts list icon and scrolling until she saw the name "Leandra McClaire." She selected it and quickly typed a plea for companionship./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Leandra arrived at the apartment door roughly an hour later, a large green tote bag hanging off of her forearm and a mocha latte in her other hand. She was a rather short, tiny girl with a round pink face, though it was much more slender than her friend's. Her marron locks were streaked with the same shade of zaffre blue that blessed her eyes./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""What's up, 'cuz?" she quipped once the door was open. A quiet 'hey' was the only sound Regina made as she stepped aside to let her friend in. "You called me over while Mamá was makin' dinner, ya' know," she stated frankly, calmly walking into the living room to set her bag on the coffee table. "She wasn't very happy when I said you'd gotten yourself into another one of your… pickles…" Leandra trailed off as she stared at the still form on the dining room floor./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina, call Mindi right now."/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"6/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mindi's dark eyes stared at her over the cafeteria table. She was studying her, looking for some semblance of regret but finding none. Mindi Reid was a rather tubby girl, only about five-foot three and as round as a beach ball, with a square, pale green-pink face bordered by frizzy red strands./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""You realize you're an orphan now," she muttered lowly, barely audible over the hubbub of the cafeteria, "right?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Two sets of eyes shot up to her, one holding nothing but shocked rage and the other… confusion?/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mindi, how can you say that to her?" Leandra demanded, "At a time like this? em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Really/em?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""I was just—"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Guys/em!" Regina hissed, tilting her head toward the roaming teachers. "Shut up, you're gonna draw attention to ourselves. That's kinda the em style="box-sizing: border-box;"last/em thing we need, don't cha' think?" Her eyes were slightly wider than normal and Lea could hear her sharp intake of breath. "We'll talk about this later, got it?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mutual agreements ensued and the trio continued their meals./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"7/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Once their classes were finally finished and the bell had ceased its screaming, Regina met her friends at her car in the high school parking lot. She was the last one to reach the small cherry colored beetle and apologized for her friends having to wait. They brushed off the apology and Regina unlocked the car so they could all get in./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Okay," Regina sighed heavily, "so, I'm an orphan now." During lunch, the knowledge hadn't bothered her, had barely even clicked in her head really. But now that she was only with the people she trusted most, out of sight from prying eyes and away from all the noise of a busy school lunch hour, she felt the reality of her situation set in. Regina Dawson was an orphan—no parents, no siblings, not even any grandparents (at least, none that were likely to know she even existed—literally). No aunts or uncles, not even a cousin or a second cousin. Even if she did have family left, what would she tell the police? "Hey, I shot my father with a ten mil. Glock, can ya' set me up with some relatives?" No. No, she was completely alone. She couldn't live with her friends until her birthday—she wouldn't be eighteen until the end of July! It was only September… But… Where else could she go?/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina!" Mindi cried from the backseat. "Regina, you're em style="box-sizing: border-box;"crying/em!"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"honey/em!" Lea exclaimed, embracing the shivering teen./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina hadn't even realized she'd begun to cry. But there were the tears, salty and hot, streaming down her reddened face. It seemed every time she blinked that new droplets were trailing down to meet their brethren. They dripped off of her chin as it trembled and her shoulders shook with her ragged breathing and sobs./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina," Mindi soothed from behind her, "Regina, it's okay—it's gonna be okay, we're gonna figure this crap out together, okay? Alright?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Al-alright," she whimpered, "alright, ye-yeah, yeah, okay." She sobbed again, sniffing as she felt her nose begin to dribble. Her redheaded friend pulled a pack of baby wipes out of her purse and handed them to her. "Thanks," she muttered, wiping the underside of her nose./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"They sat together in relative silence for several minutes afterward, the only noises being Regina's soft sniffles and harsh panting. Leandra was the first to speak./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""We're gonna have to share our tip money," she mumbled, barely audible, "Regina's gonna have to keep living in her apartment, so that she doesn't get caught… she's not gonna be able to pay her bills or rent on her own—not to mention food."