T w o.

My stiletto heels clicked on the concrete sidewalk as I made my way down it, the dim neon lights of stores, advertising cold beers and sodas. I smelled cigarette smoke and heard loud, crude and very offensive rap music playing out of a boom-box that sat on a windowsill of an apartment across the street.

I bet you’re wondering why I was walking the streets. Well, m’dears that is a hard explanation. I have to make money, and this was the easiest way. I know I get looked down a lot, but what could I do? I needed money to pay the bills, and if you didn’t like it. Well then, there was nothing I could do to help you. 

I heard the sound of a lighter flick and I tensed up. You see, when you wake up in the middle of the night to a knife pressed against your throat and a man sitting on your legs saying if you made one sound, he’d slit your throat. Yes, you become aware of your surroundings pretty damn quick.

I felt a hand grab my upper arm. I turned to see it was Kale. I exhaled as I placed a hand over my heart.

“Kale, you f****r. You scared the s**t out of me.” I hissed.

Kale shrugged and tipped the brim of his fedora up to flash me his lopsided grin under the dim neon.
“Awuh, why kitty cat? C’mon Evan, you should be used to my antics by now.” He said, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it up.
He placed his hand on my thigh. I tensed up again, for that was the same thigh that had the scar he put on me. I felt Kale’s callused fingers run up and down the scar, it made me shiver. “What is it Evan?” He asked, I grabbed his arm by the elbow and pushed him away.

“Kale, stop.” I said. It was a good thing Kale wasn’t in his usual drunken stupor, or else he’d get a swift kick to the kiwis. I saw him frown in disapproval, but he stopped.

“Come on, let’s go,” he muttered, dropping his cigarette and stamping it out with his boot. I followed him. I bit down on my lip and cracked my knuckles; I just had to wait a little bit longer. Just a little bit longer.

x-<3-x

When we arrived at the apartment we shared, I felt uneasy. I knew there was nothing wrong, yet I had that bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Kale pushed the door open and flipped on the light. I blinked a couple times, due to my eyes being unadjusted to the bright light; it’s safe to say my eyes watered.

Kale walked to the little room heater and gave it a sharp kick, which made me jump. Then again, I jumped at everything. “Fix something to eat Evan, I’m starving.” Kale said, making his way to the tiny bathroom. It wasn’t long before I heard the sound of water, meaning he was getting a shower.

I began to chew on the inside of my cheek as I searched the cabinets for something to cook. And came up with a box of Kraft Mac n’ Cheese and a package of cheese crackers. I sighed and made a mental note to go into my money stash and buy some kind of groceries for us to eat tomorrow.

And whatever was left over, I had to keep stashed. I needed just three more months.
And then I would be free. 

I could almost taste it on my tongue.