THIEVES ━ SHURI UDAKU

▬ five: candy crush

CALEB HAD NO idea what was wrong with him, but he was sure there was something. In the week that he'd had the kimono beads in his possession, he still hadn't managed to do anything with it. Not even started to search for potential buyers. Instead, he'd kept the necklace locked up in the drawer in Beth's office, unable to trust his mother to respect his privacy.

In the past week, he'd had to abandon his cubicle and computer in favour of a truck with stacks of Lord-knows-what in the trunk. It wasn't completely horrible. It was a lot more exciting to drive around the city and venture to places that he'd never had the time to go before. Plus, he liked the warm and familiar presence of his friend in the truck with him as the sounds of music played from the speakers, lower than the sound of their conversation.

They hadn't had to deal with anything that he couldn't handle. There were a few people who didn't want to pay fully for the goods that they delivered, but Caleb simply reminded them that there were people who wouldn't hesitate to hunt them down for the money and that he couldn't be held responsible for what would happen when they did. He didn't like the way it made him feel. Like a henchman or a goonie paid to do the dirty work. But even more, the thought of crossing paths with the police scared him more. He kept imagining somebody would get suspicious about the teenagers alone in a truck and ask to see the back. It hadn't happened yet, but the thought haunted him. He knew that with the necklace, he could fix it all. Sell it, move out of the outskirts with the money, and not have to do this kind of work. If only he could stop being so wimpy and get his shit together and be brave enough to sell the beads.

"Caleb," Beth announced, snapping her fingers in front of his face. She'd been telling him a story about a girl that he'd met, her hands moving animatedly in the air as she droned on. Usually, Caleb didn't mind listening to her stories. It was one of the things he liked most about her; that there never seemed to be a dull moment with her but today, he just couldn't pay attention. "Hello, I was talking."

Caleb blinked, his attention suddenly drawn to the situation at hand. "Sorry. Keep going," he apologized, making a flourishing gesture at her to keep going.

She sighed at him and glanced his way, keep her hand on the wheel. "You're thinking about her again, aren't you?"

"About who?" he asked, refusing to make eye contact and choosing to play dumb.

Beth cut him an unimpressed look and rolled her eyes. This was a gesture that label was accustomed to. Beth did not express emotion liked most people. Instead of saying I love you, Beth punched him in the arm. Instead of saying that she actually cared enough to worry, she rolled her eyes. It was a strange friendship for sure, but he wouldn't have it any other way. "You know. That princess," she insisted. She said, princess, the same way she'd talk about a thread on her shirt that she couldn't get rid of. "She's all you've been thinking about since you got back."

"That's not true," he argued, although even he could tell that was a lie. Beth narrowed her eyes at him. "Besides, I wasn't thinking about her, I was thinking about her necklace and about what to do with it."

Beth drove over a speed bump and made a rude gesture at the driver of the car in front of her. "What else is there to do? Just sell it. That was always the plan, wasn't it? This is what you've been waiting for. A chance to get out of this godforsaken town."

Caleb made a move that was a weird hybrid of nodding and shaking his head. He wrung his fingers together, his mind racing. "It was. It is," he corrected, wavering slightly. "It's just-" He trailed off, unable to find the words that he needed.

'It's just what?" Beth asked.

A sigh. 'I don't know. It just feels wrong to sell it now since she gave it to me."

Beth rolled her eyes at him. "First of all, you don't know that she gave it to you. Maybe you're just a better thief than you give yourself credit for." Caleb gave her a pointed look that told her that he highly doubted it. He could hardly tiptoe past her without her hearing his breathing. "Besides, even if she did give it to you, that just gives you more reason to sell it. It makes it okay."

Caleb shook his head at her words. He wasn't so sure about that. He'd tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing but everything he glanced at the necklace; he felt a churn in his stomach. He felt like a horrible person, and he wasn't sure why. There were really only two options: to sell it or not. If he did sell it, he felt horrible, but if he didn't, he'd feel guilty for the rest of his life for not taking the opportunity to help his family.

"I know that. I'm not even sure why she would give it to me. It doesn't feel right."

Beth scoffed at him, swerving right to avoid hitting a car. "Does it matter? Don't tell me you're growing a conscience on me now. Whatever happened to doing whatever it takes to survive."

Another sigh. "I don't know."

Beth glanced at him for as long as it was safe to when driving down the road. She'd known Caleb for a long time and never had she ever seen him so confused and disoriented. Even when, his mother got sick, he never hesitated for a moment. He did what he thought was necessary and never wavered. For so long, she'd seen him as the reliable one, the one with all the answers. It was unnerving to see him this way.

"Well, if you're not going to sell the necklace, I could take it off your hands," she offered.

Before she could say a word, Caleb had his finger pointed accusingly in her direction. "Don't even think about it," he snapped, with a hint of a smile on his face. Beth grinned at him. It was nice to see him happy even if it was just temporary. After everything that the boy had been through, he of all people deserved it.

She laughed out loud. "Oh, this girl has you so whipped."

(author's note:) so the name is this story is now thieves. i did my best to make this short and sweet since this is more of an update/filler chapter. it's a bit boring but it shows a bit about their friendship. the next chapter is where a lot of the action starts so stick around. this is unedited so I apologize for mistakes