She Left When I Was Broke, Regretted When I Was King.

an'

dirty water swirl into patterns that disappeared as quickly as they formed. My hands ached. The blisters from yes

lled from the doorway. "Your

e the exhaustion pulling at my bones

Marcus shook his head. "How many

he mop against the wall. "Tak

apped me on the shoulder

becoming real. "So

teal it, though who'd break into a Walmart employee locker? Still, my heart hammered as I spun the combination lock. The n

rdware. The kind of thing I'd never touched before

our way to the cheap theater. She'd pressed her hand against the glass, laughing at herself. "God,

omeday,"

ut we both know that's not our world, b

enty bucks an hour to do their homework. I'd skipped breakfast most days. Lunch too. My jeans hung loose on my hips now, held up by a be

t, I had t

rything will

n in the dark window. When did I start looking so tired? The shadows under my eyes could've bee

mmate's boyfriend stayed over and I couldn't stand the noise. She'd never complained when I couldn't afford fancy d

ack. I always

k instead of concrete. An actual lobby with a doorman who nodded at

. Ms. Martinez

aid, patting my backpa

ed. "Lucky la

n the polished doors looked nervous. Excited. Terrified. All of

ary. "Just until my commission check comes through," she'd promised. I hadn't asked wh

about money. Toni

lock with a soft click. "So you can let yourself in anytime," s

t next to my apartment key and the tiny fla

ena always oiled the hinges. Sa

Not Lena's usual style. She liked pop, the kind with hea

inside. "I know I'm early

ords

in fragments, pieces of a puz

er move in, the one we'd watched movies on, w

was t

someo

e shoulder. His hand, large and familiar, rested on her bare thigh. Th

turned

smile I'd seen across breakfast tables

Not Marcus

ch

The person I'd grown up with. Fought with. Shared a room until I was sixt

nths ago. "She's gorgeous, and she clearly

tle

rdwood floor with a crack that seemed impossibly lo

se tumbled free, landing on its side. Gold

dollars, lyin

saving. Every sacrifice, every skipped

ight there o

ed off the couch, tugging her shir

cracked. "What ar

sed. My chest felt crushed, like so

hand outstretched. "Aren't