23;

Ellie woke up the next morning with the sun's rays settling directly onto her face. She closed her eyes hard and turned over to avoid the light only to realize she was alone on the mattress. Her eyes opened into a squint and spotted Riley and a woman sitting together in the center circle. She could overhear them familiarizing themselves with each other but must've caught the tail end of their conversation since it ended shortly after she started listening.

She pulled the blanket off of her and managed to slide her legs off to the side and push herself up to her feet, though with a slight unbalance. She wandered over to one of the empty seats next to Riley and across from the woman and sat down.

"Hey." She yawned and spoke with a roughness in her voice.

Riley swiveled around to face her, a grin quickly finding its way to her face. "Hey you." She motioned with a head nod towards the woman. "This is Tess."

"Hi Ellie, nice to meet you." Tess stuck out a hand which Ellie fumbled to shake. The woman had her other hand around the handle of a bitter and poorly made mug of coffee.

The girls could tell she was quite beautiful even though it was hidden underneath an unnecessary amount of makeup. Her mascara was dry and had started to creep downward and onto her cheeks. Her brown hair was fairly long though somewhat mottled.

"Riley and I were just introducing ourselves. It was a bit of a surprise to see a couple new faces in our little camp. Especially ones so young."

Ellie managed to nod and force out some words. "It was a surprise that something like this even exists."

"It was for me too at first. Though I suppose I should be thankful, if you want to call it that, that Sharon found me on the streets and invited me in. It's nice to at least have a fragment of what you're used to." She shifted her focus between the two of them. "Either of you drink coffee?"

Both girls denied it in unison.

Tess laughed while holding her mug steady. "Then this won't do it for you. You'll need the actual good stuff first, then you may be able to tolerate what we have here. Maybe not even then."

Ellie was looking around at the other sectioned off rooms while Tess was talking and took notice each one was empty. "Where is everyone?"

She simply shrugged. "Everyone's got somewhere to be. I don't know what Charles does, he never talks. I assume he's out there begging somewhere, as well as with Sharon and Malcolm. Um… Ethan has some low paying job, but he's saving up to get out of here, which is good, but..."

The girls glanced at each other before Riley spoke out. "What?"

"Alright, don't tell him I told you, but I think he drinks a little too much. He's a good kid, he just needs to kick the habit."

"How about you? What do you do?"

"I work nights. I'd rather just leave it at that." Tess sighed and took another sip. "Anyway, what are your plans for the day? For the two of you?"

Riley modestly answered realizing Ellie was staying quiet. "Not entirely sure. Probably panhandle, or whatever it's called. Start saving up."

"You absolutely should. Plus being two young girls should strike some sympathy in people more than a dirty old man will. Do you know where to?"

"Ethan filled us in."

"Good. Now, if it was up to me, and you may not like this idea, but I would suggest splitting up and hitting different areas. You'll get twice the money in the same amount of time."

"Sounds like a business."

Tess mildly laughed. "I guess it sort of is. Maximize profits and all that." She cleared her throat and took another drink. "Up to you. But for now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get some more sleep." She smiled and shook their hands again before getting up and heading for her bed, turning around only momentarily. "Nice talking to you girls."

They watched as she dropped onto her mattress and below her cardboard wall.

With her out of sight Riley refocused on Ellie who was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Hey. How'd you sleep?"

"Surprisingly not bad, considering what we slept on."

"Good." Riley spoke through a smile that uncontrollably grew while looking at her.

Ellie reciprocated and then slugged her in the shoulder. "You're such a dork."

"I know." Riley chuckled and then focused at the pile on the ground. "You should eat. Surprisingly a bunch of different stuff to choose from."

Ellie reached down and picked up one of the boxes of cereal from the stash. "Do they care about us, just like, eating their food?"

"Ethan is fine with it. I talked to him this morning before he headed out. As long as we contribute to the stash he doesn't care. Not really sure how to do that, but whatever."

Ellie shrugged and opened the box's top. "Probably get 'em out of those donation bins lying around the city."

Riley's eyes widened. "Wow, I thought you were against the whole stealing thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I've stolen plenty with you. Besides, this would be for a better reason than for fun."

"Alright, alright." She sighed after remembering Tess's words. "What do you think about the whole splitting up thing?"

Ellie began scooping out the cereal with her hand. "As much as I'd hate to admit it, she's probably right. We're trying to start on our own essentially, so we're gonna need money. More the better."

Riley agreed and the two sat around talking until Ellie was finished with, what could loosely be considered, her breakfast. They swapped out their clothes for something relatively cleaner from their backpacks and made their way out from under the overpass and onto the street.

