Started From The Bottom

Two

Started from the Bottom - 2

Kai was elated that she didn't have to worry about packing what little things she had and finding another place to live. She had put the money inside an envelope and slipped it under Mr. Larson's door at 3 a.m. He'd come by later that morning to tell her the next time rent was due. "I'm not going to be so lenient next time Kai. I want my money on time," he stated. "I'll have it, I promise," she smiled as she closed her door and trudged into her bathroom.

She'd taken a 30 minute shower and was now sifting through her limited clothes for an outfit to wear to her sister Jai's second baby shower. She'd known about the baby shower for a couple months and still hadn't gotten anything for her nephew that'd be here in a couple weeks. She didn't get him anything for one reason. A reason she thought about every time she did her job.

She settled on a floral maxi dress and brown open-toed sandals. She put her hair in a neat bun, applied makeup to all the hickey marks on her neck from her customers, then left out the door. Her sister's house was 30 minutes away from hers, so walking wasn't an option. She first stopped by Walmart to get her nephew a pack of cheap onesis, then used a kind strangers phone to call a cab. The cab arrived 5 minutes later and Kai got in and told him where to go. She only had 20 bucks to her name, so she made him stop 10 minutes away from her sister's house and gave the man the twenty. He sped off; leaving Kai to walk the rest of the way.

She got there right as Jai was opening presents. "I'm sorry I'm late Jai. . .traffic was crazy," Kai lied, as everyone knew.

Kai's whole family knew that Kai didn't have money or a car, but they never said anything about it because Kai liked to be 'independent' as she put it. "It's fine Kai, I'm just glad you made it." Jai responded smiling. Kai handed her the unwrapped, blue onesis, then went and greeted the rest of her family members.

"I missed you ma," Kai spoke to her mom. Kai was her mother's daughter and no one could tell her otherwise. "I missed you too baby." Kai could hear the falseness in her mother's voice as she spoke. She knew that her mother was disappointed and disgusted with her job at the moment, but that was the only way she could live on her own and make money fast. She wasn't like her siblings, she didn't have anything special about her that made her stand out. All she was good at was laying on her back and pleasuring men.

Of course Kai envied her siblings. Why wouldn't she? Her eldest sister Sanai was married to a bank owner, has 3 talented kids, and ran her own beauty salons around the world; her eldest brother Omar was married to the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen in her life, had a daughter that was following in her mother's footsteps in terms of beauty, and he was in the NBA; her younger sister Jai was having her second child with her handsome fiance who was also an NBA player and she directed music videos for a living, lastly; her younger brother Jamar, also Jai's twin, was a rookie in the NFL, and he was dating rapper/model, Iggy Azalea; who was pregnant with his first child. And what was she? A 25 year old prostitute who can't seem to get her life together, a disappointment to her whole family, an embarrassment; she could make a never ending list. That's what made her work harder. She worked harder than anyone in her family, so that the day she becomes successful she can rub it in their faces. She will prove to them that she is worth more than they treat her.

"TIME TO CUT THE CAKE!" Jai's husband hollered from inside their kitchen. Kai advanced into the house and sat next to Jamar as Jai cut the cake. The cake was the cutest thing ever. It was a carving of a pregnant belly and you could see the fetus on the inside. It was cute but looked gross at the same time. The sight of that cake made Kai excuse herself from the room and enter the bathroom to cry. Kai always thought of what her life would be like if she hadn't gotten an abortion. Maybe she wouldn't feel so lonely in her broke down apartment.

She sure would be ashamed though.

Not knowing who the baby's father was, being a prostitute to support it, not being able to get it what it wants nor needs, not being able to fully take care of it the right way. If she wasn't already conscience-stricken, she sure would have been had she kept the baby.

She didn't even know how it happened. She always put a condom on her customer's. She had gotten raped 3 times one month, but she always got her period later. She was too shamefaced to tell her family about it, because they already judged her enough, anymore judgment and she'd probably commit suicide.

Kai straightened herself up before reengaging in the party. She knew they weren't worried about her well-being. She only left out of the bathroom in case someone actually had to use it. Everyone was conversing with one another, so she just grabbed a slice of cake and sat down in the recliner. She'd occupy herself with her phone but she didn't have one.

"That just reminded me, Kai!" Omar called out, not knowing that she was sitting right across from him. Kai waved her hand in his face and everyone chuckled, but Kai wasn't amused. Omar then proceeded to give her some surprising news. "You know Jordan is back in town and he's been looking for you, he even stopped by your apartment a couple times but you were never there," Kai was happy, confused, and mad all in one. She was happy that an attractive man she used to have a heavy crush on before he moved; was looking for her, confused as to why he was looking for her; especially since he was Omar's friend, and mad that Omar just gave out her address to Jordan without her consent.

"Why is he looking for me?" Kai inquired, not addressing the fact that what Omar did was stupid. "I don't know, I didn't even know he knew we were related because he never acknowledged it," Omar explained. That almost hurt Kai's feelings, but she'd taught herself to accept that she will never be treated like everyone else in this family.

"Just be on the lookout, and get a phone!" Omar demanded. She wasn't about to tell him that she couldn't afford one, so she told him she'd get one today. That meant extra hours for her tonight so she had to get back home now if she wanted to get an early start.

"I'm gonna head out Jai, congrats on the new edition!" Kai cheered as she gave her pregnant sister a hug. "Aww, visit again soon Kai, I love you," Kai returned the 'I love you' then bid her goodbye's to everyone else before starting her long walk home.

Kai got back to her place around 7:30. Her feet were aching, her hair was a mess, she was sweating like a pig, and she was covered in dirt and mud from the passing cars. She immediately went into her bathroom and ran herself a hot bubble bath. She removed her dirty clothes and gradually slid into the tub, moaning at how instantly relaxed her muscles became. She soaked in the tub for 30 minutes, then took a shower to wash the dirt off her. As usual she dressed in some sexy clothes and walked to her corner on fifth avenue.

Hours flew by and she now had 900 dollars to her name. For some reason everyone had been paying her real good tonight. Just as she was about to go home and change so she could go out and buy herself a cell phone, the same all black Lexus from last night pulled up to her.

She got in, no questions asked.

He had paid her more that 150 last night because he said she was "worth more than that." She didn't think anything of his sweet compliment because she figured he was high or something, she couldn't tell because of his shades. They rode in silence all the way to his house, then got right down to business. No small talk, no questions, just sex.

He decided to bring her home since she did an "amazing job" tonight. She left him very satisfied, and he left her very satisfied. He was bigger than any customer she's ever encountered and he also had a bigger wallet too. He gave her 1,000 dollars and asked if he could have her every day around 1 in the morning and he'd always pay 1,000. "A thousand dollars isn't necessary George," she replied but didn't really decline his offer. He told her it was and that's what they were going to do.

Kai ran up to her apartment and changed into a sweatsuit. She walked to the local Walmart and bought herself a contract phone with Sprint. It was a Samsung Galaxy SIII. She got it activated and went home to ask her brother for Jordan's number. She knew it was late, but she also knew that Omar was up so it shouldn't be a problem.

"6465291824" Omar replied after Kai sent him a text for the number 20 minutes ago. Kai was a little hesitant as she typed the text to send to Jordan. She didn't know if her brother was joking around or not and she didn't want to look like a fool. "Hey Jordan this is Kai Miller. I heard you've been looking for me..." She pressed send anyway and awaited for his reply.

His reply came instantly.