Tytiana
It is the first Wednesday of April, school is out and the very start of the summer break. As I stood behind my small room's tiny arc-shaped glass window, I watch the leaves of the lemon tree outside getting hit by the rays of the sun so badly.
"It's already past 2 PM in the afternoon and still the sun is glowing so brightly." I hissed while tapping the cap over my head that I put a while ago.
Sighing, I immediately get my Tote bag on the table with two apples, a scarf, and an empty McDonald's cup on it then peeked one last time through the open window before heading outside of the room. I say today is another day to hustle. Just another day to live by.
"How's my Little Percy?" I greeted Percy, a ten year-old kid as I saw him in the living room sitting peacefully on the sofa busy binge watching again his favorite anime movie of all times, Your Name while eating freshly-cutted apples.
Then, I simply checked him by putting my palm on his forehead and next to his neck.
"I'm all the way better now, elder sis." he answered.
"Good to hear that..."
I'm relieved that I didn't feel from him again that intense hotness that he experienced since last week. He got a high fever with the body temperature of exactly 39° Celsius.
It was really alarming I know. He was sent to the nearest hospital and I gave my full support in getting the medicines he badly needed. For real, that scare the hell out of us with Lucy Logan, Percy's biological sister. And right, Percy really is not my true brother.
Exactly two months had passed since the first time I came and had been living together with the two of them only in this quaint and picturesque bungalow.
I'm already good and comfortable with them as I get along very well with Lucy since then for she is my one and only ever bestfriend way back in 7th grade. During Lucy's early age, she already became independent. Her parents got separated when she was eight and while living with her grandparents, on the second-day when she was proclaimed already as a 16-year old teen, she and her brother moved into this abandoned house of her Uncle Fredrick in Vigan City.
Though life was tough with them, they both manage to get to school together and face life smoothly also with the little support of her Uncle.
"Thanks also for taking care of me, Tyti." He warmly commented.
I just nodded before releasing my half-smile.
"Yeah, just save it all to your biological sis. She was really worried about you that she couldn't stop working straight twenty-four hours just to support all your needs. Don't worry, you'll get better and better each day."
Before he could even reply, I instructed him that I already cooked something for him and Lucy in the kitchen and that he is free to go to the dining table as soon as possible and eat.
"Lucy will be back at three so just wait for her. I gotta go now and do my job. Take care." I told him one last time before turning my back.
"Tyti!" My Little Percy called thereafter.
I faced him immediately with my hand holding strongly on the bag.
"Thank you." He added.
I smiled then making my way out of the house.
When I'm outside, the hot and humid air welcomed my whole body and my face is already exposed to direct sunlight which makes it feel so sticky already. Good thing I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt topped with a thin blazer and fitted jeans for my lower.
Actually, I feel bad telling Percy earlier that I have a job. Well, the job I'm literally having right now is still a job I know, but I just don't think it is decent.
Ever since I resided into this area, I have been stealing random things—different kinds of things from others in the nearest shops and stores
chain ones, because I have this quote with me; "if it's a chain, it's free reign"
that includes common commodities like biscuits, instant coffee, multivitamins, cosmetics, fragrance, clothing, detergents, razors—whatever it is as long as I can get it on time without others not even noticing and seeing what I'm doing then I'm fine and safe.
I can't deny the fact that this type of work is deadly, risky and not great and it's Lucy who introduced me into this kind of a living.
In the beginning, I can't believe Lucy's actions and was really hesitant and didn't want to support her seriously but she was right. I realized that stealing is the only reality right after my series of unsuccessful job-seeking, I meant not even a single job out of all the jobs I was applying for hire me and she was right, to steal is to live.
According to her, "Stealing is the only way we can put something on our plates for three times a day. I know that stealing is not really a good thing but we only steal in order to survive..."
And so, the both of us do that "stealing for a living."
Little Percy didn't have an idea about all this, all he knows was that Lucy is a waitress in a restaurant while I'm a newly-hired baker's assistant in a bakeshop nearby yet the both of us decided to tell him the truth when the right time comes.
And I also accepted everything that is happening in my life right now.
Not even a single times though that my conscience isn't holding me back from doing such illegal activities but I don't have a choice.
I already don't have my family; both of my parents had died due to a bus accident in my old town two months had passed. I didn't have anything to support myself with that is why I came here to live with Lucy and Percy.
Only one thing though that my mom had left me— a hand-written letter that says I have to find my Aunt Felice in this wide City of Vigan because my mom had left her full and secured money for my college, even cash assistance and also a place for me to live with if ever there's something bad could happen to her and dad.
I get to roam some beautiful places here in Vigan for many times, it's just that I'm not lucky enough to find my Aunt. I even don't know until when will I ever see and meet her again for the third time.
But no matter what, I'll continue to look for her even if I'm also working deliberately towards on my goals this time which is to save money and support my everyday needs, I'm positive that I can make it attainable just by taking stuffs of other people. I also promised to myself that I'll quit this illegal activity I'm in right now as long as possible; when things in my case will not be so hard anymore.
"I have to do this," I intentionally whispered under my breath after I get to stopped myself from walking since the local Food Mart in town is approximately twenty-seven steps away from my direction.
And yes, the Food Mart is my target for today.
I stood straight-up and took a deep breath before I get my scarf out from my bag and put it around my neck. Then, I consciously acquired the empty cup next and hold it with my left hand before I act like I just came out from the McDonalds; smiling and casually sipping my empty drink like nothing had happened.
"Good luck." I told myself one last time even if my heart deep inside is literally beating so fast before I'm confidently making my way up to the entrance of the Food Mart.
"Good morning Ma'am," The old but 5'6 tall security guard greeted me in the spacious opening of the store.
He quickly but surely check myself out so I just smiled at him and then he let me in.
I take my time walking straight-up in the aisle into the big and well-arranged diverse sections of groceries and any other necessities that can be found in the Mart.
I'm also glad that there were only a few people visiting this place as of the moment, unlike on the past few days, this was full of shoppers literally going in and out the store, that makes it hard for some consumers to get back home on time.
In order to begin my mission, I first dived into the toiletries corner. And as careful as I could be like how a normal buyer behaves, I start by keenly inspecting the labels and formulations of some body gels and shampoos. I also gracefully keep myself out especially my face from the CCTV camera, atleast I know that there were only a total of five cameras in this place and only two of them are operational.
For sure, most of the retail workers here don't give a shit and aren't paying attention to myself too so why complicate things so much? My only ever concern are the different security stickers because the alarms can sense it but I know I can just take it all off.
Though, I have known that the Food Mart doesn't have many tagged items, only those pretty pricey ones which I wouldn't go for in the first place.
"Great," I smiled as I take a pocket-sized body lotion and a small tube of face wash.
I simply look around, only to see no one so I just carefully open the lid of my empty McDonald's cup and slip the two items inside and put the lid of the cup back thereafter without making any unnecessary noise.
Then I moved on to the ice cream and dairy products section, not even a single person though is looking at my direction right now so I wisely use the time to grab the six-pack sachet of powdered milk and put it quickly in my Tote bag.
"Let us get this done Tytiana Conrey." I insisted to myself.
I'm not gonna lie that my heart was pounding really hard right now.
You can do this.
