Mariah took a deep breath and went around the back of the house. I got this, I steal all the time. What's so different about this? She told herself walking into the house.

Truth was her nerves were through the roof. Yes, she pick pocketed all the time but she'd never stolen from someone's home. She felt as though your home was your sanctuary, and people should feel safe in there's.

She started coughing due to the cold she had picked up this morning.

She opened the back door, no alarms went off causing her to blow out a breathe of relief. She crept into the house and went to the living room. She took the spare money and Gucci flip flops lying around and threw it in her bag. She moved on and found a bathroom. There was a small closet in the bathroom that held coats. "Jackpot" she mumbled. She was happy she could get a better winter coat because she had been freezing lately. She took one for herself and one more to sell, she didn't want to take up all the room in her bags on coats. She exited the bathroom and found the master bedroom. She did a small victory dance and started looking around.

"Where would I hide the good stuff?" She asked herself. A light bulb went off in her head UNDER THE MATTRESS. She moved the mattress and saw money. She took about a thousand dollars and left the rest, she didn't want to bankrupt anyone. Next was the closet, she was looking around when she heard the garage door open. Fear coursed through her as she stood frozen in place unsure of what to do. When she heard the garage door close she quickly snapped out of it.

I heard a door open and automatically knew I don't have enough time to leave. I peaked my head around the corner and made a run for the kitchen. I opened a cabinet, slid my duffle bag in, then got in. Staying in the master bedroom was wayy to risky. Plus the kitchen is closest to the back door.

I sat in the kitchen shaken with fear as I listened to the person move through the house. I gotta get out of here. I put the strap to my duffle bag around me, as soon as the noise gets distant I'm making a run for it.

My heart dropped when I heard the refrigerator door open, followed by humming then low singing. "there's is power in the name of Jesus.."

Her and Jesus need to go somewhere else, Im tryna get outta here.

The singing became distant and I quickly got out. I mentally cursed myself when I tripped and fell. Rookie mistake. I quickly hopped up and ran to the back door.

"If you touch that door I'm calling the police. Sit down."

Can I make it out before the police come? Do I want to chance it?

I took a deep breath and sat down. "What's your name?"

"K-Karen." I lied.

"Well Karen what are you doing in my house?"

"Your house? I thought this was my grandmas house. My mistake. Bye." I said getting up and going to the back door.

"Honey sit down. My patience getting thin with you. Let me see the bag."

"No can do. This my personal belongings."

"Well Karen where are your parents?"

"You know ... around." I said still lying.

"Around where?"

"They're at home?"

"Where you live?"

"Next to my neighbor?"

She took a deep breathe clearly frustrated. "Where do your neighbors live?"

"You ain't gone believe this one..... next to me."

"Where do you and your neighbors live."

"In my neighborhood of course."

She laughed a little bit but her face quickly went back to seriousness. "Do you live in this neighborhood?"

"Have you never seen me in this neighborhood?"

"Girl your testing my patience. I want straight forward answers or I'm calling the police." I took a deep breathe and nodded. "Now let's try this again, where are your parents."

"I genuinely don't know."

"Where do you live?"

"On hickory." I lied.

"Will you show me what's in the bag?"

"It's nothing. Just my stuff from .. cheer practice." I hesitated.

"It's too cold for cheer"

"They don't care. Plus, I do competitive cheer so it's year round."

"You don't look dressed for cheer."

"I changed, hence the bag. Obviously I couldn't wear my uniform in 40 degree weather."

"If it's only cheer stuff they you'll have no problem opening it right?"

"Yes, because it's mine. I just walked in the wrong house, id like to leave now."

"You can't leave until you open the bag." She pulled out a chair and across from me. There was about a little bit more than arms length space between us.

"So what I'm hearing is your taking me hostage?"

She glared at me waiting for me to make a move and I stared back at her challenging her. For 5 minutes we sat there looking at one another. I coughed interrupting there silenced that filled the room.

"Let me make you a cold remedy, DONT MOVE or I'm calling the police."

She started mixing ginger and all kinds of other stuff and I took that as my chance. While her back was turned I secured the duffle bag and took off running into the night.

"IM CALLING 12!!" She yelled chasing me out of the yard with her house phone in hand.

I ran half way down the street then stopped, she too old to be running. I know she can't catch me.

I started walking off carefully checking my surroundings. Paranoid... that's the only thing I could use to describe myself. Everytime a car drives by I jump. Although, I do have a good reason to be paranoid. I saw a cop car, panicked, and ran.

Stupid. I shouldn't have made myself look suspicious I scolded myself as I ran.

Next thing I know I was in the car on the way to the station. I started silently panicking in the back seat, getting in my own head. Damn, I should've never ran. I'm too black for this shit, I'm going to jail. The thought cause me to shed a tear but I quickly wiped it. Mann I got this... im not scared of nothing. Ima only get a lil bit of time, maybe the judge might feel bad for me.

My life is over. The thought made me shed another tear. No, No, No. Don't cry, crying is for the weak. I got this.

We pulled up to the station and I got out. They checked me for weapons and stuff. They took my duffle bag, then I was put in a holding cell.