Just Trying To Make It By

Prologue

The rain poured down heavily, it was as if the clouds were crying out.
"Stupid mom," I muttered, dragging my heavy suitcase through the filthy bustling streets of New York, the sounds of the impatient drivers horns blared in my ears. It was getting seriously dark out now and I have no where to stay. "Stupid dad, stupid Kyle, stupid, stupid, stupid." I kicked then soda cans that lay on the side of the road. I don't even know what to do right now, I'm not going back, no way, no how. I can't get rid of this baby, that would simply be evil, yes it would put my life back together but I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I killed such an innocent child.
"Excuse me," I asked, walking up to a nice looking lady. " Do you know where-" She just pushed straight passed me, rolling her eyes in the process.
"Well thanks for helping a sister out!" I called after her as she walked into the hotel that I just passed. What the heck am I supposed to do now? I looked around at the street that was slowly deserting before my eyes. Looking forward once more, I saw an alleyway that was not too far away, it had some old closed down shops on either side. I found myself running hastily towards it. Sighing, I sat down on top of my soaking wet suitcase, this is not how I envisioned my life at 18. I'm supposed to be going to UCLA in one month, but look where I am, in a dark alleyway with a phone on 50%, not that, that even matters since I have absolutely nobody to call, so much for support.
"OI! YOU!" Someone screeched, I swear that I almost jumped out of my skin. I came out of the shelter that I was actually, despite my really wet clothes which were literally sticking to my skin and the faint smell of cigarette smoke, comfortable in.
"Yeah?" I screamed back. My eyes set on a menacing woman with more piercings that I could count, it was like she was growling at me. She blow out a ring of cigarette smoke before speaking.
"Do you wanna come in? Or are you going to sit outside all night?" Her voice muffled slightly because of the rain. I screamed back yet another yeah before she disappeared back into the house. A couple of seconds later the swung open and I gulped. This lady, if you could call her that because the way she chugged back the liquid in the brown bottle disproved that thought, was a living breathing giant. I mean, I'm quite tall myself at 5"7 but she, she was at least 6"5.
"You really shouldn't be out here at this time of the night." She smirked before she stretched out her hand and ran it down my arm. What was I thinking, a random person offers you some where to go and you say yes.
"Actually, I was just leaving." Bending down, I aimed to grab my suitcase but she beat me to it.
"Come in." She tried to grab my arm. But I moved back.
My instincts were now screaming at me, I needed to run. Abandoning my suitcase I ran out of the alleyway as fast as my legs would carry me and I was back onto the main street. I heard the heavy footsteps that were following me grind to a halt. I turned to see that she was now walking back.
I walked to the entrance of a park and sat on the bench. It was now 12:02 am and all that I could see were the street lights and the headlights of the cars that passed every couple of minutes.
I got up to cross the road, maybe if I walked to a hotel and sat in the lobby they could at least let me stay there for a little while until I can figure out a plan.
I walked towards the crossing. This has officially been the worst day of my-
The horn of a massive car blared and then the tyre's screeched as the car smashed into the side of the road, almost hitting me. I fell to the floor, not because I was hurt or anything but because I was in shock. The driver got out. He had dark brown hair, at least I think it was dark brown, I couldn't exactly see anything clearly because of the dark. He immediately rushed over to me. His tanned skin and freckles made him look adorably cute. He must be the same age as me, and if he hadn't almost killed me I would probably have a crush on him.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his light brown eyes radiating worry. I nodded, still slightly disoriented. "Can I please take you home, no offence or anything but it doesn't look like you know where you are, just tell me your address and I can drop you off." I looked up, I don't even have anywhere to go. By this time, the rain was coming to an end and now it was just spitting.
"That's nice of you and all but I don't have anywhere to go." I smiled, getting up and dusting myself off. I clutched my stomach and the boy automatically put his hand on my shoulder.
"What's wrong?" He ran a hand threw his hair multiple times.
"I think I will live, it's just the baby." I told him, pausing for a while before I basically told him that I was pregnant. His reaction was the same as everyone else who finds out. They're faces contort and just show their surprise and their suppressed disgust at how someone so young could be so stupid. I had kind of got used to peoples reactions.
"Oh-um-" I started to walk off, not wanting to continue the awkward situation any longer.
"Wait," he called. "I can't just let you walk away knowing that you don't have anywhere to go. Look, I live with my boss. Maybe you could come back with me and I could try to convince him to let you stay with us at least for the night until you can sort something out." He smiled. I just nodded, I didn't have the energy to interrogate the guy, I mean, even if he was a kidnapper he was taking me somewhere, and wherever that place is, it has to be warmer than the streets. He opened the door for me and I sat down. The warmth of the car hit me almost immediately.
After he inspected the damage to his car, which luckily wasn't too bad, we drove off.

