Girl on the Streets

Chapter 1

My breathing is heavy as I run down the street. laughing overtakes me as I look back to see the look on flee market guys face.

That dumbass actually thought he could catch me. I round the corner into the alley way I call home. It's not much but it's the best I can do. times are tough on the streets. the cops have really been swarming lately and it's starting to get difficult to even steal an apple.

I walk down the damp alleyway and pass by four dumpsters before crawling into a hole in the wall beside the fifth dumpster on the left.

On the inside there is an entire room. I have a small palet bed made of old clothes and blankets I scavenged from the dumpsters. I have a pile of neatly folded clothes I had managed to steal from a goodwill a few streets down and a small mirror.

The ceiling in the room is only a little taller than me, I stand at 5 feet 2 inches, and I'm about 102 pounds. making it easy for me to be comfortable in the small space.

I sit cross legged in from of my small mirror and take in my appearance. My naturally curly blonde hair is laying limp on my shoulders and is becoming greasy from not having a shower in a while. My skin is tan from being outside so often, and the color makes my bright blue eyes look brighter.

I notice water fill my eyes. I see my father when I look in the mirror. I have his eyes. I see mother as well. I have her hair.

I turn and reach for a small picture frame sitting on top of a pile of stolen books. In the small broken frame is a picture of me and my parents. We are in the snow, we had just finished building a snowman and my dad had fallen down for my amusement. I laugh slightly at the memory. my dad is sitting on the ground and my mom and I are laughing and trying to help him up.

2 days after this picture was taken, they were dead.

I move to place the picture back on the pile of books. I look to the right of the books to see its 9:57 in the morning.

I sigh and move to my pile of clothes. I chose out a tight white T-shirt and black shorts with black combat boots and a leather jacket. For a girl on the streets, I have standards on how I look. besides, I have gotten very good at stealing. this is the nicest outfit I have and since its shower day, I think I'm going to look nice.

I grab a new bra and pair of underwear, before crawling through the curtain cover entrance to my home.

A nice woman down the street from my hole in the wall, allows me to shower at her house when her husband isn't at home. which happens to be Tuesday's and Thursday's.

I turn the corner to the right, out of the alley and go 9 building down before I reach the Johnson apartment building.

I press the buzzer on the outside and wait for Caroline to buzz me in.
Once she has I make my way up to her apartment, number 23.

I don't even get the chance to knock before the door was open and I was inside her apartment.

"Karla sweety! How are today?" She asks and pulls me into a hug, even though I know I must smell horrible.

"I'm good Caroline, how are you?"

"Oh just swell dear! Now you best get in the shower." she smiles sweetly at me and moves to sit on her couch.

I go through the living are and down a short hallway and move into the bathroom on the left.

It's small, just a little smaller than my home, but it smells amazing.

I quickly strip out of my clothes and hop into the hot shower.

I let the water flow over me and I look down to see all the dirt wash off of me and onto the bottom of the white marble tub.

I take a small disposable ravor Caroline buys for me and shave before washing my hair and body.

I never want these showers to end, but I don't want to raise Caroline's water bill so high her husband notices, so my bliss must come to an end.

I dry off and put on the outfit for the day and go back into the living room, where Caroline is waiting.

"My dear, you look gorgeous." she smiles.

"Only because you allow me to shower here, and really you must allow me to pay your for doing my laundry I feel horrible." I say reaching into my leather jacket pocket to pull out the 3 dollars I have managed to scavenge.

I hold it out to and she rushes over and closes my hand into a fist around the money.

"My dear, I have told you this a thousand time before. I love helping you. I have for 4 years, and if I could, believe me I would have done this for the other 2. I love you like a daughter and if it weren't for my husband I would have adopted you long ago." she pulls me into a hug and I allow myself to sink into her loving grasp.

"Thank you for everything Caroline." I pull away and hand her my laundry bag and wave goodbye as I leave.

I make my way down the street pass my home, and toward my hangout.

I have a few street "friends" that I hang out with to pass the time. one more year and I can stop living on the street.

My aunt and uncle allowed me to run away and have found me several times. usually to give me a little money, just so I don't die. they never reported me missing so as far as the rest of the world is concerned I live with them. So I can't have anyone know my identity and everything else before I turn 18.

I'm almost to my hangout when I see a car drive up next to me in my peripheral vision.

I turn to look and see Janice, my aunt.

"Hey Karla I need to speak with you get it in." I growl and grudgingly move around the car and get in.

"What." I snapped.

"Oh well looks like someone has an attitude. you are coming home."

"Why."

"Because your uncle and I have realized how horrible we have been and we want you to come home. We know you will be 18 in a few months but we want you to feel loved."

"Do I have a choice?" I ask

"Well... no."

I sigh and shake my head.

"Fine but I need to go get my stuff."

She nods and I give her directions to my home. She follows me out of the car and gasps in astonishment at where I live.

"Yeah, it's not much but it's better than living in a dumpster, so you get what you get." I crawl in and grab my picture frame, books, and a few other things I want to keep before crawling out with my duffel bag.

"Ready?" Janice barely breathes out.

I take in a deep breath before responding.
"As I'll ever be."

I climb into the car and watch as the place I call home becomes a speck in the distance. I don't live in the city anymore. I live in the suburbs.

AUTHORS NOTE!!

OKAY SO IT'S A SHORT CHAPTER BUTS ITS JUST AN OPENING. COMMENT OR INBOX ME ANT SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR THIS STORY!!

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~ Brittney