Changed Times


"April, it is so stuffy in here." Janet shook her head as she walked into her daughter's bedroom, "And… why is your bed unmade? You know how I feel about you sleeping during the day." She shook her head.

"I was just lying on top of it doing some homework." AJ folded her arms, "And I was about to take a shower." She nodded.

"Did you go to school with your hair that messy?" Janet shook her head.

"Mom." AJ shook her head, "No, it… I had practise today and I was… running my hands through it." She said, clasping her hair back, "Do you need something?" She asked.

"No, just came to check on you." Janet smiled, "I'll be putting dinner on so… make sure that shower is a quick one." She said, "And open a window for God's sake." She shook her head, leaving the bedroom and slamming the door shut as AJ listened to her walk down the stairs.

She ran over to her closet as Punk stumbled out of it in his boxers, holding his clothes as she laughed a little.

"She asks a lot of questions." Punk shook his head.

"Really? That wasn't as much as she usually asks." AJ shook her head, "Are you ok?" She laughed a little as he nodded and stood up, putting his clothes back on.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Punk smiled, "How do I get out of here?" He laughed.

"Uh… God, I don't know." AJ placed her hand on her forehead, "You could… try the front door but… that might be too risky." AJ admitted, running over to the bedroom window and opening it up, looking around to see if he could somehow get out through the window, "Are you a good jumper?" She turned around to him.

"You want me to jump out your window?" Punk asked, horrified.

"No, no… you can climb down for the most part. There's a pipe here. I used to do it all the time if I was sneaking out." She explained, "Come here, I'll show you." She waved her hand as he walked over and looked out the window, "See that pipe there." She pointed as he nodded.

"Oh, yeah. I can get down there." Punk nodded.

"I'm sorry about this." AJ rolled her eyes, "It's so embarrassing. And I'm not embarrassed to be with you. My parents are just a different type of breed." She made clear.

"I get it, it's fine." Punk assured her, "I'll see you in school." He nodded as she smiled, leaning up and kissing him as he kissed back.

"Yeah." AJ nodded with a smile, watching as he climbed out of the window, making his way over to the pipe and slowly climbing down it. She watched him to make sure he got down ok, watching suddenly as his foot slipped towards the end and he fell down onto the grass, "Oh my God." AJ yelped, "Phil!" She whispered harshly.

"I'm fine." Punk nodded, getting to his feet as she shook her head and laughed, watching him run off as she walked back into her bedroom.

She'd never been this happy before. She really felt like she'd found her one. She felt protected, safe and happy with him.


"Phil, what are you doing?" AJ laughed, feeling Punk take her hand, guiding her into the toilet in the changing rooms, "This is the girls locker room." She told him.

"The girls aren't here." Punk shrugged, sitting down on the toilet and pulling him over her as she laughed, "I had a free period."

"I'm supposed to be in practise." AJ shook her head, in her cheer costume dress which he was already under and pulling her underwear down.

"No one will notice." Punk shrugged.

"I run the practise." She laughed as he kissed her neck and up her throat.

"They'll live." Punk replied. Even though she was trying to say no, of course she wanted it, she was pulling at his jeans and pushing his boxers down, straddling over him on the toilet.

"This is pretty disgusting." AJ laughed a little, sinking down upon his length and moaning, "Fuck." She moaned, pressing her lips against his.

It had been a few weeks of getting each other wherever they could. Sometimes Punk would sneak in through AJ's bedroom window, or they'd go home at lunch, or they'd find somewhere in school where they could have some time to themselves. They wanted each other so much, and through that they were still getting to know each other.

"Fuck, baby." Punk moaned as she moved up and down on him, his hands clutching her hips whilst he thrust up into her.

"Mmm, baby… just like that." AJ moaned, feeling him kiss her neck. There was something about doing stuff they shouldn't have that she really liked. She felt like he was rubbing off on her in that sense. She would never be caught doing something like this before, but with him, she really didn't care. She wanted it that much.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, feeling himself get close.

"I'm gonna cum." AJ whispered in his ear, tugging on his ear lobe as she felt him quicken his thrust up into her, "Fuck." AJ moaned, tightening around him as she leaned on his shoulder whilst he eventually met his own release.

"Fuck." Punk moaned as AJ smiled, turning to him and kissing him as he breathed heavily.

"I love you." AJ shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"What?" Punk shook his head as AJ nodded and smiled.

"I love you." She said. She knew for sure. She'd known for weeks, but she absolutely knew she wanted to tell him.

"I uh… I didn't think I'd hear that in a… bathroom." He admitted as she laughed a little, "I love you too." He nodded as she smiled, looking into his eyes.

He really felt like she gave him hope. Hope that his life wouldn't be destined like his parents. That he could make her his world and they could get out of this place somehow. He knew he loved her. He cared about her way more than he even cared about himself.


"Kid, how many times? We don't got jobs going." Punk shook his head, walking around the garage he worked in with Dean. The owner of the garage pretty much always left him in charge.

"C'mon, please."

"What's your name again?" Punk shook his head, walking around the garage as the kid followed him.

"Zac." Zac nodded.

"Ok, Zac. We're not hiring. Leave your number and when we are, I'll call you." Punk nodded.

"C'mon man, anything." Zac sighed, "Like… I'll sweep the floors, I'll be on stand by for covering shifts." He begged as Punk walked over to the small desk in the corner, "I'm trying to get my life together here." He said as Punk turned around to him, "I owe my girl so much, man. And I think I might have lost her. For good this time."

"Why is this my fault?" Punk questioned.

"I'm not saying it's your fault, I'm just saying if… if there's any chance you could fit me in. I'll do two days a week, one even." Zac nodded, "Please."

