Chapter 4: Settling In
"When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves.
~Viktor E. Frankl
She had gotten lost four times before she pulled up back into that apartment. The area she was now in was in no good condition and didn't understand why people wanted to live here. The streets were damaged, old cars were lined up on the curb and some in no use, collection dusky.
The grass was dry and dead. She passed by a broken fire hydrant, but there were no worries. Kids of all ages ran through it to cool down from the scorching sun. She didn't understand why everyone was so happy living like this.
Rae studied the outside of the building and sighed deeply. This had to be an imitation of hell. Men surrounded the doorway throwing dice and money everywhere, their voices loud. Women sat in white lawn chairs as others braided their hair in pajamas. Did they not get dress in the morning before coming outside? The environment was horrible.
Rae didn't want to pass by them and risk the chance of getting jump by angry black people, but she refused to sit in the hot truck and get stared down by the woman and eye raped by the men. Hopping out the truck, she stuffed the keys in her pocket and took out her apartment keys. Rae walked back to the pick-up and grabbed the majority of her bags, unable to take them all. Her friends had told her many horrible stories about the hood.
Not that none of them been, but word gets around and it ain't pretty. Praying that none of them took the rest of her things, she hastened her steps up the filthy pathway to the entrance.
When she got to the door she said excuse me to pass by the men, but some weren't budging. One stood up from the ground and eyed her up and down. He licked his crusty lips and stepped closer to her.
"You in dis building ma?" He questioned her, pointed to the building. "Or did ya make a wrong turn in Bel-Air?"
His voice croaky and non-appealing. His clothes were clean, his pants baggy. He wore an over sized True Religion T-Shirt and a silver cross around his neck, dropping to the middle of his stomach. She stole a quick glimpse at his feet found a pair of Jordan's. She backed up a couple of steps but ran into what felt like a wall, but was a tall and hefty man. Rae jumped and peeked over her shoulders and shook her head.
"I'm visiting a friend," she lied, tremulous.
He laugh lowly. "Dats funny ma," he declared. " 'Specially wit bags of brand new shit in it. Seems ta me like she moving in Jay. What ya think?"
The man behind her known as Jay, reached inside her bag and pulled out a toilet brush. "Yeah," he agreed. "Nothing but brand new shit in dis here bag."
"Don't be scared ma," he told her, his index finger slowly caressing her arm up and down. "What's your apartment number?"
Rae stood there like she forgot how to talk. She never in a million years thought she was going to die like this. A group of black me who where going to physically assault her until she passed out. Or worst! They would have her sell her body on the the street for Cocaine or even Heroin. She would be their sex slave until forever and would never see her family and friend again.
He pouted. "Da name is Easy Dee. And it aint cuz I fuck easy," he whispered, taking slow steps towards her.
"How many times do I have to tell you guys to stop gambling on my property," a thick voice boomed from behind Easy Dee. He stepped to the side, giving Rae a clear view of who the voice belonged to.
"Aw come on Levi," Jay complained from behind her. "We already started the game!"
"I don't fucking care," Levi shouted. "You wanna gamble take that shit elsewhere and let her by."
Rae stared at him for sometime. His white beater T-shirt fitted well against his muscular frame and his brown khakis. He was compared short to the other men but he was still some inches taller than her. His caramel skin was enhanced by the bright sun. Fresh white Addidas were on his feet as he walked over to Easy Dee and pushed him to the side.
"You niggas always act like vultures when someone move in," he snapped, snatching the toliet brush and placing it back in Rae's bag.
His face triangular, chin strong. His eyes were oval and were bronze, surrounded by full eyelashes. His lips full.and kissable, but Rae knew the deal. She couldn't trust him, he was just like the others.
"We was just welcoming her ta neighborhood, " Easy Dee replied. "No harm done, right ma?"
"Sure," Levi commented, pulling Rae from them. "Scaring her shitless is welcoming. Come with me."
"Damn Levi," He said. "Always taking da fun out of shit. Yo ass just want her fa yo'self."
