Ashley sprinted down the sidewalk, glancing at her watch every few seconds. She was running incredibly late, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it. She hadn't been able to hail an Uber, and things at the office had kept her much longer than expected.
"It's fine," she muttered to herself, trying to steady her breathing. "I'm still going to make it. I'm almost there."
Her phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket. When she finally answered, her friend's frustrated voice crackled through the line. "Where on earth are you? The meeting already started!"
"I'm literally running up the steps right now!" Ashley gasped as she pushed through the heavy double doors of the elementary school.
She slipped into the classroom where the PTA meeting was in full swing and let out a long, ragged exhale. Her friend slid a chair over and beckoned her to sit. Several parents shot her judgmental looks, and the teacher, Mrs. Gable, did the same from the front of the room.
"How long has it been going?" Ashley whispered.
"About twenty minutes. You haven't missed much—just the usual talk about fundraising for the new playground equipment and security fees. Basically, another way to empty our pockets."
"Am I interrupting something?" Mrs. Gable asked pointedly, pausing her presentation.
Ashley made a quick "zipping my lips" gesture. After the meeting wrapped up and the parents began to filter out, Mrs. Gable signaled for Ashley to stay behind.
"Ashley, I need to have a serious word with you. I didn't want to bring this up in front of the group; I thought it best to discuss it privately."
Ashley felt a knot of dread tighten in her stomach. Her intuition didn't fail her.
"Your daughter, Anna, has been acting very strange lately. She comes to class whenever she feels like it and skips when she doesn't. Her grades have plummeted from straight A's to nearly failing. And a few days ago, I got a call from the local grocery store. A security guard caught her trying to shoplift a family-sized bag of chips. It was almost as if she wanted to be caught."
"Oh, how awful."
"I don't know what's going on at home, but my advice is to have a very serious talk with her."
Ashley thanked the teacher for the information, checked the time, and headed out. The whole way home, she walked in a daze, wondering where she had gone wrong in raising her daughter.
"Is it too late to fix this?" she wondered, her heels clicking rhythmically against the pavement.
Truthfully, things hadn't been smooth at home for a while. Ashley's mother was very ill and mostly bedridden. Anna's father, Steve, had recently lost his job and had been out of work ever since. Ashley had been forced to work overtime just to keep the family afloat. Steve had never been particularly fond of hard work, and now he had grown completely stagnant. He spent his days glued to the TV or playing cards with friends. Ashley was buried in work all day, and by evening, she was rushing to care for her mother. The responsibility of raising Anna had fallen on Steve's shoulders, but since he didn't pay her any mind, she was left entirely to her own devices.
***
Ashley sat at the kitchen table, waiting for her daughter. Anna had gone to a friend's house earlier that afternoon but hadn't returned.
"Where are you?" Ashley muttered, picking up her phone and dialing Anna's number.
It rang and rang, but no one picked up. She tried again. Still nothing. She started calling Anna's friends, but they said they hadn't seen her in a couple of days. Ashley leaned her head on her hand, exhausted. Just then, she heard the front door creak open.
"Where have you been?"
"Wow, whatever happened to 'Hey, sweetie, how was your day?' Is it out of style to greet your kid now?"
"Hello. Now, where were you?"
"I was at Chloe's house. Why? Were you looking for me?"
Looking closely at her twelve-year-old daughter, Ashley recounted the conversation she'd had with Mrs. Gable.
"So the old bat ratted me out, huh? What a liar. She promised she wouldn't say anything."
"Anna, watch your mouth," Ashley snapped. "Now, are you going to explain what's going on?"
"Look, I had a bet with some kids that I could walk out with that bag. I did it. I got yelled at, they told you, and now it's over. Can I have something to eat now?"
Ashley didn't press for more details about the bet; she simply warned her never to let it happen again. She fed her daughter and then went to talk to her husband. Steve was slumped on the couch in front of the TV. Ashley told him about the shoplifting and Anna's behavior.
"I'm asking you, as her father, please talk to her. You're home all day; can't you keep an eye on her? I'm working constantly and I can't be everywhere at once. You can do this. Just pay attention to what she's doing and who she's hanging out with."
Steve nodded along to her words, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Fine. I'll handle it."
But the parents had no idea this was only the tip of the iceberg. That night, after they had fallen asleep, Anna got dressed, grabbed her leather backpack, and climbed onto the windowsill. She opened the window and looked down. Their apartment was on the ground floor of an old building with a low foundation. A sharp whistle pierced the air.
