Shamelessy Bad

12. Trouble Maker

My heart sinks and pounds incessantly and I feel like my stomach's in my throat. It makes me feel like I could be sick at any moment. My palms start to sweat and somehow I feel cold and hot all at the same time. I can't stop the buckets of tears that escape my eyes as I collapse into the fetal position and sob into my pillow. My dad attempts to comfort me, but I become so inconsolable that the poor man doesn't know what to do.

"I just want to go to bed," I tell him. He rubs my back in a last attempt to soothe me.

"Darlin' it's only six o'clock. You need to at least eat before then." He tells me, his voice low and soft."I'm not hungry. I'll eat when I am." I say through my sniffles.

My back is towards him. He tries to convince me to eat, but then accepts defeat and goes back downstairs. I sob for two more hours but eventually run out of tears, so I lie there silently and emotionless. I stare at the picture of ya as a family on my bedside table.

I can't believe that my momma's gone. Why would she do this? I thought she was getting better. We were going to surprise her and come see her in a month to celebrate her progress. I just don't understand it.

Before I know it, it's almost midnight. And I remember the piece of paper that Carl gave me. I dig it out of my pocket and read it. 'I'll come get you when it's time. Be ready. I'll tap on your window to meet me outside.' Right after I get done reading it, there's a tap on my window that startles me. I open my window to allow Carl inside and race over to quietly shut my door.

"Why aren't you ready? Didn't you read the note?" He whispers as he looks me up and down. Then he notices my red eyes. "Have you been crying? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll get ready." I say wiping my eyes.

"Okay, I'll wait outside." He says as he gets ready to climb back out. I grab his hood, pulling him back.

"No, it's fine. I'll be ready in like two minutes. Just sit on my bed." He looks shocked. He turns his head when I peel off my cardigan and tank top exposing my chest and my bra. "It's fine. You don't have to turn your head. It's just a chest." I say as I pull my white and pink hoodie over my head and down so the hem lays at my hips.

"Are you sure? Before you were so concerned with your innocent image." He says still looking the other way.

"Look, if you wanna look them do it. If you don't then whatever. I'm not gonna stand here and argue with you about it." I snap as I strip my pants off. He turns his head towards me.

"Wait, why are you changing your pants?" He asks. I can feel his eyes on my exposed skin as I bend over and search for my jogging pants.

"Well, from the sounds of it, it sounded like we were going to be running form somebody. I thought it'd be easier to do that in these rather than try to in jeans that I can barely walk at a fast pace in."

I pull up the pants, adjust the drawstring and then step into my pink running shoes. I readjust my bun and wipe my face clean. Then I turn to face Carl.

"Let's get this show on the road." He becomes uneasy.

"I don't know. Maybe this isn't a good idea after all." He says. I roll my eyes.

"Oh, come on. If it was a good idea in the first place, then I wouldn't have to wear running shoes and a hoodie, now would I?" I raise my eyebrows. "Now, can we go do whatever, please?"

He shrugs his shoulders and then climbs out the window and helps me out and down. He grabs a lumpy bag that he sat in the bushes beside the house. We walk down the street but stick to the shadows. It's past curfew and the cops are roaming them up and down searching for any kids out.

Carl leads me up to an overpass where there are images and names spray painted on it. He gets out a can and hands it to me. Then he grabs one for himself and begins shaking it making a loud clanking noise.

"What are we doing?" I ask him. He looks at me and grins.

"Making art. Draw whatever you want. Just try not to inhale it too much unless you're not too fond of your brain cells." He jokes.

He waits for me to object but instead I start spraying. I don't have a specific image in mind. I let my mind make whatever it wants to. We don't get to finish before someone comes up behind us.

"Carl, what are you doing?" We turn around to see a tall blonde cop standing behind us. He has his hands on his hips and looks at Carl with disapproval.

"Oh, hey. What's up, Tony?" He does some kind of bro shake with the officer.

"You know him?" I ask shocked.

"Yeah, he had a thing for my sister." He turns to me. "Tony, this is my girl, Cassie." Tony puts his arm out for me to shake.

"I thought the whole point of these hoodies and shoes were so the cops wouldn't find out it was us?" I point out.

"From a normal pig, yeah. But this is Tony. He's cool." He looks at him. "Hopefully cool enough to not tell Fiona he saw us here?" Tony shakes his head.

"Sorry, Carl. It's your third strike. I have to tell her that was the deal. You know that. Come on. Both of you get in the car." He leads us back to a white vehicle with flashing lights on top and escorts us to the back seats. Carl looks at me when we sit down, his face is pale.

"Cassie, I'm so sorry. This wasn't part of it. I swear. I didn't mean to get you into trouble." He apologizes. I shrug my shoulders and speak low.

"I don't care if I get in trouble. It doesn't matter anymore."