We had to take care of ourselves. We were all alone.

We had looked around the city, several times in fact, for Tom, though he was no where to be found. Although this was obviously terrible, it brought me and Shane even closer, as if we were biological brothers. It felt nice to have someone you can rely on, even in a tough time. Though, Shane wasn't perfect. When he lost his father, it had an affect on him, it would with anyone. He liked stealing now. He would do it for the food and the rush. He wouldn't hesitate. He had over 5 years of practice so he could practically do it without being caught.

First, he would take the things he wanted, once he got his stuff, he would go to an area that the CCTV couldn't see. He would stuff it in any place the guards wouldn't check, he could since it was mostly packets of sweets. He would hide it in his socks, his underwear, basically anywhere that wasn't obvious. When the shopkeepers got suspicious but couldn't find anything, he would walk out the door with the biggest smirk.

I hated him doing this, I would always tell him to stop and go back what we used to do, which was sitting with a hat and a cardboard sign. I didn't know what else I could do. I could busk, but I didn't have an instrument. So one day, the day that changed my life. "Fine, fine, you don't want me stealing. Fine. I'll do something else." said Shane to me. "And that it's legal!" I replied. Shane mumbled to himself. I took that as agreement. As we were walking to find a place to sleep tonight, we decided to get something small at a greasy spoon. We normally went there when we had extra money to spend. The owner, a man name Alan, knew us so well. We had been there so many times, as he would take a lot off our bill. We never told him we were homeless but you could tell just by looking at us. I wore a pair of dirty jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket that was too big for me. 

"I thought of something I can do to earn money." Shane said to me, "Shane, as I said, once it's legal, It's fine. I'm just trying to think of what I can do. I want to earn my money, like a job... " I sat there, head in my hands, looking out the window. Lost in my thoughts.

The sound of guitar snapped me out of my thoughts. It was to the tune of a song that I knew too well. Whenever music would play indoors, it would be this. It must have be an extremely popular and it was really catchy. I knew the song off by heart. However, this wasn't the normal version, nor was it playing on the radio. It was being preformed on guitar outside. I started singing along, I knew the words too well since I had heard it so many times. I didn't realise I was in a restaurant from a moment and how loud I was singing. I looked around, Shane just stared, shocked. I stopped singing.

"Busking." "That's what you should do, Charlie," "What?" I said in confusion. "You are an amazing singer! Do it!" The guitar outside stopped. A man walked into the room. He was the one playing the guitar. Shane glances outside at his equipment, then back at me. A smirk stretched across his face like the Grinch. He took my hand and yanked me outside. The man's microphone was still on.

He pushed me towards it.

 "Sing, Charlie, Sing."