STRAY

1.

                                                                            

                                                                        A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

Why did i write this story?    I strarted off thinking about girls in gangs. Then i thought about how some people seem to get away with everything.   But there are other who can't put even a foot wrong without getting into trouble. 

Life isn't fair. A few things come down to the choices you make.

Stacey and Simone are based on young women i knew once.    They were always in trouble. One of them was playing at being a bad girl.    For the other, it wasn't a game.

Trauble is, some people have more choices than others.   When life treats you like a weaker you are, the more people will try to use you.   That's what stray is about.

Simone, the girls' leader, opened the shop door,    "Stay!" Simone called.      "Stay!" 

Was she calling a dog?   Then I  saw Stacey.    She was outside the shop, looking in.   Stacey saw me watching.    She gave me this shy smile and it hit me like a rocket. Simone threw her a four-pack.   Stacey snatchrd it. Simone rushed out.   She was followed by tall Karla and ugly Tracy.  Both had a four-pack of lager in each hand. Those two had been in Simone's gang since the start of Year Seven.   But not Stacey.

The four of them raced off down the street,      giggling like little kids.

The shopkeeper ran into the street.   He looked mad.   I went after him.     "You know those girls?" he asked. 

"No.   Sorry, mate,"   I said.

"Will you talk to the police?   Be a witness?" 

"Sorry,"  I said,

It was five years since i'd seen Stacey.  She was in the year below me at primary school.   Kids said she was fostered, like me. That's one reason i remembered her. Like me, she was always on her own.   Unlike me,   she didn't seem to mind.

Most of all, I remembered how very pretty Stacey was.   Back then, I liked her.      Now , I could not get her out of my mind. She had a great body,  long blonde hair and on amazing smile.  I had to see her again.

but i didn't know where to find her,   There were four schools she might go to.  I couldn't hang around outside all of them, hoping to spot her.   So i had to talk to Simone