Riley pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket given to her by Ethan and held it downwards so the sun lit it. The paper listed the best streets and intersections to beg at, apparently because they had the most foot traffic at any given part of the day. They both picked out their first spots and memorized another should they want to move.

Riley shoved it back into her pocket and looked up with concern at Ellie. "You okay? Know what you're doing?"

Ellie scoffed and shook her head. "Oh yeah. Just throw a girl who's never been homeless onto the street to go beg for money from strangers. I'm sure it'll work out fine."

"That… was probably the thickest sarcasm I think I've ever heard. If you don't want to, you can hang out with me instead."

"It's fine. It's just…" She reached up and rubbed her eye. "I'll deal with it. I've gotta get used to it eventually."

"…okay."

Ellie looked away and settled her focus over the city. "Where are we meeting afterwards?"

"Soup kitchen? We'll be hungry by then."

"Alright. Like five?"

"Sure."

They both sighed, uncomfortable with the idea of splitting up after being inseparable for more than six months straight since they met. They stood their ground not wanting to move but gave in and hugged tightly.

"I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Ellie nodded with great effort. "Okay."

They slowly fell away from each other and set off in opposite directions down the road that ran alongside the overpass. They each took a turn on different roads that led them downtown and towards their chosen spots.

Ellie found her way to the intersection that she had picked from the list. She scouted out her spot on the northeast corner, next to a towering building that likely belonged to some massive corporation. She sat off to its side and set out her collection can that she grabbed on the way out from camp and placed it far enough out to be obvious. She had no cardboard sign, nothing to sit on, deciding instead to forego them as a matter of pride.

When the first people came by she wanted more than anything to sink into her jacket and disappear completely. The embarrassment was crippling.

She watched people in suits and ties hurriedly walk from point A to B, seemingly absentminded to everything and everyone around them, especially her. She wanted their attention but the thought of doing so turn her stomach. She'd rather they notice her without any effort.

She had a direct sight of a clock embedded into one of the buildings which read a half past noon, about lunch time, and figured now would be her best chance at getting some money, if any. She gathered what minimal courage she had and leaned forward and tried to make eye contact with the occasional person as they passed.

"Do you have anything to spare?" She rotated her head back and forth like an oscillating fan. "Please? Something… anything…"

Most were quiet, trying their best to avoid meeting her eyes, which she understood well and wished she could do the same.

"Anyone?"

When that rare person did speak she heard them clearly, but with a heavy heart.

Damn homeless. I wish they could get rid of 'em all.

Useless kid, just get a job.

These people, fortunately, were less common than those willing to contribute a little money. The occasional clang would bring her out of her stupor and cause her to make an effort to thank whoever it was.

Hours of going from being insulted and ridiculed to receiving money and the occasional smile caused her emotions to oscillate heavily. The continual change between being depressed and grateful exhausted her to the point where she eventually became stuck in a gray area between the two.

The sun was dropping to the west rapidly as she watched the clock spin around and felt the air getting colder. She gave up on her posture and pulled her hood over her head and hugged her knees, small efforts at warming herself. The amount of people walking by had trickled away substantially and she felt it would be practically useless to keep trying. But she waited until the hour hand spun around to near five before she got up and brought with her her earnings.

She made her way back through the streets and spotted the orange wall of the kitchen from afar thanks to the setting sun. She walked across the street when it was clear, pulled open the cold handle, and walked through; she sighed in relief and pulled off her hood as the warm air blew over her. A line of people was again snaking its way along the right side of the building and nearing the front door.

She looked to the left and spotted Riley who had stood up the moment she entered the door. She quickly weaved her way over and hugged her as tight as she could, the only comfort she received the entire day. She laid down the can next to her feet and took a seat across from Riley, their hands still joined.

"How'd your first time go? You alright?"

Ellie spoke quietly. "Wasn't great."

"Don't be modest."

She hesitated for moment but spoke honestly. "…I hated it. I hate people."

"I do too, but you can't let it get you down though. People are gonna be assholes. You just kind of have to shrug it off." She gently tapped the can on the ground with her foot. "How'd you do?"

"Haven't checked yet." She leaned over, picked it off the ground, and laid it on the table. She poured out what few coins there were and with them the paper money. They each counted through the stash, Riley the coins and Ellie the paper.

"Twenty-three here."

"Four and half here. About twenty-eight bucks, Ellie. Pretty damn good for just sitting on your ass."

"And freezing. And being insulted. And mocked."

Riley subdued her tone out of empathy. "…it gets easier. I know that sucks to hear and probably doesn't help right now, but it's true."

