try hard // luke hemmings

Chapter Sixteen

"what was that??" Luke asks me in a text message, soon after getting out of the shower. I ignore him and work on getting dressed, picking out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

I work on geometry for about forty five minutes when I get another text. "cheyanne levine"

It sounded like a threat. I ignore him yet again, and go downstairs to join my "family" at dinner. We were having porkchops.

As I drag my fork across the plate, not really paying attention to the conversation, my thoughts run over everything that's happened today. I take a bite of the meat and my stomach recoils after having not having food in it for almost three days. Food. Days.

Bruce!

I eat quickly, ignoring the mindless chatter these to dimwits could possibly have. I clear my plate away and wash it like a good girl running back upstairs, saying something along the lines of home work and essay. I hid the balled up napkin in my palm. It contained small pieces of meat small enough for Bruce to chew.

I quietly open the guest room door, stepping in and shutting it quickly. I scan the room for the kitten. I smell the acid smell of cat pee and some poop. I cringe at the thought of having to clean it up. Bruce was laying on the pillows of the bed, licking his little cat paws.

I advance slowly, as not to startle him and open the napkin on the bedspread. He crawls over slowly, tentatively licking the napkin, then taking a piece of meat in his tiny mouth.

I watch him eat for a while, but I was thinking too. This cat can't stay here. The circumstances can't be good for him, just like they're not for me. I pick up my phone and scroll to Samuel. He could help me out. Again. God, I was a terrible. I completely ignore him at lunch today and now I'm asking for a favor.

He picks up on the third ring with a sigh. "Hola, Cheyanne."

"Sammy. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible person." I apologize. "Did you go away with Charlie again?" He asks, tiredly. "No. No. I stayed at school. With Charlie, though. Listen, Sammy. I need a favor. No, I don't need to be picked up. This is going to be so much more terrible."

"What is it, Chey?"

I breather in deeply, ready to deliver the blow softly. "How do you like cats?" I ask,  slowly.  I hear him breathe in, then out. "I love cats, Chey. Why?"

"I found one. A kitten. He got inside my house the other day and I've been hiding him and feeding him when I can. I can't do it though. I need someone to take care of it. Do you know someone?" I ask, taking my bottom lip between my teeth. "I need to get rid of him."

"Why can't you tell your parents?"

"Because I can't. They don't understand, and they wouldn't. They don't care about human lives, much less a cat's. Please, I can't keep it here much longer."

"I'll take it, okay?" Samuel says into the phone. "Great, okay. I have fifty bucks to help you buy.... whatever a cat usually needs. Can you come take him tonight?"

"Tonight? I got work. I can swing by around ten." He offers. Ten. I could fake another round. But, where would I get the money. I chew on my bottom lip again. The college boys on the Seven Eleven on Fannon Dr. were easy. "Okay. Ten. But not here. Can we meet somewhere else? Where do you work?"

"The Barnes and Noble on highway 6 and Laredo Street. By that one store that sells all the hoodoo?" He tells me. "Okay. Sounds good. I'll meet you out front?"

"Okay, and Cheyanne?" Samuel asks before hanging up. "Yeah?" Finger over the end button. "You owe me big time. One of these days you're going to spill everything that's going on in that crazy little life of yours over coffee. Deal?"