Love's A Gamble

Chapter 1: Lena

"Get back here!" The man screamed as he rushed after me. The was bald except for the thinking hair on either side of his head. He was about 289 lbs. I guessed. He seemed to be Italian and Romanian based on his complection.

10 years on the street and he thinks he can beat me.Of course he didn't know I had spent my life on the street. No he believed, just like everyone else, that I was a snotty little runway. That I didn't like my parents so I left only to face the harsh realities of life. It wasn't like that. It was nothing like that.

I darted through cars and scooters receiving a couple of aggravated honks. I clutch onto the sack of food I nabbed from the old mans store. It would last me all month if I could get away in time.

He started slowing down and then completely stopped yelling some of the foulest language I've received and threw a small loaf of bread at me (which I caught) as a ran out if sight. I made a mental note not to steal from him anymore.

I hurried down the twists of road until I came to my "home". It was really just a fort in the forest on the edge of the town of Madison, where I just had my quick incounter.

Madison was a small town. It only had a couple hundred people living there. It was an American rendition of Little Italy. Whatever that means. It was a quiet place and there was very little crime. Actually, I was the only criminal there. Many people had gotten used to me stealing. Some even set out bags when they knew I would becoming to their stores. They could afford it. Maddison was an exclusive and expensive place to live. That's why, apart from people like the baker, I had to live out here, instead of the town.

I climbed up the ladder. I had stolen it from a painter who was in town for the weekend. He didn't need it. I knew. I only stole from those who had the money to replace what I had stolen. He had his own company. I had seen them work in the other towns I had been throughout my life. Some towns close some towns in completely different states. I dropped my pouch on the pieces of plywood that my bed (made out hay and stuffing) sat on.

I laid down on my bed and shut my eyes. Today was a looooong day and it was only noon. Stealing had always made me tired. I knew it wasn't the right thing to do but I had no other choice. Steal or Die. Great options. I opened my eyes and glanced at the small mirror (I had stolen from a beauty parlor) strung up in the tree next to me.

My long blonde hair was a mess from running in the wind and denied to lie flat against my tan skin. My light blue eyes were red from lack of sleep but now that I had gotten my good for the month I could afford to sleep. I shut my eyes and let sleep overcome me.

I woke up the next day. I was groggy and that was due to the fact that I had to sleep with one eye open in case that baker decided chucking a loaf at me wasn't harsh enough.

I pushed the top of my body up and rested on my arms. I really did have to get a pillow soon. I looked around me. Green trees as far as my eyes could see. A little deeper into the wood was a pure flowing river about 6 feet across. It was were I got all of my water from. I sighed. I couldn't get back to sleep now. And in order to survive I couldn't neglect my chores. I forced myself to crawl out of my bed.

I brushed my fingers through my hair to get out all the tangles I could. I would have to cut it soon. It was getting too long. It already rested halfway down my back. Long hair was a luxury I could't afford. It could get caught and it could take away from my side vision. I tied it back with a piece of sturdy vine.

I cleared the sleep dust from my eyes. I climbed down the ladder and pealed off my shirt. Next my shorts. I slipped into a bikini I've always been insecure over and rounded up all the three outfits I owned and walked to the river. I dunked each piece of clothing into the water scrubbing all the dirt I could off of them and hung them from the branches of trees. When I finished my laundry, I wadded out into the water. I dipped my head into the water. Dirt fell into the water. I didn't get this gift very much.

I came out of the water. The pieces of this bathing suit clung to my body. I had what some would call a great body but I was so insecure. I had never considered myself pretty. No that was Kayla's job.

Great. You are thinking about them. Stop it, they aren't in your life anymore. I mentally scolded myself.

I sat on a rock that was in the sun and dried. Once, I was all dry I retrieved my bucket from a nearby tree and filled it. Carrying it back to the fort I noticed a little bunny was following me. I smiled. Maybe I was Snow White after all.

I set down the bucket on next to the ladder. I started my daily pushups still in my skimpy little strind swimsuit, on a pallet a kind delivery man had let me have. After 5 reps of 20, I switched into my sit ups and after 230 of those I went into an hours of streaching. My body ached. It was at least 10 more of each then yesterday and a lot more then when I first started this two months ago.

I went on my ten mile run around Maddison and when I came back I gathered my hanging and now dry clothes.

Looks like the baker isn't coming back. I could get some proper rest. I hated wasting the day like that but. I had to. I was exhusted and it was never ever good to be tired while in my position. I put on a mid-drift and a pair of shorts and climbed up to my bed. The second my head hit the hay I was out like a light.