'Hi, Lloyd, haven't heard from your for almost 9 years. How have you been? I want to know what actually happened that made you end up here, basically, your side of the story,' said Nataly after she saw her old high school friend through the glass.
'Yeah, time flies, man. I've been exhausted. It's so hard to live like this. Heard that you moved to New Jersey. How so?' asked Lloyd through the microphone.
'I decided to attend college here, I studied economy here, then I got a job as a data analyst. What about you?'asked Nataly while speeding up here speaking voice.
'That's great! I dropped out of college. It was my first year but I didn't have time to work and go to school at the same time. My dad went missing when I was Year 2, and my mom died from lungs cancer right before I started working as a janitor, I needed the job to pay the rent. I was hoping to see my dad again and I was so desperate about it, but they hadn't found any traces of him. A month after I started working, I didn't catch the bus on time, so I was a half an hour late to my work. I got fired that day. While I was trying to find a new job, the bills were just piling up. Two months of unsuccessful job search and I got kicked out of my apartment ending up on the street,' said Lloyd.
'Oh, I'm so sorry. If I had known about it, I would have definitely helped you out, or at least tried to help. We don't have much time left, so please, tell me how you've ended up here,' Nataly sighed.
Lloyd fixed his voice and started retelling his story. 'As you know, I ended up homeless. Every day I begged for a few bucks so that I can buy some food. I would always save some cents because I wanted to go for a drink in a club that just opened a block away. After some time, I saved up enough money for a drink in the club, I felt happiness that I haven't felt for a long time. I was kind of proud of myself. The night in the club was amazing so I decided to save up more money so that I can go there a few more times. To be honest, it wasn't even about the club anymore, I got addicted to alcohol. It got so bad to the point that I started skipping meals to have enough money for the club.
One day was quite different, I noticed a girl sitting alone and having a drink. I could tell that she was around my age. I felt courageous enough, came up to her and asked if she was down to have a drink with me. She accepted and smiled at me. Her name was Piper. She was actually very attractive. Black, wavy hair cut a little above her shoulders, hazel eyes, curvy mid-sized body. It was all breathtaking for me. We were talking for hours that night and I literally felt like I knew her my entire life. We clicked so fast. I told her about my situation and found out that her dad died in a car accident. She lived with her strict mom. It was already 1 am so she had to go home. We agreed to meet again the next day, the same place and time. Almost every day you could find us sitting at the same table, drinking the same beer and talking to each other. She never let me pay for the drinks.
It was October, the nights were getting colder. I asked her if there was a chance to sleep over at her place. She said she was not sure her mom would allow it but would ask anyway. Her house was a block away. I was waiting outside the club for her to return. I used those five minutes to think about my feelings. I definitely started catching feelings for her. Each time I was more and more nervous and excited around her. Her mom didn't allow her to let me in, as expected, but Piper told me to sneak in. While she was entering the house I was sneaking in through her window. Her mom didn't notice me until she came into her room after an hour. I was kicked out. While exiting the house, I saw a revolver on the table in the hall where she kept her keys. I took it with no hesitation, I thought I might need it. I caught a signal from Piper telling me to wait for her outside. I didn't know why but I was waiting. I was genuinely in shock when she came out and told me she wanted to spend her life with me. I was speechless and I told her about my feelings for her. We confessed our love to each other and from that point on we started our new life as a couple.
She took some of her savings and we booked an apartment. I promised her I would do anything for her. In the morning she started looking for a job and I told her I was going out to find a way to get some money. I had the revolver with me the whole time outside. I walked a few blocks away and tried stopping the cars passing by asking the drivers to drop me off to the destination I needed to go because I was in a hurry. The first one rejected me, just like the second one, but the third one was down to give me a lift.
I entered the car and told him where to go. He drove me to a place in the outskirts of the city, close to the industrial zone. He asked me if I was sure about the destination. I nonchalantly nodded my head and said to get out of the car pointing the revolver at him. There were no bullets in it, of course. He looked at me like I was crazy and he did it. I didn't want to waste any time so I quickly tied him up to a tree, took his ID and the little money he had on him and drove back to the city. I sold the car at one of those scrap yards with illegal vibe where nobody bothered too much to check my ID car thoroughly, I mean, the victim's ID. I told Piper I made money by helping a man clean his basement.
To my surprise, there was no news about it, the guy was probably too ashamed to admit what kind of fool he was by agreeing to give a total stranger a lift. I didn't expect my plan to be so successful. Every time we spent the money, I would do the same thing. Believe it or not, it wasn't too difficult to find a lot of naive individuals who were ready to help a poor stranger in a hurry.
The last time I stopped a guy and during the whole ride I had such an uncomfortable feeling, I thought it could be a police bait because Piper did mention something about a person who robs people and steals their cars the other day. But everything went smoothly as usual and I was speeding to the scrap yard when I checked his ID card and almost passed out. His name was Noel Jad. That was my dad, I couldn't believe what I just did. Did he recognize me but said nothing? I started panicking while I was driving, my vision went blurry, and I crashed into someone's garden fence. It wasn't a serious crash, but it was loud enough for a lady to come out of her house and check what was going on. She asked if I was okay and if I needed help. I just said sorry and drove away. Later that day a sketch of my face came up on the local news together with the list of all the robberies I had done.
I told Piper to go back home and stop having contact with me to avoid being involved in these crimes in any way. She was so disappointed with me. I don't think she could understand that I did it all for her. I regret every action I made while I was crazy in love with her. I wasn't thinking clearly, but now it is too late. The day that I met Piper changed everything. I thought it was for the better but it wasn't. I was too afraid of losing Piper, I was looking for an easy way to keep her by my side. I wanted everything at once. I didn't know how to use a change that the life had offered me. I wish I could go back in time.
'I can't believe what I've just heard. Your story is crazy, like a movie. What about your father? Has he visited you perhaps?'I shook my head.
'Time's up, get ready to leave, please,' announced the officer. Nataly stood up, waved at me through the glass and left the prison.