#righteous theft

I used to steal. 

I used to steal a lot. 

It was like a bad habit. I was depressed

The concept of buying things was foreign to me anyways.

The world is mine. Why should I have to pay for anything?

I'd be in stores and steal things I didn't want to pay for 

cuz I was broke

well,

sometimes I'd have money...

but whatever,

I used to steal when I had money in my pockets

and YO, my stealing was justified!

Make-up shouldn't cost this much anyways

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This hats too bomb, but $22.99 is a ridiculous price!

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Well, bitch I was tryna ask you a question, but you wanna ignore me...

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I wonder if I can get away with stealing this?

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and then I got caught.

Only once though. At the mall. With a friend. We'd gone stealing like it was revenge. 

and it some ways it was.

Revenge for being poor.

Revenge for being treated like shit in stores.

Revenge for not feeling valued.

Revenge for not loving ourselves. 

We ran through at least 10 stores, just swiping our shit into bags and walking out. 

She was braver than me. Or more reckless. 

Anyways, it was she that got us caught. and she that got arrested. and she who is still poor…and angry.

Stealing was my revenge. Stealing was my way out. Stealing was entertainment when I got bored. Stealing kept me fly and feeling wise about myself. 

I never stole from people. And I never stole anything too serious. Just clothes. Earrings. Rings. Bags. I was too scared to try the big stuff…that was for criminals. I'm not a criminal, I'd say, this is righteous theft. 

Yeh, I used to steal. and fuck it, I thought it was fun. What are laws anyways? What's a gun, what's a cop? I was privileged enough to not to have answers to those questions. Privileged enough not to have real fear. I thought I was better than the system. Trickier. Smarter. Faster. Stronger. Wiser. Better. than this bullshit.

I don't steal anymore. Not clothes or earrings or rings or bags or make-up  or nothing.

I came out of that you know. I'm a grown up. Stealing is for buckass kids who don't value their life. and that's not me! right

I don't need to steal. If I can't afford it, I don't need it. Right?

If I don't need it I don't need to steal it. right

Sometimes, though, when I'm in stores, the urge hits me.

My fingers tingle.

I check for cameras.

Start thinking about how to position myself to get what I want…to get what I think is rightfully mine…

I start thinking about