Homeless (3)
"Those were the stiffest benches ever," Lisa grumbled. "It's like they don't want homeless customers."
"Damn, Lisa! You're here early!" Albus commented. He was wearing a green jumper that spelt out 'A.S'. She snorted. His hair was as messy as usual.
"Yeah... So are you," Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"Just buying something," Albus simply stated.
"Shouldn't you be at school?"
"It's the Christmas holidays," Albus gave her a weird look.
"What are you buying?"
He laughed. "Are you a cop?"
She smiled. "Bitch, do I look like a cop?"
"Yeah, just waiting for Cole. He's supposed to sell me his Oxy."
"He's got a lot, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," Albus confirmed. "These Quidditch players break their legs and turn into pharmacies."
"I'd buy more from him, but then I'd have to give him my number..." Lisa confided, staring at Albus' hands.
"No you don't," he said suddenly. "WizardSpace. Make a ghost account."
"Ghost account?"
"Or they call it a burner, or a puppet..." Albus paused. "Basically an account separate from you, where you do illegal shit."
"Ohh," Lisa had a realisation. "I think I already have one of those."
"What do you use it for?" Albus asked, curious.
"Stalking people who've blocked me," she answered.
"...Kind of a waste," Albus noted. "You add the right people, you can buy anything on there. Drugs, wands, ass... Whatever."
"Drugs, wands and ass... And the cops aren't tracking that?" Lisa asked, shocked.
"No! They're old ass cops, they can't figure that shit out!" said Albus, somewhat offended.
"Yeah, this is actually pretty good news," said Lisa and elaborated further, "My mum kicked me out yesterday. I should buy something to forget all of this."
"Are you pretending or are you straight-up homeless?"
"Homeless straight-up," confirmed Lisa, playing with her hands. "I slept on a bench last night."
"Damn," muttered Albus. He looked slightly sorry for her. That vexed Lisa a bit. She didn't want to seem like a maiden in distress, waiting to be saved. "Well, go make some money on WizardSpace!"
"But I don't have any wands or drugs to sell."
Albus hesitated slightly. A faint hue crept up on his cheeks. "You know what I meant," he amended.
"Ugh," she rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't know if I'm ready to be a WizardSpace escort."
"Have you never thought about it before?" Albus had regained his usual composure and looked a bit relieved, seeing as she didn't take offence to his abrupt questions.
"No, I think about it every week," said Lisa. "I just didn't think it would happen to me anytime soon," she added as an afterthought.
"Shit happens, dude," Albus hurried on. "Don't worry, I won't think any less of you."
"Yeah..." mused Lisa. "But would I think less of myself?"
"Hey, what's up?" a cheery voice had joined the mix. "I got the shit right here!" it added. Cole McLaggen was the twin brother of Tracy McLaggen, although he was sorted into Slytherin.
"Where the fuck have you been?" demanded Albus.
"Places?" said Cole defensively. "I got shit to do, I'm not some drug addict like you!"
Albus released an exasperated sigh. "They're not for me! They're for my sister's boyfriend!"
"Your sister has a boyfriend?" said Cole, wounded. "I don't even want to sell this to you anymore!"
"Are you kidding me!?" said Albus impatiently. "I've got 20 Galleons for the bottle right here!"
There was a pause as Cole contemplated the offer. Finally, he said, "22."
"You said 20 on WizardSpace, asshole!"
"That was before you said that your sister has a boyfriend!" snapped Cole.
"Fuck me... Okay, 22, here!" Albus rummaged through his pockets and extracted another two gleaming Galleons. He angrily pressed the money into Cole's expectant hands.
"Thanks," smirked Cole as he counted the money. "Hey, let me know when your sister's single!"
"Let me know when you're not!" retorted Albus, holding up his hand in a rude gesture as he walked away.
"...What?" Cole asked, confused.
Albus scoffed. "Good luck, Lisa."
"Thanks," she dryly responded.
"Damn, gotta get home before Harry Potter Puppet Pals comes on," Cole brooded.
"Cole, can I have a pill?" Lisa asked and quickly added, "I don't have a boyfriend."
"Handing out free pills?" Cole narrowed his eyes. "What are you, homeless?"
"Umm... No?"
"Oh, good, yeah you can have one," said Cole. "'Cuz I fucking hate the homeless!"
"Er... Okay..."
"Seriously! Like a lot of ministry officials say that, but I want all homeless people exterminated off the planet!"
"Y-yeah, that's an opinion."
"Like, the only way they can contibute to society is by jumping into a meat grinder so we have something to feed to farm animals!" Cole confidently said.
"Give me the fucking pill!" Lisa interrupted.
"Woah! Fine," Cole handed her the pill. "Are you like an addict?"
Lisa pondered that. "You can say that, I guess."
"Cool, yeah, drug addicted girls are really hot because they're easy to control," said Cole, staring up and down at her.
"Merlin's beard!" Lisa had never thought he would be this honest. She needed to get away from him, as soon as possible.
"What?" Cole demanded, offended.
"Uhh..." she glanced around the mall apprehensively. "I think Harry Potter Puppet Pals is starting soon!"
"Oh! You're right," he exclaimed, glancing at his watch. "Look, I gotta go!" Cole then ran off, no doubt to catch his favourite show.
Lisa sighed. "Okay, I gotta figure something out."