"Whatever, it's fine. I'll just have to learn to ignore 'em." Ellie looked at the ground and back up at Riley. "Where's yours?"

"I hid it in a spot near where I was. It'll make it easier since I'll just keep going back there."

"What'd you make?"

"Forty-seven."

"Shit, really? How'd you manage that?"

"Yep. People are more willing to help a pathetic sounding and sickly orphan girl."

Ellie just stared at her in disbelief, half-smiling. "I want to say I don't believe you, but honestly I don't doubt it at all."

"Well, I'm not proud of it either. But then again, I don't really care. It works out either way."

Ellie couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not even gonna say anything, only good job."

"Well thank you. I appreciate you appreciating my hard work."

"You're so stupid. Can we get some food now?"

Ellie pocketed her money and left the can on the floor as they got up and went to go stand in line for their cheap, but satisfyingly warm, food. It moved quickly and they were at the front before long with bowls in their hands and four dollars poorer. They took their soup back to the table and tore through it like they hadn't had food in a month.

After finishing they headed back outside where the clouds had grown in numbers again and brought with them the same mild wind as the night before. They wound their way through the darker city back to the large overpass with their jackets zipped. They slipped through the busted fence and around the pillar where they spotted two of the other occupants sitting around the grill digging into some cans.

Malcolm was a rather long winded-speaker, but a lively and entertaining man to listen to for short bouts at a time. Ethan however didn't talk much about his day. He worked at some call center in the city where getting yelled and insulted at was a normal part of his job. It diminished his desire to speak some nights and certainly contributed toward his moderate drinking habit, this night especially so. It was a side of him they'd never seen before.

In the time that rolled by while the four of them had their conversation Sharon had joined, as well had Tess before she left for the night. They all talked freely and enjoyably as if though they were all friends at a dinner party instead of as homeless strangers. It was, as much as it could be, a relaxing end to a harsh day.

As it got late Malcolm and Sharon decided to take to their beds, leaving the last three on their own. Riley and Ellie said goodnight and soon followed their example and settled onto their mattress together. Ethan however remained seated and observed them in an awkward silence.

The girls cautiously returned the observation towards the barely visible figure facing their direction. They tried to ignore him and close their eyes but the attempt was short lived when they heard a glass bottle fall against another at his feet. They opened their eyes again and watched as he slowly shuffled up to them and then squatted down at the edge of their mattress, far too close to be comfortable.

Ellie pressed herself against Riley's back as some form of cover whereas Riley herself eyed him closely.

"...hey, Ethan. Do you need something?"

"Just a question."

"I don't think-"

He cut her off with a slurred whisper. "I just want to know if you two are like… you know…"

Riley shrunk her observation into a glare as she felt a sudden knot form in her stomach. "No... I don't know."

He leaned in even closer prompting Riley to inch herself backwards. "Come on… don't make- don't make me say it."

"Ethan…"

"Together." He remained still a moment before leaning back again. "I saw you two… last night."

Ellie dug her face into the blanket with a groan hoping that either she could disappear or he would just leave. Riley hoped the same but figured ignoring him at this point wouldn't work, especially in his state.

"Does it matter?"

He stuck both hands out apologetically. "No, no of course not."

"Okay... Well, we'd like to get our sleep then if that's-"

"I mean, I only bring it up because of… you know, because of Malcolm."

Riley clenched her eyes closed and exhaled out her nerves at his continuation.

"I mean he's a good guy and all, but he's what, I'd guess, you would, what you would call old school. Beliefs and all that." His tone and words suddenly fell flat and monotonous. "But you know, I don't think he'd really… approve if he saw you two… like I did." His voice grew tonal again as if though it was switched back on. "But that's just him. I'm- I'm fine with it, of course."

The uncomfortable knot in Riley's stomach had grown into a blur of nerves the longer he spoke. "…Ethan."

"Yes?"

"We're really tired. And we really need to get some sleep."

"Oh okay." He nodded his head. "Sorry. Just- just wanted to let you know. Night." He finally stood himself back up and, just as unstable as before, shuffled his way back over to his makeshift room and vanished behind its wall.

Riley stared at the bottom of the overpass with her mouth slightly agape trying to make sense of what just happened. "That was incredibly uncomfortable."

Ellie had pulled her face back out from the blanket when she heard him retreat. "No kidding. Why the hell would he just talk about that?"

Riley let her head fall roll to the side and face Ellie. "The guy's drunk, clearly."

"I guess… What he said about Malcolm though, you think he's right?"

"No, because it's not Malcolm he's talking about."