The Buckeater

Chapter 1

"Make it rain! Make it rain! Make it rain!"

Money is pouring on the little kids' heads, and everyone who has the chance of doing so picks it up from the ground. To be honest, I find it extremely lame, not only because I believe it's dishonest and disrespectful towards people who have none, but also because its popularity among young people is beyond irritating.

My best friends also want to give it a try. This is why they're going pick up some money from the pavement and the streets in this neighborhood. If they don't get any, I bet, they will be highly upset, though I couldn't give a fuck about it. They'll definitely get into trouble.

"Come on, Lynneth," exclaims Kayelah, beyond excited. "Let's gain some money!"

I try to explain, "Kay, this is not the way an honest person earns money," but she interrupts me, "But, Lynn, come on! It's fun, and I swear it is absolutely legal!"

"What if it isn't?" I snort, believing to be right. My arms are crossed and my eyebrows are raised, which should not be a good sign for anyone who comes across me. However, as I said before, who cares? Everyone here believes they can do whatever they want, which pisses me off.

"I swear it is. Again!" insists Kayelah, and, suddenly, Raeghanne and Leslie appear almost from the middle of nowhere. They have collected a lot of bucks and are showing them off with no respect whatsoever.

I shake my head. I think this is a bad idea, and I don't get why neither Kayelah nor Raeghanne nor Leslie want to listen to me at all. But, after all, who am I to stop them? What can I do to make sure they don't get into trouble?

***

I don't quite get why I have to pick money from the ground. I am forced to do so, even though it is absolutely unfair, because there are so many people who have none, and know more than anyone else that money doesn't make people happy. But, since Kayelah, Raeghanne and Leslie want to pick it up from the streets like beggars, I have to join them, even though my mom wouldn't approve of it.

***

So, here we are, in the center of the place where people are going to throw money from the balconies. There are eight of us: my friends, I and other four girls. They are all excited but frantic, because they only want to pick up money. I find them unpleasant, other than a bunch of assholes.

"They are selfish and careless about anybody else," says in fact Leslie, who also explains that she met them at the mall yesterday. "Yesterday, they found a wallet packed with bucks, but, instead of returning it directly to its rightful owner, they just took the money and ran away!"

"This is theft!" exclaims Raeghanne. "Has anyone reported them to the police?"

Leslie shakes her head. "Yes, but I'm afraid they won't believe anyone besides those snakes. They're so influential in town, to the point that even authorities believe their lies!"

"I've never seen such careless and greed bitches like them!" comments Kayelah while her face is visibly turning red. Then, she turns to me, "Uhm... Lynneth, if you want to give up, you can still do so. You're not forced to take it up without being convinced."

"Thanks but no," I decide. "I'm gonna show those buck-eaters that I'm much better than them, especially when it comes to somebody else's property."

My friends are staring at me with worried looks. In fact, I think it's my pulsing veins' fault, though my breath also has something scary, according to them. They make a step back before getting ready to collect as much bills as they can.

Meanwhile, I take a while to notice that money is starting pouring down like rain, then I start picking up lots of bills, followed by the others.

The four buck-eating bitches are in advance to the point they have already picked half of the money there being on the pavement. But, suddenly, one of them, who has long, red hair, stops picking money and starts checking on her shoe laces instead. Another one stops, as well, but only to tell her off angrily, "Get back to collecting bucks, Lanae! You're not paid to pause!"

"This is why I'm not even paid, Joleen! You never, ever give me back the money I lend you! And, by the way, you owe me $80!" yells back the girl named Lanae, and is about to punch Joleen, but then a third girl intervenes, "What are you two doing? Stop arguing and keep picking money up, instead! We cannot let those four nerdies," she is pointing at us, and Kayelah stands up, before the bitch goes on, "win more money than us! We will get everything, until the last penny!" Kayelah clenches her fists, with Raeghanne throwing a killer glare at the spot where Joleen & Co are, reminding to herself to kill them.

"This is what you think, Carolynne," retorts again Joleen, crossing her arms and smirking, "but the truth is that you don't even know what you are doing, because you are denied!"

"That's enough! I leave!" decides Lanae, and leaves, followed by Carolynne. The two of them, although they're offended by Joleen's attitude, can't do much to keep their money, as she forcefully gets it, before bursting into a wicked laughter.

Since we are all fed up with her bossing around, we approach her, and Kayelah slaps her face. Joleen glares at my friend and then hisses, "You will pay for this, you bitch! Give me all your bucks, or I will beat you up!"

Though, Kayelah, Raeghanne and Leslie are fast enough to run away, while I'm anything but, which means that she can chase me after, block me and then beat me up as well as taking all my bucks. Her third sidekick joins her, only to slap her face and shout, "Shame on you!"

I know I'm not good at this, so I stand up, getting ready to leave and give up this absurd activity, but Joleen turns again at me, slaps my face and scoffs, "Look what you did! It's just your fault if Lanae and Carolynne left, and Leann is siding against me! You'll pay for this!"

"You'd better return my money, as I earned it fair and square, unlike you," I threaten, "otherwise I may decide to take Leann with me, in place of it. You'd better make a clever decision as soon as possible, before it's too late..."

Even though what I said has actually shaken her little conscience a bit, Joleen, instead of retorting, "Who are you for telling me what I have to do?" just returns my money, turns her back at me and leaves, but not without flipping me off.

'Thank God! At last I won't have to deal with her any longer!' I say to myself. But now, I must go and look for my friend. God only knows where they may be and what they may be doing.