/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Can I sleep over at one your places tonight?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Course ya' can, Gin!" Mindi gasped, "What kinda question em style="box-sizing: border-box;"is/em that?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina couldn't remember being happier than she was when her friends embraced her then./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"8/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"It had been several weeks since that night and Regina was spending her first weekend in her bedroom. Perhaps it was selfish of her to cling so closely to her friends for so long, knowing that she was preventing them from doing things themselves and yet not caring that she was. But she had needed Lea and Mindi more than she had ever before, and she couldn't handle spending more time in her apartment than she had to. However, she needed to grow up now and she needed to do so quickly before she buckled under the weight of things. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Adulthood/em wasn't all it was chalked up to be. Free of her father and his gang, yes, but not yet free from the turmoil her father caused her and not yet ready to face life on her own. She was just a teenager but she couldn't afford to be a child anymore./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"She couldn't em style="box-sizing: border-box;"afford/em to miss fifteen minutes of work or school, and couldn't em style="box-sizing: border-box;"afford/em to buy herself anything for Christmas. She couldn't afford that fifteen minute break or to turn down that extra shift on the weekend. She couldn't afford to goof off with her friends at the playground on weekends. Couldn't afford long, relaxing showers or baths with bubbles. Nor long nights up watching movies or playing video games. She had more important things in her life than that bottle of soda and that tub of ice cream. She discovered quickly that she just couldn't afford those things in only a matter of weeks./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"In a matter of months, Regina discovered that she couldn't afford downtime during the winter. She needed to keep the heat on and she needed to keep salt on the fire-escape. She wasn't about to let her more reckless friends slip and fall, afterall! She learned how to make do with limited resources and how to knit her own sweaters and socks—might as well save money buying clothes by picking up a good pastime, right? A bread recipe was learned quickly, as well as how to cook a more-than-one-girl-can-eat-in-a-single-night casserole. She was figuring it out and so were her friends./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mindi learned that in a house full of males, a couple of purple boxes and green bags wouldn't be missed or noticed, nor would a tube of lipgloss every once and awhile. She did, however, also learn that in a house with three sports fans over the minimum age, a bottle of beer during the Super Bowl was missed and it was noticed. She also learned quickly that in a house full of rambunctious boys, it was impossible to determine who had drank it./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Lea learned that her mother was more than happy to buy her yarn in all sorts of colors if she thought she was helping Regina with holiday gifts for extended family. Lots of extended family. She also learned that her father was em style="box-sizing: border-box;"not/em happy to buy dozens of rolls of yarn for her to help em style="box-sizing: border-box;"a perfectly financially stable family pay for overly elaborate gifts/em. However, Leandra had learned many years ago that a large batch of walnut and white chocolate chip cookies put him in a much more agreeable mood for several weeks./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Most importantly, they all learned that, despite his hard-working nature, Carlos didn't accept Regina overworking herself easily. There had been more than one occasion where their boss had almost found them out. However, a simple lie of "My dad and I are in a pretty big fight right now; I'm just trying to stay out as long and often as possible," from Regina and he left it all alone. All they had to say to keep him off of it was that it was a rather personal matter. Carlos was considerate and respecting like that./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"But even with everything the trio had learned, and they had learned so much in such a short amount of time, they were all still scared for the blonde's future. Regina had had such dreams and a whole bank account for college. Now, Regina had to use money from her account to pay for things, since finals restricted her ability to spend long nights at work on the other side of the city district./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"But tonight, this night, was about her and her friends enjoying themselves. Litres of soda, bags of chips and the cozy back room at Carlos's were all a stressed out teen like her needed to relax—even if it was just for an hour or two, for just one night./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"While Regina and Leandra sat on the well-worn sofa, Mindi stood behind the bar out front, talking to one of the regular customers. She was the only one with a shift that night and wouldn't be off for another hour or so, but her blue-eyed friend had the virtue of patience, even if the more rash of them didn't./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's funny," the aforementioned blonde said suddenly, "how, even though he's gone, I still can't seem to go in his room." Her eyes flicked over to the blue orbs staring at her confusedly. "I keep expecting him to be in there, even after all these months," she explained softly. "I don't know why but I do. Even though I know he won't be./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""It just… still feels like he's there, ya' know?