The Boy with Bad Habits

Chapter 6

Heart racing and palms sweaty, I ran across the highway without a second thought.

I needed to get to Henrico and had no form of transportation or cash.

Night air turned bitterly cold, each house I passed lit up with Christmas trees even though it was the beginning of November.

Stopping to look at a beautifully decorated home, I mentally smiled at how nice that would've been with my so called parents.

How nice it would've been to fix up the tree with unique ornaments and visiting family on Christmas or Thanksgiving.

In reality, it was just my grandmother, grandfather and I sitting at Applebee's barely socializing.

Truly it stung knowing how broken and torn our family was because of two people which increased my resentment toward them for that reason.

I shook my head to rid anymore ridiculous thoughts keeping in my mind to get the hell out of the cold.

Having to have been walking for about a half of mile by then. Up ahead, I noticed there's a 24-hour medicine store.

The plan I had hatched was hardly sensable but it was the only one thought of. Steadily paced, my mind desensitized any emotions while looking into the clear glass door of the place; searching.

My eyes immediately go to a woman who looked to be around forty or so with a leather bag at the checkout. Knowing God would send me to hell for this, the only thing coming to mind was to take the purse as she exited the store

When the woman turned around she had very similar and familiar features I thought I'd seen before.

Yet nothing was ringing a bell for me. Putting my hood up to cover my face, I followed the woman out to do the dirty deed.

Suddenly, I heard the strangest most recognizable voice of the one person I thought I'd never see that time of night.

It was Willow, now with her hair down but in a sweatshirt and sweat pants accentuating her curves innocently. Catching up to the woman my eyes were set on. I couldn't help but look the petite up and down in awe. Jesus Christ this is absurd, I'm not a pervert.

"You forgot to buy the band aids for Ryan," she said in a panting voice, then handed them to the lady.

Who the hell is Ryan?

"Willow you sound like you've been running, what's with the heavy breathing?" The woman questioned with her eyebrows furrowed.

Zoning out, it finally clicked for me then. It was Willow's mother, atleast I thought she was.

I had been behind both of them at the exit, yet it was so dark out they had no knowledge of my existence until I caught Willow's attention. Apparently my appearance under the street light did not go by unnoticed.

"A-Ace?" She seemed frightened and her (I assumed) mother was looking at her in confusion.

"Umm Willow, is he a friend of yours?"
Her tone couldn't have been any less disapproving.

Damn. This is what I get for having bad intentions.

My new neighbor looked at her mother then at me. "Yeah, I actually just met him today." She gave me a small smile, which seemed more illuminated under the street light giving off a lovely glow.

I figured why the hell not and go along with it considering the fact I was about to steal from her.

Lifting my head up, I nodded and gave them both a reluctant smile. "Willow, what a surprise seeing you here." I tried to make my words as convincing as possible and not so cliché.