The night air was chilly as I walked down the street, clutching my coat tighter around me. The meeting with Jason had been... interesting, to say the least. I couldn’t decide if I felt lighter or more weighed down after our talk. Either way, I was ready to head home, flop onto my couch, and binge some trashy TV to shut my brain off for a while.
My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since lunch. I thought about stopping by the corner store for something cheap, but then I remembered my rapidly depleting bank account. Rip my $400 for that stupid dress, I thought bitterly. The worst part was, I would probably never wear it again.
Just as I rounded the corner toward my apartment, a raspy voice called out from behind me.
“Hey, miss! Got any spare change?”
I turned and saw a ma
