KUTZ

Chapter 2

A/N: Don't forget to Comment & Vote at the end of the chapter please =D enjoy!!

~Who can I run to,

To share this empty space?

Who can I run to,

When I need love?

Who can I run to,

To fill this empty space with laughter?

Who can I run to,

When I need love? ~ XSCAPE

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Bad things always happen to me I thought as I was laying in the hospital bed staring off into space.

I'd just given birth to a baby boy I named Nicholas. I was only able to hold him once before the nurses came in taking him away.

My father and a nurse walked into the room and I wiped my face from the tears that were constantly falling.

That's when I was informed Nicholas was being adopted.

My father walked by my bedside and whispered into my ear.

"This is that boy's baby isn't it?"

I looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. He was really crazy.

"Lauren." He said through clenched jaws. "Stop all that fuckin cryin."

I wiped my face with the back of my hands.

I thought I'd cried all I could when my mother died but this was taking the cake.

I knew now was the time to speak up and tell someone but he always said if I ever told anyone he would kill me and I knew he was capable of anything.

I needed to get away from this man and fast.

I stayed in the hospital for three days to give my body a chance to recover.

Tania came everyday after school to visit me.

*

Four Months Later...

I was finally eighteen. For my birthday Tania and I hung out all day at the mall. We tried not to talk about the day I went to the hospital. Hell, I even tried to forget about it. Tania was the only person that actually remembered it was my birthday and with the little money she had she bought me a friendship bracelet.

"Thanks Tania." I said slipping it onto my wrist.

It was a bracelet of many colors. It wasn't much but I loved it. I glanced at my watch and noticed it was almost my curfew.

"I gotta go."

"Already?" She frowned.

"Yeah, but thanks again for the bracelet." I said while hugging her.

*

I hopped off of the bus and began speed walking down the street. I only had a few minutes to spare. As I walked through the front door of the apartment I was greeted by my father's new girlfriend Janet. She was three months pregnant and I loathe every time I had to see her.

"Happy Birthday Lauren!" She smiled.

I guess Tania wasn't the only person that remembered.

My father walked into the living room cutting her off.

"You remember I said you had until you were eighteen right?" He asked with attitude. "Well, Happy Birthday." He said while dropping three cardboard boxes onto the floor.

"What?"

"We have to make room for our growing family. Pack your shit."

If I could cry I would have but he was doing me a favor. I began packing everything I owned. He helped me carry the boxes downstairs dropping them on the side of the curb.

Without saying another word to me he closed the door and walked back upstairs to the apartment.

Picking up what I could I made my way towards Tania's house.

As much as I tried to cry I was out of tears. Walking up to her front door I knocked and the person I least expected to answer did.

Rio smiled but when he notice everything I was carrying his smiled faded.

"Who is it?" Megan asked while joining us at the door.

She saw it was me and began rolling her eyes.

"Tania isn't here."

Rio gave her a grimacing look.

"Yes she is." He said while grabbing a box out of my hand and helping me inside.

I could see the frustration on Megan's face but she didn't say anything.

"Go get Tania." He ordered and without hesitation Megan went upstairs.

"Are you okay?"

I didn't want to answer him because I felt ashamed.

He looked so handsome staring at me with his light brown eyes.

"Yeah, I'm alright." I said with my head down.

"You sure?"

Megan and Tania came downstairs into the living room and Megan eyes turned red with rage.

"What is it wit you and this girl?" She snapped.

Rio ignored her. Tania started grabbing my things to take them to her room.

"No, hell no. She's not stayin here!" Megan yelled causing Tania to stop in her tracks.

"I'm tired of hearin yo mouth." Rio snapped.

Megan looked at him and stopped talking.

"Matter of fact, we done." He said as he stood up to leave.

"Rio wait." She begged.

He looked at her with disgust.

"Don't do that beggin' shit. It's not cute." He shook his head in disappointment.

"But--." She started saying but he was already walking towards the front door.

I've never seen Megan so hurt before.

"Lets go." Tania said as we went into her bedroom.

I was able to stay at Tania's house until her parents got home. They began explaining how they didn't have enough money to feed another person. I knew Megan loved hearing that.

Once again I was out on the street with no one to turn to. I was furious. Not at Tania's parents but at my father.

Rio crossed my mind a couple of times. I wondered if he was at the barbershop. I knew it was a bad idea to go there but I needed to weigh all of my options.

I walked down the block of the barbershop to see a mad Rio arguing with another man over money.

"So you tryna steal from me?" He asked while looking at the money in his hands.

"Nah, Rio." The man said shaking his head in fear.

Rio bit down on his bottom lip and punched the man in the face causing the man to fall to the ground.

He grabbed the man by his shirt collar and gave him a few more face shots.

"Okay, ok." The man cried reaching into his pocket and passing him the rest of the money.

I walked up and Rio noticed my presence but that didn't take him out of his character.

"Next time I see you, you betta not fuck up."

The man stood up and ran down the street. Rio waited until the man was out of sight to turn to face me.

"What you doin here?" He asked as he counted the money he'd just received. Sweat dripped from his forehead.

That moment I knew I had made a mistake. What was I thinking coming here? He couldn't help me. No one could.

"Nevermind." I said as I backed up to leave.