Levi ignored him and told Rae to stay where she was. He jogged back to her truck, getting the rest of her bags. He knew, living in this hood for many years, that they would be gone by the time she came back out and nobody would be around for her to accuse.
Running back to her, he passed by the group of men as Easy Dee smacked his lips. Levi shook his head and helped Rae inside the building and away from them.
Rae didn't trust him. She trusted none of them, but to get away from the men who wanted nothing but to jump her bones and maybe slice her up, she would follow him. As long as she was inside the building, in her apartment, she was considered safe
"Please take your filthy hands off of me," Rae murmured, once they were in the building. She backed into the rusty railing that was about to give out any day.
Levi let her go, his arms in the air, surrendering. "Hey I just saved you from getting raped and gangbanged and you have an attitude?" He asked.
A shiver ran up her spine. "A-are you s-serious, " she asked.
Rae looked behind her at Easy Dee as he licked his lips and winked at her. He was watching her every move and it was starting to creep her out even further. Her bodt shook in disgust.
"I'm joking, lighten up," he told her. "It's not that bad living in the ghetto."
Rae gave him a disgusted look. "Okay it's horrible here," he confided, stuffing his hands I'm his khakis. "Anyway I'm Levi, you?"
"Minding my own business," Rae snapped, turning around to go up the stairs.
Her arms were about to give out if she didn't put the bags down soon. She shuffled the bags in her hand to put the key in the doornob when she got to it on the second floor. Did she have to do everything by herself?
"Do you need some help," he asked, smirking as she almost dropped her bags.
"Are you following me?!" Rae questioned him.
"Look I'm just making sure you get in your apartment safely," he mentioned. "I think that's me being a gentleman."
"What's in it for you?" She sassed him.
"Trust me sweetheart," Levi begun, holding some of her bags and leaning against the wall. He looked inside her bags "You ain't got nothing I want."
Before she could turn the key in the door, all her bags dropped to the floor. Some, if not all, landed on her foot, causing her to scream in pain. He bend over to help her retrieve more of her things.
"Dont touch my things!" She shouted. "I don't know you from a hole in a wall. Your probably just another thief."
"Excuse me?"
"Look I don't need your help," she told him, collecting her things and opening the door with her foot. "I got it!"
Ignoring her, Levi carried the remainder of her bags and sat them on the kitchen bar. He looked around and saw that the only thing inside were a old mattress from the previous tenant he kicked out abs her suitcase. Other than that they're wad nothing else. An eyebrow went up in confusement.
"Are you waiting for a moving company to deliver the rest of your furniture?" Levi piped in.
"No, this is it," She told him
Not only did her father leave her by herself, but he left her with nothing. Rae still couldn't get over that fact. He could have bought her a new bedroom set. Maybe a couple of Paula Deens's cookware, since they were on sale since her incident. Rae never cooked a day in her life but she would just have to learn. She had no electronics. How was she suppose to watch Hit The Floor on Monday night's? Carla left her as well saying she had to go do some errands because she has a life to. Who's life was more important? Her's or Rae's?
"Do you need help settling in?" Levi offered.
"Does it look like I need help sir?"Her voiced laced with anthe attitude. She didn't want to be bothered at the moment and Levi was slowly working her nerves. "You can leave."
"What's up with you?" He questioned. "Why are you so angry at the world?"
"Do you know who I am!" She shouted. "Do you know who my father is?"
He stood there in her living room, puzzled. He shook his head. "I don't," he replied. "Am I suppose to? Are you Barack Obama's long lost daughter. I knew that nigga was a fraud since his first campaign."
"What? No!" Rae huffed.
"You kinda resemble Sasha Obama though," he commented, stepping closer to Rae to observe her features.
"No!" She shrieked. "I'm not part of their family tree! Im a Harris."
Levi squinted his eyes. "Yeaahhh," he dragged. "Doesn't ring a bell, sorry."
