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 Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 6:44 pm
As soon as Atticus had gotten in the shower, Elliot had booked it to the nearest corner store. He didn’t have any necessities to pick up, this was purely for pleasure. They’d had a rough few weeks, and he was committed to finding some time to just relax.
So, tonight was going to be a movie night. And movie night meant snacks.
Lots of them. Unhealthy snacks. Sugar, salt–the works.
He’d come here often enough after practice that he didn’t have to look very had for what he wanted, and by the time he made it to the candy aisle he’d already had a few things in his arms.
And then, he saw her. She wasn’t really in his way, but he’d been hurrying and moving quickly so he was pretty sure he saw something disappear into her sleeve. And then something else. And then something else.
Elliot wasn’t prone to panic, but he couldn’t help but be alarmed because it didn’t look like she was using her sleeves as a makeshift basket, it looked like she was, well–
Stealing.
There were cameras all over the place; she didn’t look familiar, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help but stick his nose where it didn’t belong. Especially if she was hungry.
“Hey,” he greeted, trying not to be awkward about it as he approached from behind her. He flashed a quick smile as he reached for some of the snacks he’d come here for, but he was already a little jittery, just because. He didn't look at her while he pulled off some sour gummy worms and quietly said, "You, um. You should be careful."
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:04 pm
Brooklyn was good at what she did. She had to be. It was hard getting things that she needed, and this latest family was a barrel of monkies, meaning that they truly sucked. There were five other foster kids in the house with her, and the parents didn’t give two shits about any of them, not that she had expected them too, but you know. Sometimes on really bad nights you let those stupid sappy shows and books get to you and you think that there must be some place halfway decent out there.
It was all a load of bullshit and she knew it but, sometimes she had a few moments of anticipation when she moved to a new home.
This one though. She was in this one for the long haul, or at least that was what she had been told, especially with school starting up in a few weeks…that…was going to be interesting as she would be boarding full time over at St Magdalena’s and it would be her first real taste at freedom…even if it was about as close to juvie as you could get without going to juvie…but.
Maybe that would be okay. She had the skills to survive there, she was tough, she had to be, and she was resourceful too so…
There was a small voice behind her and Brooklyn froze, her eyes narrowing slightly as the granola bar she held in her hand slipped up her sleeve without so much as a rustle.
After a moment she glanced towards the boy. “Excuse me? I’m not really sure what you’re talking about.”
Damn. She hadn’t been caught for so long, she forgot how awful it felt when her heart started pounding erratically. It hurt.
…At least he wasn’t an employee though. He seemed like he was about her own age. “Don’t think you should get into other people’s business.”
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:47 pm
Now, Elliot gave her a look. “I mean, I don’t want to make a big scene out of it, but.” He shrugged and pulled off another bag of candy. “He’s probably watching you right now. Kids come in from the park all the time and try to swindle him. What are you getting, do you need me to spot you some cash?”
He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but if she was hungry he didn’t want he to starve. He didn’t know her, didn’t know her life story.
He did know that if someone needed help, he wanted to help.
Elliot managed to have a very earnest expression, like he wasn’t even judging her. Like he really did just want to help.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:25 am
“I know what I’m doing, and it really ain’t your business. He wouldn't even have noticed me but now he will because you’re talking to me, so if I get caught, it’s going to be your fault.” Brooklyn didn’t understand why this kid had decided to put himself in her business…she wasn’t hurting anyone. Not really. The store could handle a little loss, and it wasn’t like she could get these kinds of things without taking them.
Well, she had enough to keep herself reasonably fed for a week or so, and with a small glance at him, she broke into a smile and said, a bit more loudly. “I’m glad that you finally got here! Come on, I’ve been looking at all of these snacks and just getting hungrier! We should get one of the pizzas too, they’re pretty cheap!”
If he was going to draw attention to her, then Brooklyn was going to make sure that he did end up buying her some food, and he would be a very good shield to get her out of the store without being caught.
Without skipping a beat, she flung her arm around his shoulders. “Oh! Let’s get some of the nacho corn chips too, you know how much I love those!”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:50 am
Elliot’s face twisted into something like surprise, confusion, and then almost betrayal. He didn’t look quite that hurt. “Come on, I’m trying to help you,” he muttered, “Don’t try to get me in trouble. I come here all the time, I live right down the road. If you want some nachos or pizza or whatever, okay. I’m not made of money.”
