All the things we could've been | Bucky Barnes

chapter one - the heist

    Sunset is Bucky's favorite part of the day. The thing is, it's no longer summer and sunsets now only means that they need to go home and do their homeworks. Fun. He felt like he totally messed up with the short story incident a while ago. It could've been an essay if it wasn't for his teacher or–even if he doesn't like to admit it–him.

    Of course there's nothing else they could do except to oblige. Mr. Smith has been projecting a look on his face that could make you sing the alphabet song backwards in front of everybody else out of pure fear. It's not that he's scary, he just have that look that can ruin your life in a matter of second, something that Bucky doesn't want to happen.

    He values his education as much as he value his family, friends, books, and even chances. When he learnt in his younger years that he should never take anything for granted, he made sure that none of these opportunities would go to waste. There's only one life he can enjoy, and he want to make the most out of it. As someone born in a big family, he had no right to slack or even ask for second chances.

    "Are you sure we won't be caught?" Nerves twitching involuntary as Steve asked. The moon is shining in contrast with the already dark sky giving them the faintest glimmer of light along with the lamp posts stationed outside. They're at the back gate now and the lamp posts are giving off enough amount of light for them to see the yard.

    Guarded by two large iron gates, the house stood elegant and intimidating. The whole area surrounded by iron fences and large bushes, making it hard to see the entire premises.

    "So how are we gonna climb that?" Steve asked, eyeing the gate with largely gapped horizontal bars. He realized how pathetic they were for thinking that this place would be easily accessible for intruders like them. "I actually don't know. It's either we climb or we dig our way in." He chuckled, realizing how ridiculous he sounds. He rattled the gate causing it to open. An involuntary "Oh" came out as he pushed it wider.

    "Are you sure about this?" his friend's voice is almost shaking, afraid of it being a trap. There is a faint light illuminating the inside the house. It's normal, this house just gained it's "haunted" status due to its lack of residents. But it was never abandoned nor haunted as it was frequently taken care of by a caretaker.

    "If you're afraid, you can stay here and watch for people coming. I will get us some apples and we'll go home safely after I'm done." Bucky wasn't sure where this bravado came from but he confidently feel that nothing bad will happen.

    Steve let out a sigh and pushed his friend inside so they could finally get their job done. Not that they consider stealing a job.

    "We should get ten." Bucky's voice reverberate in the large yard. The quiet expanse of the yard welcomed them as their feet let out a soft crunch against the dried leaves.

    "How about we should get none?" a voice asked. Sitting in the swing just beside the large bush covering the railings was Elena. With a book in her lap and half eaten apple on her hands, she looks like a cat waiting for a mouse to fall on her mouse trap. This wonderfully atrocious bait that they willingly bit.

    "Relax, I'm just joking." Her voice soft against the cold hard silence and occasional whispers of the wind. The post lamp illuminated her skin as she push her body to the swing, as calm and as the quiet of the night. Her feet landed with a satisfying crunch as it met the ground.

    Her smile was wiped off her face when she recieved no reaction from the two. Personifying the word dumbfounded, Steve and Bucky were statued to the ground.

    "What? Have you seen a ghost?" Elena asked.

    "no way, we thought this house is haunted." Bucky said, eyes still gazing at Elena. He let out a disbelieving laugh. "No, you thought. Don't drag me into your conclusion." retorted the other boy. A soft laugh excaped Elena as she watch the boys argue.