The Urban Princesses: Tiana

Chapter 9

I woke up to the smell of sewage.

My nose curled up as the acrid smell invaded my senses and I couldn't help but groan.

"Its the swamp, get used to it."

I jumped with alarm at the unexpected voice, only to remember it was just Nate.

I groaned again.

"Where are we?" I ask, looking around at the thick green shrubbery surrounding me.

"Swamp," Nate replied, sitting up. "I told you."

"Why?"

"I don't know," He huffed with exasperation. "This was the closest place I could find to bring you after you passed out on me. No, really, its ok, I didn't have to carry your lifeless body half a mile, you can go back to the side of the road if you want." He snapped.

"Maybe you should've left me then!" I couldn't help but raise my voice. "Anything would be better than staying with you!"

He rubbed his forehead. "Oh my God."

I wanted to cry.

But now was not the time.

I took a deep breath and stood up, taking in my static green surroundings. "So where do we go now?"

Nate shrugs. "I don't know, I didn't really have a plan."

"There's a shocker." I murmur incoherently, thankful he doesn't hear me. I wasn't in the mood for another fight. "So should we, like, start heading back-"

"No," He says quickly. "Well, I mean, yeah, but I really need that money..."

"Well, how much do you need? I have a couple thousand in savings that are supposed to be for college..." I hated offering my earnings, but I would give it all just to be over with this.

"Ten million." He grumbles with his eyes dropped to the ground.

I could feel my eyes popping out of my head. "Ten million?! God, Nate, just take the punishment-"

"I can't," He groans, burying his head into his hands. I couldn't tell if he was fighting off tears, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was. "My family is broke, Tiana, they don't need this kind of attention and it will completely ruin us."

I knelt down beside him. "Are you kidding? I don't watch reality TV, but I know enough about it that if anything, this will rake in the cash for your family. Do you know how much press this is going to get?"

"Yes!" He snapped his head up, his golden irises surrounded by red streaked whites. "Yes, I understand! I understand that we will bring in loads of money, and then my family will have to hire lawyers and pay bail and maybe even bribe the guy I beat up! I understand that if I don't make them go broke again, they will disown me after the whole debacle is over and I'll be broke! Ok?! You don't understand that if this gets out I'm ruined. Yeah, maybe I'll get attention and maybe somehow I slip out of this one, but my entire reputation goes down the drain because some thick skulled idiot provoked me! God," He buried his head in his hands again. "This is all my fault. I'm so stupid. I should've never brought you into this. This is all my fault."

I was surprised I didn't snap at him again, I was even more surprised that somewhere deep in my heart I felt a little pity seeping out, and with it came the first signs of compassion in days. "I'm sorry," I say quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to help you, ok? We are going to get that money and you're going to be ok. I promise."

"How?" He asks, looking up at me.

I smiled. "I don't know."

He breathed out a chuckle, looking up at the thick branches twining above us. "Then I guess we better get started."