STREET RAT, jj [ON HIATUS]

movie night .

23] MOVIE NIGHT

     IT WAS CRUEL how fast things can change. Synley always thought that, anyways. One minute you're skipping home from school, happy to show mom the cool art you made at school, and the next you're crying because mom was drunk and angry at everything.

It's barbaric. To have hope burned to ashes as soon as you started feeling it.

They found the Royal Merchant. They won. And as soon as they allowed themselves to feel that achievement, they realized they found nothing but sand and the old bones of a ship. If the gold was ever down there with the Merchant, it wasn't there now.

John B took it the hardest.

"That doesn't mean we lost," Synley had tried to get through to her friend, "It could've been taken off the ship?" She knew she didn't sound very convincing, but she had to try. He just threw his hood over his head and didn't speak to anyone the whole way home.

Synley's gut wrenched at the thought, even hours later. Her best friend was hurting and there was nothing she could do about it.

She hung her apron on one of the many hooks in the kitchen. When she clocked out, she sifted through the small stack of cash she made during her shift and stuffed the embarrassing amount in her back pocket. Stupid empty wreck, she thought bitterly while bee-lining for the exit. If today had went like it was supposed to, she wouldn't have even showed up to work: she'd be too busy counting millions.

"Bye, Synley!" Mr. Carrera waved as she walked past. She didn't have it in her to match his farewell, so she settled for a tight smile and a nod before ducking out the door. His daughter was waiting patiently in the parking lot, the engine of Kie's SUV already running. Synley wasted no time to hop in.

"How was work?" Kiara asked, already knowing the answer as she reversed out of the gravel parking spot.

"I spilled tea all over me and made twenty bucks." Syn smirked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"So what Im hearing is Kie can I please pleaseeee borrow an outfit to wear to movie night?" Her friend whined in mockery. Synley smacked her arm but grinned, "That's exactly what you're hearing."

"We practically own the same closet so you know I don't care." Kiara said. Synley smiled in thanks, not bothering to comment that Kie's closet was three times bigger than the two or three drawers she had back at the apartment. Sure, they wore the same size and style, but the word same was a stretch.

The drive to the Carrera Home was filled with the sweet, sweet voice of Hozier and paired with little conversation.
The two didn't truly talk until they made it to the safety of Kiara's room.