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Leandra leaned over to lay her head in her bestie's lap, hugging her. "You'll get used to it, Gin," she whispered, "I'm sure of it."/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey, guys," Mindi called from the doorway. "My dad and brothers are all going to a friends to play poker tonight, wanna come over?"/p
p class="ends-with-break" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The three of them couldn't remember ever being happier than they were when they saw each other smile in response./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The day had started like any other. Regina awoke when just the faintest of sunlight was beginning to draw long, creeping shadows over New York, and carried out the routine of any other highschooler: dress, eat, brush teeth and go. She'd arrived at school on time, as she usually did, and greeted her friends in the hallways. She arrived to each class early, stayed mute unless called upon by the instructor and sat silently through the hubbub of the cafeteria./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Now, though, as she stared into the blank eyes of her father, Regina Dawson regretted her voluntary silence. Stepping back to slide down the wall, the young girl replayed the night's events in her head, trying desperately to make sense of what had happened…/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"2/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Walking in the door, Regina had pulled off her fluffy grey hat and set it on the little wooden table by the coat closet. "Dad, I'm home," she'd called softly, hoping not to rouse an argument. The last thing she needed was /emanotherem style="box-sizing: border-box;" argument./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Come into the dining room, Gin," the deep, rough voice of her father replied, "I made dinner /emfor youem style="box-sizing: border-box;"."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"The tone in which the final words were spoken sent a shiver down his daughter's spine and she exhaled slowly, closing her green eyes to brace herself for the mockery of another "I was worried about you" talk. Stealing herself, Regina walked through the kitchen and into the dining room, her eyes reluctantly settling on the massive form of her father. "Yes, Dad?" she whispered, trying to make herself sound younger than she was. Like she /emwasn'tem style="box-sizing: border-box;" almost a legal adult./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Where have you been?" he'd asked, his voice devoid of emotion but his eyes screaming with rage. "Don't you know what time it is?"/em/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"3/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina stood and walked over to her father, crouching down beside him to better examine his still body. Reaching a hand out, she touched the tip of her index finger to the trail of red liquid on his forehead, smearing it around the burnet skin before lifting her tainted digits to her eyes in order to examine them. The sanguine fluid was the same shade as her lipstick, a deep, shining ruby that seemed to dazzle in the copper tinted light. It ran down her hand. It dripped slowly onto her short plaid skirt, staining the sandy fabric a dark merlot./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"4/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""It's quarter after seven."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""It's /emquarter after sevenem style="box-sizing: border-box;"," he echoed merrily, "/emyouem style="box-sizing: border-box;" were supposed to be home /emover an hour agoem style="box-sizing: border-box;"."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Regina took a deep breath, staring at her father's deep jade eyes. "I got held up at work," she explained candidly, "and traffic was pretty rough uptown."/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It was an hour and a half before he let her go to her room. Without dinner. Again. Regina felt a new wave of disdain wash over her. How many nights did that make this month? Five? Six? Regina decided that she didn't care. She'd gorge herself on breakfast and lunch tomorrow./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Her bedroom was at the very back of their apartment, with a large window set in the wall opposite the door. Her bed was decorated with fluffy multi-colored square pillows and a single turtle plush with large navy blue eyes. His name was Silver—Captain Silver to be specific—and he'd been a young Regina's first mate on all of her childhood adventures. She still remembered the tale of how he became a pirate—and dragged her and her younger sister, Daniela, with him on his outlaw escapades—and giggled at the memory, a bubbling tear