Streetlife

98 - Ming

TESS POV

"I'm sure my roommate won't care, but just in case, you can have my bed," I say as I had caught up to Ming only to try and convince her to stay with me at least for the night. "My roommate is Callie, and I'm sorry for her behavior. She's kind of caught up in Stef as you noticed and can't seem to think for her damn ass self. You didn't deserve that."

"I can't take your bed, Tess. You're giving up everything, even your friendship with her, and I don't feel right about it," Ming says as she stands in the middle of Julius' apartment after I had quickly found him and gave him a brief summary of what had happened. Of course, he was beside himself with excitement to help this girl, but for the wrong reasons which annoyed me.

"Well, you can stay in my room, baby!" Julius walks out now in his kimono as he has to work the parlors tonight. "Tessy told me what happened, and we can't have your pretty ass out there on the streets now, can we. We work all night, but make yourself at home, honey bunny!"

"I feel so badly, Julius," Ming says softly as she grips the back of her neck, her dark hair flowing over her shoulders. "I hope to find another job soon, but I don't know. My life is pretty much in ruins."

"Well, that blonde bimbo has no say in who stays with me, baby, nor does her little side kick! I'm serious! You can have my bed! When you wake up I'll just be getting home! It works! Here, take this," Julius hands Ming the key to his room and pats her arm. "My room has an air conditioning unit. If you're hungry, we have some food in the fridge. We got you, Ming, baby girl. Don't you stress it now!! Take a shower too, hot water is great!" he smiles walking into the kitchen as I stare back at Ming who sighs.

"I really pay my own way, Tess. I just feel so terrible. I can really stay at a shelter."

"Ming, listen, I know what it's like not to have a home or a place to live, and them streets are not it, and I can see you are falling on hard times and when I can help, I do."

"Tess, I don't want to ruin what you have with-"

"Don't worry about that. I handle my business. So come, get settled, and that's the end of it. And let's get you some food. None of us will take no for an answer. Got me?"

"Maybe for a couple of days. At least until I can find another place."

"Sure. Stop worrying about that, and we can help you get back on your feet. We all need some help once in a while."

"I don't know how to thank you, Tess. I really don't."

"Don't sweat it, Ming. You don't owe me nothing. And just a word of advice, don't mind Julius. He's just out there," I laugh, shaking my head as she smiles.

"Yeah, I gathered that. And um...he isn't fond of Stef?"

"Nah. They got beef. So ignore his ass because he can go on and on about that.  But let's go put your stuff away and get you something to eat."

She nods as I help her put her clothes in one of my spare drawers as I try to push away how upset I was feeling about the fight Stef and I had. But I was damn livid, and I was completely horrified at the things she said to Ming to the point I didn't want to listen to a damn thing she had to say. Nothing, because it was unacceptable.

Was she privileged? FUCK YES, and she had no damn idea how privileged her ass was, and maybe I didn't even realize it. She had no idea about being homeless, having nothing and nobody, and she was getting shit handed to her on a fucking platter, and right now Callie was too.  Maybe I had been blinded by, I don't know, her fucking charm or what. But she had enough girls to keep her busy, and I just didn't even wanna look at her right now, and whatever I was feeling about her or had been, I didn't wanna feel no more.