cry, baby, cry

I

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S

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"Scott! Great job on your solo. Please tell me that you're finally going to send it in as your audition. I am not going to National Choir without you." A bubbly girl asked. Her name was Kirstin and she was everything Scott wasn't. She was popular, beautiful (hell, she was a bikini model from time to time) and she never seemed to struggle with singing.

Scott didn't answer her. He was crying. He had overheard news about a brutal murder that took place in a club downtown. He wasn't even involved with any of the victims nor was he a part of the conversation two other boys were having about it.

He was just crying over it.

"Are you seriously crying? You don't even know these people." The boy asked.

"Hey, leave him alone. It's a big deal. He doesn't like it when people get hurt." Kirstin argued. The boys rolled their eyes, but no one would make an enemy of Kirstin. She had way too much influence. "Come on, Scott, it's gonna be okay."

"But-"

"Hey, Kirstie, Mr. Montana is calling!" A girl called. Whoever the girl was, she was put in charge of guarding Kirstin's phone and checking for calls. Scott didn't know who 'Mr. Montana' was, but Kirstin seemed to.

"I'm sorry, I have to go take that. Can you wait for a minute? I'll be back very soon and then we'll walk home together." She said before turning on her heel and running over to the girl holding her phone. Scott just stood awkwardly by the door, waiting for her until Kirstin finally walked back to him, calling Carissa, a friend of hers, over as she came.

The three walked home together. This was routine now. They were all in the choir and lived in generally the same area. It kept Scott from feeling lonely at the very least.

"I gotta go, Mr. Montana wants to talk to me. Bye! See you at school tomorrow!" Kirstin suddenly piped up once they reached the main road. She sped off without allowed Scott or Carissa to reply.

"Of course. She's been running off like that a lot recently." Carissa commented once Kirstin was out of sight. Scott simply stood there confused. He hadn't seen her run off like that before today. Maybe Carissa was just around her more. That didn't seem likely, but it was the only explanation.

Scott walked with Carissa until they reached her road, where the two parted ways.

"Be careful. It's getting dark and it's dangerous to walk alone at night!" Scott called after her. Carissa just dismissively waved her hand at him with a smile.

Scott walked but didn't go home. He went straight to the park. Kirstin spent a lot of her time there.

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K

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Kirstin sighed, leaning back against the tree. Montana had been driving her insane lately, bombarding her with offers for a photo shoot at his 'private studio'. No matter how much she said no, Montana wouldn't listen.

As Kirstin watched the sunset, the faint sound of beatboxing could be heard, followed by. . . rapping? Are they serious?

Kirstin looked towards the direction of the sound, and sure enough, three men were walking in her direction. They were quick to surround her before she could leave, still going on with the rapping. Something about how the park is rife with lowlifes and criminals.

Takes one to know one.

"Okay, I listened to your rapping, I have to go now." Kirstin said once the group finally quieted. The group laughed a little, grasping her wrist as she tried to leave.