𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄 | gabriel ✓

07. glow sticks at night

Josie sighed happily as she put the last spoonful of her canned dinner into her mouth. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until then and had eaten her meal in record time.

    She glanced around at the others around her, and given the silence other than the noises of eating, they also seemed to be enjoying their food. They sat around a few small glowsticks, using its light to look at each other.

    Zhenzhen and Alex sat with their backs leaned against the couch for support. Josie sat across from them on her stomach as she used her hands to support her head. Dariush and Gabriel lay on either side of her, laying on their sides.

    "I shouldn't have hit you," Gabriel spoke up amongst the quiet room, "It's was my fault"

    "I don't know. I'm good, bro. I mean..." Dariush lifted his foot and grabbed it with his hand, motioning towards the shoe, "It doesn't hurt as much as seeing all this gunk on my new J's"

    "How do you care about sneakers at a time like this?" Alex voiced everyone's thoughts.

    "You know what? You guys are lucky. You don't have friends." Dariush told them solemnly. Josie couldn't help but raise an incredulous eyebrow at the boy, "It's hard out here for a pimp, you know? Gotta keep up with the flyest shit, you know, the dopest kicks. Tightest whip. Baddest chick. And my friends, they're like bears. Soon as they smell weakness, they're just coming straight at your neck. That's why I keep this on my neck. Diamonds."

    "Does Dariush mean 'douchebag' in Farsi?" Alex leaned forward in an inquisitive stance.

    "What's Farsi?" Dariush asked as he spooned more food into his mouth.

    "It's the language your mom was screaming when you came out of her ass," Alex spoke with such a serious expression that Josie, who was already prone to laughter, let a few shrill giggles escape her mouth.

    "Hey, don't talk about my mom's ass, alright? You wish you were there." Dariush defended loosely.

    "No offense, dude, but those don't sound like friends," Gabriel spoke up, a chuckle falling from his mouth in response to Josie's giggles.

    Suddenly the roar of an aircraft drew their attention and they watched as light swooped by the window. They all tensed in preparation as it flew overhead. Zhenzhen held a hand out, ushering the group to hold still. Once it left, the all relaxed once more. Josie releasing the death grip she had on her backpack.

    "Hey, how'd you even end up in jail?" Dariush asked, glancing over at Gabriel. Josie slid her eyes over to the tall boy who had moved to a sitting up position with his legs crossed under him. She saw the uncomfortable look on his face and immediately wanted to comfort him but her curiosity was strong so she simply gave the boy an interested look.

    "My dad left... when I was about ten. I got a job as a bag boy at a grocery store my mom worked at. To, you know... help her with money. One time she steps away, I took over the cash register," Gabriel hesitated, shaking his head, "I was helping a customer, and, uh, he started to accuse me of stealing from him. I guess I gave him the wrong change. I get numbers... like, muddled in my head sometimes unless I see them written down. But he didn't believe me. And, um, I just, I lost it. So I decked him. Broke his nose. Mom got fired and they sent me away. She never came around to visit me once."

    Josie looked at the boy with wide eyes, gently placing a hand on his arm in support. She was unsure of what to say but still attempted to provide what little comfort she could.

    "You can't choose your family. But you can always make a new one." Zhenzhen finally said with a smile, before turning and pulling out an old Polaroid camera from her bag.