The market opened at 08 AM sharp, and Peeps liked to be there 10 minutes before.
Just because the people there were kinder, and they would usually give her vegetables or fruits, which she wouldn’t normally get if she’d buy a kebab. And she loved strawberries, grapes, and green apples.
Tomatoes were her favorites among vegetables. The rest were accepted and eaten out of necessity, like some imaginary parents would force her to eat them.
She did things that were good for her, because she liked to imagine her parents made her do it.
The folks in the market were the only ones to whom she had shown her real homeless side. They wouldn’t give her fruits and veggies if she’d told them her parents were in the car, would they?
And doing this in a supermarket is dangerous, she thought. She saw it in a movie once, when she peeked inside someone’s living room from the window, how a kid who had stolen some stuff told the sales assistant he was homeless, and was brought to social services.
And then it turned into a horror movie (not in the literal way, but metaphorically).
Since then, she lied to protect herself.
Peeps believed in signs. The little sparks of light that made her think of something else and then realize things. Like when she looks randomly at the sun’s reflection in the ponds, or up at the white clouds over the light blue sky, and all her questions are replaced by a deeper meaning.
Why is she here? Why are we all?
– Do you like those tomatoes? They’re sweet, aren’t they? Here, let me wash the rest of them for you.
– Oh thank you, Miss.
Another thing she liked doing in the big city was going to a movie. There was one cinema place that had a back door, and it was always open. She went in there and sneaked until she reached a movie room. No one was there; it was an old one, and probably on the verge of closing down.
Security was rare, and it was easy to sneak in.
She’d go through the front door first just to see the titles and the hours. Then she’d decide what she wanted to watch and come at approximately that time.
The Fault in Our Stars was one of her favorites so far. Then also a bunch of superhero movies like Avengers and Superman. Heroes fascinated her. She dreamed of becoming one.
That day, she went to see Maleficent.
The wind blew hard behind her light denim jacket that Val had brought for her. She fastened her pace to get…home. Having a place to call was a miracle to her.
Also, Peeps got Maleficent. In that moment, if she had those powers, maybe she would’ve done the same thing.
But it’s so mean and cruel, she then thought. Why do I feel that? – she wondered as people passed by her like passing an invisible person.
I hate these people who never see me, and mind their business like it’s always more important. Like they couldn’t spare a minute of their precious lives.
She felt a rock in her stomach every time she had those thoughts and soon distinguished what hate is and what it does to you. Probably Maleficent had a rock in her stomach too.
Can such a small feeling get that big? Can it have those repercussions?
Peeps was about to find out soon what hate really is.
At home, her garage was a bit more tidied up, and some light bulbs on a thread hung silently above her mattress, giving it a warm light. She absolutely loved it. At the head of the mattress there was now a piece of thick dark wood that resembled a headboard. It had some rosary beans hanged on top of it.
There was also a new armchair in the middle, in dusty mustard yellow. A little TV had also showed up and it was set to the news.
She was stunned at all of that, sat in the armchair, and watched the 6 PM news.
When Val came in and woke her up as she was drooling, sitting up, she laughed and said:
– You fell asleep just like my grandpa! Watching the news!
– Oh..I didn’t realize..Hi Val! How are you?
– I’m good. How do you like the place?
– Ohh Val…I love everything about it.
– Really? That’s awesome.
– Yes, really. No one has ever done that for me.
– Well now you have someone.
– Val – she said while looking into her tiny brown eyes – No one can know I’m here. I hope you didn’t…
– No no, she cut in fast, assuringly moving her head left and right in denial. I promise.
– Good, good. I saw Maleficent today. Have you seen it?
– Ohhh yess. Where did you see it??
– There’s a movie place I sneak in usually. It’s old and very few people go there.
– Wooooww! Can you take me too?
– Yes, whenever you want.
– Ok I’ve school, but how about this Saturday? I’ll tell my parents I’m meeting a colleague in the park nearby. She usually doesn’t mind that cause it’s full of neighbours, and they let me stay for hours.
– What if someone tells your parents that you weren’t there?
– I don’t think so..
– How about you go with your colleague, stay for a while, then say you don’t feel good and meet me here?
– Ok deal!
Peeps couldn’t spell R properly, and for Val that was fascinating. She liked the sound of her delicate voice (whereas hers was a bit more rusty) and kept asking her questions about her past, but she soon found out she doesn’t remember much. That made her sad. Very sad. She couldn’t imagine what that feels like.
So they talked about the places Peeps had gone to by herself, and how she made it until now. Val used to sit only for half an hour at 6, and then hours and hours after 9 PM when their parents tucked her in, and thought she was sleeping.
That’s when they’d eat together, all sorts of chips, sweets, and fish biscuits with sesame.
After a few weeks, Val’s parents questioned her appetite lately and had set some limits on the sweets and chips. They said they’re not good in large quantities and so often.
Val used to tell her about school, kept her up to date on a guy she had a crush on, and her girlfriends, who were pretty ok, by her words. In the back of Peep’s mind was a constant state of worry that Val would someday drop her name in some conversation, and then would panic and tell everyone about her. And that would be the end of this beautiful time together.
To carry that worry with her was exhausting. Peeps would cry so often; her eyes would stay swollen for 2 days. Val noticed, and she usually hugged her and told her something really silly and fun.
They’d laugh and the sound of her laugh would made Val happy all the time.
After a few weeks of having her around, Val would go to sleep looking at the stars through her window, wishing Peeps would be able to stay there until she’d find some good people to take care of her and send her to school. She knew her parents weren’t the type to do stuff like that. They couldn’t handle even knowing that she’d spend time with her. They were judgy like that and worried too much, she thought.
As she closed her eyes, drifting off, the image of Peeps sleeping as well under the lights was the first reason she wanted to wake up the next day.
Part 3 coming soon
Originally posted on Substack