meandering down the curve of her plump cheeks./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Flinging her arms out, Regina crashed onto her soft comforter, letting the colorless essence of despair darken the mauve cotton. She sniffed several times and a sob escaped, but she was skilled in the art of silence. Not even the harshness of a wall against her littlest toe could pull more than a whimper from her, and she refused to allow /emcryingem style="box-sizing: border-box;" of all things to do any more than that either. She stayed face-down on her blankets until her breathing was more regulated. She then pushed herself onto her hands and knees to crawl over to Captain Silver. Hugging him to her chest, Regina made a frustrated noise at the back of her throat as she remembered something. She gently tossed Silver back onto her pillows./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Can't believe I forgot to unload it,em style="box-sizing: border-box;" she thought, pulling open her sliding closet doors. /emDad'll have my head if he finds out./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Regina pulled the small shoebox from the top shelf and lifted the lid, intent on doing little more with the shiny ten-millimeter glock than riding it of the magazine. However, as she stared down at the silver slider, her amber face nothing more than a brown-red haze reflected on the surface, her hands and feet seemed to begin moving on their own./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Out into the hall her heeled feet carried her, leading her on an unknown quest to the living room. The G20 felt abnormally heavy in her hand, as if it were a large weight instead of a handgun barely the size of her plushie. She stared into the TV for a moment, watching the woman on the screen cry for help as the killer dragged her away./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Regina?"/em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Her eyes traveled to her father. She noted the slight alarm in his voice and the beer bottle in his hand. She settled her gaze on his face. She tightened her grip and walked into the kitchen, waiting for him to rise. "I figured it out," she said softly, opening the fridge door. She grabbed the milk from inside./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Figured what out?" Jeffrey asked as he slowly stalked toward her./em/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""What to do," Regina pulled a large cup from the cupboard and poured herself a glass, setting the glass on the counter rather than relinquish her weapon. She turned to face him./em/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"5/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The final seconds of their interaction were loud and then Regina was alone in their—em style="box-sizing: border-box;"her/em apartment./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"She scrubbed her face with her hands, not caring about the smears across her cheeks. Which ones were from her lipstick and which from her father was something she hardly cared to distinguish. She stood from the body before her and silently dumped her glass into the sink. Gods, she wasn't even em style="box-sizing: border-box;"hungry/em anymore. What was wrong with her? She'd been down a similar road before, hadn't she? But even so, her hands were trembling and her pulse was loud in her ears. The pistol lay discarded next to the island. Regina tried to suck in a deep breath, failed, and opted for harsh panting instead. She dashed for her bathroom, locking the door behind her out of habit./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God…" she whimpered through her teeth, her harlequin eyes wide and gleaming with unshed sorrow. "Oh, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Gods/em, what do I do?" she squeaked pathetically./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Once Regina reigned herself in, she washed the smears and makeup off of her face. She then sought out her cellphone, quickly tapping her contacts list icon and scrolling until she saw the name "Leandra McClaire." She selected it and quickly typed a plea for companionship./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Leandra arrived at the apartment door roughly an hour later, a large green tote bag hanging off of her forearm and a mocha latte in her other hand. She was a rather short, tiny girl with a round pink face, though it was much more slender than her friend's. Her marron locks were streaked with the same shade of zaffre blue that blessed her eyes./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""What's up, 'cuz?" she quipped once the door was open. A quiet 'hey' was the only sound Regina made as she stepped aside to let her friend in. "You called me over while Mamá was makin' dinner, ya' know," she stated frankly, calmly walking into the living room to set her bag on the coffee table. "She wasn't very happy when I said you'd gotten yourself into another one of your… pickles…" Leandra trailed off as she stared at the still form on the dining room floor./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina, call Mindi right now."/p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"6/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mindi's dark eyes stared at her over the cafeteria table. She was studying her, looking for some semblance of regret but finding none. Mindi Reid was a rather tubby girl, only about five-foot three and as round as a beach ball, with a square, pale green-pink face bordered by frizzy red strands./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""You realize you're an orphan now," she muttered lowly, barely audible over the hubbub of the cafeteria, "right?