Story 1 Chapter 1

"You better not tell your dad about this." I say to my younger brother Grant when we get back to the house and mom has disappeared once again.

"I won't tell my dad, but you promised mom was going to be here. That's the only reason I came over here. No offense." Grant says as we walk into the one bedroom apartment on the crappy side of town that mom has been renting for the past year.

I sigh. "I'm sorry okay. I really thought she was going to come back. You know she is usually only gone for a few days, then she comes back."

Grant let's out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, she usually comes back in a few days with a new druggie boyfriend that only sticks around for a couple of days."

Unfortunately, he's right. Mom was doing so good for about a year and then six months ago she met some new dude and started doing drugs again. She lost her job, the job at the only place in town that would hire her and ran off.

Ever since then she has been running off and coming back with different men that she picks up at bars or wherever she finds these losers. The only reason we haven't lost the apartment is because the landlord feels bad for me. The power company however doesn't care about me and my situation. I have been without power several times.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I know this place is pretty shitty compared to your fancy ass house."

Grant gives me an apologetic smile. "I love you Naudia, but I'm going to go home. I was hoping to see mom. You can always come stay with us, you know dad doesn't mind."

"He's your dad, not mine. Okay? I love you too and no thank you. Text me when you make it to your house." I say, giving him a quick hug.

"I will." He says giving me a small smile. With that he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

I go to the fridge looking inside, knowing damn well there isn't anything in there. With nothing to eat and no money to get anything, I decide to go to bed. Maybe I can sleep away the hunger. Hopefully when I wake up mom will be back, and hopefully she will be alone. I change into a tank top and a pair of short fuzzy shorts.

It takes me a while to fall asleep, but I guess I finally fell asleep at some point. When I wake up, I hear pans clanking around and I smell bacon cooking. Mom? Mom's home. Finally.

I jump out of bed and run into the kitchen. "Mom. You are finally home." I say as I turn the corner to the kitchen. It's not mom though, it's not mom at all.

It's Gavin, my baby brother's dad. The person I told Grant not to tell about my situation and yet here he is. In my kitchen. Cooking bacon. Like he lives here or something.

"What are you doing here Gavin?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest.

Gavin turns around and smiles at me. "Well good morning to you too Naudia. It's nice to see you."

He turns back around to the pan. "You didn't answer my question Gavin. What are you doing here?"

He sets the tongs down on a plate and turns to look at me again. "I'm here to take you to my house, but first I am cooking you some bacon."

I scoff. "First of all, I'm not going a damn place with you. Second, where did you even get the bacon at? I know damn well it wasn't in my fridge."

Gavin laughs. "Grant told me about your mom being gone and I know damn well this isn't the first time she has left you here all alone with no money. So, yes you are coming to stay with me. Oh and the bacon came from the store that I stopped at on my way over here." He turns back around and starts taking bacon out of the pan and I hate to admit it, but it smells amazing.

"My mom being gone is none of your damn business, you guys aren't together anymore. How the hell did you even get in here?" I ask, looking around.

Gavin laughs. "I asked the landlord to let me in and I know me and your mom aren't together anymore but that doesn't mean I don't still care about you."

He cares about me seriously? Him and my mom were together for like a year when I was four years old, they pretty much made my brother and that's it. That was the end of their relationship. So how can he say he still cares about me.

"Just leave me alone please, mom will be back in a couple of days and then we can go back to being fine. She will pay the bills, buy some groceries and it will be okay." I lie, knowing Mom may or may not come home anytime soon.

Gavin sighs. "Who's going to pay the bills until your mom comes back? Who's going to buy groceries? Who's going to keep the lights from being turned off? I know damn well you can't get a job. Your mom has pretty much ruined your reputation around here which isn't fair to you, but that's just what happens unfortunately. Your landlord can only take pity on you for so long but if he doesn't get any money he's going to evict you."

I hate that he's right. I hate that I have thought about everything he just said more than once. I don't have any other family, mom is the only person I have besides my brother. So if I did get evicted I wouldn't have anywhere to go.

"I will figure it out okay? I don't need your charity." I say, feeling pathetic that I don't know how I am going to take care of myself.

"Naudia. Listen to me. It's not charity. Just let me take care of you."

Take care of me? I haven't even talked to him since I was a little kid besides a couple of minutes here and there at my little brother's fancy ass birthday parties. "I will be okay. Mom will be home soon. Just leave me alone okay."

I turn and walk back into my bedroom. My stomach growls and I roll my eyes. What's another day of hunger? I will suffer through just like every other time.

I flop down on my bed, laying on my stomach as I scroll through my phone. My service runs out tomorrow and I don't have wifi here so the only way I will be able to talk to anyone is if they come see me in person. Yay me!

There is a soft knock on my bedroom door and I groan irritated. I ignore him and keep scrolling through my phone.

I hear my bedroom door open and I roll my eyes, look at him go respecting boundaries. "Naudia, you need to eat." Gavin says, walking over to my bed.

He stands to the side of the bed and I look over at him. If I didn't know any better I would say he was checking out my ass. "I'm not hungry." I say, going back to my phone.