Love & Lust. I

3

I took a cab to where my mom lives in the next city.Expensive but I don't have a car.Yes I know 22 with no car shameful.

I pay the driver and turn to the building my mum lives in.Now it's nothing like where I live but for a recovering addict it's a pretty damn nice place.

I walk up the steps and hit the buzzer for my Ma's place.

Buzz.
Buzz.
Bu-

"Hello?" An unfamiliar voice says through the intercom.

"Oh sorry, I must have hit the wrong number."I apologise double checking before going to press it again.

Number 37.

Buzz.
Bu-

"Hello?"Same voice again,

"Hi ,I'm terribly sorry about this I thought I hit the right number I'm looking for my mother Kiara Pierce she lives in this building."

"Sorry but no one by that name lives here anymore I took on this lease on over three months ago."

What the hell?

I pick up my phone dialling my mothers number.
"The person you are trying call is not available please try again later.Beep!"

"Fucking hell."

I begin walking down the sidewalk to the local community centre where the AA meetings take place.

"Aphrodite Pierce girl is that you?"I turn around to see Marvin, he babysat me all the time when I was a kid for my mom when she had to work late he lived in the same building as us.

He was like a surrogate father to me.He also just happened to run the youth project at the community centre.

"Marvin!"I cheer skipping towards him enveloping him in a hug.

"I've missed you so much! How are you how's the centre ?"I smile at the man who helped raise me his wrinkles and smile lines prominent grey hair and cheerful eyes.He hasn't changed a whole lot.

"Wonderful dear ,busy as ever though why are you here?"He asks releasing me from our hug I step back and look him in the face.

"I'm looking for mom Marv, I went to her place but she's moved ? Without telling me to so I figured I'd come here in hopes that she was in a meeting and could explain."

"Oh honey."He starts pitty in his eyes that made my stomach churn.

"Your mom relapsed a couple a months back I don't know what happened she was doing so well.Far as I knew though she was still in that fancy ass apartment you where paying for on east side.I didn't see you around in awhile so I figured you knew and had given up on her."he explain softly touching my shoulder.

"She relapsed ? But she's been clean for 6months she showed me her chip last time I was here."A tear falls from my eye.

"Oh honey I don't know how it happened I just know Hannah said that she saw her buying smack a couple a days ago off some guy."

I can't believe this.After everything I've done and am still doing to try get her out of this trouble she wanders right back into it...

Wiping my eyes I look at Marvin.

"Want to go to dinner ? Hannah would love to see you it's been so long."

"I should probably get back to the city tonight but I'll come back to visit soon I promise."

"You better."he warns pulling me in for a hug.

"Don't stay away so long next time and I hope you manage to find your mother if that's what you still want kid."

I pass a gentle smile to the older man before leaving.Once I'm outside the tears start to fall at rapid pace.It's dark now.I always new that in the first year of sobriety addicts are at there most vulnerable but I tried so hard to keep in touch and fight for her but when some thugs smashed up her old place when she got her debts so high I had no choice but to get the job I have and move her and start to pay it off.I had no choice they'd have killed her if no one could pay it.

That's why I never really complained when Giovanni took my out even though he was a slimeball, he always paid double what he had to.

Hearing a bang I whirl around to see a cat knocking over a trash can.Only then do I realise how long I've been walking and where I am.

Oh fuck the old neighbourhood.

Quickening my pace my shoes clanking against the concrete as I look around while trying to get to the nearest bus or taxi rank.

Still looking behind me I pull my jacket tighter around me.

"BOO!"

"Holy fuck !" I scream when I whip around.

Carlos.

Local thug and drug dealer.The one who I have to pay.

"So what're you doing back here huh?"he says circling me grasping my hair between his dirty fingertips.

I stay silent.

"You know your moms owes me more money again."He says.

Oh my god.He's saw her.

Trying not to show the desperation to find my mother I try not to react.

"What the fuck.You know she can't pay why are you still selling to her?"

"See that's the thing in the beginning she could pay but then she got greedy.Bought too much dope and heroin."

My heart stopped.

Heroin.

"Then the stupid whore robbed me and disappeared no one has saw her in months."

Thinking back to what Marvin said earlier something didn't sit right.

"Oh honey I don't know how it happened I just know Hannah said that she saw her buying a couple of days ago off some guy"

If it wasn't Carlos then who?

"Look just add it to her debt I'll get it down again but I've got to go."

I go to walk past him but he grabs my arm hauling me back.

"Yeah I don't think so."

"Carlos what the fuck get off me!"I grab at his hand but he doesn't let up.

"I've got a way you can pay off a chunk now."
He rips at my jacket dragging me down the alley he came from,

"No,no,NO! Please let go I can get you the money I swear please don't do this!"I sob clawing at his arms and neck as he shoves me down to the ground coming down on top of me.

"Fucking Pierce whores you'll learn to stop fucking with my business one way or another."

I choke out on sobs hyperventilating as I try to fight him off me when he shoved a hand down my pants I freak the fuck out even more grasping around me a I feel a metal rod,grabbing it while thrashing around I swing and knock him in the back of the head just enough to knock his balance off shoving him backwards getting his hand out of my ripped pants in the process I kick off my heels and take off running.

Lungs burning I don't stop tears pissing out of my eyes as I reach the bus station I pay and hop on the first one back to the city.

No one bothers to ask about my ripped top and pants and bare feet.My hair is a wild tangled mess and I have small cuts all over my arms and neck.

I stare out the bus window still crying.

It's a two hour bus ride back to the city.I pull out my phone and ring Leo.

"Aphrodite?"

"Leo-"I sniffle looking at the cuts on my arms.

"What's wrong?"

"I need your help."