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Two sets of eyes shot up to her, one holding nothing but shocked rage and the other… confusion?/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mindi, how can you say that to her?" Leandra demanded, "At a time like this? em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Really/em?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""I was just—"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Guys/em!" Regina hissed, tilting her head toward the roaming teachers. "Shut up, you're gonna draw attention to ourselves. That's kinda the em style="box-sizing: border-box;"last/em thing we need, don't cha' think?" Her eyes were slightly wider than normal and Lea could hear her sharp intake of breath. "We'll talk about this later, got it?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mutual agreements ensued and the trio continued their meals./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"7/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Once their classes were finally finished and the bell had ceased its screaming, Regina met her friends at her car in the high school parking lot. She was the last one to reach the small cherry colored beetle and apologized for her friends having to wait. They brushed off the apology and Regina unlocked the car so they could all get in./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Okay," Regina sighed heavily, "so, I'm an orphan now." During lunch, the knowledge hadn't bothered her, had barely even clicked in her head really. But now that she was only with the people she trusted most, out of sight from prying eyes and away from all the noise of a busy school lunch hour, she felt the reality of her situation set in. Regina Dawson was an orphan—no parents, no siblings, not even any grandparents (at least, none that were likely to know she even existed—literally). No aunts or uncles, not even a cousin or a second cousin. Even if she did have family left, what would she tell the police? "Hey, I shot my father with a ten mil. Glock, can ya' set me up with some relatives?" No. No, she was completely alone. She couldn't live with her friends until her birthday—she wouldn't be eighteen until the end of July! It was only September… But… Where else could she go?/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina!" Mindi cried from the backseat. "Regina, you're em style="box-sizing: border-box;"crying/em!"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"honey/em!" Lea exclaimed, embracing the shivering teen./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina hadn't even realized she'd begun to cry. But there were the tears, salty and hot, streaming down her reddened face. It seemed every time she blinked that new droplets were trailing down to meet their brethren. They dripped off of her chin as it trembled and her shoulders shook with her ragged breathing and sobs./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Regina," Mindi soothed from behind her, "Regina, it's okay—it's gonna be okay, we're gonna figure this crap out together, okay? Alright?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Al-alright," she whimpered, "alright, ye-yeah, yeah, okay." She sobbed again, sniffing as she felt her nose begin to dribble. Her redheaded friend pulled a pack of baby wipes out of her purse and handed them to her. "Thanks," she muttered, wiping the underside of her nose./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"They sat together in relative silence for several minutes afterward, the only noises being Regina's soft sniffles and harsh panting. Leandra was the first to speak./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""We're gonna have to share our tip money," she mumbled, barely audible, "Regina's gonna have to keep living in her apartment, so that she doesn't get caught… she's not gonna be able to pay her bills or rent on her own—not to mention food."/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Can I sleep over at one your places tonight?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Course ya' can, Gin!" Mindi gasped, "What kinda question em style="box-sizing: border-box;"is/em that?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Regina couldn't remember being happier than she was when her friends embraced her then./p
p class="ql-align-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: center; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"8/span/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"It had been several weeks since that night and Regina was spending her first weekend in her bedroom. Perhaps it was selfish of her to cling so closely to her friends for so long, knowing that she was preventing them from doing things themselves and yet not caring that she was. But she had needed Lea and Mindi more than she had ever before, and she couldn't handle spending more time in her apartment than she had to. However, she needed to grow up now and she needed to do so quickly before she buckled under the weight of things. