Chapter 7: Assistance
None of us got to where we are alone. Whether the assistance we received was obvious or subtle, acknowledging someone's help is a big part of understanding the importance of saying thank you."
~Harvey Mackay
"No, no, no!" Rae mumbled.
Turning the key one again in the ignition, the engine rattled and kicked as smoked began to come from the hood. The piece of shit didn't want to start up. She had things to do. Quickly hopping out, Rae slammed the door and kick the tire twice while scream obscenities. She walked over to the front and slammed her hand on the hood of the car in frustration, which was a mistake. Pain shot through her hand and her wrist as she brought it to her chest.
"Shit!" She cursed.
The truck was truly a piece of shit. Rae was surprised it lasted this long with her. With her good hand, she popped the hood open and coughed as clouds of smoked escaped. This was just another huge bump in the road. Now, she needed a car to get her places. Rae had been working for Uncle Pete for two weeks now and she was getting paid tomorrow. Some of the money that her father gave her she still had but she was smart enough to know that the money wouldn't be enough for a down payment on a new car.
Carla had told her that the truck would give her problems now and them, but she didn't expect this.
"Seem's like you having problem's," a voice said close by.
Rae looked up as Levi strolled in front of her and smiled. He put his keys in his pocket and shuffled his gym bag on his shoulder. She took in his appearance. He was dressed in dark jeans that fitted him well with a white muscle shirt that showed of his strong shoulders. She could smell his cologne from where she stood at and he had no complaints. He looked extremely nice.
Last time they talked, Levi gave her the impression that they would never talk or be civil outside of problems that had to do with her apartment. She blamed herself, but she was still hurt by his words. It stunned her that he was here talking to her now.
"Yeah, something like that," she mumbled.
"Where were you going?" He asked.
"Down to the Compton Swap Meet," she answered, rubbing her arm up and down. "I need to find a dinning room table and Carla said they have some."
He watched her nervousness and couldn't help but wonder why. "Well I can take you down there now," he offered, pointing behind him towards his car. "I was going to the gym but that can wait."
"Wait, what?" Rae questioned. "You want to help me?"
Levi stuffed his hand in his jeans and glanced at her. "I was harsh to you yesterday," he begun. "Didn't matter how you talked to me or what you said. I shouldn't have respond to you like that."
"I'm not accepting your apology," Rae said crossing her hands over her chest.
"What!" He shouted angrily. The woman was unbelievable. "Are you serious? I'm admitting that I was a little harsh on you and I'm genuinely apologizing, but you won't accept it!"
Rae stood against the rusty truck and smirked. "I'm not accepting yours," she begun slowly," until you accept mines."
Levi sighed and lowered his head to the ground. "I appreciate your third apology," he replied.
"I really am sorry," she commented. "All of this is new to me and I was lashing out, but that was no way to handle it. I barely know you and it was wrong. Truce?"
When she extended her hand for him to shake, Levi observed it before taking it in his. A strange sensation as their hands touch causing Rae to pull it back immediately. Levi ignored the obvious attraction as if nothing happened but a friendly handshake, but Rae felt it. It was something that she felt when her and Adam touched. For the life of her, she didn't understand her attraction to Levi. He was a handsome man, no doubt about it, but he wasn't her type.
"Maybe we can hang out sometime?" She questioned, smiling bright.
"Don't press your luck kid," he laughed, patting her shoulder. "I'll come with you to the Swap Meet. Those people down there will try to scam you and take everything you got."
"Isn't that against the law?" Rae asked him, seriously.
Levi chuckled at her. "Not in the hood," he smiled at her.
They walked side by side to his car in silence. Levi unlocked his all back Chevrolet Camaro and opened the passenger seat for Rae. He cursed Carla for giving him the proper tools and advice in becoming a gentleman. Before he meet her, he was just like every other knuckle head on the streets hustling and being disrespectful to women. All that changed when he meet her and he started to treat himself as well as others good. He was always going to treat a lady like how he was taught and not how he thought they deserved.
It didn't take long for them to get to their destination. The silence between them was killing both Rae and Levi but neither knew what to talk about. Levi parked into the Compton Swap Meet and got out. He waited for Rae to get out the car and they walked inside.
The Compton Swat Meet was nothing like she pictured it. Although the title itself gave her some reservations about the place, she knew it wasn't going to be like no ordinary mall that she was use to. It was Friday in the afternoon and it was crowded. People shopping and going from vendor to vendor getting what they wanted or needed.
As they were walking through the crowds of people that surrounded them, Rae saw some things that interested her but Levi continued to pull her back to him. She knew that he was helping her, but looking wouldn't hurt.
"I need it!" Rae shouted at him, holding up the navy blue and white Michael Kors purse. It reminded her of her bags back at the Manor. Oh, how she wished that she could just dive in a room fill with designer bags.
Levi tried to grabbed the bag from her small hands but she dodged him. "Give me the bag Rae," he demanded. "It's not even real."
"It is to real!" She yelled. "And it's on sale for only forty dollars! Levi let me get the damn bag!"
"Where's the 'K' then if its real?" He questioned her.
Finally, he snatched the bag from her hands and pointed to the material design. Rae squinted her eyes as she looked closely at the designer handbag and blushed when she caught on. She tried to reach for it again, but Levi placed the bag back on the rack
"It's ok," she told him.
