(I had no ideal Xxxtentacion was a shade of gray)

....

At a park a few blocks up, I took the girls. It was odd having Amanda her, since usually I only took Lizzie. This was a weekly routine of ours, a day I took her away from a cold, big mansion. I watch her jet off to the swings, with energy brighter than the sun. Amanda and I stood side by side, watching the surroundings closely. It seemed legit, parents and kids, no suspicious looking cars. "So are you gonna explain why your living like that?"

I knew this was coming. "I'll tell you after this is done. So our family has a safe house out by Alki Beach, we'll go there and make the call to Bill."

She shook her head. "We need more than four girls, we shouldn't blackmail unless we have more."

"Look, we should take what we can get. I can bluff and say all twenty two victims are behind us."

"Alright, you can call." She said as if I needed her permission, but I control myself from an outburst, Amanda was off, something was wrong. I know I didn't know her well, but she wasn't as quick tongued and hard. I watch her, her arms crossed and red hair flowing in the wind.

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"That's was too easy, is something wrong?"

"No." She says stubbornly. "So why do your dad treat you like this?"

I huff. "Trade for a trade?"

Amanda thinks on it, her lip puckering a bit. She looks to me, her eyes unreadable unlike before. "Deal."

In the distance, Lizzie waves at us, before sliding down a blue slide. "My father is distant and cruel, I guess he never wanted a family he left on business trips and broke his vows to my mother which lead her to drinking and drugs, then..." I feel tears filling up my sight, I fight them from trembling my voice . "Then to her killing herself." Amanda's eye widen. "It's like like he liked be before any of that, I challenged him too much and said things to him that my mom yelled while she was drunk. He doesn't even care about much about Lizzie. He leaves alcohol, pills and even left a gun within her reach. Almost like it's on purpose. That's why I'm taking her with us." My chest tightens. Well, I'm it the only one that knows now. It does bother me, however, how easily I was able to tell her.

She grabs my hand and squeezes it, coming closer and laying her head on my shoulder. Surprising the fuck out of me. "I know how it feels to lose a parents, I lost both of mine in a boating accident. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," my voice wavers a bit with pity and glum. "Thank you for telling me th..."

"But that's now fully the reason why I'm...sad today." She cuts me off. "See...um, my friend Jim is mad at me for not filling him in on what I'm doing about Bill. I've been keeping him out of the loop mostly because, I guess because I don't want him involved if it doesn't work out...he'll do something violent. Like you...ugh, all guys are the same."

"What makes you say that...?"

"Past experiences."

Lizzie runs over to us, Amanda pulls away from me suddenly. Why, no come back. I liked how she felt, her soft palm, her cushion cheek in my shoulder, radiating heat onto my shirt, along with a few tears. She wipes her eyes. "I want ice cream now.!" A chipmunk voice demands,while pointing at an ice cream truck blaring bubbly chimes. Lizzie takes both our hands, and walk us down towards the colorful vehicle. I see Amanda's eye glitter as they look down at my sister, some warmth and excitement coming back to her. She likes kids.

"My favorite was always the sponge-bob one, what about you?"

"Strawberry shortcake." She beams up at her, swinging Amanda's hand high and fast.

"Same." I agree with Lizzie.