The Kids Aren't Alright

Chapter 1

I strolled along the cracked sidewalk with my best buddies, kicking a tiny pebble around. It was a warm summer afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I welcomed the cool breeze as it whisked our hair around and kicked up the dirt at our feet. Roulette and I serenely smoked our cancer sticks while Bambi chewed her gum, blowing large pink bubbles as she danced along. The sun cast a light orange hue on everything it managed to reach. I heard the soft laughter of children playing the park along with the water flowing out of the fountain.

We were all grinning lazily to ourselves, having just finished a successful robbery once again. Bambi had a spring in her step while Roulette bobbed her head up and down to music only she could hear. Somehow, stealing gave us a certain tranquility that completely relaxed us, making us into big, smiling idiots.

We had made off with a few large pieces of valuable jewelry and a fuck ton of cash, at least $400 easy. Actually, we were just heading to the pawn shop to trade the jewelry, and through the park was the quickest way. David, the owner, knew what we were did to get all the valuable items. He had promised us that he wouldn't sell us out if we continued to supply him with business. And supply we did.

"Ghost, you wanna head home after we go see David or do you wanna head out for food before we leave for Buck's?" Roulette questioned, throwing her weed down onto the ground and snuffed it out with the toe of her shoe. Bambi was throwing her gum away in the garbage can like the goody-two-shoes she was.

I couldn't help but smirk at the pair. "Do you really need to ask? Anytime is a good time for food!"

Bambi rolled her hazel-green eyes at me in amusement while Roulette scoffed. "That's true. Alright then, let's go see David. Then we can see what Diana has for specials today."

I pumped my fist in the air and cheered noisily.

"Sounds good," Bambi chirped, her arms swinging loosely as she skipped along.

A football suddenly appeared near Roulette's feet, having just rolled up to us. She raised a black eyebrow at it, and her bright green eyes widened when she heard voices yelling.

A group of boys were hollering for us to throw the ball back, waving their arms wildly in an attempt to flag us down.

"Over here!" they called out. "Can you guys throw it back?"

I picked it up from its place from the ground and Roulette pursed her bright red lips at me. "I got it man, I just wanna throw it."

I threw it back over towards the boys in a perfect spiral, and a boy with white-blonde hair caught it in the air. He seemed familiar, but I was too far away to make out the details, not to mention the fact that I was too out of it to care. So I decided to let it go.

"Thanks!" a few of them called, and continued to play as if nothing had happened. I flashed a peace sign at them and turned back to my group.

I finished my cigarette and ground it out against the ground with the heel of my combat boot. "Alright are we ready yet?"

I looked up to see the two's gazes fixed on the group of boys, slack-jawed and eyes blown wide. I giggled, which seemed to get their attention. Roulette tried to play it off, smoothing down her white flannel in an attempt to hide the slight blush on her face. Bambi coughed and sputtered for a moment before regaining her composure, a dark red hue left on her face.

"Wow guys..." the corner of my lip turned up in a smug smile. "You could at least try not to be so obvious."

"Shove it up your ass!" Roulette growled, pushing past me with Bambi in tow. I stifled a laugh that was bubbling up inside of me as I jogged to catch up.