Street Girl

25 | lucy

I'm in a booth against the back wall, fidgeting with the string of Elliot's hoodie on my body. The smell of bacon, eggs, and maple syrup sizzles in the air. Every time a car passes, my eyes dart to the side. I'm way too open and exposed in here. Finally, Alecia walks in, and it's like a breath of fresh air. Her black hair in blades around her catlike face, and she wears a turquoise blouse with bell bottom jeans. She's beautiful like her brother, but her remorseful expression tells me there are things going on with her, too. Colt was a horrible boyfriend, but he's no better of a friend to Brett and Alecia.

If I had to thank Colt for one thing, it would be for leading me to Brett and Alecia Murphy. They're good people. They're my people. But Colt's a snake, and he sheds his skin wherever he lies. He's always sniffing around them, but because of his history with Brett, I don't think he suspects they're helping me. If he did, well, I don't want to think about it.

"Hey, baby." Alecia slides into the seat across from me.

"Hey. You have my shirt?"

She clicks her tongue. "Not even a how are you first?"

"Sorry. How are you?"

"Well it doesn't feel real now." She laughs, and I do, too. "So, Brett tells me you're bunking with some squeaky clean high school boy. That true?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Tell me about him."

"Where's my shirt?"

With a roll of her dark brown eyes, Alecia digs into her purse and tosses it to me. The soft fabric lands in my hands, and I mutter a thanks as I stuff it in my backpack. "I should go."

"What, you're not even going to have breakfast with me? Come on, Lucy. Relax."

I'm trying, but my chest is tight. I guess after everything, if there's one person I can confide in about Colt, it's Alecia. I've gotten too used to bottling everything up around Elliot. "It's just—I was out the other night, and I thought I saw him. Colt, I mean. It wasn't actually him, but... I have a bad feeling, Alecia."

"No way it was him," she says. "You know mine and Brett's is always the first place he goes when he's in town."

"Yeah, I know. But it felt like, I don't know..." I shake my head. "Wow, I sound weird. I'm going to go, okay?"

"No, hold up. Let me buy you breakfast."

"Why would you do that?"

"Look, I know I've been acting sketch about you staying at our place, but it's only because of Colton. I still care about you, Luce."

I bite my lip and chill out in the seat. "Okay. Sorry. Yeah, maybe a bit of food wouldn't hurt."

A waitress comes our way, and we order coffee and pancakes.

"So..." Alecia gives me a devious smile. "Tell me about the new boyfriend."

Despite everything, I can't help but grin a little. "What do you want to know?"

"What he looks like, what his paychecks are like, how big his dick is. You know. The usual." With each point, Alecia holds up one of her manicured fingers, and I can't help but laugh.

"Okay, fine. He's cute. And tall. Like six-foot-something tall. And he has these really blue eyes. His face goes bright red whenever he's embarrassed, and honestly, it's adorable. He's eighteen, and he's an incredible hockey player. There, happy now?"

"Nope, I need more."

I laugh a little; having a girly talk like this is weird, but in a way, I like it. "He works at some hipster grocery store, and I don't know how much he makes, but it doesn't matter. His family has a really nice home. That's where I've been staying."