On The Streets

Stealin

It took Tony a while to catch onto Riff's trust, but when he did they were inseparable. He coulda throw the boy off a bridge into a river (not that he ever would) and Riff would just giggle like a donkey while downing.

Now Tony found himself a bit codependent on Riff as well, he hated to admit it but the boy latched onto his heart like a leach. He hadn't had any other siblings but he can't imagine them being half as great as Riff.

They both sat together on the dirt, it was softer than concrete and they didn't mind getting dirty. Riff sometimes made dirt angels he called them. Tony would always laugh and make them with him. But no matter what, Riff was always a bit more into them.

However, right now they were mostly relaxing. They had dirty water from their patched-up canteen and a stale loaf of bread. It was hard, tasteless, and did little to fill their stomachs.

Still, they munched on it as if they were eating chicken dinners and flipped through an old abandoned newspaper.

"Y'a ever think about becoming a newsboy?" Tony asked.

Riff laughed like Tony was the funniest man to breathe the same air. "And deal with crappy bosses? No thank you. All I need is me and my territory."

Tony rolled his eyes, "it ain't just yours."

"No," Riff agreed. "But this is more of a home than my home."

"Oh yeah, what would you do if you had to move? Eh?" Tony mostly teased, they both knew Riff's dad wasn't moving anywhere.

But Riff seemed to take it as if Tony held a gun to each foot and asked him to choose. He thought about it hard and strong for a moment and said, "nobody can make me go nowhere."

Tony shrugged because he honestly couldn't see giving up his home either.

They finished their loaf of bread in peace, licking their big fat fingers.

Tony itched his back and turned to Riff. "Hey, you still hungry? I may have a penny in my other jacket if I check."

Riff shook his head, "Nah I got it covered."

He got up.

Tony frowned, "you got money?"

Riff laughed, "we don't need no money."

"What do you mean?"

He didn't get an answer other than Riff running off into a store.

"Riff?" Tony yelled.

Riff ran back out with 4 chunky bars each as a Puerto Rican lady ran out after him.

He hightailed across a dangerous street and almost got hit by a car, however, he made it back and ducked around till he came behind Tony with a bar.

"See," he panted, "food."

Tony frowned deeply, "since when do you steal?"

"What does it matter?"

"That's not a good thing."

"So what? I was hungry. Drop it."

Tony put his hands up in surrender and opened up a bar.

They chewed in silence for a moment until Tony bumped onto Riff, "you looked like a sheep runnin away from that lady."

"I did not!"

"Oh, you so did!"

Riff giggled, "says who!"

"Says me!"

"Liar!"

"I know what you are but what am I?"

Riff couldn't contain his giggles, he burst out laughing and slid to the ground, such a bright light in his eyes.

Tony hated to admit it, but he really did feel better with solid fulfilling food inside of him. He supposed eating stale bread all the time daily would get a bit unhealthy, so a fresh bar was nice.

Riff seemed to have no trouble hiding his contentment and pride, he patted his stomach and licked his lips slowly, taking his time around each crumb, savoring the flavor.

Tony rolled his eyes at him, "yeah yeah you big peacock."

"I know what you are but what am I?"

"I said you big peacock."

"Damn it."

Tony smiled a bit and rolled his eyes. He ruffled Riff's hair causing him to shout out indignantly and pout with his arms crossed.

"While that was good, y'a really shouldn't steal Riff. What would y'a mama say."

"She's too busy with my dad to care bout me stealin."

"My ma's a drunkie and she'd come down here and give me a pink belly if she knew I stole something." Tony chastised.

Riff just shrugged. "I don't think mine would care enough to hit me for it."

"Well, I care."

Riff made eye contact, a sparkle of amusement, "thanks."

"Well, I do!"

"Ah common, you really expect me to believe you take special care for wittle old me?"

"I'm offended you think I don't!"

They both laughed.

"That's him!" Echoed a distant voice, a lightly familiar one too.

Tony turned back, grabbed Riff's frozen arm, and hauled him up, "run!"

Riff didn't seem to need to be told twice, he kicked off the ground, dirt in the wake, and made off with his long slender legs. Though neither of them was faster than a grown, healthy, police officer. He gained distance on all them, but Tony knew they just needed to duck under a fence and the police officer would be too big to fit and he'd lose em.

He pulled Riff to the side and sped towards the old wooden fence with a few boards too loose. They had seconds before the officer inevitably caught up.

Tony shoved Riff through and made way himself, however, someone grabbed his leg and pulled at him. Riff in a panic grabbed his arm and pulled harder, but it was no use. The police officer was much stronger than the skinny malnourished boy and he easily pulled Tony through.

He heard Riff scream no, and himself scream to Riff to keep going. But he knew realistically Riff wouldn't stick around, he told him that he'd rather lose his arm than have his dad have to get him from another police station.

The lady swayed her hips walking towards him, she scanned him up and down and frowned, "he didn't take my bars, it was the other one."

The Officer roughly shoved him down, and he landed with a thud on the ground, rubbing at his arms the woman unkindly asked him where his friend was.

"I am not telling you!"

"It isn't right to steal young man."

"We weres hungry."

"Doesn't make it right."

Doesn't make it easy either he supposed.

The police officer let him go and walked off when it was clear that he was no use to him. Tony booked it through the fence and started running around looking for his friend.

It was two more hours until he found Riff, he was shivering behind a cold moist wooden box, with red puffy eyes.

However, when he saw Tony he smiled so wide he reach each side of the wall and ran over to hug him. Singing of his praise.

Tony smiled and whispered, "it's nothing pal."

"It ain't nothin' to me."