Brianna Devereaux: The Mambo (Completed)

Brianna's First Crime

 “Hey mama can we go shopping tomorrow? There’s these new pair of shoes I want to look at.” Brianna said eagerly bouncing into the kitchen. Willow looked up from dinner and smiled, “Sure baby, I want to look at these heels I want to look at.” Both smiled as they knew that meant an impromptu shopping spree. 

Giggling, both looked up as Terrance glanced up from his tablet, “We’re talking about shopping? What about grades? How’s science and math?” Brianna kissed her pops cheek, “All A’s, high A’s at that.”

Terrance smirked, “Okay then smarty pants.” Brianna just wiggled her nose at him as Jeremy came barreling in. Dressed in his track uniform, the panting boy said, “Sorry I stayed late to practice my hurtling, and then I ran home to get a little more stamina training.”

Nodding his approval, Terrence boomed, “That’s my boy, keep up the hard work! It’ll pay off.” Jeremy beamed like always happy he made his dad proud. Looking at his still frowning mama, Jeremy gave her a kiss to the cheek, “Not that I was working too hard I forgot an important day coming.”

Blushing Willow smacked her son’s shoulder, “Oh hush it’s nothing.” Jeremy laughed as he playfully buttered her up, “You turning twenty one is nothing?” Willow scowled at her son as Terrance and Brianna both laughed. “Stop all that, you know I ain’t no twenty one!”

Jeremy laughed hugging his momma now, “Oh yeah? That’s what all my friend’s think, asking me if I had another sister.” Willow hit her son again but this time she couldn’t hide her smile, “Go and take a shower, you stink boy. And don’t take forever, or we’ll eat without you.” Kissing his mama’s cheek, Jeremy went to do as told as Terrance looked at his daughter. “Now look her head going to be all swollen.” Brianna bust into giggles as her mama sashayed over to her husband.

“I heard that, and you better watch it, I have younger men wanting me.” Terrance sent his wife a look way too inappropriate in front of their daughter. “Watch it woman.”

But as three laughed, Jeremy joined in and the moment seemed to be forever perfect.

Brianna woke up feeling tears on her cheeks. Sitting up, on a pew she’d tried to clean to the best of her ability, Brianna still woke up caked with dust. She seemed to have become a forgotten object lost in the church as well.

Standing up, Brianna knew then if she was going to hide out here, she needed money. And as her stomach growled, Brianna also knew she needed food.

Swallowing hard, Brianna slid a hand through her tangled hair tiredly. If she didn’t get resources soon, she might as well stick a needle in her arm like her brother. Because if she was going to die, she’d rather go out on top and not dwelling in it.

Exhaling, Brianna knew though that wasn’t a plan. That was fear and pain talking.

Rubbing her still healing eye, Brianna coughed as she sat down at a pew to think. She had a few friends from school, but none she could call with something like this. The rich and slightly snobby girls she’d associated herself with had made her the token black girl of the group.

All of them manicured and barbied, she’d allowed herself to become one of them. Only because her pops had deemed them harmless and unable to influence her. Unlike the rebel children who wore their uniforms too high or snuck out the house to party.  

Being an ADA Terrance Jones had known more than she about the spoil brats of his daughter’s private school. And he’d warned her off plenty as discreetly as possible.

Which was mostly, “Stay away from her, don’t talk to him. And if you do, you’re grounded.” He’d bark in his no-nonsense tone. And of course, his daughter had listened out of fear.

But now she was stuck with no one real backing her up. And if Brianna didn’t think soon, her stomach will start to eat her liver.

With a sinking feeling in her chest, Brianna realized she only had two options. Hooking or stealing. And while neither sounded pleasant, easy, or like her, Brianna knew two things.

She had to eat and live until she turned eighteen. And while she had no desire to sell her body, Brianna was sure she knew how to score some cash the dirty way.

After going into the cathedral’s bathroom, Brianna found amazed that the water worked. At first it came out dark brown and then it started to lighten up. And after thirty minutes it got unbelievably hot and looked almost white.

So, ignoring the filthy shower floor, Brianna stood under the hot spray letting it wet her dirty hair. Sliding a hand over her body, Brianna looked around trembling feeling the place was eerie.