"Hey, kid, hurry up! We're waiting on you," a young man said, standing in the shadows. "Need a hand?" He stepped closer.
"No thanks, I got it. It's not that high," Anna replied, hopping down.
"Let's go," the young man said, handing her a helmet.
His name was Justin. He rode a moped, wore a leather jacket, and had curly blonde hair. As soon as Anna hopped on the back, Justin revved the engine and they tore off. Before long, they arrived at a derelict building that had once been a daycare center. No one knew why it had been abandoned.
"We're here," Justin said. Anna jumped off the moped and hurried inside.
Inside, large metal drums served as makeshift fire pits, with flames licking at the air. Six other people were there, including Anna's friend, Maya. Seeing Anna, Maya ran over and hugged her.
"I'm so glad you made it!" Maya said, taking her hand and leading her toward the others. "Everyone, this is Anna. She wants in."
"Does she even know what we do here?" a red-haired boy asked, eyeing the newcomer skeptically.
"She knows. She passed the test yesterday," Justin chimed in. "The chips were a success."
The group burst into applause. Anna saw the young man who was clapping—it was Vance. He looked about eighteen and had already spent a year in a juvenile detention center. Rumor had it he'd stolen something, got caught, and served time. His parents weren't just wealthy; they were influential. His mother was a judge, and his father worked for the District Attorney's office. When they found out about his criminal streak, they decided to let him learn the hard way and didn't pull any strings to help him.
After he was released, they brought him home under strict supervision. Seeing that he had "reformed," they helped him open a small computer repair shop and gaming lounge. They had no clue the shop was a front. Unofficially, Vance had organized an exclusive "social club." He only invited kids who shared his outlook on life—mostly kids from broken or struggling homes.
Maya's mother was in prison. She was being raised by her grandparents.
Leo's father struggled with alcoholism and frequently took his frustrations out on Leo and his mother.
Julia's parents were divorced; her father was an addict and her mother drank heavily.
Caleb was often mistreated by his stepfather.
Blake's parents had died in a car accident, and he was being raised by an aunt.
The kids in the club were mostly between twelve and fourteen. Vance was the oldest and set the rules.
"Well, since you've had your little 'baptism by fire,' Anna, come join us. Caleb is going to walk us through the plan," Vance said, studying her. Unlike the others, Anna's family was intact. Even if her father was unemployed, he never laid a hand on her mother. She had heard so much about the club from Maya—how cool it was, how free they were. Besides, she really liked Justin. He was the main reason she wanted to be there.
Caleb pulled out a roll of paper and spread it across a large concrete slab on the floor. It looked like a blueprint. As it turned out, the group of minors was planning to rob a high-end hair salon. Vance called these missions "courtesy calls."
"Tonight, we're paying a 'courtesy call' to Bella Vita," Vance said. "Take only the high-value stuff—tablets, professional clippers, high-end products."
Anna listened intently, her eyes drifting back to Justin.
"Anna, Maya, you're on point. Look for cameras, alarms, the layout of the back exit, all that. If you can, snap some photos. We're going to do this right. Pretty soon, we'll all be living the high life," he continued.
"Again? You guys have done this before?" Anna whispered to Maya.
"Yeah. We hit four shops last week. This will be the fifth."
Vance kept talking, but Anna stopped listening. She felt a rush of euphoria. She wanted so badly to be treated like an adult. It felt like adults could do whatever they wanted.
***
The next day, as planned, Anna and Maya went to the salon after school. They gathered all the information Vance had asked for. He praised them and told them to be ready for the evening "visit." That night, Anna went on her first real job. The salon had no cameras and the alarm was outdated. They broke in through a back window. A group of four slipped inside. There wasn't much cash in the register, so they focused on the electronics and professional equipment.
While Anna and Maya were busy taking selfies in the stylist chairs, Caleb and Justin were hauling out the valuables. Vance's black minivan was idling outside, where they loaded the loot.
"Girls, quit posing! Get out here or we're leaving you!" Caleb hissed, hopping into the van. Vance was behind the wheel.
"Everything good, guys?" Vance asked, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
"Smooth as silk."
Anna and Maya were stepping out of the salon when someone called out.
"Anna? What are you doing here?"