No one recongnized her. Nobody knew who her father was and what happened to them. Rae didn't know if that was a good thing our a bad one. For many reasons it was a good one. Nobody would recognize her or the humiliation of her family being put out of their Manor. It was on T.V and newspapers but she was glad nobody put two and two together. It was a bad thing because nobody knew her. Hello, she is Desiree Harris daughter of Frank and Daisy Harris. One of the top riches families in the world. The hood didn't know, but her elite group did.
Rae was scared to show her face around them anymore and dreaded running into. Before all of this drama, she had friends and was talking to this lovely and handsome man Adam Anderson. If she ran into him this position Rae would be distraught. Not that he would ever come down to this city.
Adam was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but moved to San Diego to take over his uncle's shipping business. He was everything she wanted in a man. Kind, funny, and smart. Slender, eyes the color of the ocean and was well polished. He said on several occasions that he enjoyed her company and would love to spend more time with her. Rae knew he was the one, but what did he think when he heard that all her riches was wiped from up under her? Would he still like her and want to spend time with her?
"I guess that's a good thing," she murmured.
"Why do I need to know who you are?" Levi asked. "You're not a serial killer are you?"
Rae didn't find him funny and crossed her arms over her chest. "I should be asking you the same thing," she pointed out. "Please get out of my apartment."
Levi glanced at her and couldn't believe how rude she was. If he didn't get to her side a second early she would have been a meal to the men outside. Anyone would be thanking him right now, but not her. He shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the door. She wanted him out, he'll leave without another insult being thrown to him.
"Oh yea," he turned around and pointed towards her. "Rent is due on the first of the month. I don't accept late payments doll."
"I knew you were no good like them out there!" she exclaimed. "I don't have enough money to give you! Please just leave."
"I heard Uncle Pete needed some extra help down at his market," Levi mentioned. "Get on it before another crackhead beat you to it."
Rae gasped. "Did you just call me a crackhead?" She asked.
He placed a hand over his heart and bowed. "I would never, princess," he stated. "And I'm not a thug, or a thief. I'm your landlord."
Rae's face dropped. This was how she was starting off. Getting on her landlord's bad side. This was exactly how she wanted to start living here.
"I didn't know," she breathed. "I just got here yesterday. I don't know anything about living here. I'm not use to places like this."
"That's clear," he agreed. "Just remember to lock your doors and don't go wandering the neighborhood at night."
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm Rae."
"Yeah whatever doll," he waved her off before leaving and closing her apartment door.
She thought he was to young to be a landlord. Rae pictured them be mean old men and women who knocked in everybody's door to collect rent and fixed nothing in the building. Something she got from t.v. She got mostly everything from t.v. and didn't know anything.
She had no idea how to live on her own and it was starting to fill like she couldn't change the situation. Sheo would just have to learn on her own. Rae hadn't try calling her father today, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't answer. Same with Dove. Carla left to do her errands and left her in the middle of the hood.
Nobody had her back but herself especially the people in her new surroundings. She was the fresh meat in town and everyone wanted a piece of her.
Rae couldn't understand their language. Ma, doll, and princess. She knew that they were pet names but didn't know if they were mocking her or liking her. Rae thought that she could be likable but they didn't know her. She didn't know what was worst. The cockroaches in the apartment or Easy Dee eye raping her.
A couple days later, Rae was running short on her funds. Carla slipped a newspaper under her door while she was sleeping and a almost dried out highlighter. At first, she had no clue what to do until she saw the title Classifieds and jobs listed under.
Some were way out of her lead needing years of experience and others where paying to damn low. She had no customer service or retail experience.anything Although, she went to college down in San Diego, what they wanted she didn't have. Rae couldn't survive on no five dollar's an hour. Even she knew that was below federal minimum wage. Throwing the newspaper down, she got up and went to the old stove .
"What I would give for a nice hot sandwich," she whispered to herself.