He did have a little to spare! And if someone was actually hungry, it was a good cause. “Like–Hi, I’m Elliot. It’s nice to meet you.” Kind of, if this went well it would be. If he didn’t get lopped into any trouble and kicked out of the corner store, that would have been great.
Elliot was a good boy who didn’t get into trouble. Usually. Not like this, at least.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:45 pm
“And you are helping me, obviously if you really think that they’re suspicious, than the idea of me waiting for my bff Elliot makes sense, and we’ll be actually buying things since you, my bff Elliot said you’d buy food for your bff Brooklyn, and nobody will be any the wiser, so come on, El, let’s grab the Doritos and get a pizza since you’re being so generous with me today!”
Her voice was soft and her eyes full of mischief, but still, she clearly didn't want him to get into trouble.
“Get whatever you’re getting too! I’m gonna go grab the pizza. It’s been so damn long since I’ve had…”
She broke off, closing her eyes for a moment and then shrugged. “...Pizza.”
Or anything that wasn’t either a cheese sandwich or a peanut butter sandwich really.
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 2:28 pm
Elliot seemed a little doubtful but he was quick to go with the flow. He didn’t know if she was sincere in this, or if she was just trying to distract him as much as she was trying to distract the cashier, but he was adaptable.
And optimistic!
Her name was Brooklyn, he could work with that.
He had his arms full of things and seemed to have made up his mind that he had enough, especially because he was just buying treats. He didn’t need that much, and if it had been so long since she had pizza, he suspected she needed it more.
“All right, yeah. Go grab your pizza. I can meet you by the counter. Get the best looking one they have, no rush. I won't leave without you.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 7:32 pm
Brooklyn hesitated and then flashed Elliot a smile, and it almost seemed genuine. Still though, she did as he asked, looking at the pizzas on display in the warmer, and grabbing the one that looked the freshest. It was covered with pepperoni and just looking at it had Brooklyn’s mouth watering and her stomach giving an excited rumble.
Carefully, she pulled the box out of the warmer and headed over towards the counter. “Got it, Elliot!”
Her expression and voice was cheerful now that she was in sight of the cashier. She was sure that he hadn’t seen her, was sure that there hadn’t been any suspicion…at least not until the other boy had come in to talk with her but…still.
If she had to act innocent, she could do that. She could do that easily.
“You have my Doritos, yeah?”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:27 pm
“Uh, yeah,” he said, but turned to the display of chips next to him to grab her a bag. He’d already laid his things out on the counter and looked a little nervous, not because he was doing anything wrong but because he wasn’t sure if she was or not.
The cashier seemed like he wasn’t particularly suspicious–and why should he have been? Elliot was a good boy, he’d been coming here for the last decade. He’d never be involved in anything nefarious, or involved with anyone nefarious.
“Oh, that smells really good,” he said; he knew they were going to have dinner at his house so he didn’t need to pick up pizza but wow, his mouth was watering a little.
He smiled up at the cashier and said, “I’ll pay for hers, too. Um. I’ve got enough.”
He did! Probably, and he waited for everything to be tallied up and–yes, perfect. Seventeen cents to spare. He happily passed over his two bills and then accepted his bag and change, and then passed Brooklyn hers.
“Thank you,” he said, and waved to the cashier, who smiled and waved back before settling back into his chair.
Elliot looked at Brooklyn as he pushed the door open. There was a curiosity in his eyes, but he was certain that she didn’t do anything criminal. She looked too innocent!
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:38 pm
Brooklyn couldn’t quite believe her luck. Obviously she had got away with taking the snacks, but getting a whole pizza...this was something she wouldn’t have expected in a million years, and as the warmth seeped from the box, she sighed happily, the first honest emotion she had showed thus far, and when they left the store, she moved over to a nearby bench and opened the box, inhaling the scent and picking up a piece, wolfing it down in three bites and sighing in absolute pleasure.
