*4 years previously*
{Babkak: 18, Aladdin: 14, Kassim: 17, Omar: 11}
Babkak, Aladdin and Kassim strolled down the busy streets of Agrabah munching on pears they stole from a local street vendor. They were able to sneak up behind him, steal some fruit and sneak away undetected, laughing when they got away. They walked into their alley and stopped short when they noticed a lump laying in the middle.
"What the hell is that?" Kassim walked a little closer with Babkak close behind him.
"I think it's a kid." Babkak nudged the boy's shoulder lightly with his foot. The boy drowsily looks up at them. His eyes become as large as saucers and he backs further into a corner of the alley.
"Hey, hey, hey. We ain't gonna hurt you." Kassim walked up to the boy and crouched down.
"My name is Kassim, and this is Aladdin and Babkak", he said pointing to each respective person.
"Hi", the boys looks down and whispers.
What's your name", Aladdin walks up behind Kassim.
"Omar."
"How old are you, Omar?"
"Eleven."
"Not much of a talker, are you? Eh, doesn't matter, that'll change soon enough", Kassim smiled at the boy.
"Can we keep him, Babkak?"
"Aladdin, he isn't a lost puppy, he might have a family to go back to."
"I don't." Babkak looked at Omar and smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pear. He reached out to Omar and handed to him. Omar looked up and smiled.
*Now*
Babkak: 22, Aladdin: 18, Kassim: 21, Omar: 15
Babkak's stomach growled. The guys hadn't eaten in two days and they were starving.
"That's it, I'm stealing something. No one is giving us anything." Babkak made to get up, but Omar grabbed his arm.
"Wait, maybe someone will give us something, don't steal anything."
"Omar, we're starving. Look at you, you're wasting away. I'm stealing something.
"Fine, but we're going with you."
Babkak, Omar, Aladdin and Kassim stood up, wobbly from hunger, and walked out of their alley. Babkak snuck up behind a vendor and grabbed an armful of fruit before turning around to tiptoe back. It was then a cop decided to turn around.
"Stop thief!"
Babkak ran down the street, losing fruit as he went, chased by the cop.
Omar bit his lip. He knew Babkak couldn't out run the cop. He had to do something. Omar walked up to another vendor, sighed, and tipped over his cart before running. The cop turned at the noise.
"Hey, get back here!"
Omar looks back at the cop chasing him and doesn't notice the rock on the ground in front of him. He trips and topples on the ground with a thud. The cop is on him in a second.
"This'll teach you for running!" The cop begins to beat him with a stick and starts to drag him away.
"Babkak, Kassim, Aladdin, Help Me!" Omar screams for his friends as he tries to shield his face with his hands with little success. Suddenly, the cop is dragged off of him and two sets of arms grab his and drag him. It was Aladdin and Kassim.
They pulled him into their alley and set him on a crate in the back. Babkak returned not seconds later with a bruise on his wrist from the scuffle. Kassim came up to Omar with a wet rag and lightly wipe off his face.
"Hey, Omar, you alright?"
"I'm still here."
"Nasty bruises and cuts you got."
"Nah, I-I'm fine."
Aladdin saw a large lump in Omar's shirt.
"Hey, Omar, what's that?" Omar smirked and pulled out a pear, biting into it.
"I got one from the cart I tipped over."
Babkak rolled his eyes and ruffled Omar's hair, pushing his head aside. Omar just looked up at him and smiled.