Age: 16
---⧗---
It was dark that night. I had my hoodie over my head and so low nobody could see my face. I turned into the alleyway and saw the other 6 members of my gang waiting for me.
"You took your time," Marley muttered, clearly in a bad mood.
"Sorry," I apologised.
I didn't tell him I got caught trying to sneak out by my dad and he'd yelled at me. In the end, I just walked out.
"Pass me a vape?" I asked.
I needed something to take my mind off everything. Marley chucked me the vape and thanked him.
"Romanoff, you still in for today's task?" Connah asked.
I nodded, but didn't speak. The past few weeks I'd been involved with this gang. Mom and dad were on a lot more missions, and their patience was limited whenever they were home. I understood why, but I just felt a lot more alone than normal. Usually, my mom would notice whenever something was bothering me. My dad was good at helping me sort out any problems, although I was 100% a mama's girl. I hated the idea of what I was about to do, because my parents were sure I wouldn't do anything bad. However, this gang let me be a part of something. Other people who's parents might not have been there for them, or are in the same situation as me.
"Remember, get out as quick as you can, but don't look like you're robbing the shop," Marley warned me.
"I know how to rob a shop," I told him.
I honestly didn't, but I'd told the gang that I'd robbed shops before. I'd only robbed a couple of cans of energy drink before - this haul was a lot bigger.
"Alright, we'll all meet back here in..." Connah looked at his phone.
"20 minutes?" Robbi suggested, putting her hood over her head.
"Yeah," Connah agreed.
"Alright, cya then," I said, walking away.
I kept my head down as I walked down the street towards the shop, taking deep puffs of my vape. I felt the nicotine hit the spot and I put it away as I reached the shop. I went in, taking note of the two security guards by the door. They watched me as I walked in so I took my hands out of my pockets. When I turned the corner, out of eye shot of the security guards, I went to the alcohol section and grabbed a small bottle of vodka. I hid it inside my jacket and went around the shop, hiding two packs of cigarettes and some food in my jacket as I went.
Eventually, I couldn't put anything else in my jacket without it showing. I took the vodka out of my jacket and pulled off the security tag with ease. Super-soldier serum running through my blood was really helpful here. I hid the bottle again and went to the door and walked out. The alarms went off and I turned around. The security guards were walking towards me. Shit. I turned and ran, panicking. The guards were chasing after me, gaining ground quickly. I tried to lose them, hiding in an alley, but they cornered me. I dodged as they grabbed out at me and ran down the main road, my shoes splashing in the puddles. Suddenly, I was thrown down. The bottle of vodka fell out my jacket and smashed on the ground as I felt my face drag across the concrete road.
"You're under arrest young lady," one of the security guards told me, taking my hood down as a police officer came over.
"сука," I muttered. (Bitch)
I was pulled to my feet and everything I'd stolen was taken from me.
"Arrest this young lady," the security guard told the officer.
"What did she steal?"
I looked away as they talked to each other about me. I would've run if it wasn't for the 2nd security guard keeping a tight grip on my forearm. I winced slightly and shuffled around, but the guard pulled my arm a bit, causing me to bite my lip painfully.
"What's your name?" the officer asked me.
Without looking at him, I shrugged.
"I need your name, or we can't get this sorted out," the officer pressed. "What's your name?"
"Anastasia," I muttered.
"And last name?"
"Romanoff-Rogers."
"Right," the officer wrote it down in his notebook. "Come on, in the car."
He took my arm and took me to the back of the cop car where I was pushed in and handcuffed. I noticed that the cuffs were the standard cop handcuffs. Easy to break out of. As I was quietly pushing them open, the officer looked at me. His stare was irritated.
"I wouldn't," he warned.
I didn't move again for the entire journey until I was pulled out of the cop car and taken into the station. I tried to get away once, but it of course didn't work.
"Just put her in a cell for now," the officer told the lady officer at the desk.
"What?" I asked, scared now.
I didn't know what was going on. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't realise I'd get arrested for stealing some stuff from a shop. The other officer took my arm and led me to the cells. When she opened the door, I resisted to going in.
"It's only until your parent gets here," the officer told me.
I swallowed anxiously, before going in. The officer locked the door after me, leaving me standing in the middle of a prison cell. There was a small bed on one side, along with a wooden board sticking out from the wall with a foldable chair underneath. I sat on the bed, my back against the wall, knees tucked into my chest. What had I done? I hadn't thought about the consequences of robbing a shop before I'd done it. It was my own fault. I was acting stupidly. I was being dumb. Idiotic. I thought to myself bitterly.
---⧗---
After about 10 minutes of waiting in the cell, the door was unlocked and opened.
"Your parents are here," the female officer told me.
I stood up and followed her to the main reception where my mom was leant over the desk talking to the receptionist. Dad saw me first and his eyes were glistening with fury. I knew when I saw his glinting blue eyes that I was in trouble. Deep trouble.
"She's had some problems with her mental health recently, I assure you this isn't her acting normally," I heard mom lie as I got closer. "We will punish her appropriately however."
"I suggest finding some mental help for her," the receptionist replied. "We understand, but she still committed criminal acts."
"Don't worry, I'll find her someone," mom replied, casting a sideways glare at me.
"Will she be charged?" Dad asked as I stood awkwardly beside him.
"No," the receptionist replied. "However, this will stay on her criminal record."
Mom nodded.
"Is she free to go?"
The receptionist nodded. Mom came over to me, and I looked down - ashamed of myself.
"Come on, we're leaving," she ordered.
My dad walked beside me as I followed mom into the car park. When I got into the car, I sat in the back in silence. Mom and dad talked quietly to each other, but I wasn't listening. Not until the quiet, tense atmosphere was broken.
"Anastasia Belova Romanoff-Rogers!" mom yelled, using my full name. "I can't believe you got yourself arrested!"
"I-"
"No Anastasia! I don't want to hear it! When we get back home, I want you in your room! You're grounded for... I don't even know after this!"
I bit my lip.
"Yes mom," I muttered.
"What?"
"I said 'yes mom'," I replied a little louder.
Mom turned around and sat with her arms crossed whilst dad drove.