The Girl Who Stayed

ng, and then th

ting around, hop

g they won't-and doi

otos, broken jewelry. I find a tangled mess of earrings, most missing their pairs. A button that doe

, ja

cheap, probably, but pretty. She used to wear it when she wanted to feel fancy. Sa

ry,

shove the d

not happen

o deep water without checking the bottom. But what am I going

pawn shop's across town, on the edge of the industrial zone where everything looks like it

nter has hair like a grease mo

his hands like he's judging more th

" I ask, pret

d. Not much. I'll

ing a piece of Mom. Like tradi

bucks is tw

unter. "Don't come back trying to

I say.

feels colder now, and my

g about how to stretch the cash. Bread. Can

hear someone

len

ch. Tu

friend, but not a stranger either. We've partnered on a few p

doing out her

"Had a doctor'

e bag in my han

an old watch. B

shifts, softe

tings. Too dir

ine,"

t won't push. "You know... if you need

m g

ives me a look, like she se

ckpack bouncing, hair

he twenty

ans. Two bananas. A bottle of water. One granola

under te

weird mix of pride and shame. I made it hap

from the can, cold, wh

lt and metal. But

Dina. Her ey

s someth

to be mor

Eyes are

he kin

ly the k

st. What I still have. What I s

er is: n

l figur

lwa