Baby Austin

Great

"Emma, are you sure?" I asked. 

"Yes Harper, stop talking." She hissed at me. 

Sadly, this isn't the first one iv'e been with my best friend when shes shoplifted. She really isn't the best influence on me. We've got thrown in jail before, detention, and she's been in and out of jail lately. But i can't stop being her best friend. Iv'e known her since kindergarten, and shes my only friend. Emma steals and shoplifts because of her story. Actions come with a reason, and hers is shes poor. She always borrows mine or someone else clothes, and the lunch ladies give her extra scoops. Her dad left when she was four, she grew up without father. Her mom did what any mom would do, tried to be strong for their kids. But she failed, miserably. Drugs and wine were her best friend, and Emma grew up with me half the time. Her mom doesn't buy Emma anything and she always yells at her, so that's why Emma shoplifts, steals, gamble, and go to jail a lot. All she has is me, and i can't do that to her. 

"Put this in you purse." Emma said handing me sunglasses. I hesitated at first, but Emma's stare was imitating. I cautiously took the rime stone glasses and slipped them in my purse. 

You guys are probably wondering why i just can't buy them, and the answer to that is because my parents hate me. Literally. My mom and dad abuse me. I had a sister, but she died. Bruises and a broken heart is what she died of. It never made scene to me. If mom and dad don't love me, then why can't i go to a foster home? To a family that will actually love me. My aunt pays for my education, food, clothes, and anything else i need. Thank god for makeup, or i would have all eye's on me wherever i go. Mom and dad are always out during the day. So i have little freedom when i get home from school. 

When me and Emma had our stuff hidden, we walked over to the doors. We were almost out the door until a loud siren went off, echoing off the walls. Me and Emma froze as she started whispering profanities. I felt my heart race, but i'm not sure why. There was a 3% we weren't gonna get caught. But it's target, they've up their game. 

"Turn around slowly." A deep voice yelled at us. We both turned around to see security standing across from us, with guns pointed our way. 

"Check them." He mumbled to another security guy. The guy walked over to Emma. I looked around to see everyone looking at us. I felt my face heat up as my eyes landed on a worker, his gaze shooting holes through my body. 

"Listen, you can check all you want but i have nothing on me." Emma lied. She always lies. Cops, security, teacher's, me. 

"Be quiet." He hissed back. He reached in her jacket pocket and took out rings, bracelets, and a watch. Then he reached in her shirt and pulled out the grey crop top and a bag of chips. He tisked at her and gave the guy with the gun the things. Then the guy moved over to me. I didn't hesitate, i just pulled out the sunglasses from my purse and handed them to him. I heard Emma scoff and whisper something on the lines of 'really'. Then it crosses my mind that i should just give my whole purse, so i did. He body checked me. 

"Shes clear." He said. 

"Follow me." The guy with the gun said, nudging his head to the left. Before my arm got gripped harshly, which i was used to, i glanced over to the workers way. The one that was looking at me earlier. I got a good look at his name tag, Jaden.

********

"Were gonna need you names." The chief said, eyeing us. 

"I'm a little offended that you don't know me." Emma said, smirking. She had that tent of sassy in her voice. I rolled my eyes and the chief just eyed her. 

"Troubled, aren't we?" He asked. 

"My name is Harper Carpenter." I jolted out. His eye's traveled from Emma to me. 

"Well Harper, were going to have to call your parents." 

"Don't, please." I begged. 

Everytime my parent's get called by a cop or my princapal, i get hit, kicked, punched, whipped. Of course, i'm not going to tell the cop. My dad said that if a cop shows up on the front step, he promises me he will kill me. 

"Why not?" The cop asked. I felt tears well up in my eyes. 

"B-Because they're busy." I stuttered/lied. He raised an eyebrow at me. 

"I bet they will stop whatever their doing to hear about their child-"

"My sister died." I said so quickly i didn't even have time to think about the words. Him and Emma gave me a look.

 "S'she's nine. She past away last week and the funeral is today." I felt tears well up in my eyes. I wasn't technically lying, she did pass away when she was nine. 

"Well-" 

"Mom and dad are grieving because their baby girl will never make it to collage or have a family. Her whole future was ahead of her, but now she's gone." I couldn't help it. Tears poured out of my eyes. 

"Her name is Austin, she had the most beautiful smile in the world. Her laugh made my heart melt. She was amazing at basketball." I chocked, remembering our basketball contest. She was so competitive. 

"I shoplifted to handle my grief. I promise that i will never do it again. It's just that my parents are already in a horrible mood and think of how much pain they would be in more." The lies and tears just kept running down my face and out my mouth. 

"Fine. But this is your warning." He said. I nodded my head in understandment and quickly gathered my purse and left the room. When i was out of the office i walked over to the doors and waited. 

"Hey." I heard a voice say. I looked over to see Jaden. 

"Hey." My voice trailed off. I was kind of wondering why a super hot guy is talking to me, after seeing that i shoplifted. 

"Are you waiting on that other girl you were here with earlier?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me which made him look a thousand times hotter. 

"Um, yeah. She's my best friend." 

"Why?" He asked, shocking me. 

"Excuse me?" 

"Why would you want to be friends with a person who gets you in trouble all the time. Iv'e seen many shoplifters, and none of them were as advanced as her. I could kind of see that look on you face that screams i have done this before." He said. Confusion spread across my face. 

"I'm really good at reading faces." He smiled. I smiled weakly. 

"Lets go Harper." Emma said roughly walking by me. I looked at her. She looked mad. When shes mad she looks like shes about to murder someone. Jaden's words crossed my mind. 

Why am i friends with her?