Life's Little Teardrops

27. Koleby&Kiah

The back alley looks the same but there is a little more trash outside.

The storage room is exactly the same except it is now full of protein bars and peanuts.

I pick one up and eat it as I enter the downstairs dining area, in two of the booths some 7 year-olds are eating bowls of ice cream.

One is familiar in the strangest way I've ever known.

She is the little girl from the dream, with the puppy at her feet. Chocolate ice cream is smeared across her face, her smile is cheerful and toothy.

By the other table a group of people my age are eating Cheerios and seem to be disguising business. I walk towards them, only close enough to hear their conversation.

"One pistol for 3 boxes? You're JOKING!" A tall guy with sky blue eyes and braces, he is the same one Deedee was talking to when we first arrived here. He is familiar but if he went to our school I would know who he was.

A girl sitting beside him pops her neck, they both look so similar that they must be brother and sister. As I watch them discuss I realize he acts older than she does and looks it as well.

"Deal or not?" A guy about 16 asks, he has a nose ring and is one of Georgia Rose's friends from Trinity's party. The other guy nods and takes 3 boxes of fireworks out from under the table as the guy from JuV sets a pistol on the table.

I only now realize I am weaponless in a gang area, Fireside is apparently a trading post I guess.

The guy from JuV stands and looks in my direction, "Koleby, I believe someone is eavesdropping on our deal." He says turning to me.

The other guy is Koleby Miller. He was Deedee's sister's friend, he was always around her sister, like everyday.

"Sorry, I was just looking for Stella." I say to the guy. He looks nicer than a normal JuV kid, but that doesn't mean he's nice.

Koleby looks at me with a nonchalant facial expression. "She's upstairs."

I nod and head for the stairs except I stop a foot short. "Deedee says hi by the way." This gets his attention and he stands out of the booth. "Destiny Kandori? I haven't seen her in years." He sticks his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. I smile.

"She lives at JuV with her friends." I say trying to act nonchalant, he was Deedee's crush for a little while.

He went to the local High school though why was he with the Reeds Creek kids.

"Oh, what about Jasmine?" He asks. Jasmine was Deedee's sister, Deedee didn't talk about her so I assumed the worst. "She's dead I think." I say emotionless, Jasmine was cool but a real Bitch in person.

"Oh." He looks back at his sister who is smiling.

"Why don't you come see Destiny?" I blurt. It was just an idea but it sounds so strange talking to a person I barely know.

He raises an eyebrow and pauses for a minute. He smiles wide for a minute, "Sure. When?" He asks.

"I have to get some stuff and then I'm heading back, you can hitch a ride if you want." He nods.

After getting my two backpacks and assorted other things from my bed I made a phone call to Ridley.

"Hey I just realized to ask you. When you took Trinity was a tall nerdy guy with her?" I ask. It only occurred to me a few moments ago that Leon was missing.

"No. It was just her. I gotta go." She hung up immediately, she sounded a little strange and sort of worried.

As I walked back inside Koleby appeared with the girl, his sister. "Hey I'm leaving." I say as I notice him carrying a duffel bag.

He smiled.

"What's your name?" His sister asks flipping her dark hair, he has on an ear cuff styled to look like barbed wire. I smile but she just looks bitchy and a little stuck-up. Georgia-Rose would like her.

"Elisa, or Ellie. What about you?" I ask attempting to look taller although it seems hopeless. She smirks and sticks her hand out. "You can cal me Kiah." I shake her hand as Koleby climbs into the passenger side.

It is about thirty minutes before I realize I might get into trouble for this, bringing random almost strangers to a guarded abduction base. Plus I could get my ass kicked if Deedee doesn't want to see Koleby.