The girls froze and turned around to see Anna's neighbor, Mr. Henderson—a thin, frail elderly man. He was holding a small, scruffy dog on a leash.
"Oh, hi! We're just... out for a walk. What about you?" Anna stammered, thinking fast.
"Buster got loose again, the little rascal. Chased him through three backyards before I caught him. But what are you...?" He trailed off, his eyes moving to the broken window and then back to her. "Does your mother know you're out?"
"Sorry, we have to go!" Maya said, grabbing Anna's arm and pulling her toward the van.
"Who was that?" Vance asked as the girls scrambled inside.
"Nobody. Just my neighbor," Anna whispered, staring at her feet.
Vance, Caleb, and Justin exchanged a look. Without a word, they climbed out of the van and headed toward the old man.
"What's going to happen?" Anna asked, trying to see through the darkness.
"He saw us. He could snitch. Don't worry, the guys will handle it," Maya replied.
"Handle it how?" Anna pressed her face against the glass.
The boys approached Mr. Henderson from both sides. One of them shoved him to the ground. The other started kicking him. The old man curled into a ball, shielding his face with his hands.
"What are you doing? Stop! You're going to kill him!" Anna screamed, throwing the van door open and running toward them.
"You say a word about us, and you're finished. Got it?" Justin spat at the old man.
"Don't even think about playing games with us," Caleb added, kicking at Buster as the dog tried to defend his owner. The dog let out a sharp yelp.
"You're an idiot, Anna," Justin said, pausing to look at her. "Keep your mouth shut. Or else..." He drew a finger across his throat in a chilling gesture.
He had a knife, Anna realized with a jolt of terror. They could have actually killed him.
The screech of tires pulled her attention back to the street. The minivan was already speeding away. Anna rushed over to her neighbor. Mr. Henderson was lying on the ground, mumbling incoherently. She knelt down and gently lifted his head.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll... I'll be alright," he wheezed. "I've been through worse."
Anna helped him up and walked him back to his apartment, with Buster trotting along behind them. Inside, the apartment was cluttered. Mr. Henderson's wife had passed away years ago, and he had no children. He was a quiet man who rarely spoke to anyone; his dog was his only companion. He sank into an armchair and held his head in his hands.
Anna ran to the kitchen, found some first aid supplies, and started cleaning his scrapes.
"How did you get mixed up in this?" he asked suddenly. "You're a good girl. Your parents are decent people. Those kids aren't your crowd."
"I... I just thought it would be fun. To be like a grown-up. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Young lady, I'm a retired teacher. I've seen kids like them. They aren't your equals. You're about to throw your whole life away over a stupid mistake."
Anna looked down, unable to meet his eyes.
"They're angry and they're foolish. That's a dangerous combination. They could have killed someone tonight."
Anna made him some tea, tucked a warm blanket around him, and waited until he drifted off in his chair before she slipped back to her own apartment.
***
The next day, she hurried back to her neighbor's place to check on him. He was bruised and moving slowly. She helped him up, tidied the apartment, walked Buster, and made him some lunch. She felt a heavy sense of responsibility for him.
"Don't you worry, I don't hold any grudges against you. You've got a good heart, Anna. Thank you for the help," he told her.
Anna blushed and looked curiously at a wooden box sitting on the coffee table.
"Handmade," he said, noticing her gaze. "A gift from a friend who spent some time in prison. He'd seen it all. It's got a secret to it. You'll find out what it is when the time is right."
From that day on, Anna visited Mr. Henderson every afternoon. He loved telling her stories about his youth and his wife. She listened and helped him with the chores. Slowly but surely, her behavior began to change. Her teachers noticed, and so did her mother.
This went on for two months. But one day, she came home to see an ambulance parked outside. Anna ran up to the fourth floor and knocked on her neighbor's door.
"Don't bother knocking, honey. He's gone," a woman from across the hall said softly.
"What do you mean, gone?" Anna whispered.
"He had a heart attack this afternoon. He passed away," the neighbor explained. "You're Anna, right?"
The girl nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
"Wait right here. He came by my place yesterday. It's like he knew something was coming. He asked me to look after Buster, and he left something for you." The woman went inside and returned with the familiar wooden box.
Anna took it and opened the lid. There was an inscription engraved inside: "Life is a series of choices. May yours be the right ones, every step of the way."
In that moment, Anna realized exactly what kind of choice he was talking about. She realized how close she had come to making the wrong one.
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