A Sodapop Story

Chapter 1

(Downtown New York)

It was 4:00 am. The loud sirens of cop cars, the sound of other cars speeding down the road, the laughter and shouting from the club a few doors down kept Kourtney Collins awake. She was tired. Well, it was New York after all, when was it ever quiet?
Tonight Kourtney was trying to sleep in a dark alley in downtown New York. Her dad kicked her out again and her mom certainly wasn't going to stick up for her. So she was sleeping on the streets. This happening on a usual bases, Kourtney's parent were alcoholics, they didn't care what she did. Her dad was abusive so she didn't dare try mess with him when he wanted her out. Most of the time she didn't even do anything. But it was better to listen, sometimes he didn't want her back for weeks, and if she tried step in the small apartment door she would regret it. This had been happening since she was 6. So Kourtney knew when and when not to go back. Getting food and money to live off of was her responsibility, but not many places wanted a underage girl with a criminal record to work for them.
Criminal record. Not a big one but a decent one. One that she could brag about to her 'friends' and the other hoods around town. Kourtney didn't really want one but she didn't mind having it either. It was kind of a necessity where she was from. If you didn't have one you weren't tough and if you weren't tough.. well. Let's just say, not a lot would work out in your favor. Kourtney only really pickpocketed. Nothing more nothing less. She did get into some fights and carried around switchblades. But she only carried around a heater if she really needed it and most of the time it wouldn't be loaded. Kourtney also smokes and drinks underage. The longest she's ever been in jail for was 5 months but she has gone to a reformatory school for 6 months before. Sometimes she would jump little kids if they annoyed her enough. Kourtney hates little kids.
But Kourtney knew no different. Her mam and dad did the same.
She decided to get up even though she barely got any sleep. She walked down the alley way and out on to the main footpath. She nicked a wallet from a man who seems to be rushing to work, she snickered. Kourtney did the same thing to 2 other women and a man. Kourtney enjoyed this, many people thought her life was rather miserable but she didn't mind it. She walked down the street to a newsagents and bought a breakfast bar and a bottle of water. The shop was a mess, but it didn't matter because everywhere was a mess in downtown New York. Kourtney also looked like a mess. Her hair was light brown long, silky and straight. It was almost to her belly button. But today it wasn't brushed and it was greasy from not being washed. That's how it usually was. Her blue skinny jeans had rips in the knees and her black T-shirt was stained from all sorts of things. And her denim jacket was almost ripped to shreds, it was also way to big for her. But she didn't care, because nobody else did. She hadn't been home in about a week by now and tomorrow afternoon she was thinking ur of going back. She bought the food and went back to the alley way she was trying to sleep in and ate her breakfast. After awhile of just sitting there Kourtney got bored. She gets bored very easily she just can't sit still, so she decided to walk around the alleys. She knows them like the back of her hand, she also knows every hood from around her. Kourtney wasn't in any particular gang but she did have some friends that she would help out in a fight. Most of the gangs around liked Kourtney, they didn't have a problem with her, but there's always going to be some who wanted to give her a piece of their mind.
The friends Kourtney did have weren't great. They were mean and they talked about each other and there was always drama. Kourtney doesn't hang out with them often. She did have one friend. But he moved away when she was 11. They did everything together. Practically brother and sister. They even went to jail together. But he left. Just like everyone else. But Kourtney didn't care, because nobody else did.