Wrong Side Of The Road

7) Mall Madness

"THE MALL IS CLOSING IN 10 MINUTES"

"Storm go use the bathroom so we can leave already," I say to her while holding three bags of clothes 2 for her and 1 for me. I make my way into one of the home stores across from the bathroom and pick up 3 blankets and 2 drinks when Storm comes waddling out of the bathroom and meets me at the register.

"ZayZay where are we going to stay?" My little sister asks as we're heading to the malls exit.

"We're going camping baby," I tell her hoping she'll stop asking questions sadly that wasn't the case.

"Are we really or are you lying?"

"Both," I say with a sigh turning to face her before turning into the empty alley. After I make a pallet on the floor it's not long before Storm slightly snoring right next to me. I sigh listening to cars pulling off, in and out. Every time a car passes by I duck my head and I slowly start to drift to sleep.

"If y'all don't get y'all asses in that car," the voice is what pulls me awake I wake up to see who I believe his name was August standing over us but my eyes start to fall again and I feel myself being lifted and put back down my eyes are closed but I'm very much awake. I slowly peek to my side to see Storm slouched over sleeping so I decide to go back to sleep.

I wake up to August shaking me awake, "get up you gotta walk," he says carrying Storm in his arms up the steps and into the house with me trailing behind him.

"Hey babe did you get the - she stops once she sees us.

"No they were closed but I found these birdies sleeping in an alley beside the mall." Nicki looks at me shaking her head.

"Babe take that baby to her room," she tells August before turning back to me, " you and I are going to have a talk so follow me," and I follow her into the living room.

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't have anywhere to stay?"

"Because I don't like when people think I'm not capable of doing things on my own." I say staring directly at her.

"So your plan was to sleep in alley? Does that make you feel capable of doing things?" She asks.

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Because you can make decisions for yourself but you're just dragging your sister along when it's obvious she doesn't want to do what your doing."

"What I do with my sister is my business-

"You put her in harms way, do you know how many pedophiles and animals lurk at night looking for prey?" She says raising her voice slightly causing me to look away.

"I wasn't gonna let anybody put their hands on her," I argue and August comes around the corner.

"Are you sure because I put her in the car before I put you in and I was worried when you didn't wake up to my car pulling into the alley, the lights, or me grabbing her, so it could've been anybody you should be happy it was me" August jumps into the conversation and I know he's right but I'm not going to give in so easily.

"First of all why were you stalking us?"

"Take the crown off your head nobody was stalking you," he says plopping down on the chair.

"And if we were I don't see what the problem would be we just trying to make sure y'all good and obviously y'all not so you mad at us for helping you out AGAIN," he says leaning forward a bit.

"So you expect me to just say- oh well my mom just died in a car accident and later that night my dad shot himself right in front of me and my 4 year sister but we don't wanna go to the system so we ran away and we were hoping we could stay here?"