One Last Breath
~By: Lauren~
T H E
T E S T
"Not a morning person?" Aaron looked over at Meimi who only grumbled a response. "Well then stay out of Tony and Marie's way. You can tell they're relate because of how cranky they both are in the morning." A chuckle escaped the young boy's lips.
Meimi smiled back at him, taking a bite of an apple. She was glad Tammy didn't question her on why she didn't take off her sunglasses when she slept. "Mom always said there's no living with me until I've had some kind of sugar." Meimi's lips tightened at the thought of her mother.
"You miss her." Tammy said gently. She was sitting next to Meimi eating.
The redhead frowned. Meimi twisted the stem off her apple, her eyes staying to the floor. "I lost everything I had except for Ruby because she was with me at the time." She got to her feet. "I'm sorry.I didn't mean-"
"To speak of it?" Tammy asked. Meimi nodded. "You have to, just to bleed off the poison from the memory. Well, it doesn't have to be today." The brunette got to her feet, walking to the limo where she came out dressed in a new outfit of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. "I have a feeling it'll be warm today. Nice riding weather."
"Everyone ready to leave?" Tony yawned, taking a sip of a soda.
"Yeah." Aaron walked back from the direction of the toilet, a disgusted look on his face. "I always hate having that job." He murmured to Meimi who held in a chuckle. "Oh, just wait until it's YOUR turn, then you'll understand."
And with that, the group hitched up and left.
~*~
Meimi turned, looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of black bellbottoms that fit her nicely. She had a pair of skinny; slightly high-heeled black boots that went to her knees but her pants currently covered them. She then had on a white tank top that was decorated with silver glittery stars. Over that, for in the rain or cold days, she had a long black trench coat that nearly went to her ankles. Her red hair was pushed back with a silver headband and her sunglasses still shielded back her eyes, hiding them from the world. "Uhh.." She turned around, looking in the mirror, gripping the precious money in her pocket. "This isn't really me." She thought but another voice inside her spoke up. "But who are you now? Not the Meimi from back home. You're a new person now, with a new life."
"You look so pretty and kick-butt in that killer out fit!! We'll take it." Marie beamed to a sales assistance holding a pair of shorts, another pair of pants, some short sleeved and long sleeved shirts and a pair of thick socks.
Meimi scratched her head, still staring at herself in the mirror. She had cleaned up since the day before so there was no more mud or anything on her.
Marie glanced at Meimi who fidgeted in the new clothing. "What's the matter?"
"It's so.different. They'd never approve of it, not the people I know back home." Meimi frowned. Why was she still calling it home? She had no home anymore.
"Forget them." Marie turned, tugging on the clothing until it fit perfectly. "Your ours now. I'm not saying there won't be people to complain and pinch at you. That's human nature." Meimi nodded. She knew. Then Marie continued. "But here life is what you make it. Who you used to be doesn't matter. Look at Tammy, her father beat her mother to death and then tried to kill her. She was left to die. Aaron's parents fought every second and if he stepped in, they both turned on him with fists raised. Half the time let's just say they weren't even sober or they were high so he ran away. Tony and I, our mother died giving birth to me. We had a father involved with the mob and he was never at home for months at a time, leaving us to salvage for ourselves. We were attacked one night because he double-crossed some employees. My brother saved my life and we escaped with what little we could carry. Catch my drift?" Marie held out some money to the woman.
Meimi blinked in utter shock. It was a lot to digest. Tammy? It was impossible to think of her beaten and abandoned by anyone. And Aaron?
"I-I think so." Meimi responded to Marie's expecting face.
Tony strutted in and blushed instantly when he saw Meimi.
"So what do you think? I've turned her into a real beauty, huh?" Marie proudly stated.
Tony numbly nodded. "Hey, come out here and get on the bike." He grabbed Meimi's arm, pulling her out of the store. She yanked free of him and shot a glare at him. She then sat down on the bike behind Aaron and Tammy.