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Adulthood/em wasn't all it was chalked up to be. Free of her father and his gang, yes, but not yet free from the turmoil her father caused her and not yet ready to face life on her own. She was just a teenager but she couldn't afford to be a child anymore./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"She couldn't em style="box-sizing: border-box;"afford/em to miss fifteen minutes of work or school, and couldn't em style="box-sizing: border-box;"afford/em to buy herself anything for Christmas. She couldn't afford that fifteen minute break or to turn down that extra shift on the weekend. She couldn't afford to goof off with her friends at the playground on weekends. Couldn't afford long, relaxing showers or baths with bubbles. Nor long nights up watching movies or playing video games. She had more important things in her life than that bottle of soda and that tub of ice cream. She discovered quickly that she just couldn't afford those things in only a matter of weeks./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"In a matter of months, Regina discovered that she couldn't afford downtime during the winter. She needed to keep the heat on and she needed to keep salt on the fire-escape. She wasn't about to let her more reckless friends slip and fall, afterall! She learned how to make do with limited resources and how to knit her own sweaters and socks—might as well save money buying clothes by picking up a good pastime, right? A bread recipe was learned quickly, as well as how to cook a more-than-one-girl-can-eat-in-a-single-night casserole. She was figuring it out and so were her friends./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Mindi learned that in a house full of males, a couple of purple boxes and green bags wouldn't be missed or noticed, nor would a tube of lipgloss every once and awhile. She did, however, also learn that in a house with three sports fans over the minimum age, a bottle of beer during the Super Bowl was missed and it was noticed. She also learned quickly that in a house full of rambunctious boys, it was impossible to determine who had drank it./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Lea learned that her mother was more than happy to buy her yarn in all sorts of colors if she thought she was helping Regina with holiday gifts for extended family. Lots of extended family. She also learned that her father was em style="box-sizing: border-box;"not/em happy to buy dozens of rolls of yarn for her to help em style="box-sizing: border-box;"a perfectly financially stable family pay for overly elaborate gifts/em. However, Leandra had learned many years ago that a large batch of walnut and white chocolate chip cookies put him in a much more agreeable mood for several weeks./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Most importantly, they all learned that, despite his hard-working nature, Carlos didn't accept Regina overworking herself easily. There had been more than one occasion where their boss had almost found them out. However, a simple lie of "My dad and I are in a pretty big fight right now; I'm just trying to stay out as long and often as possible," from Regina and he left it all alone. All they had to say to keep him off of it was that it was a rather personal matter. Carlos was considerate and respecting like that./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"But even with everything the trio had learned, and they had learned so much in such a short amount of time, they were all still scared for the blonde's future. Regina had had such dreams and a whole bank account for college. Now, Regina had to use money from her account to pay for things, since finals restricted her ability to spend long nights at work on the other side of the city district./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"But tonight, this night, was about her and her friends enjoying themselves. Litres of soda, bags of chips and the cozy back room at Carlos's were all a stressed out teen like her needed to relax—even if it was just for an hour or two, for just one night./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"While Regina and Leandra sat on the well-worn sofa, Mindi stood behind the bar out front, talking to one of the regular customers. She was the only one with a shift that night and wouldn't be off for another hour or so, but her blue-eyed friend had the virtue of patience, even if the more rash of them didn't./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's funny," the aforementioned blonde said suddenly, "how, even though he's gone, I still can't seem to go in his room." Her eyes flicked over to the blue orbs staring at her confusedly. "I keep expecting him to be in there, even after all these months," she explained softly. "I don't know why but I do. Even though I know he won't be./p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""It just… still feels like he's there, ya' know?"/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"Leandra leaned over to lay her head in her bestie's lap, hugging her. "You'll get used to it, Gin," she whispered, "I'm sure of it."/p
p class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hey, guys," Mindi called from the doorway. "My dad and brothers are all going to a friends to play poker tonight, wanna come over?"/p
p class="ends-with-break" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-indent: 20px; font-family: Crimson, serif; font-size: 18px; color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;"The three of them couldn't remember ever being happier than they were when they saw each other smile in response./p