Just because of . . .

1 | Just because of . . . a thief

0130 pm - 0200 pm

"That would be a dollar" the unhappy cashier named 'Jolene' said.

When I reached down at my back pocket, all I felt was my butt. I started to panic and took a look around my surroundings, Eli must've sense that I wasn't at ease. "Are you fine?" he asked behind me holding his can of coke.

Just as I was about to tell him what's wrong, I saw a suspicious man who had his head down walking fast towards the door. "I think that man took my wallet" I must have shouted that absent mindedly, making people turn their heads facing me. "And my phone" I added quickly after touching the other side of my butt.

Making my suspicion right, the man ran faster out of the store. I started to run behind Eli who was now also out of the store chasing the thief.

"Hey get back here!" Eli shouted.

"Goddammit give me my phone and wallet back" I shouted at the same time.

After a minute or two which felt like hours, a motorcycle stopped across the street while the thief crossed the road then jumped to the motorcycle and drove fast bearing my iPhone that I brought for myself and my wallet, given by my aunt last Christmas, containing a small amount of money.

"I worked so hard for that phone" I shouted to no one in particular while holding my knees and catching my breath.

"I know" Eli said giving me a pity look, not even showing any signs of tiredness, he was a runner after all. He knew that I cleaned all three of our bathrooms for eight months and I sold my stuff just to earn the money I bought for that phone.

I just accepted that I was never again gonna see my phone. "Oh my sweet, sweet phone" I said sadly to myself.

Out of nowhere Eli bursts in laughter "Your face is all red" he said between laughters.

"It's not my fault I'm not athletic" I pouted, giving him daggers.

"Well, it kind of is because you don't participate during gym class. All you do is either stay at the locker rooms or go to the clinic because your stomach is aching" he said, emphasizing the word aching by making quotation marks with his fingers. I couldn't stay mad at him beacause it was all true, so I started to laugh with him.

Walking back to where our school bus was parked, I noticed that he was still holding the can of coke he was supposed to pay before the thief dilemma. "Did you pay for that?" I asked him anyway.

"I must've forgotten to put it back when I ran out to kick that thief's stealing ass" he replied with a smug look.

Knowing him, I knew he accidentally stole the coke, but I knew him too well that he doesn't have any plan in paying for it or even giving it back. "Can I have it? And FYI you didn't have any chance to kick the thief's ass"

"No I will save it for later. And FYI I had a chance but he has another guy with a motorcycle, so it wasn't fair" he sassed back, imitating my FYI remarks. When we took a left turn around the curb, it was just then I realized that our school bus wasn't parked in front of the store anymore.

"Oh my god! They left us" I exclaimed.