"Nice outfit." Aaron commented while Tammy nodded in agreement. Meimi nodded a thank you to him.
"Excuse me." The sale's assistant walked over Marie and Tony who had re- entered the store. She was holding the money Marie had given her.
"Yes?" Marie turned around to face her, the bag that contained the other clothing she had gotten for Meimi swinging around, bumping into the Italian girl's leg.
"You only gave me fifteen dollars. The clothing costs a lot more than that." The woman gave both teenagers a deadly glare.
Tony gave her back an equally evil stare. "No, I think it costs just that amount." He stepped forward threateningly, flashing her a quick look of his pocketknife.
The woman jumped back in shock. "I'll call the police!!!" She ran behind the counter, grabbing for a phone.
"Time to ditch!!" Marie squealed, running out of the store with Tony right behind her. They both jumped onto the already started bike and as fast as they were on, they were flying down the highway, followed by Tammy and her crew.
"What happened?" Meimi questioned Tammy while she glanced over at Tony and Marie.
"Just something we like to call the five finger discount." Tammy turned, winking at Meimi who had a shocked expression on her face.
"Oh." Meimi grew silent. "Yeah, they sure aren't perfect." She thought to herself. She was happy she was able to ride on the bike without freaking out again though.
"Listen, we don't like steal or anything. Ok, we do but we have to. We don't have rich parents or some job that gives us tons of money so we have to take what we need sometimes. If we can pay it off, we will. I gave the lady what money I had." Tammy frowned, explaining to Meimi.
"But nothing justifies it." Meimi retorted, ducking from the wind behind Aaron.
"No, nothing does. It's still wrong and we'll have to live with that forever but it's something we're willing to do. You don't have to if you don't want to." Tammy replied. "But honey, a lot of things happen in this world that aren't right but there's nothing you can do about it."
Meimi nodded, blocking out the sudden image of a bloody and mangled Tammy lying on the side of a road, waiting to die. She shuttered, moving her thoughts to something happier.
As the wild blew through his raven black hair, Tony glanced back at Marie. "I don't want you to follow my example. You know it was wrong what we did but it's the only thing we can do. We don't have a lot of money and we can't waste it on clothing but we still need the clothes. One day when we're rich, we'll pay back everyone we took something from. You got it Marie?" He gave his sister a stern look.
"Yes Tony." She replied, sighing.
After a few hours of riding, the group stopped at a rest area. They used the bathroom, refilled their water bottles and had lunch. The lunch consisted of yogurt, fruit and chips from a nearby vender machine.
"Hey I've got a joke! Marie, why did the blonde climb over the glass wall?" Tammy mumbled between mouthfuls of her food.
Marie shrugged.
"To see what was on the other side!" Tony, Marie, Tammy and Meimi all burst into laughter.
Aaron crossed his arms. "It's not funny! Blondes aren't dumb! I'm smart!" He brushed his hand through his dirty blonde hair.
"You are." Tony teased, poking the boy in his chest.
Marie stopped laughing, her face growing serious. "Wait.I don't get it."
"Glass is transparent Marie." Aaron rolled his eyes. "And they say I'M the dumb one."
Once again laughter filled the air. Meimi relaxed when suddenly an alarming thought filled her mind. Wasn't she supposed to be tested today?
"When do I take my test?" Meimi spoke, her voice sounding feeble and quiet.
"Meimi, what did we do today at the clothing shop?" Tony asked, ignoring her question.
"Umm.we borrowed what we needed.and the shop clerk said it was free of charge." Meimi searched for an excuse. She didn't want to flat out say they had stolen, it would make her feel weird and in trouble.
"Good. You passed." Tony stood, stretching up towards the sky.
"Huh? I passed??" Meimi raised an eyebrow.
Marie cheered while Ruby nuzzled Meimi's hand. "Yeah, you did. Now you're official!"
"Enough celebrating. Time to get moving again and tonight you'll start your riding lessons." Tammy patted Meimi's back as she walked towards her bike.