Finally, she glanced back at the boy who had both caught her shoplifting and had actually bought her some food. “...Do you want a piece? I mean. You bought it, and it’s literally the best thing I’ve eaten in the past four months so…if you want a piece you’re welcome to it. Thanks, by the way for being my cover and for buying me this. I haven’t had anything hot in a stupidly long time this is like heaven.”
Pausing, Brooklyn pursed her lips, unhappy that she had shared so much…but at least he didn’t seem too judgmental. And she supposed. Well. Whatever.
“Next time though, Elliot, don’t come up to someone who’s trying to get themselves some food okay? You could end up in a lot of trouble.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:12 pm
“So could you,” he pointed out. He shifted the weight of the bags on his arms and shook his head a bit. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m saving room for dinner. And I think you might enjoy the pizza more than I would. It smells really good, though.”
He still felt a little hesitant, not quite slimy, but more worried about what drove her to doing any of it.
“If you like this pizza, you should come by the park on game days. I mean–I play baseball, and any time we have a game there’s a bunch of food trucks. There’s this hot dog vendor that’s like–kind of my favorite, ever. But there’s a lot of grilling and a lot of food, so if you’re hungry you should come by. There’s enough to share. Soda, too. And my dad almost always brings cupcakes or something, that’s his thing.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:18 pm
“I mean, honestly? Juvie would be better than the place I live in, I’m sure but. I’m always careful and I haven’t been caught in years.”
Brooklyn hesitated and swallowed, taking another slice of the pizza and polishing it off in a matter of moments, hesitating. “...What park? And what days? I’m…I mean, I don’t really have any money, but…if there’s hotdogs or…I mean. If the food doesn’t cost anything…would I be in the way?”
Now that her stomach was growing full, and now that she knew she had enough food to last her a few days if something went wrong, Brooklyn managed to lower her guard just a little…if this Elliot was honestly inviting her to more places where she could eat.
“Why, El? You going to get your dad to buy me some food then? When’s your next game. I’ll see if I can get away. I know it might be a little hard when…”
She shrugged and shoved another slice of pizza into her mouth, taking this one a bit slower now that the overwhelming hunger had passed.
He didn’t need to know her, and she shouldn’t be oversharing. “Tell me when and where.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:52 pm
Elliot frowned as he listened, but never so much that he looked angry or agitated. He wasn’t mad at her, just worried.
“Um, to be honest I’m not totally sure about all of them, but it’s usually over the weekend. The next game is Sunday, a week from now. Two in the afternoon, but people start showing up earlier. I’m usually there by noon. I’m on the team in teal, if you come you can just wave me down and I’ll get you set up. I’ll bring a list of all of our dates. And, we get some free vouchers at the food trucks, I can give you mine.”
His parents would understand, he didn’t doubt that at all. And if she wasn’t getting enough to eat, he knew they cared enough to want to help out however they could.
Especially if it could keep her out of trouble down the road.
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2022 11:49 am
Brooklyn nodded and drew in a long breath, slowly chewing the food in her mouth before answering. “All right. Then I’ll be there at noon too, if I can manage it.” If he was serious. If this was an honest invitation…she would be a fool to pass it up.
“Then, expect me in a week from Sunday, and I”ll expect some…well. Appreciate some hotdogs.”
Honestly, with what she managed to get from the store, she had enough to keep herself relatively comfortable, at least comfortable enough for a week and…if she had another hot meal to look forward to…well. She couldn’t argue with that.
“I guess, I’ll start heading back now. Thank you for feeding me, Elliot. And for not snitching on me either. That. That’s pretty cool of you. I guess.”
And it really had been…and if this kid lived up to all of his talk…
…Maybe he’d be worth keeping around. Provided he wanted to stay.
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2022 4:20 pm
Briefly, Elliot looked perplexed, but he shook his head and shook off the confusion. She hadn’t stolen anything, right? He wasn’t really her accomplice?
No, she didn’t seem bad. She hadn’t, he was sure of it.
“Okay. I’ll see you then, Brooklyn. Stay safe and make good decisions.”
He didn’t mean anything bad by it, it was just something his parents said and slipped out naturally. Elliot smiled, and raised a hand to wave goodbye before he turned to head home, too.
He hoped he saw her again. While she wasn’t thinking about committing any crimes.
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