Fade

Chapter Four

Life isn't fair. Everybody knows that. Yet I'm still always shocked when something horrible happens to me. It's not like I haven't been getting the short end of the stick with life. I should be use to it, I know, but I can't help it.

The house lost electricity. Staying in a home with eighteen other people who come in and out in the middle of the winter with no fucking heat or water because the pipes are frozen isn't exactly ideal.

So you'd really think it wouldn't upset me. I mean, look at what I've gone though. I killed my abusive parents and had been haunted by it ever since. I got sent into the system. I ran away with my friends. We were homeless in the middle of the winter before being forced into a gang. I became a supervillain and I got my ass handed to me by a very angry super-bitch of a bird.

It's funny how the fact I was back to eating food out of a dumpster was what upset me the most. It wasn't like I hadn't had to dumpster dive for scraps before.

Christina inspected a dinner roll that already had a bite taken out of it. "You know they're calling you Fade because of that dumb pun you made, right?"

I scowled. "Are you serious? That's so lame."

I looked to Katrina, noticing she stayed silent. Her eyes were focused on something far away, but after a moment she met my gaze.

Something's wrong. What is it? Do you have food poisoning again?

"Katrina?" I prompted, frowning when she looked away. I glanced at Christina.

Katrina turned away so we couldn't see her tear up. "I really wish we weren't eating out of dumpsters right now."

"Don't we all?" Christina muttered.

"I hate having to steal things to pay off a debt we shouldn't even owe to some psychotic drug dealer," Katrina added. She turned to face us, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm leaving. We don't need to stay here anymore. Let's just go. Come on, Maria. You can teleport us out of here."

I shook my head slowly. "No. We can't start over again. None of us can get a job. We have no money. It'll be the same anywhere else—plus, then we'll have to worry about Joe looking for us."

Katrina looked down. "I already got us train tickets. To go back home."

"Home?" Christina whispered.

"I want to go back to Massachusetts!" Katrina shouted, making me jump. Her voice cracked. "I've been begging you both for months now! I can't do this anymore, I can't keep stealing and hurting people! I'm tired of sleeping out on the streets when the house gets too crowded and I'm tired of eating out of dumpsters! I want to go home!"

"What are you saying?" Christina mumbled.

"I'm saying I'm going home. Miss Claudia's was better than this. You can come with me or you can stay here. I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore."

Katrina glanced at me.

"Maria?"

My head hurts.

I closed my eyes, holding back the tears that made me feel so heavy. There was a lump in my throat, not allowing me to say a word.

"Do what you have to," Christina said. I opened my eyes and stared at the redhead, my heart pounding.

Please. Don't let this happen. We need each other! We can't split up. You're both my family. I love you. I can't take this.

Katrina wouldn't really just leave me, would she?

"Maria," Katrina repeated.

I cringed. "I can't go back. I'd rather be here. I'd rather be free-"