Gypsy

Chapter 26

·Zara·

I wake the next morning still confused about the day before. Had that really happened? We are preparing to leave for the day, and I know I have to hurry, but I just can't seem to focus. Yesterday I'd decided not to wait on fate to give me the opportunity to talk to Adam, being bold and making my own. And though I'd know--just known--how that conversation was going to turn out, I'd been wrong.

"Come on, Gypsy, we gotta go!" Andre's tone is louder than normal, belaying his growing anxiety.

"I know, I know!" I finally yank on my other boot then stand and sling my guitar over my shoulder.

Today I'll spend time at the park, and then my old stomping grounds. I haven't been near Southside in a while, and I'll be playing by the Nest until it's time to meet the others at Sammy's Place. When we finally pile out of the building and make our way to the back, Maddox stops in front of me.

"Shit." His voice is strained, the single word nearly a pained groan.

"What?" I glance up to follow his gaze and find myself looking directly into the lens of the camera.

Its blindfold is gone, and it's recording our every move. A cold sweat breaks out on my skin and a hard knot forms in my belly. There's no way we can explain this if the owner was to see it. The camera no doubt caught us coming out of our unit, not to mention our path to the back fence. And, to top it all off, both Maddox and I had looked straight at it, giving whoever wanted to see us a perfect picture of both our faces.

"Go, Zara!" he urges me, and I don't waste time with a reply.

We sprint the final few yards and then we are climbing, launching ourselves over the top of the chain link. I land in a crouch on the other side then spring back up and hurry away. Maddox and Andre flank me on either side. When we reach the sidewalk we slow our pace, to keep from drawing attention to ourselves. Once I catch my breath, I glance over at Maddox.

"What do we do now? Go back and hope no one looks at the video?" I ask.

"We can't do that."

"Why not?" Andre blurts out, clearly both confused and disappointed by Maddox's short reply.

"Because if anything happens in there and they see us on that video, we're gonna be the first ones to catch the blame." The serious gaze he levels on Andre is understood by us both.

I think about his words, and the knot in my stomach grows bigger. Would Adam think that of us? He might not, but what about his boss? Even if Adam believed us, that doesn't mean anyone else would. What kind of trouble would we be in even if nothing else happened aside from our being caught living there? I don't think I want to know.

"Damn," I say softly. We'd paid for three months in advance, and now that money's gone, as are our bedrolls and what little we had in our packs. We can't go back for it now.

As we walk my spirits fall further. We'll have to go back to the warehouse. There's no where else for us to go. I grind my teeth against my sadness. I will not cry over this. It's not like we're really losing much, aside from the money. I'm thankful now I'd grabbed my guitar. For that, I would have gone back.

As we put the storage facility further behind ourselves I keep thinking about Maddox's and Andre's things. I don't care about mine, but I do care about theirs. I could always slip off to grab their stuff before I go to meet Adam and his friends. If I get caught, who really cares but me? I know my friends will be upset, but they'll get over it. Besides, what could they do to me? We own that unit for another two months. I won't be stealing anything, just moving our stuff out. That will leave them with an empty number ten and free money in their pockets.