didn’t even care about not having a drivers license. It
wasn’t worth the hassle.
A group of freshman girls walked up and
bought tickets. They didn’t make any snide comments. They probably
didn’t know her background.
“ Thanks,” their chirpy
little voices said.
“ Yup,” Libby mumbled as
they walked away.
Libby picked up the crinkled bills and
smoothed them. Out of boredom she arranged them in the same
direction. As she flipped the bills around, it dawned on her she
held enough money to buy Peter’s CD. Her heart stopped for just a
moment as she contemplated the thought.
Stealing is wrong.
She placed the bills in the metal cash box
and closed it. She would not do it. She’d find another way.
Her determination wavered. The money would
solve her problem so fast. No one would miss a few dollars. In the
grand scheme of things seventeen dollars was nothing.
Never in her life had Libby taken anything
from anyone, but this was different. Her aunt only gave her enough
money for lunch, nothing more. If Libby needed clothing, her aunt
drove her to the thrift store to pick out a couple items. It
humiliated Libby to buy other people’s castoffs, but she couldn’t
get a job and she didn’t have access to money. Now that she thought
about it, she realized how much Aunt Marge controlled her life and
she didn’t like the taste of it.
The only way she could get Peter’s CD was to
be creative. Taking this money qualified.
She peered around the crowded commons area.
No one seemed to notice her, or the tempting cash box. She chewed
on her lip and tapped her toe against the table leg. After a minute
or so, she reached forward and opened the lid. Her pulse raced. She
grabbed a couple five dollar bills and a handful of ones.
She pulled her hand out, folded the bills
over a couple times and slid them into her back pocket. She kept
her head down. If she didn’t look at anyone, they wouldn’t look at
her. She sat rocking her foot back and forth counting the final
minutes until the bell. At last it rang and her ticket-selling
session ended.
Libby grabbed her books and the cash box and
walked to the front office. She was unaware of the eyes that
followed her.
The old secretary resembled a fossil. She
took the box from Libby. “Thank you, dear.”
Libby nodded and left, her head held low in
shame. The stolen money burned in her back pocket like a hot
coal.
Without hesitating, she went straight to her
locker, stuffed her books inside and grabbed her coat. She
swallowed down her guilt. She would not let her rule abiding
conscious get in the way. As the remaining students straggled to
their next class, Libby strode out the school doors.
Chapter 6
Libby’s worn out shoes padded through the
discount store. She wanted to go unnoticed, but the bright store
lights shone down revealing her presence. Guilt hung on her
shoulders like a heavy chain.
She found the entertainment section filled
with electronics, video games and DVDs. She searched one aisle and
then another. Nothing. Panic crept over her. She had little time to
return to school and catch her bus.
“ Can I help you?” A
middle-aged man with a big belly held a scanning device in his hand
and waited for her response.
“ Uh, yes.” She whispered,
then cleared her throat and spoke louder. “I was wondering where
you keep the CDs?” Desperation began to sink in. She needed the CD.
It had to be here. She had to have it.
“ Down this aisle on the
end.” He walked that direction, assuming she’d follow. She trailed
after him. Did he wonder why a high school kid was in the store
during the middle of the afternoon?
He turned the corner. “Country and show
tunes are on this side, rock and jazz on the other, new releases
are on the aisle end. Is there anything particular you’re looking
for?”
He waited. She didn’t want to confess her
purpose for being there. It might expose her true feelings, someone
might overhear. She glanced around, but found
wasn’t worth the hassle.
A group of freshman girls walked up and
bought tickets. They didn’t make any snide comments. They probably
didn’t know her background.
“ Thanks,” their chirpy
little voices said.
“ Yup,” Libby mumbled as
they walked away.
Libby picked up the crinkled bills and
smoothed them. Out of boredom she arranged them in the same
direction. As she flipped the bills around, it dawned on her she
held enough money to buy Peter’s CD. Her heart stopped for just a
moment as she contemplated the thought.
Stealing is wrong.
She placed the bills in the metal cash box
and closed it. She would not do it. She’d find another way.
Her determination wavered. The money would
solve her problem so fast. No one would miss a few dollars. In the
grand scheme of things seventeen dollars was nothing.
Never in her life had Libby taken anything
from anyone, but this was different. Her aunt only gave her enough
money for lunch, nothing more. If Libby needed clothing, her aunt
drove her to the thrift store to pick out a couple items. It
humiliated Libby to buy other people’s castoffs, but she couldn’t
get a job and she didn’t have access to money. Now that she thought
about it, she realized how much Aunt Marge controlled her life and
she didn’t like the taste of it.
The only way she could get Peter’s CD was to
be creative. Taking this money qualified.
She peered around the crowded commons area.
No one seemed to notice her, or the tempting cash box. She chewed
on her lip and tapped her toe against the table leg. After a minute
or so, she reached forward and opened the lid. Her pulse raced. She
grabbed a couple five dollar bills and a handful of ones.
She pulled her hand out, folded the bills
over a couple times and slid them into her back pocket. She kept
her head down. If she didn’t look at anyone, they wouldn’t look at
her. She sat rocking her foot back and forth counting the final
minutes until the bell. At last it rang and her ticket-selling
session ended.
Libby grabbed her books and the cash box and
walked to the front office. She was unaware of the eyes that
followed her.
The old secretary resembled a fossil. She
took the box from Libby. “Thank you, dear.”
Libby nodded and left, her head held low in
shame. The stolen money burned in her back pocket like a hot
coal.
Without hesitating, she went straight to her
locker, stuffed her books inside and grabbed her coat. She
swallowed down her guilt. She would not let her rule abiding
conscious get in the way. As the remaining students straggled to
their next class, Libby strode out the school doors.
Chapter 6
Libby’s worn out shoes padded through the
discount store. She wanted to go unnoticed, but the bright store
lights shone down revealing her presence. Guilt hung on her
shoulders like a heavy chain.
She found the entertainment section filled
with electronics, video games and DVDs. She searched one aisle and
then another. Nothing. Panic crept over her. She had little time to
return to school and catch her bus.
“ Can I help you?” A
middle-aged man with a big belly held a scanning device in his hand
and waited for her response.
“ Uh, yes.” She whispered,
then cleared her throat and spoke louder. “I was wondering where
you keep the CDs?” Desperation began to sink in. She needed the CD.
It had to be here. She had to have it.
“ Down this aisle on the
end.” He walked that direction, assuming she’d follow. She trailed
after him. Did he wonder why a high school kid was in the store
during the middle of the afternoon?
He turned the corner. “Country and show
tunes are on this side, rock and jazz on the other, new releases
are on the aisle end. Is there anything particular you’re looking
for?”
He waited. She didn’t want to confess her
purpose for being there. It might expose her true feelings, someone
might overhear. She glanced around, but found
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