The taxi halted to a stop with a screech, jerking me out of my unsettled sleep.
"Pay up and get out." The driver said, peering at me from the rear view mirror.
I smirked slightly as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the required amount, handing it to him before stepping out of the cigarette smoke-fragranced car. I wasn't even sure the door had closed completely before the driver had spun off down the road into the evening lights of downtown. "Mmf..." I muttered as I stuck my hands into the warmth of Dante's hoodie pockets. I left in a bit of a rush, not even noticing I was still wearing it. Now, though, I found it more than comforting as I wrapped it tighter around me and started down the street.
When I was young, Mother would always tell me how these streets weren't safe to walk at night, especially for a girl.
Well, I guess if she saw me now, she'd be rolling in her grave.
The little crosswalk man glowed green, and I crossed all the while ignoring the threatening honks and yells thrown at me for apparently walking too slow. Which, of course, only made me want to walk slower; but today, I was in a hurry to get home.
Home...
The sound of it was nostalgic. It sounded almost foreign, unreal. You're away for so long, you almost forget about it. After all, they don't want me there anymore than I want to be there. If I don't show up every once in a while, though, suspicions are raised, cops are called; it's just easier to do an every now and then check in. This time, though, I have something to hide. Which for me shouldn't be so hard, but, this isn't the usual "stole a candy bar from the drug store" secret. This was...big. If I didn't tell them now, they would eventually find out sooner or later.
When I got to the steps of the old, worn down apartment building, I stopped. I stared at the chipped wood door, a thousand different repossession notices taped to it; along with bills and other things stuffed effortlessly into the mail slot. My eyes wondered over to the door knob.
Just two words. Come on Andi. It's not that hard. What's the worst that can happen?
Despite my thoughts, I know what could happen. I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath before reaching for the door knob. Just as my fingers grazed across the cold, gold metal; the door yanked open. I jumped slightly, and looked up at the tall figure in front of me.
"Well hey there, girly. Finally decide to come home?" Lance said, tilting his head slightly.
I winced quietly and shoved past him, walking to the stairs. Before I got to the second step, a voice called out, "Andi? Is that you? Come here for a second!"
I sighed, and walked to where the annoying, high pitched voice called from. When I walked in, Joyce was standing on the table, trying to fix a light bulb all the while Ray sat in his booster seat, banging on the table.
"The damn light is broke again," Joyce said in her southern tongue.
"Did you try putting in an actual light bulb and not a potato...?" I asked, walking over to Ray and taking him out of his seat.
"Haha," She laughed mockingly as she got off the table, careful not to hit her hair curlers on the dangling chandelier. "Fix it."
I smirked, "Yes, ma'am." I said sarcastically, setting Ray on the ground and watching him run gaily off to the living room before I stepped onto the table and screwed the light bulb in effortlessly.
I could tell without even turning around when Lance walked in. "Not a bad view, princess." He laughed as he nudged the table.
I gasped quietly as the table wobbled under me, and I tried to keep my balance. When I did, I shot him a quick glare before carefully making my way down. I tucked loose strands of hair into my hat, and leaned against the counter; tugging my sleeves anxiously. Lance glanced at me after getting the milk carton out of the fridge. "'Sup with you?"