***

"And you couldn't have consulted me!" The person, who I assumed was the boss, shouted at Jake, who was the guy who had helped me. I was allowed to sleep here for one night, but I'm guessing that Jake was in trouble. "You keep testing my patience Jacob. Let this be your final warning. Get out." The boss screamed. The door swung open and Jake appeared, he didn't look at me, instead, he muttered something along the lines of 'go through to the room.' Sighing I stood up. I had gotten an innocent good Samaritan in trouble. I stood up and slid open the large white door. A guy sat at the desk, massaging his temples. He had deep caramel skin and was in a crisp suit. He looked up at me and I recognized him immediately. Cameron Stone, I remember having to do a project about him for a business studies project in 10th grade, according to Wikipedia he is the youngest and most successful business man, and at only 22 he owns shares in almost every company you could imagine, but his main franchise, casino's.
"Sit." He groaned. I did as I was told, from what I've read, he was probably one of the most ruthless people in the business world, and who was I to mess with his authority. His deep brown eyes bore into me.
"What's your name?" I gulped, trying to find words, but they seemed like they were playing a game of hide and go seek in my mind, and right now, I couldn't find them.
"Are you deaf?" His tone of voice changed, and his jaw hardened. No wander why he owns so many places, I would be way to scared to turn him down.
"N-n-no, my names Adrienne, Adrienne Winters." I spoke, though, it sounded more like a squeak. How can someone who is only 4 years older than me make me feel so nervous.
"Well, Miss Winters. I don't know why Jacob thought that it was appropriate to turn my business house into a hostel for the homeless because honestly-" He was cut off by the ringing of a high tech phone. I heard him say something very impolite under his breath before picking up the phone very aggressively.
"Cameron Stone." He said, I just fiddled with my fingers as the person on the other line spoke. I was actually really nervous, he was so rude, I never expected him to be so disrespectful, yes, technically I was homeless but there was no need to insult me that way. I could already feel my blood boiling. The more I thought about what he said the more angry I became.
"I refuse to sign anything until I see a representative." He said. I looked at him, but I think that he was too busy reading papers to notice. "No, no, no, no, no, you can't do that. I still own most of the shares!" He was now frantically rummaging through paperwork and saying 'hold on' repeatedly, which i'm guessing was directed to the person on the phone. He then resorted to putting the person on loud speaker.
"Mr. Stone, we will give you 3 months, and if you fail to provide evidence then your casino will be shut down." The man stated, then the line went dead.
He sat there for a while before violently swiping the everything onto the floor, revealing a sleek black glass table. He then began cursing, I was seriously beginning to question the sanity of this man. I cleared my throat, assuming he forgot that I was there.
"Look, with all due respect I'm not a charity so I can't let you stay here-" He cut himself off, and stood up, wow he was tall. "Unless, you are willing to do something for me in return."
I looked at him skeptically, I have limits, I am not doing some millionaires dirty work just to have a place to sleep.
"Your pregnant right?" He checked, I nodded my head slowly and he smiled.
"Look, I don't know what your planning bu-" I started
"Okay, so I will give you a place to stay, food to eat, clothes et cetera, if, and only if, you agree to front a little project of mine."
"Go on..." I urged.
"If your smart, which I doubt that you are-"
"For your information I got accepted into UCLA!" I defended.
"Yet you somehow weren't smart enough to keep your legs closed or at the very least use protection." He smirked. I stood up.
"How dare you! You egotistical, conceited, selfish, self-serving, arrogant pig!" That comment actually disgusted me, just because I was pregnant everyone thought less of me.
"Well you are staying in the house of the egotistical, conceited, selfish, self-serving, arrogant pig so you might want to treat him with a bit more respect." He said, stepping closer to me. "Look, all you have to do is tell the press that you were a poor homeless pregnant girl who was living on the street and that the money from my casino helped you to find a home. Hmm, maybe we could even say that you were orphaned in childhood, get the sympathy vote." I looked at him, completely and utterly frozen.
"I'm not a charity case, you will completely humiliate me!" I complained, there is no way that I'm going to do that. He pressed his hands to the glass table leaning forward
"Frankly, I don't see what else you have to loose."
"The casino is one of my main sources of income, I need that casino!" He looked at me with pleading eyes this time. "What do you say?" I took in a deep breath.
"I will do it, on the grounds that I get all those things and you pay me $3,000 each month I do this." I folded my arms, trying to make myself appear more business like. He pondered a while before sticking out his hand.
"Miss Winters, we have a deal." I shook his hand, at least I will be able to get myself an almost decent flat or something at the end of this so I can finally put my life back together.