"Lauren, you didn't walk all the way over here for nothin." He said while wrapping a rubber band around the stack of money. "What you gotta ask me?"

I hesitated to answer but I finally worked up enough nerve to respond.

"I don't have anywhere to go."

I looked away so I wouldn't see his facial expression.

He picked his fitted hat up from the ground and walked up to me.

"If you need help that's all you gotta say."

"I, you know I--I don't know you like that." I started to stutter.

Stuttering was a habit I had when I would get nervous.

"I, you don't, I shouldn't even be--, you don't know me--."

Rio smiled showing his perfect set of teeth.

"Just get in the car." He ordered, opening the passenger door to his Camaro.

I was starting to notice he was really demanding.

I didn't know him from a can of paint but something was telling me to trust him.

He closed the door once I was in safely then walking around to the driver's side to get in himself.

"Let's make a deal." He said while pulling out of the parking spot.

I gave him a skeptical look. I hope he wasn't referring to anything sexual, I thought to myself.

"You do a lil work around the shop and I'll pay you."

A smile formed at my lips and I slowly nodded my head.

"Okay."

"This is just to help you get on your feet."

"It's a deal." I assured him. "Thanks Mario."

He began slowing the car down as we came to a red light. He glanced over to me and raised his eyebrow.

"I was wonderin when you were going to ask my name."

My cheeks started heating up.

"I'm guessin you heard about me."

The light turned green and he continued driving.

I wasn't going to stroke his ego so I remained quiet.

He found it amusing though.

He pulled into a driveway and parked the car. I was amazed at the house standing before me. It was made of brick and the front door was made of glass.

Rio opened the passenger's door and waited for me to step from the car before closing the door behind me.

He walked to the front door lifting the welcome mat and pulling out a key.

"Where are we?" I asked walking up behind him.

Twisting the key in the lock he opened the front door of the house stepping inside.

"Ma!" He yelled.

All my suspicions were confirmed when his mother came walking down the stairs in a pink robe.

"Mario? What is it boy?" She asked in a whisper.

"We gotta talk business." He tossed the door key on the stand and walked into the kitchen.

His mother followed us flicking on the light. Mario made himself at home by opening the refrigerator and pulling out a pot.

"I know you not bringing strangers into my house." She snapped as she looked at me out the corner of her eye.

"Relax." He opened the pot and peered inside. "You cooked?" He asked raising his eyebrow.

"Don't tell me to relax." She said hitting his hand causing him to drop the pot top onto the counter.

"You still got that guest house right?"

"Why?" She asked in an uneasy tone.

"I need to rent it."

His mother was getting annoyed with him beating around the bush.

"For what boy?"

Rio was busy emptying the contents of the pot on a plate. He walked over to the microwave and set it for two minutes.

"My friend Lauren need a place to stay."

"Why she can't stay wit you?" His mother said with her face twisted.

"The house still bein remodeled." He simply said. "You want somethin to eat?" He asked turning towards me.

I shook my head declining his offer.

The microwave beeped indicating his food was hot and ready.

"How much you talkin." His mother said as she tied her robe closed.

"How much you want?"

Rio started digging into the spaghetti that filled his plate.

"Depends on how long I'm going to have---this guest."

Rio looked up from his food at his mother.

"Don't do that." He said shaking his head. "Her name is Lauren." He frowned.

"Well, you didn't introduce us."

He huffed and stood up from the table placing his plate in the kitchen sink. I suppose he'd lost his appetite.

"Let me show you where you'll be stayin." He mumbled instructing me to follow after him.

"You sure this is okay? I don't want to impose."

"You good." He said as he began twisting the knob to the room. Surprisingly it was unlocked.

Rio stepped inside the room first turning on a lamp light. Walking in after him I was shocked that the small space was like a suite.

A leather couch and coffee table sat in front of a bay window that was draped in sheer curtains. Across the room sat a flat screen TV mounted to the wall.

Rio opened the glass double doors that led to the bedroom and walked inside. Their was an queen sized bed and adjoined bathroom. Another flat screen sat on top of a stand.

"You like it?" He asked as he was scrolling through his phone.

I looked around amazed.

"I do." I assured him.

His phone began ringing and he sucked in a deep breath before answering.

"Yeah?" He asked annoyed.

He walked out of the bedroom leaving me alone. I flopped down on the bed and took in its softness. Placing my head into one of the soft pillows I inhaled deeply taking in the rose scent.

"I see you gettin comfortable." Rio said as he walked into the room startling me.

"Nah, I was--just, uh---."

He laughed out loud at me.

"It's cool shorty. I'm happy you like it."

My cheeks began heating up again.

He took a seat next to me on the bed. I got a good look at his crispy lining.

I'm sure he cuts his own hair I thought.

"Tomorrow you start work." He said reaching over to the dresser and grabbing the alarm clock.

He set the time for six in the morning.

"Who gettin up that early?"

"You or yo ass gon be jobless before you start." He said placing the alarm clock back on the dresser.

I laughed as he stood up from the bed rubbing his hand over his fade.

"If you need anythin let my mom know."

He began walking out of the room.

"You don't live here?" I asked causing him to stop and turn towards me.

"Nah." He simply stated not making an initiative to elaborate.

"Thanks again Mario." I smiled.

"Goodnight Lauren." He said as he left closing the room door behind him.