[[[all of your flaws]]] [[[part i]]]

35.

The conversation with Steven was playing over and over in my head. I don't know why I thought speaking to him would be a good idea. It had at reinforced the person I had become. The words he'd shouted at me every single day, that had been drilled in to me, telling me what I was. And just like a self fulfilling prophecy, I went and lived up to what I was told I was.

The next morning I went into town and found myself in the shoe shop. I felt like I was on autopilot. I almost had no control over what I was about to do. I eyed up the red trainers, my fingers twitching. Old habits die hard. Before I knew it, I'd slipped them into my bag and was making my way out of the shop. I'd done this so many times before. I had once thrived off the buzz it gave me. All I had to do was act casual and hold my head high as I walked out. But I hadn't been banking on the alarms going off.