Underage

[34] Misfit Lane

Underage
[34] Misfit Lane

It's in an alley way. The parking meter I almost took out has long since been broken. On my first run with the delinquents of Misfit Lane, I ran into it. I was using my mother's car and gave her Prius the only dent it's ever seen. There's a tattoo shop in the back left-hand corner. Next to that is a bar where the bouncer doesn't ID as long as no one starts a fight or calls the cops. Across from the tattoo shop is a candy store where I'm pretty sure everything is laced with some form of drug and the old man behind the register sells weed to anyone who can afford the hefty price tag. Next to that, is the center for troubled youths.

There are no brochures for a place like this. Even the website shows false pictures of a prestigious meeting hall in a hotel they copy and pasted off the internet. I'm sure if my mom knew just how sketchy this place can be, she wouldn't have sent me here the first time almost two years ago.

Now I'm back. Miss Kannle is still in charge, although she looks as if she hasn't aged. She still has thick, blonde hair and circle glasses. Her lipstick is pink and glossy and she's wearing an all-black pant suit.

The room is a decent size with cement floors and brick walls. Metal chairs make out a deformed circle in the middle of the room. A white table holds two large thermoses of coffee at either end, equipped with stacks of plastic cups but no sugar or creamer. Three boxes of doughnuts are open and waiting for the hungry troubled youths to grab. There are only a few people inside and none of which I recognize. I grab a cup of black coffee and a glazed doughnut before taking a random seat with my back to the snack table.

Miss Kannle sits at the head of the circle with a black notebook on her lap. She smiles at me as the rest of us trickle into the cold room. I slip my sweatshirt over my head and wrap my arms around myself. I sip at the bitter coffee but it does nothing to warm me up.

I haven't talked to anyone outside of Magnus for the two days. I called in sick to Miss Annie, who didn't question a thing. I hadn't bothered bringing up the fact that I haven't been to work in a few days but neither did she. Grace tried to call me but after not getting through the first five times, she backed off. Even Cooper tried calling once.

Miss Kannle claps her hands together and uncrosses her legs. She sits at the edge of her chair and smiles. "I know that most of us know each other but we do have a few new people today, so introduce yourselves. Name and age please."

The first to stand from her chair is a short girl. Her hair is bright candy cane red and her eyes are green. She's wearing a shirt that shows off her chest and a ripped pair of jeans. Her eyes look right to mine as she speaks, as if I'm the only reason they're going through this. "I'm Pyro, I'm sixteen."

The next to stand is a tall, muscular boy. He's in a worn leather jacket and matching pair of ripped jeans to the girl beside him. His hair is long and curly and he rakes a hand through his brown locks. "I'm Tyler, I'm seventeen."

A few more people stand, all muttering their names and ages, but I don't pay attention. Not until a boy clears his throat and gains my attention. "I'm Christian, call me Chris. I'm seventeen."

"I'm Dela, I'm sixteen." The brunette beside me doesn't bother standing from her chair. Instead, she turns her head and speaks only to me. She's pretty, even without any makeup on her face, and she's tall. Unlike me, whose feet can just barely plant themselves on the ground, hers can stick out a good foot from mine.

I'm up on my feet with everyone's eyes on me. Christian's roam up and down my body and I throw him a glare. I want to be able to tell him that I'm taken, that I have a boyfriend waiting for me at home, but can I? Can I say that to anyone here? And if I do, will it be true? I told him, I don't know, but he could have taken that as a yes.