The bathroom was covered in vines like the outside. And with the high morning sun pouring in, it did look beautiful. But with the floors, counters, tub, and standalone shower covered in dirt it was ruined.

Inhaling, Brianna got out of the shower and hated she had to put on the same dirty clothes. But she hadn’t grabbed anything when she ran from the group home. Which meant her other pair of jeans, two bras and five pairs of panties had been handed out.

And now she was literally left with nothing but the clothes on her back.

Making a decision then, Brianna got dressed and tried to tame her hair as it dried quickly in large curls. But with no products the wild 3C curls did their own thing and bounced refusing to corporate with her one scrunchy.

After looking around one last time, Brianna left out and closed the wooden board like before.

Walking away scared to leave her safe haven, Brianna hadn’t found a needle inside or bottles signaling anyone had ever used it before. But if she could get in, she was sure a junkie or a criminal hiding could too.

But she had no choice but to leave. So, after glancing around, for a moment, Brianna took off.

Keeping her hood up as she started into the heart of Manhattan, Brianna looked around antsy. Going to the sidewalk, she ignored the businessmen and women scurrying past her like she was an infection. At one point she’d ignore them as she talked on her iPhone.

Her clean uniform and maintained hair shining, giving away to her privilege.

It had made her accepted among them, it had made her one of them. But now, with her dirty clothes and wild curls barley hidden by her stolen hoodie, not so much.

But she didn’t need acceptance, she needed to blend.

Going to her old school was a risk, if spotted or recognized they’d go into lockdown. Locking her inside, they’d keep her there until the police ran her down and had her in custody.

And she only knew that because the guy her brother used to buy from was arrested at school. The pill pusher had been found in a classroom with a hot gun and three little baggies of pills.

But even knowing what she was risking, Brianna had no choice.

It was early in the day, with everyone in a classroom, Brianna waited until the security guards went on break. She knew they had an office and in fifteen minutes the cameras would be on.

Pulling her hood up, Brianna edged in through the open cafeteria door and ducked behind a trash can. Watching as a lunch lady passed by her, Brianna ran out the cafeteria doors and down the hall.

She saw a few students in free period and while none glanced twice, a few did notice her. And Brianna knew it’d be her get up that’ll ruin her. If spotted they’d know she wasn’t a student and call for security.

So, deciding on her first theft, Brianna went into the girl’s locker room and found one unlocked. Jumping into the familiar uniform of pleated skirt and white button down, Brianna wrangled her hair into a ponytail. Inhaling at how bizarre she felt after not being in the uniform for months, Brianna wanted to take it off.

It felt like a lie now.  And just when she was about to, she heard something. Stopping dead, she listened hard and when she heard nothing, she deduced it was paranoia.

 But then she was jumping afraid when she heard the noise again. Hearing it was a voice, Brianna grabbed the gym bag and quickly got out of sight.

One girl ran in and went to her locker. Leaving her phone, keys, and wallet, Brianna watched her peel back out looking annoyed.

Closing her eyes, as he held her breath, Brianna came out of the showers and went to her locker. Grabbing the wallet, Brianna pulled out two hundred dollars and took it. Shutting the locker silently, Brianna hurried out feeling her time ticking by.

After checking numerous lockers, Brianna only came up with another hundred dollars. But she knew that three hundred dollars even spent wisely wouldn’t last her long. And as another blinding headache started, Brianna fell to her knees in agony. Holding her head, Brianna whimpered as her veins seemed to burn.

Feeling her vison go left, Brianna blacked out as a gold aura filled her hands.

And when she came to five minutes later, she was standing outside her school. A fat wad of cash in hand.

Confused as she looked around, Brianna was startled when she heard a noise over the intercom. And she knew then that they were in lock down, and whatever they’d realized had happened was bad.

And it was her fault.

Moving quick as she snapped out of her confusion, Brianna knew standing around would only get her in more trouble. Stuffing the money and her stolen duffel, Brianna hauled ass like the building was on fire. Sliding her hoodie back on her head, Brianna immediately headed straight to Target.

And for the first time, she checked the price on everything she grabbed.