~*~
'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me
For you and me
For you and me
~By: Lauren~
T H E
T E S T
"Not a morning person?" Aaron looked over at Meimi who only grumbled a response. "Well then stay out of Tony and Marie's way. You can tell they're relate because of how cranky they both are in the morning." A chuckle escaped the young boy's lips.
Meimi smiled back at him, taking a bite of an apple. She was glad Tammy didn't question her on why she didn't take off her sunglasses when she slept. "Mom always said there's no living with me until I've had some kind of sugar." Meimi's lips tightened at the thought of her mother.
"You miss her." Tammy said gently. She was sitting next to Meimi eating.
The redhead frowned. Meimi twisted the stem off her apple, her eyes staying to the floor. "I lost everything I had except for Ruby because she was with me at the time." She got to her feet. "I'm sorry.I didn't mean-"
"To speak of it?" Tammy asked. Meimi nodded. "You have to, just to bleed off the poison from the memory. Well, it doesn't have to be today." The brunette got to her feet, walking to the limo where she came out dressed in a new outfit of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. "I have a feeling it'll be warm today. Nice riding weather."
"Everyone ready to leave?" Tony yawned, taking a sip of a soda.
"Yeah." Aaron walked back from the direction of the toilet, a disgusted look on his face. "I always hate having that job." He murmured to Meimi who held in a chuckle. "Oh, just wait until it's YOUR turn, then you'll understand."
And with that, the group hitched up and left.
~*~
Meimi turned, looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of black bellbottoms that fit her nicely. She had a pair of skinny; slightly high-heeled black boots that went to her knees but her pants currently covered them. She then had on a white tank top that was decorated with silver glittery stars. Over that, for in the rain or cold days, she had a long black trench coat that nearly went to her ankles. Her red hair was pushed back with a silver headband and her sunglasses still shielded back her eyes, hiding them from the world. "Uhh.." She turned around, looking in the mirror, gripping the precious money in her pocket. "This isn't really me." She thought but another voice inside her spoke up. "But who are you now? Not the Meimi from back home. You're a new person now, with a new life."
"You look so pretty and kick-butt in that killer out fit!! We'll take it." Marie beamed to a sales assistance holding a pair of shorts, another pair of pants, some short sleeved and long sleeved shirts and a pair of thick socks.
Meimi scratched her head, still staring at herself in the mirror. She had cleaned up since the day before so there was no more mud or anything on her.
Marie glanced at Meimi who fidgeted in the new clothing. "What's the matter?"
"It's so.different. They'd never approve of it, not the people I know back home." Meimi frowned. Why was she still calling it home? She had no home anymore.
"Forget them." Marie turned, tugging on the clothing until it fit perfectly. "Your ours now. I'm not saying there won't be people to complain and pinch at you. That's human nature." Meimi nodded. She knew. Then Marie continued. "But here life is what you make it. Who you used to be doesn't matter. Look at Tammy, her father beat her mother to death and then tried to kill her. She was left to die. Aaron's parents fought every second and if he stepped in, they both turned on him with fists raised. Half the time let's just say they weren't even sober or they were high so he ran away. Tony and I, our mother died giving birth to me. We had a father involved with the mob and he was never at home for months at a time, leaving us to salvage for ourselves. We were attacked one night because he double-crossed some employees. My brother saved my life and we escaped with what little we could carry. Catch my drift?" Marie held out some money to the woman.
Meimi blinked in utter shock. It was a lot to digest. Tammy? It was impossible to think of her beaten and abandoned by anyone. And Aaron?
"I-I think so." Meimi responded to Marie's expecting face.
Tony strutted in and blushed instantly when he saw Meimi.
"So what do you think? I've turned her into a real beauty, huh?" Marie proudly stated.
Tony numbly nodded. "Hey, come out here and get on the bike." He grabbed Meimi's arm, pulling her out of the store. She yanked free of him and shot a glare at him. She then sat down on the bike behind Aaron and Tammy.
