I should feel bad about living here, but what can I say? Like I told Latrell, I'm fatherless and I'm not hunting down my mother. If she wanted anything to do with me, she wouldn't have left or at least would've tried to find me again. I'm 15 and in high school, she had time. Now I have to suffer. I'm not finding her, being adopted, or being homeless. There's only so much mercy a landlord can have on a person. Money is money, no matter the person's situation. If you're pregnant and can't afford rent, that's her problem, not the landlord's.
"Good evening Mr. Davis." I like to have simple conversations with Mr. Davis. He's in his mid-50s, but he seems so joyful and not stressed, I'm 15 and I wish I could be like him, can't stress this enough.
"Welcome back, Alexis, how was your day?" He said with the biggest smile, it still warms my heart. Even if I see it every day.
"It's been hard and I still have to go to work," I say with a sigh, I try to have faith but it's most likely going to be a pain. At this rate, I'll have a stroke before I'm 18 if I'm lucky.
"I feel so bad for you...before you decline, I'm going to give you money for an uber and things so you can get to work." He said stopping me in my tracks.
"oh no, I couldn't! I say with a nervous chuckle. Nobody's ever offered me things or been so generous to me. I wasn't used to it and honestly, it was peculiar to me. "not trying to be rude!" I quickly add.
He looks at me with soft, sorry eyes. I appreciate his having sympathy for me, but I can handle it myself or die trying. That's how I discipline myself.
"I honestly insist Alexis, Your father's passing was fairly recent and you live by yourself. It's not that much, but it's something. I want you to look back and smile because it's still kindness in what you might think of as a cruel world. Just remember to see me before you leave." He says with a warm smile. I give him a smile back subconsciously, and I walk to the staircase. I don't have that many stairs to go by, I live on the 5th floor, but with the time I was talking to Mr. Davis, I basically had to run up the stairs.
Crap, I have an hour to get to work
I think to myself as I scramble to unlock the door. It's a simple 2-bedroom, 2-bath apartment. It's the living room as soon as you walk in, a simple Roku tv with a 3 cushion brown Barrett couch. A small hairpin coffee table and that's the whole living room. Instantly behind it is the kitchen. It's a simple fridge beside the stove, and the stove is by the dryer.
Across from it is, of course, the washer. A short counter to where the sink can be put in and another fairly short connected counter. The apartment itself is relatively small so they had to fit everything close. Then there are the rooms, the best part. It's like everything else inside of here, a short and small hallway. 2 steps in and it's my room, and directly across was Max's room. Then 6 steps further were the bathroom. My room was a bit messy, but not really. I might just make this my storage and make his old room mine. Before I get "bashed", until I get a 1 bedroom, I'm using what was paid for. The one bedrooms are on the first and second floor so I should be fine. And it's 3:39, I don't even have time for a complete shower. Wash-up has to be PTA and I have to put on my uniform.
10 minutes later
3:40
Where is my hat?!
I ask myself as I toss around everything in my room. I pull everything off of the shelves, on my bed, under my bed, the microwave, everywhere. After 2 minutes of searching, I realize it was on the arm of the chair.
I had 20 minutes to get a ride and to my job. I might need to borrow the money...
"Hi Mr. Davis, I'm running a bit late and I may need the money..."
"It's fine, I insisted on giving you the money anyway. It's hard to be a teenager and live on your own. Anyway, I don't want to make you any later, The uber is around a minute away. Also here's the money, good luck!" He says as he hands me $40.
"I can't take this much of your money! I feel bad enough for taking a dollar..."
"Stop, I insisted I don't want you to have any health complications from stress or anything, but they're outside, don't be any later than you might be!" He says as he does the slight hand motion, and all I could do was smile and then walk out of the door.
YOU ARE READING
life's stepping stool
General FictionA short story about a girl named Alexis telling her life story after her father's passing. She's the school loner and she had a bad relationship with her father, but she never wished death upon him. It's been rough for Alexis and now everything has...
