tomboy ▪ hemmings

7.

Liz was smiling at her, and Andy took the chance to nod before tugging on Adam's wrist, pulling them towards the old bicycle parked outside of the school. she walked fast, hoping Liz wouldn't ask any further. but luck wasn't really siding with her today.

"Andy? can I talk to you?"

Andy stopped in her tracks, making Adam abruptly halting to a stop behind her. she gestured Adam to the bicycle and Adam hastily looked between Liz and Andy, before walking over to the only transport they had.

"yeah, hi. what's up?" Andy said, her eyes never leaving the ground as she saw Liz walking closer to her from the corner of her eye.

"so, is that your son?"

Andy jolted at Liz's words and her eyes widened before meeting Liz's blue ones. they looked quite familiar, making Andy shake her head. she chuckled nervously, and shook her head over and over again, before licking her dry lips to speak.

"no, he's my little brother! god, where did that come from Liz?" she said, her voice slightly shaking.

"then how come you're so fidgety? you're really nervous without a reason Andy," Liz said, her right eyebrow slightly quirked up.

"nah, I just, yeah whatever." she didn't really know what to say, so she shrugged her shoulders soon after.

"how come you don't have a phone? which planet are you from?" Liz joked, and Andy just smiled - not really finding her sarcasm witty.

"nah, I just didn't find a reason to. not enough money too so yeah," Andy felt awkward, so her feet were all over the place. she didn't really know what to say to Liz, she was nervous to say the least.

"awh really. that's a bummer. but, how about the address? I really owe you one, Andy." Liz said, bumping Andy's shoulder with her hand but Andy just flinched at the contact. "it's the least i could do for you and your brother there."

address.

Andy didn't have a clue how to say it out to Liz. Adam didn't even know about it, and she knew Adam could listen to her since he wasn't that far away.

"I'm homeless," mumbled Andy, her teeth slowly gritting with each other as Liz watched her every move.

"what do you mean homeless? you've got him and all. you've got to be kidding." Liz paused, looking at Andrea who was standing still and looking at her own shoes. "right?"

Andy couldn't take it, she looked up at Liz - some kind of anger boiling inside her. what was wrong with this lady, couldn't she understand what Andy just said? now, she was annoyed.

Andy wasn't one to stay calm at people who were judgmental and all, thus resulting in a pissed off Andy. nobody liked pissed off Andy.

"I'm homeless alright! what do you want me to say?! I'm not you with your fancy car and clean clothes with children who happily lives with their mother! so leave us out of it, we're fine."

by this moment, Andy was blubbering and shouting and Liz watched her every action and Andy hated it. she hated it when people gave her those sympathetic looks, and she didn't need them especially when someone couldn't help them at all. why would they bother?

Andy marched over to Adam who was confused and he kept quiet all the way to the warehouse. Andy couldn't help but wipe her tears hastily as they clouded her sight and that made her cycle furiously. she shook her head at how rude she was being, but she couldn't help but feel obligated to do so.

people shouldn't care, and they never did. so why would people wanted to have started now?

as they reached the warehouse, Andy sat on her bicycle as she felt Adam slowly hopping off her back. she watched as Adam walked over to the front of where she was, and he swayed from left to right - probably unsure of what to say.

"Ands, what happened?"

Andy shakily laughed before looking at Adam who jutted his lower lip with such a confused look. she soon found herself tearing up, and Adam hugged her from her side. Andy nuzzled her head on the top of his hair, and she kissed his hair with her tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Adam, promise me we'll stick together alright? and you'll never get mad at me?" she said, parting the hug that made her alive these past years.

"I'll never leave you Ands, you're all I have." he said, his eyes piercing through her green ones.

"daddy borrowed this house a few years ago, and we have to give it back tomorrow. but I promise you we'll find a new place okay? you can follow me to work tonight," she said, her hands cupping his chubby cheeks.

Adam nodded, and hugged her again. "I don't care Ands, as long as you're with me, I'll be good."

Andrea pulled him closer, trying her best not to cry. she was blessed with such a considerate brother, and she couldn't ask for anything better.

"Ands?" she looked back at Adam, gesturing for him to continue. "when do we need to leave?"

she gulped, before honestly answering. "they need it empty by tomorrow." Adam nodded.

"so what are we waiting for? let's get to work!" Adam ran inside the warehouse, his schoolbag in tow.

Andy watched in surprise at how excited Adam was to leave, and that made her think of a reason. the warehouse was muddy and depressing. maybe they deserved better, maybe she could find some other better place to stay.

she sighed before running after Adam.

----------

that night, Andy was early for work. with the older citizens who worked with her, they specially knew how to make Adam feel special. he was treated and accepted well, making him happy and Andrea was relieved to let him on his own at the back.

her shift was about to start in half an hour, so she decided to meet up with Rosie before hand. she didn't really say much, since Rosie understood her condition. she was even offered a room at Rosie's place, but Andy politely denied - making it seem absolutely absurd to interrupt her family.

she couldn't just barge in Rosie's humble abode, they would suffice sleeping at the restaurant. that would simply be enough.

after joining in with Adam on watching the early fifteen minutes of Hercules on Barry's laptop - she had to start her night shift. as she had mentioned before, the diner wasn't really a popular place for youngsters. the place was usually packed in the morning and that was either old people or tourists.

nights were usually a calming time since nobody came, and she still got the pay. it was a bonus really, well it definitely felt like one.

so that resulted in her playing some crosswords with Barry behind the counter. Barry was an old and bald man, but she knew that he was really a young person at heart. he was still single too.

Barry always teased her about her appearance. her dad's flannels and old baggy shirts was always on her body, and the only thing that fit her well was her mother's jeans. but Barry accepted her however she looked like - that was probably the main reason why they went along.

Barry's wardrobe wasn't any better anyways.

but when Barry excused himself off to the toilet since he had a weak bladder, a few people entered the diner, and the noisy chatter of them definitely attracted Andy's attention.

she mentally cursed at how unprepared she was and groaned at the absence of Barry. guess she had to deal with the customers after all.

as soon as she walked over to the booth that they were seated in, that was when she recognized the familiar voices that were bantering with each other and that made her sick.

she closed her eyes, and pinched herself - slowly wishing that this was just another bad dream.

but as she opened her eyes, she found herself mumbling profanities.

it definitely wasn't a dream.

"you again?!"

"Andy?"

so, ((1334)) words - more updates to come!