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Kai
I stole.
I swore I would never do it again. But I didn’t have a choice.
It wasn’t about my survival. If it were only me, then I wouldn’t have stolen. Even from someone like Enzo, who has more money than he could possibly spend in a lifetime, based on the expensive clothes he was wearing. But I didn’t steal for me. I stole to save my father.
And now I owe another debt that will take me years to repay.
I hold the silver watch in my hand, running my fingers across its smooth face. The watch is warm despite it being made of metal. I make a mental note to repay Enzo when I can, but the reminder won’t be necessary. I’m afraid I will remember Enzo forever.
His hair was darker than night. His chiseled jaw covered with the dark shadow of his stubble will haunt me for not feeling how the rough edges would feel when I kissed him. And his deep eyes spoke of pain and heartache that no boy our age should have ever experienced.
I glance back down the street to where the bar sits. I could still return it. Enzo doesn’t deserve to feel any more pain. This watch is expensive, and although I don’t know anything about Enzo, he appears not to be hurting for money. But what if the watch was given to him by his father? Or his mother? What if it was passed down
for generations? What if the love of his life gave it to him? What if it is irreplaceable?
I study the timepiece further. It’s new and barely worn, without a single scratch on it. Almost like today was the first day he wore it. It can’t mean much to him if he’s never worn it, can it?
A man walks down the sidewalk toward me. I keep my gaze down, trying not to draw attention to the fact that I notice him.
He’s not here for me, I repeat to myself.
He’s just a stranger walking down the sidewalk. But it doesn’t stop the chill running down my spine.
I will repay Enzo someday. I will make things right. Even if I hate him.
No, hate is too strong of a word. I don’t hate him. Although I’ve never been so tempted to kiss someone in my life. Never wanted to forget about myself more than I did when I was near him. And also never wanted to be swept off my feet by a prince charming who would take me far away from here. Someone who would protect me and ensure I never had to worry about where my next meal came from.
But Enzo isn’t my prince charming, and even if he were, it’s not what I want. I will find my own way out of this mess I’m in.
I may not hate Enzo, but he reminded me temptation is real. And I can’t lose focus. I can’t let myself fall for a boy like Enzo. I don’t know anything about him except the look on his face when he taunts me.
I don’t remember Enzo from school, but I know he can’t be more than a year or two older than me. Seventeen or eighteen I would guess. Not that I attended much school. It’s a waste of time when you need every hour to make enough money to eat.
I continue walking down the sidewalk, past the row of bars. It’s mid-afternoon, so the streets near the bars have yet to grow busy, but in a few hours, they will be filled with people washing their worries away with a drink and loud music.
My feet carry me automatically, knowing these streets like the back of my hand. My fingers find the door of the pawn shop on the corner, three blocks over. I slip inside without any guilt.
I always repay my debts. Always. No matter the cost.
The door chimes loudly, announcing my presence, not that I need to be announced. Jim is standing behind the counter like he expected me. I haven’t been here in a while, but I have no doubt he heard of the debt my father owes. This is the only way I know how to make enough money to pay off his debt quickly, and Jim knows it.
I don’t hesitate. I walk to the counter, ignoring the smell of sweat and desperation that seems to always hang in the air here. People come here not because they are greedy, but because they have no other choice but to sell some prized possession or stolen item to survive. The same reason I’m here.
I pull the stolen watch from my pocket and lay it on the counter. Jim picks it up without a word, already knowing what I want from him.
He studies the watch carefully, running this thumb across the face’s surface just as I did earlier. He looks for scratches or signs of damage. He taps the metal; I assume to test for authenticity.
I don’t know how to determine if a watch is counterfeit or not. If I found this watch on the street, I would have a fifty-fifty shot at guessing its value. But after meeting Enzo, I know he would only wear the real deal. He’s not fake. He has money. He’s grown up in an entirely different world from me. And while it still pains me to take it from him, not knowing entirely what it cost him, I will not let the value of the watch go to waste.
“Five thousand,” Jim says, meeting my gaze as he lets the watch lie flat on the counter while we haggle.
I’ve done a few deals with Jim before. Never for anything of this much value. I know he’s a fair man, but I also know I have to be willing to lose the sale to get the full worth out of it.
I can’t lose.
I don’t have time to find another pawn shop to sell to. The next pawn shop owner might not be so kind. I may have to show my ID or proof of ownership. This is my only shot.