She pour the Campbell's chicken noodle soup in a bowl and grabbed a spoon from the kitchen. She walked back over to her mattress and blew on the spoon full of soup. Tasting it, she almost spit it out, but controlled herself. The soup was bland, having no seasonings. Rae envision Carla homemade chicken noodle soup and her mouth drooled. It helped her to eat the horrible processed food instead of going to bed hungry
Back at the manor, they had all types of appliances and even though she never used the microwave or the food processor, she wish she had it right now. It took forever to heat up soup and she was starving too death. It would rub right through her, causing Getty to name another can and soon she would be back at the market.
Deeply thinking, she knew what job she would have to get. Working at Uncle Pete's Market wasn't on her list, but she forgot when Levi told her that he needed extra help. It was the only way to be close to her apartment if things went south and make money. She made a mental note to apologize to Levi and thank him for helping her.
A knock on her door startled her, almost causing the soup to spill on her. Rae sat it down on the floor next to her and got up. Running to the kitchen, she grabbed her only butter knife and held it behind her. She had to be prepared at all cost no matter what. The person on the other side of the door continued to knock as she reached to unlock the locks on the door. When she opened the door, she was caught of guard to see who it was
Rae looked down at the little boy carrying a box. She took a deep breath of relief and smiled, throwing the knife on the kitchen bar. He was dark as chocolate and slim. What stood out the most was his deep dimples and high cheekbones. His skin was free of acne and blemishes. He wore a red Nike T-shirt with some light blue denim jeans and a pair of blue chucks. He was adorable to her as he continued to smile and look her up and down.
"Ooweee!" The boy exclaimed. "You 'sho is fine. Coke bottle shape, nice thick thighs and pretty brown eyes."
Her smile vanished quickly as she squinted her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"
"The names Bennet and everybody calls me Lil B for short," he explained. "I live downstairs from you in apartment 4B and everybody in the building participates in my school fundraisers. Wouldn't be going with tradition if you didn't either."
Rae watched as he grinned and opened the box filled with chocolate bars. "See I'm on the Soccer team and-"
"Soccer team?" Rae interrupted him, surprised.
"Yes, Soccer team," Lil B stated matter of factly. "Is it cuzz I'm black? Brotha gotta be on the basketball or football team to support? Well this nigga likes Soccer."
Rae waved her hand. "No I was just surprised," she commented.
"Cuzz a nigga loves Soccer," Lil B confirmed. "It's koo, I get that all the time."
"How old are you?" Rae asked, curious in his age.
"Fifteen," he told her. "I'll be sixteen December eighth, but age ain't nothing but a number so what's up ma?"
He wiggled his eyebrows and reached for her arm. He tried balancing the box filed with candy bars in one hand. Rae moved back and dugged in the back pocket of her white shorts and pulled out a five dollar bill. She ignored his advances and looked inside the box.
"How much?" She asked.
"For you ma, only a dollar," he offered. " I can scam these other niggas for two."
She grabbed different kinds of candy bars from the box and thanked him. "So you must be new to this hood," he said leaning against her threshold. "Never seen you before."
Rae gave him a small smile. She knew he was harmless, just a young boy with a smart mouth. "Yea I'm Rae," she said.
"Nice to meet you Rae," Lil B nodded. " And welcome to the hood. I can tell you from the rich side and somehow landed yourself here. The nice clothes and one Louis Vuitton suitcase gave it away."
"Something like that," Rae shrugged.
"Well look," he begun. "If anybody give you any problems, come get me. I'm your new body guard and I got your back!"
Rae laughed and ran a hand through her hair. "Thanks I'll be sure to remember that the next time I'm in trouble," she replied.
"No problem baby cakes," he winked again at her. "See you around!"
She watched as he ran downstairs to go sell some more candy bars.
Closing the door, Rae was starting to realize things weren't going to change. Her father was denying her calls and so was her best friend Dove. She had to fight the struggle by herself and love in a place where she didn't want to live in. Rae had no clue how long she would be in the predicament that she was in but knew nothing would change for a while.
She would show her father that she didn't need him and that she would not only suceed but also do it in her own. Of course she was scared, but her father turned his back on her and get mother got the good end of the stock. She didn't need neither one of them.
She would make the best of this.