Fly Girl | [Novel] (Wattpad Version)

3| Everyday Struggles

Hearing the door creak open, I looked around the kitchen corner and smiled when I saw that it was just my little brother. Though I hated for him to walk home alone after school, fear of him getting hit by a stray bullet, I knew he understood when to move and how fast to move to get himself home safely. Only seven, he's had to grow up just as quickly as I did. "Leann, I'm home."

"I see you. How was school?"

He walked in and set his backpack on the table, taking a seat at the kitchen table before he grabbed it and began pulling his work out. "It was okay. I got chosen to be Mr. Second Grade."

"Yo, that's awesome!"

"But I turned it down." The look on his face when he said that instantly broke my heart. "I felt that I should turn it down."

"What, why?"

He looked at me knowingly. He was smart, a little too smart for his age if anyone asked me. "Because, we don't have the money for all the stuff that I need. I can't ask Daddy, and I don't want you to-"

"You don't need to worry about me, KC. If you want to do it, I'll find a way to make sure you have your things. Do you want me to call your teacher and tell her you'll do it?"

He shook his head, adamant with his choice. "No, I turned it down and that's it. It was just nice that people like me enough to choose me."

I sighed, shaking my head as I turned and opened the fridge, trying to find something to cook for him. And there was absolutely nothing.

Digging into my pockets, I pulled out some money. Not enough for both of us, and definitely not enough to buy groceries, but it was enough to feed him for the day, to hold him over until I get paid tomorrow night. "Say, you've been really good lately, and you've been bringing home good grades." He nodded. "What do you say I treat you to one of your favorite places?"

He smiled, again shaking his head. "That's okay, Leann. I know we don't have a lot. You don't have to waste it."

"It won't be a waste, KC."

"But what will you eat if you're only feeding me?" He pulled one of his pencils out of his bag. "I know you don't eat a lot."

"I eat at work, and school. That's enough for me." I'd become so used to one meal a day, two if I worked on weekdays, that it was nothing for me to skip a day or two. "Go and put your bag in our room and change out of your uniform so that we can get out of this apartment for a little while."

"Fine, but I vote that we go and eat at your job. I like the food y'all have. And I'm not ordering a lot."

"You will, and you'll eat it all too. Now go get ready."

"Okay."

He sighed, walking slowly after he finally got up and headed towards the room we shared. I ripped a piece of paper off of the notepad I kept stuck on the fridge and grabbed the pencil he'd left on the table. I quickly wrote out a plan for how to make my next paycheck stretch after I pay the rent and light bill.

The next afternoon, after leaving my brother with one of our older neighbors, I got myself together and went to work. To my surprise, they had a full shift for once, but that didn't mean I was about to go home. I'm certain there's someone that will gladly let me have their hours. "Leann, why are you here on your day off? KC with you again?"

I looked at my manager, the only person I really talked to here, and shook my head. "No, he's staying with Ms. Priscilla for the night. I need money, it's as simple as that."