Fire and Ice

Chapter 10 ~ What Meets the Eye

"When I first saw you, I said to myself/Girl who you looking good for?/Who you talking to?/And whos that fella that's standing right next to you?" - Chris Brown

(Anasia POV)

I go into the kitchen. Today is school and I truthfully dont feel like the shit. I look around the the small kitchen we have. The apartment we have aint shit. The kitchen can only fit four people in it. The water smells like rotten eggs and the three bed rooms are very small. There are always creatures jumping out at you and the sad part is, the landlord charges us 750 a month just to live. My mothers job doesnt pay her much. She only gets 400 on a check. She works at a nursing home. So yeah, the money doesnt last between me and my little sister Iesha.

I look through the cabinets. The shelves are empty. The only thing there is a can of tomato soup and a box of Fiddle Faddle. I grab the box and dig in to my breakfast. I go into the living room and see my mom rummaging over bills. She has a depressed look on her face. She smiles when she sees me. "Hey ma." I say cheerfully, even though im not. I hate to see her constantly worried about how we're going to make it through the month. "Hey sweetie pie." She says. I sit down beside her with my half eaten box. "Where's Iesha?" I ask. I didnt see her in her room this morning. "She's at her daddy's house. I told him to take her since there's nothing to eat this week." my mom explains. Iesha is six and she goes back and forth between houses. When there is nothing to eat, she stays with him. That's my mom ex husband. They got divorced when Iesha was 3.

My dad died when I was 12. He got shot when he was walking down the street. It was an accident, though. Wrong place at the wrong time. Im okay now. I just dont want my mom to struggle. She's been through it. "Anasia, I dont know how we're gonna make it. I dont have nearly enough this month. Im off by five hundred dollars and I cant keep borrowing money from Iesha's dad. He's done loaning." she says, near tears. I give my mom a hug. "We'll be fine. Just pray." I say soothingly. I go back into my room and change for school. Honestly, I'm not going. I slip on some jeans and a red tee shirt with my red KD's.

"I'm leaving for school!" I yell.

I make my way to the park. Its nearly empty, except for a few people jogging and walking their dogs. I sit down on an empty bench, lost in thought. I think Karma and how she's been through so much with her dad leaving her and Bentley always beating on her. I don't know how Karma does it.

I need to get a job to help my mom. It's hard to make ends meet with a single income family.

"Can I sit here?" a deep voice asks. I look up and see a man who looks about in his early twenties. I nod. He sits down next to me. He's really handsome and dark skinned. His eyes are slanted. His body toned. "What's your name?" he asks. "Anasia." I say. He looks me up and down. "That's a beautiful name." he says. I blush. "What's yours?" I ask. "Nakodius." He says. We have a moment of silence. "I'm 24 what about you?" he asks. He seems like a nice guy. "18." I answer. "What brings you here? Shouldn't you be in school?" he asks. Well I guess he's asking me the questions. "I'm just taking a day off." I say. "Well, do you want to get some coffee Anasia?" he asks nicely. That really isn't a bad idea. "Coffee it is. But you're paying." I say, seriously. Nakodius laughs. "Its my pleasure." he says.

And with that we make our way to Starbucks.