As early as possible the next morning, Simon had woken up. He began glancing around the uncompleted building in a weird way, he had even forgotten that he slept in an uncompleted building. Was he expecting to wake up in a soft bed after dozing off in an uncompleted building?
He didn't evacuate the building after waking up from sleep, he sat there strategizing for hours. His number one prayer was for no one to recognize his face once he starts strolling about in the street. He hopes that everything regarding his pictures being on social media with the caption that he's being searched for was only circulating California.
It would be really bad if someone recognizes him in this city due to the stuff the Lewis family posted on social media. That would mean that he hadn't escaped after all. Now, once he gets out of this uncompleted building, what was he gonna do next? That was another stuff he needed to strategize, was he gonna begin searching for a job or what? Maybe, he'll start searching for a job once he comes out of this uncompleted building.
Then his dream of becoming a footballer, he had taken a step to achieve it in California, but everything got spoilt. So what steps was he gonna take here in Detroit city to achieve it? He sat in that uncompleted building for hours thinking about all these. After coming up with some little plans of what to do next once he comes out of here, he began brushing his teeth in the uncompleted building.
The building was very shielded though it hasn't been completed yet, so people walking about in the street couldn't even see him. After he had finished brushing his teeth, he put the toothbrush and toothpaste back in his backpack, wore the backpack, and sauntered out of the unfinished building. No one saw him coming out of the building, he came out smoothly and cautiously.
He still had the fear that someone might recognize him 'cause of the Lewis' post on social media, so he bent his head a little while walking. He was still in the hooded outfit, so that also helped in covering his identity. He got to a certain alley, glanced at his side, and sighted a coffee shop, and all of a sudden, he felt like drinking coffee. It's been some time now since he last tasted coffee, so he decided that he was gonna enter the coffee shop to get a cup of coffee.
He strolled to the opposite side where the coffee shop was situated, but he had to do so carefully and cautiously 'cause vehicles were driving past. He entered the coffee shop, and men, he was disappointed, the queue was long. Lots of people lined up waiting for their turn to purchase their cup of coffee.
If not that Simon was really interested in tasting coffee, he would have gone outside. He had no choice but to join the long queue, he must drink a cup of coffee either by hook or by crook.
********
Meanwhile, James had just been strolling after he and the girl parted ways. But he wasn't just strolling, his mind was wandering in thoughts. He kept on thinking about the music audition he had plans of partaking in. His vocals weren't good yet, he hadn't even stepped foot into a music school before not to talk of training his voice.
He just had the feeling that he was only gonna embarrass himself in the audition tomorrow. Not even a week so he could use that time in doing some self practices. He'll try doing some voice training before tomorrow, yeah, that's what he'll do. He'll drink a lot of water before going to the audition, according to things he had heard, water enhances the vocals.
He kept on strolling until he arrived at the same coffee shop Simon entered not too long ago. He had no plans of drinking coffee, but seeing the shop made him wanna drink coffee. He needed to manage the money he had left on him, he didn't want to spend money on his wants, but at this point, seems like he'll have to spend money on his wants.
The appetite to drink coffee was increasing every passing second, he couldn't help it, so he strolled into the coffee shop. Seeing the queue, the enthusiasm to drink coffee leveled down, the queue was long. He wouldn't waste time on this long line 'cause he wanted to drink coffee, so he decided that he was gonna walk out of the coffee shop.
As he was about to walk out, he caught sight of something. Among the queue, he noticed a boy in his late teens dipping two of his fingers into the pocket of a man in front of him. James could tell that the guy was a professional pocket picker, no one noticed what he was doing, not even the man. He dipped his fingers into the man's pocket taking an amount of 10 dollars.
At that same moment, after the boy had taken the money, the man put his right hand into his pocket to take that same amount of 10 dollars...but he couldn't find it. The man's facial expression changed as he began searching his pocket continuously to see if he could find the money, but to no avail. Seems like that's the only money remaining in his pocket and he wanted to use part of it in purchasing a cup of coffee.
The man wasted no time as he voiced out in an audible tone of voice, "Someone has taken money from my pocket, the only money I have left on me. Who did this?".
James stood there as he kept on watching the scene playing before his eyes. The man turned his attention to the boy standing at his back and inquired with a serious facial expression,
"Are you the one that took my money? 'cause you are the one standing at my back".
The boy was really good at pretending, his facial expression was completely genuine...like he had never stolen since he was given birth to. He glanced at the man and said,
"I didn't steal your money, that boy in front of you did". Now, the person he was referring to was Simon, "Remember he came out of the queue at a certain point, before coming back into the queue, he dipped his fingers into your pocket and stole your money. I was just coming into this coffee shop at that time and sighted him in the act. If you think I'm lying, search him to confirm it".
"Why didn't you say anything then?". The man questioned the boy.
"I was waiting for the perfect time to expose it, at a time like this", The boy responded, his face was too genuine. "Search him to confirm it, I'm sure of what I am saying".
The boy planned to divert everyone's attention on Simon, then he'll use that chance to sneak away. Simon was really confused, he knew that he didn't steal the man's money, the boy was laying a false accusation on him, and he didn't understand why. Like, he had close to 500 dollars on him, so why should he pocket another person's money?
Everyone's attention was on Simon right now. Simon was a bit afraid 'cause when these people search him, they'll find the amount of money he had on him, and they'll be like 'where did this young boy get this amount of money from?' The fright was evident on his face, and that gave people more reason to believe that he was the one that pocketed the money.
"Young boy, we'll have to search you, the amount of money I had on me was 10 dollars. So, once we find 10 dollars with you separately, that's confirmation that you stole the money". The man stated with a serious facial expression.
"But am ain't the one that stole the money, he is laying a false accusation on me". Simon defended, fright evident on his facial expression.
"We'll have to confirm that, drop your backpack and standstill". The man let out with a more audible tone of voice.
Simon did as he was told. Now, James had watched enough of the scene playing right in front of him, it was about time to act. He had discerned that the boy was getting ready to sneak away, so he began sauntering over to where the scene was taking place. As the man was about to open Simon's backpack, James voiced out,
"Stop! He isn't the one that stole your money". Then he pointed at the boy and uttered, "He is the one that stole your money".
All eyes were on James right now.