Chapter One: Theft
“Just one more month, Sia. Just one more month and we’re out of here.” I narrated as I watched the girl, Sia, turn to me from the kitchen table she sat at. An eye roll was the response I was cruelly given. “I know, Avery. You’ve been counting down the days since the moment I told you, remember?” She asked with an eyebrow raise. I scoffed, looking away. “I’m just keeping your memory fresh, that’s all. Have you already packed?” I asked as I sat up from my sprawled out position on the couch, throwing my legs over the edge. My feet hit the soft carpet and I sighed, standing up with a stretch. “Of course I have. Have you?” Sia shut the book, the hard cover flopping on the thick pages with a ‘thunk’ sound.
“Oh, absolutely.” I called back as I pushed my hair out of my face. I turned my head towards Sia, my eyes washing over her gorgeous features. Sia was taller than me, as was most people. Her eyes held an Atlantic blue mystery in them. Her hair spilled off her shoulder, the color being a dyed silver metallic. A shade I painted my walls with in the fifth grade. Sia never admitted it, but I knew that’s where she got the inspiration for the color from. A bright yellow tank top was tucked into her high waisted blue jeans. Over her shoulders was a white unzipped jacket.
I sighed before drifting my eyes back to my coffee table where a few coins were laid. I reached down, grabbing them with a quickness. “I’m going to the drink machine. You want something?” I asked as I threw my own jacket on. “No, I’m good!” Her voice called back. I nodded, pulling my apartment door open. The cold stairwell air wafted into my face as I made my way to the lobby. Shortly after my parents and I had moved in, the workers began to complain about not having anywhere to get food or drinks from, causing the owners of the place to set one drink machine near the parking lot. Of course, the put it on the other side of the building complex where you had to walk all the way to the back to reach it, but it made the workers shut up.
I tucked my hands into the pockets of my shorts as a cool summer breeze whipped by, tinging the side of my neck to a chill. The drink machine glowed in the distant being the only light near me. Nobody was there or in line which I was grateful for. It was currently one in the morning and the last thing I wanted to do was have a conversation with anybody at the back of a building. I stood before all the various options as I debated what to buy. Getting soda this late would only cause me to stay up longer and be tired in the morning. Besides, I had Pepsi for lunch earlier and Coke didn’t look very appealing either. I rolled the quarters into the coin slot listening to them as they hit the bottom.
I found the lemonade option and typed in the numbers along with the letters. My hands found their way back into my pockets as time passed. However, when my drink never rolled to the bottom, I began to become irritated. “Oh come on, are you serious?” I muttered to myself in the darkness. I hit the side of the machine with my palm as I sighed, tilting my head back and taking a deep breath. I stood there for a few moments, just wallowing in what was either anger or just pure disappointment.
“Well that just sucks.” My eyes shot open, snapping my head to the left of me. My whole body turned, stepping back a bit. A talk figure stood there, a hand in front of themself filled with what I could only assume was their own quarters they had intended to use. “But I mean come on. You were about to buy lemonade. You had it coming, sunshine.” He stepped forward, looking down at me. One hand was stuck in his right pocket and he placed the coin filled left one in the empty pocket.
Dark brown, almost black looking hair framed his jawline. Dark eyes went to match as he stared down at me, a smirk playing at his lips. He wore a red and black flannel with black jeans and timberland shoes. A watch was wrapped around his left wrist which was one of the first things I noticed simply because I knew the brand was pricey. An accent rolled off of his tongue, though it was one I couldn’t put a finger on. It was faint, barely being there at all.
“You got something against lemonade?” I asked, “What did you plan on getting?” My eyebrow was raised as I watched him.
“Well, it definitely wasn’t lemonade. I was going to get soda pop.” He replied smugly as he gestured to the option on the machine with a head tilt.
“It’s one in the morning.” I said incredulously.
“I had no idea.”
“You’re wearing a watch.”
He looked down at his wrist as if it had just appeared out of thin air. “Oh. Would you look at that? I am.” He said as if he was narrating to himself. I huffed with a slight head shake.
I was still quite upset at the robbery that just took place. I was literally mugged by a drink machine. This was a new low, even for Ohio. I looked back at the boy in front of me. “Lemonade is better.” I shrugged as if it was a fact proven by science.
“Look sunshine, I didn’t come out here to be insulted by a girl wearing fruit on her ears. Especially, strawberries.” He said with his smirk fully coming into place. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked into the reflection of the drink dispenser, my pink strawberry earrings hung loosely from my ears. My mother had bought them for me last Christmas, and as much as I groaned when I seen them I had slowly grown a liking to them.
“Now, as much as I’m loving this conversation, I do have important things to do.” He nodded before turning towards the opposite way I came from, walking into the dark. I stood there for a few minutes before eventually walking back to my apartment.
I opened the door and slammed it behind me. Sia turned around. “Oh, hey Avery. You were gone for a little longer than usual.” She greeted with a smile, “Where’s your lemonade?” I looked at her, raising my hand. “Just- don’t. I’m going to bed.” I threw my jacket down on the couch before traveling towards my room.
