11:56 PM, I texted Bryan asking where we will meet. After he replied, I quickly changed clothes and prepared the things we’ll use tonight.
As we planned, we only wore pants, hoodies, and masks so no one could see our faces.
We wore black so we won’t be seen in the dark areas. I also packed the things we needed in my black bag. I put a big pillow that is the same size as my body on the mat and covered it with a blanket. With this, my mom and dad won’t know I left.
I peeked outside before I fully went out. I walked slowly toward the door and closed it gently.
When I was finally outside, I looked back at our house to make sure no one saw me. I walked fast so I could get ready and text Bryan.
I waited in an alley, sure that no one would see us here, except if a tricycle passes by looking for a shortcut.
When I saw Bryan walking towards me, I threw him the flashlight and nodded. He caught it and smiled.
The house we’re about to enter tonight is difficult because it belongs to rich people, so there are many security guards around. But for Bryan and me, this is easy.
We’ve been planning this for a while during recess, and only the two of us know. 
“Where do we enter, bro?” Bryan asked while keeping watch, as I took out the plastic bag for the things we’d take.
“We’ll go through the roof, bro. I know the way, just follow me,” I answered, and he nodded. After that, we quickly moved, walking, running, and hiding to avoid getting caught.
No one could see us because we were in the dark. There were two guards watching the front gate, but we didn’t know if there was a way in at the back. Like other rich families, they probably had a pool in the backyard.
To be sure, we went around the side and climbed the tall wall to peek at the whole house.
I was right, they had a pool at the back. By the side of the pool was a big tree we could climb to reach a room.
Below it were stainless chairs and a table, and at the far side, a grill. Bryan and I couldn’t help but be impressed by how nice it was. This was just the backyard, so we’d probably be amazed if we saw inside.
Bryan and I looked at each other and smiled. We both nodded before jumping to the roof. There was a small noise when we landed, so we quickly crouched down to stay hidden.
The house was tall, so we couldn’t see much of what was happening below. Bryan and I decided to crawl toward the basement door so we wouldn’t wake anyone downstairs with our footsteps.
The small door was at the far end of the roof, just big enough for one person. I tried pushing it to see if it was locked, but unfortunately, it was, and it made a noise when we tried again.
I took off my bag and Bryan handed me the plastic bag where we’d put the things we were going to take.
The moonlight was the only light we had to see around us. I rummaged through my bag, looking for something to open the small door.
…
A few minutes passed and finally, we got inside. It was really dark, so we took out the flashlight from my bag and used it to light our surroundings.
What greeted us were piles of boxes stacked on top of each other, and old things probably left in the corners. You could tell these were old because of the spider webs in the corners and dust everywhere in the basement.
I suddenly looked at Bryan when he lightly punched my arm with his elbow. I raised an eyebrow at him as he pointed to the things on the side.
“Let’s check those out, maybe we can use something,” I looked at the things, lighting them with the flashlight I was holding. I examined them before looking at Bryan and nodding.
“Make it quick,” I ordered seriously, and he nodded with a grin. He went to check while I looked at the dusty boxes. I lit them one by one and also checked them carefully.
I picked up the big box hidden in the farthest corner. I placed my flashlight on top of the box and carefully put the box on the dusty floor.
It was quite heavy, and I saw a piece of paper stuck to the back of the box with the word “bags” written on it. This reminded me of my mom. I once saw my mom’s old bag hanging on the wall in her room. As far as I know, it was her only bag for three years.
She said it was the only bag she bought with her own money. But now, it’s worn out and losing its color. My mom just sews it whenever our family goes out.
Without a second thought, I opened the box using my sharp fingernail. Right away, I saw expensive-looking bags that seemed unused.
Before I could dig through the bags, a sudden noise stopped me, and I turned to see Bryan hurriedly picking up the things that fell on the floor.
At the same time, there was a light downstairs. We couldn’t tell if it was from a bulb or a flashlight, but I didn’t care. I quickly grabbed three bags and put them in the plastic.
“Who’s there?” a man’s voice came from below.
“D*mn it,” I cursed quietly and pulled Bryan, who was now panicking. We didn’t care anymore about the mess Bryan made or the open box because we were afraid of getting caught.
I immediately put on my mask and ran across the roof. Bryan followed me, cursing with every step.