"Nice outfit." Aaron commented while Tammy nodded in agreement. Meimi nodded a thank you to him.
"Excuse me." The sale's assistant walked over Marie and Tony who had re- entered the store. She was holding the money Marie had given her.
"Yes?" Marie turned around to face her, the bag that contained the other clothing she had gotten for Meimi swinging around, bumping into the Italian girl's leg.
"You only gave me fifteen dollars. The clothing costs a lot more than that." The woman gave both teenagers a deadly glare.
Tony gave her back an equally evil stare. "No, I think it costs just that amount." He stepped forward threateningly, flashing her a quick look of his pocketknife.
The woman jumped back in shock. "I'll call the police!!!" She ran behind the counter, grabbing for a phone.
"Time to ditch!!" Marie squealed, running out of the store with Tony right behind her. They both jumped onto the already started bike and as fast as they were on, they were flying down the highway, followed by Tammy and her crew.
"What happened?" Meimi questioned Tammy while she glanced over at Tony and Marie.
"Just something we like to call the five finger discount." Tammy turned, winking at Meimi who had a shocked expression on her face.
"Oh." Meimi grew silent. "Yeah, they sure aren't perfect." She thought to herself. She was happy she was able to ride on the bike without freaking out again though.
"Listen, we don't like steal or anything. Ok, we do but we have to. We don't have rich parents or some job that gives us tons of money so we have to take what we need sometimes. If we can pay it off, we will. I gave the lady what money I had." Tammy frowned, explaining to Meimi.
"But nothing justifies it." Meimi retorted, ducking from the wind behind Aaron.
"No, nothing does. It's still wrong and we'll have to live with that forever but it's something we're willing to do. You don't have to if you don't want to." Tammy replied. "But honey, a lot of things happen in this world that aren't right but there's nothing you can do about it."
Meimi nodded, blocking out the sudden image of a bloody and mangled Tammy lying on the side of a road, waiting to die. She shuttered, moving her thoughts to something happier.
As the wild blew through his raven black hair, Tony glanced back at Marie. "I don't want you to follow my example. You know it was wrong what we did but it's the only thing we can do. We don't have a lot of money and we can't waste it on clothing but we still need the clothes. One day when we're rich, we'll pay back everyone we took something from. You got it Marie?" He gave his sister a stern look.
"Yes Tony." She replied, sighing.
After a few hours of riding, the group stopped at a rest area. They used the bathroom, refilled their water bottles and had lunch. The lunch consisted of yogurt, fruit and chips from a nearby vender machine.
"Hey I've got a joke! Marie, why did the blonde climb over the glass wall?" Tammy mumbled between mouthfuls of her food.
Marie shrugged.
"To see what was on the other side!" Tony, Marie, Tammy and Meimi all burst into laughter.
Aaron crossed his arms. "It's not funny! Blondes aren't dumb! I'm smart!" He brushed his hand through his dirty blonde hair.
"You are." Tony teased, poking the boy in his chest.
Marie stopped laughing, her face growing serious. "Wait.I don't get it."
"Glass is transparent Marie." Aaron rolled his eyes. "And they say I'M the dumb one."
Once again laughter filled the air. Meimi relaxed when suddenly an alarming thought filled her mind. Wasn't she supposed to be tested today?
"When do I take my test?" Meimi spoke, her voice sounding feeble and quiet.
"Meimi, what did we do today at the clothing shop?" Tony asked, ignoring her question.
"Umm.we borrowed what we needed.and the shop clerk said it was free of charge." Meimi searched for an excuse. She didn't want to flat out say they had stolen, it would make her feel weird and in trouble.
"Good. You passed." Tony stood, stretching up towards the sky.
"Huh? I passed??" Meimi raised an eyebrow.
Marie cheered while Ruby nuzzled Meimi's hand. "Yeah, you did. Now you're official!"
"Enough celebrating. Time to get moving again and tonight you'll start your riding lessons." Tammy patted Meimi's back as she walked towards her bike.
~*~
'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me
For you and me
For you and me