Operation: Good Girl // Horan // Discontinued

Chapter One

(A/N: Picture on the side is Ari)

~ARI’S POINT OF VIEW~

I snickered as I put new contacts in the phone I stole. Yeah, I steal phones, my last one was an Android, but it malfunctioned, so I stole a new Blackberry, the qwerty one.

I stole it from a hotdog vendor when she wasn’t looking. It was kinda great, too, because there was nothing on the Blackberry. Well, a few songs by that band One Direction, but other than that,  no pictures, no videos and no contacts. I really outdone myself this time.

I’ve put in the contacts in about 10 minutes, since who would want to have my number? I’m a street rat, who would like that?

I sighed, remembering when I actually WASN’T living in the streets and when I was actually good. I was actually nicknamed the ‘Gloucester Good Girl’. One, because I come from Gloucester and two, because I was the actual good girl.

But I was sick of it. People asking me favors, expecting me to do everything for them and never returning them. So, the Gloucester Good Girl was dead, but not forgotten. Even though I got a new look, people would occasionally bump into me and recognize me.

I grunted, remembering the jerks that bumped into me and asked me favors. So instead of just heating up and getting angry, I looked at my contacts.

-Pied Piper

My nickname for my sister, Piper Jenner. It’s not like she attracted rats or children or anything. She just attracts animals for no reason.

Yep, she lives with me and is, in fact, a street rat. But mind you, we’re decent people. We have a place to live and food to eat and decent clothes to wear. And she has a scholarship. A street rat with a scholarship? Weird, huh. But hey, she’s my baby sister and I love her.

Okay, I gotta admit that was a little too cheesy.

-Mary Poppins’  Evil Little Sister           

Emmanuelle Poppins. ‘Em’ for short. One of the rare creatures that actually wanted to be my best friend and one of the only specimens in this world that have accepted my street-ratty-ness.

Plus, she has a wicked fashion sense, even though she sasses almost every guy she meets. Almost. She’s actually just from a little mediocre family, so she trusts me.

AND she got Piper the scholarship. Which I can never understand how, but what do you expect from a girl like her who’s like a walking Wikipedia?

-Eric and Gale ^_^

Two of my friends I met in high school. I actually thought on dating one of them when we first met but turns out they’re gay and are in a relationship.

-JUDY’S GUY

-JUDY

-CARL

-CARL’S SLUT

My mum and dad. And their ‘partners’, of course. Yeah, me and Pi have parents, is that soo hard to believe? Judy and Carl are divorced anyway, mainly because Carl cheated on Judy.

So it turns out that Judy cheated on Carl, too, when Pi was only a baby. They got divorced, re-married to the people they cheated with and none of them took us in.

I was only sixteen and Pi was only 'twelve. But as much as I hated both of them, I needed to face the fact that I needed them. The court says that each of them had to send us an amount of money that we can survive in.  

And so, Pi and me had money every three months.

I was about to write ‘Bradford Bad Boy’ when it ringed. Pied Piper, huh? I checked my wrist-clock. It’s only 9:30, how can her class be finished?

I answered. “Ello?” I asked. “Hey Ari!!! Guess what?” “What ginger?” I joked, remembering her hair. She actually looked Irish, or Scottish or Finnish.

“Ha-ha. Very funny. Well, I got straight As!!!” She squealed. I swear, I felt my ear was about to explode. “What?” I asked, Since I really didn’t understand her because of the high-pitched squealing.

“I said I got straight As!!! It’s the third time this year!!” I was shocked. It was true, it’s her third time this year. I needed to get her something. But what? The money hasn’t come yet. And I already did the grocery shopping yesterday, so I can’t make something special.

“Ari? Aren’t you happy for me?” I heard her say through the phone. “Of course I am! Guess what? I’ll pick you up at school today and we’ll have lunch at Nandos’ with Em.” I told her.

“We still have money?”  She asked. See? We’re decent people. “Yeah, enough for four meals. One for you, one for Em and two for me! I’ll getcha something too.”

“Really? Thanks! I gotta go, Ari. Mrs. Thompson’s heating up again. Love ya!” And she hung up.

I slap my head. What’ve I gotten myself into? What am I gonna give her? I knew very well that I had nothing. She already has an IPhone, so I can’t give her the Blackberry.

I walked, passing stores and buildings as I go until I reach the familiar alley. I push the second dumpster, revealing my hole that led to our home. I slide down, leading to the basement that served as our house.

There was  the two twin beds that we bought once we both got settled. Then there was out worn-out mattress that we found outside and it served as our couch in front of the telly Em gave us.

How did we end up here anyway?

Like I said,  Judy and Carl wouldn’t take us. So we were forced to leave and be on our own. My best friend, Zayn – Of course you know him–was on X-Factor that year and couldn’t help me. We went to live in our aunt’s for a few months, then Em tried to talk me into moving in with her, but I just couldn’t accept.

I should’ve, too, because we slept outside that night. The money never came, as planned. For a few days, we were sleeping outside with no roof or food. Then a woman found us. Took us to their home which was in a dumpster. Trained us to steal.

After a few months, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was fine with picking pockets, but what she had in mind was bigger, more horrid. Soon, I turned my back on Jess, the woman, and searched for anything we can squeeze into without her knowing it.

 And so, this was it.Tragic tale, isn't it?  Jess, along with everyone she knew, still knew where we were. She didn't care at all, "Less mouths to feed." She'd say. 

I turned on the album ‘Take Me Home’ on the Blackberry and I knew what to give Piper. But there was only one way to do .

I had to steal again.