Punk groaned, looking at the rota and sighing to himself, "Ok, fine." Punk nodded as Zac clenched his fists in triumph, "Derek has taken this week off. His girl just had a baby so… you can cover his shifts." Punk nodded, taking down the rota, "If you're shit, I'm not keeping you on." Punk told him bluntly.

"Man, I promise I won't let you down." Zac shook his head, hugging into Punk as Punk stood still.

"Ok, get off me." Punk said as Zac backed up, "If you don't show up on the first day, you're done." He made clear as Zac nodded, "You've worked in a garage before, right?"

"Uh… not exactly." Zac said as Punk turned to him, "But I'm a quick learner."

"Fine. Ok, whatever." Punk shook his head, "I'm here next week anyway so… if you fuck things up I can slap you." He said as Zac raised his eyebrows.

"I'll get paid at the end of the week, right?" Zac nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Take these away and fill them out. Bring them in next week." Punk said as Zac nodded.

"Thanks, man. You're the only one giving me a shot." Zac shook his head.

"Yeah, ok. Get out of here, kid." Punk shook his head, watching Zac leave the garage as he rolled his eyes, turning around to Dean who was shaking his head, "What?"

"You're such a sucker for the kids." Dean chuckled, "That kid is never gonna turn up."

"Well that's his mistake. Not mine." Punk said, "Derek is off all next week so… we need cover anyway. He seems ok." He shrugged.

"He's probably had one sober, clean day and had all these great aspirations. He'll be high on crack later on." Dean said.

"Would it kill you to be positive?" Punk asked him.

"What? I'm just saying. We saw it every day with dad. He'd have one really good day. He'd make us all promises. He'd clean the house up. And then the next day it'd be back to his usual… junkie self." Dean said.

"Yeah well dad was different." Punk shook his head, "I'm gonna run over to the store and get a drink, you want anything?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm good." Dean nodded, going back to work as Punk grabbed his wallet, running across the road and down the street towards the store he always went to. He remembered he always had a dream to get out of this place, and now that felt like a lifetime ago.

"Hey, Bob." Punk nodded.

"Phil." Bob smiled, getting to his feet slowly, old and grey as he walked over to the desk, "Lunch break, is it?"

"Just a drink." Punk nodded, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge as Bob nodded.

"Who was that kid that just came out the garage there?" Bob asked curiously, putting the water through the till.

"The young kid?" Punk questioned, "Uh… Zac, I think his name was." Punk nodded, "Why?" He asked, handing over the money to Bob. The best thing about growing up however, was that he actually was able to have some money now, which meant he could finally pay Bob back.

"Oh, just… I see him around the streets. Bit of trouble I think. Just be careful." Bob nodded to him.

"I'm sure people thought that about me when I was that age." Punk shrugged, "Someone has to give the kid a chance." He said as Bob nodded.

"Phil, can I ask you something?" Bob asked as Punk nodded.

"Sure, what's up?" Punk asked, taking the water.

"When was the last time you saw April?" Bob questioned as Punk tilted his head with confusion.

"What?" Punk shook his head, "Why are you asking me that? I told you, Bob. You've got dementia." Punk shrugged casually.

"I'm just wondering." Bob shrugged.

"A long time." Punk nodded, giving his infamous brief answers as usual as Bob just nodded.

"You hear how she's doing?" Bob asked, "I just… she came into my head the other day." Bob nodded, "I thought you'd be the best person to ask."

"Well I'm not. I don't know how she's doing, and I don't know where she is." Punk nodded, "I'll catch you later, Bob." He tapped the counter, leaving the store as Bob wandered back over to his chair, sitting down and sighing to himself.


"This is the famous store you always go on about?" AJ laughed a little, standing in Bob's store, looking at the snacks as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, it's not much but… the owner is pretty cool with me. He helps me out a lot." Punk nodded.

They'd been dating for a few months and nothing had ever felt better. She was almost like his escape. When things were difficult at home, he knew he had her and everything would be go, and she felt the same way. No to mention, they were physically connected in ways they never thought.

"That's nice of him." AJ smiled, "You live just across the street, don't you?"

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"You still haven't showed me your place all this time. I get it, if you don't want to but… it's still your home." AJ said.

"I really don't want to take you there." Punk nodded to her.

"Ok." AJ smiled, taking his hand and nodding, "What should we get? I kinda want chocolate but… oh, gummy worms." She dropped his hand, crouching down and looking through all the snacks as Punk smiled, "They have cool snacks here actually." AJ nodded.

"See, I told you." Punk nodded.

They picked a few snacks and headed over to the counter where Bob was standing.

"Phil." Bob smiled, "Looks like we want some diabetes, huh?" He looked at all the sugary candy they were buying.

"That's exactly what we want." Punk nodded as Bob smiled.

"Well are you gonna introduce me to your friend?" Bob asked, folding his arms as Punk turned to AJ who smiled.

"Bob, this is April. April, bob." He introduced them.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you." Bob took AJ's hand and shook it as AJ smiled.

"You too." AJ smiled politely.

"Phil comes in here and talks about you all the time. Can't get him to shut up." Bob chuckled.

"Yeah, ok." Punk rolled his eyes.

"I see what all the fuss is about, though. What a lovely young girl." Bob smiled. He'd known Punk since he was just a little kid, and to see him happy and out of his toxic home with something positive in his life, it made him feel proud.

"Oh, thanks." AJ smiled at the sweet man.

"Can I get you anything else?" Bob asked them, looking at Punk whilst elbowing the condoms behind him as Punk just shook his head with embarrassment, "No? Ok." Bob nodded as they gave him the money.

"Well it was so nice to meet you." AJ smiled as Bob nodded.

"And you too." Bob nodded, watching as they left the store, "Good for you, kid." Bob smiled to himself.