THE ALGORITHM

1.

She was teased for several things in school that she didn't understand at the time. Girls would make fun of her appearance. Most of her foster parents weren't hygienic. Of course, it rubbed off on her. As a kid, she knew little about being clean and smelling fresh. She would go to school with her hair disheveled and her clothes dirty. The kids teased her for smelling like pee, cigarettes, and any other putrid smell infused in the home she was staying at.

The bullying went on for three grades until she decided to put her foot down. By sixth grade, Penny had been involved in several fights with people of both genders. She remembered being suspended several times for her hot temper.

Over the years, Penny learned how to care for herself properly. She befriended the school's secretary during high school and started living with her. Mrs. Atkins was an older woman in her mid-sixties. She taught Penny how to care for herself as a young lady.

Penny felt embarrassed after realizing that none of her foster parents had taught her about cleanliness, as most of them were filthy themselves. Mrs. Atkins didn't seem to judge her after learning Penny's background. Penny stayed with the elder until she graduated from high school. Mrs. Atkins ensured the young woman had a great senior year. She paid for Penny's senior pictures, class ring, and other activities in which she participated.

Mrs. Atkins died a month before Penny left for college. She took it hard but didn't allow herself to cry. Instead, she decided to move forward with her life. She was sad about her passing. Mrs. Atkins was the only person who truly cared about her, and when she left, she felt as if a part of herself had died, too. Penny fell into depression and didn't realize it. It took her months to recover from Mrs. Atkins' death.

During her first year at NYU, she began working as a waitress and eventually discovered a passion for cooking, which led to her promotion to a full-time cook. Now, she was a struggling college graduate trying to figure out her life.

The hours flew by, and Penny found herself preparing to leave. She was in the middle of packing her bag when Katrina walked into the locker room. She stood in front of Penny while typing away on her phone. Katrina's hair was dyed blonde, and she wore it draping against her shoulders. Small tattoos were sketched on her arms and hands. She had a nose ring that complemented her face.

"The victim was found in the Hudson River..." The anchorman reported the information. Penny wasn't listening, but Katrina was getting an earful.

"Wow." Katrina shook her head. "You know that was Lexy's dad?"

Penny looked up from zipping her backpack. "Huh?"

"Ricardo Gomez. That's Lexy's father. Remember? He picked us up when we went to Gabby's party in Hell's Kitchen?"

"Oh," Penny muttered. "Really? What happened to him?"

"Someone killed him and dumped his body in the Hudson River."

Penny didn't bother to speak. She was from Brooklyn but lived in Manhattan. People were always committing murders. It was a repeating cycle that didn't stop—no matter what.

Katrina noticed how quiet Penny was, so she decided to pester her.

"You're in a haste." She pointed out, "What are you doing after this?"

Penny pushed out air from her mouth and rasped, "I'm going home. I have to work on this... project. I might have an apprenticeship soon."

"Oh, you're still searching for a job?"

Penny only nodded.

"Is it that difficult to find employment in technology?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Penny tossed her bag over her shoulder. "However, I have the opportunity to prove I can code a line or two. Hopefully, I can finalize this project and submit everything."