WEST COAST 18+

11.

W E S T C O A S T

It's a day later, and Ashton still carried around that guilt on his conscience.

He didn't put the chocolate in his pocket himself, but the fact that he contemplated stealing had him walking around like a guilty man. He entered the house with his stomach going crazy, thinking that his mother had somehow found out, but getting embraced in a warm half hug and a kiss to his head, he felt certain Vivian knew nothing.

Now when it came to his sister, his heartbeat quickened again. With it being so close to her job, maybe she knew the store owner. He freaked with that possibility, being nice to her as she walked in through the door with her fresh set of nails to show off.

He didn't feel relief until he went to sleep, but even then he kept jumping out his sleep that his family would find out.

It was a candy bar; they'll eventually get over it, but he knew the shame he'd feel, the lecture he'd get for being dumb, and the yelling. He wanted to avoid that, and a full school day later, he was able to.

Ashton began considering that no one would know anything, so he enjoyed his day at school. Jerry barely bothered him, only nudging him in the hallway before Georgie came over.

"Ashton!" Vivian shouted the second he came through the front door. His eyes widened at how she knew what he did, Ashton's heart dropping out his chest.

On a trembling shout back, "yeah ma?" he asks, the doorknob slipping from his sweaty palm.

"Come here! Right now!"

He gulped. Mommas knew everything. She for sure found out. He could get his ass beat, Ashton tapping the back of his school pants to see if they had enough fabric for an extra layer of protection.

"I-I'm coming!" he shouted back, removing his shoes at the door.

"You seem nervous," Daniela said, staring over at him as she chilled on the couch.

Ashton glances at her, "w-why would I be nervous?"

She knits her brows, "something happened at school today?"

He shook his head, rushing off to go see what his mother called him for. The boy was panicked, licking his dry lips and rubbing his neck.

When he entered his room, Vivian stood there waiting for him with a scolding look on her face, fist on her hip and foot tapping. Ashton quickly searched for a leather belt. He's never gotten beaten before, and what scared him straight was the fact his momma always said if she caught him stealing, she'd beat his black ass blue.

"What's this?" Vivian asks, pointing down to his bed. It was a package, and judging by the picture on it, it was a PS5. "Where did this come from?"

Ashton felt relief almost instantly, answering quickly. "Dad got it for me."

Taken aback, she asks, "you called your father?"

He removes his bag off his shoulder, explaining himself, "You said you were saving up for a car, and I didn't want you to depend on Aunt Neesee for a ride to work for too long."

His father said before they left that if his kids needed something, all they had to do was ask.

Vivian asks, "But asking him for this? Ashton, this is almost five hundred dollars."

"He was fine with it," he shrugs innocently.

She sighs, "you could've at least told me you were going to ask him. I come home and see this expensive game thingy, and I was wondering if you secretly charged my card."