FADED (book I)

VI

I will not cry. Not gonna cry. Jade, don't you dare cry. Jade. Keep it together, dammit!

The store manager slammed his hands down on his desk making me jump in my chair.

"So, stealing huh? Is that what the youth is up to now?"

"I'm I'm - I -"

"Listen to me young lady, kids like you should be locked up now before it's too late," he sneered. "I know your type - going around town, causing trouble everywhere you go, disrupting the peace and quiet. Well let me tell you something," he leaned over his desk, his face inches away from mine. "I will not let you little shits raise hell in my territory, my store."

My lips trembled as I read his name tag. I looked back up at his eyes but was taken aback by the fury in them so I focused on his tie instead. "M-mister Anderson, I swear it was never my intention to s-steal from - "

He pushed the CD in front of my face and I yelped. "Then what is this? You think I was born yesterday? You think you're the first one to come sit here and apologize, pretending you never did anything wrong?"

"But I didn't do anything," I protested, tears brimming in my eyes. "I was set up. I swear I'm telling you the truth. Check the CCTV footage."

"And what do you think I'll see there?"

"You'll see that someone else put it inside my bag," I answered meekly.

"And who might that be?"

I chewed on my lip. "A w-woman."

He huffed in disbelief. "A woman. What woman? There was no one with you, little girl."

"She's around forty five but looks a lot older. She dyed her hair blonde, she's wearing skinny jeans with a dark stain around her left knee from where she spilt some coffee this morning. She had on a dark blue jacket and a black leather purse."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Who is she to you?"

I looked down at my lap, fiddling with the loose strings of my cut-offs. "Just a woman."

He chuckled mockingly. "So not only did you steal something, you also have the nerve to pin it on somebody else."

I met his glare full on. "It's not just somebody else, it's my mom."

This time his chuckle grew into loud, deep laughter, his round belly shaking. "You honestly think I'd fall for that. I've heard a lot of things before but this definitely takes the cake."

I sighed heavily, feeling defeated and angry and upset and scared all at the same time.

"Maybe you should give me your mother's number so I can give her a call," he taunted.

"I don't have her number," I mumbled.

"Of course you don't, what about your dad."

I shook my head.