In the back of her mind, it wasn't ok. If she was caught by anyone who knew her with a fake Michael Kors bag, her reputation was toast. However, her familys name was plastered on the local news and was being mocked. How low of a repuation can she get from just that alone. A fake bag every know wand then wasn't going to hurt.
"Rae the bag doesn't even have a designer's trademark square buckle on the inside," he explained. "You didn't come get a bag, but for a dinning room table. Lets go."
He ignored her pout. "But it's still pretty," Rae claimed.
"Boy do you have so much to learn," he said, shaking his head and pulling her along to get what they came for.
It was nice to have someone by her side. Levi would never know how much this meant to her. At times through the process she felt alone and him extending the olive branch to help her today made Rae feel like she had someone for the time being. Soon, they came to an area that sold just what she was looking for.
The vendor sold nice dinning room tables and Rae couldn't chose which one she wanted to buy. Of course the type of designs didn't compare to the ones that she was exposed to back home, but she knew these would have to suffice. Levi gave her his honest opinion about some that would probably match with her apartment since he knew the layout of her apartment. Rae finally came down to a decision to a nice five-piece glass top metal dining set.
Rae gave the seller her apartment address along with Levi's phone number since she was still in need of one. He explained to her that her items will be deliver to her place in less than a week and in the afternoon and make sure that there was someone at her apartment to accept their delivery so they could get their signature. Since she now worked during the day, Levi volunteered to be there.
Something small, but made Rae fell happy.
Less than thirty minutes, they pulled up back into the building. Rae was tired from walking around the Swap Meet and was hungry. As she thought about what she would eat for dinner, her stomach growled.
"Thanks again for taking me," Rae said, unbuckling her seat belt.
'No problem," he mumbled.
Rae waited for him to get out the car and jog over to her side to opened the door. He extended his hand for her to take and helped her out. "Here you go your majesty," he bowed, then closed the door behind her. "I know you use to that kind of treatment."
Rae dugged in her crossbody bag for the keys to her place as she strided up the small steps adn into the building. "Was," she stated, speaking about the past.
Levi realized what he said and mentally kicked himself in the head. "My bad," he said.
"It's ok," she told him. "It's just something that I'm going to have to get use to."
Levi stared down her. "No," he countered. "You don't have to get use to me talking about where you came from and joke about what you know."
She stopped the bottom of stairs and held on the railing. "That's not what I meant," Rae replied. "I need to start getting use to people not doing everything for me."
They both was unaware as a thick woman strolled up to them. Her hair was style in a ponytail that reached down to her butt. Her mocha skin was over enhanced by the thick layer of makeup. She wore extremely short shorts that seemed to be designed in a torn fashion and a hot pink white beater. Her Converse shoes were also hot pink along with the accessories she decided to wear.
"Hey Levi," the woman said, staring at Rae. "Who's this?"
He broke his glance from Rae to the woman. Just his luck to run into her now. He had been dodging the woman every chance here got, but it was hard when he was the owner of the building and she was one of the tenants.
Sighing, Levi pointed to Rae. "Desiree this is LaKendria, LaKendria this is Desiree."
Rae smiled and offered her hand. "Nice to meet you," she said.
She looked at Rae's hand and rolled her eyes, "So are you coming over Levi?" She asked huskily, directing her attention back to him. "I'm unable to close my window again. It must be stuck. Can you fix it?"
"Maybe," he whispered, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment. "If I got time."
"Turn that maybe into a yes and I'll put on that teddy you love so much," LaKendria flirted, stepping closer to Levi.
She placed her hand on his broad chest and eased her way down to the top of his jeans. Levi knew it was wrong to mix business and pleasure, but the type of pleasure that he received from LaKendria's mouth on point.
Rae's eyes went wide as she scratched the tip of her nose and looked away from the two. She was uncomfortable to say the least and started to excuse herself until Levi caught her wrist.
"I'll see what I can do about that later," he told her again.
LaKendria smiled, showing off her front gold teeth. She ignored how Levi reached out to Rae, and knew she had nothing to worry about with the snobby girl. Being girlfriends with some of the women in the building, she heard about her. From the look of her, Rae wasn't his type at all.
"Alright," she grin and walked down the hall. "I'll be home all day."
The two watched as LaKendria opened the door to her apartment. She winked at him and blew him a kiss before going inside.
"Sorry about that," Levi apologized, following behind Rae to her apartment door. "She's always having problems with her place."
I bet. Rae thought. She put her key in the door and turned to him. "Thanks a-"
"Stop thanking me Rae," he pleaded, winking at her. "Let me make you dinner to apologize for the comment earlier."
Rae pushed her door open. "You don't have to," she said. "Plus, I thought you had to go to the gym."
"That can wait," he smiled.
She laughed at his goofy smile and let him inside. "The only thing I have in my cabinets are Top Roman and Chef Boyardee Ravioli. So if you can cook with that, be my guest"
"Aw come on," he breathed. "I can do a lot with those two. You just sit back and watch the magic work.
Rae giggled, slamming the door behind him. Soon, Levi was cooking in her kitchen in no time. Rae sat back and watch him grab a pot and filled it up with water. He waited for the water to boil before puting the noddles in to get soft and put the package of seasoning in the pot as well. Of course she didn't have any problems with him cooking for her. Even if it was something simple as noodles.
Levi grabbed the seasoning salt and pepper cabinet and sprinkled some in the bowl. Opening her refrigerator, he took the butter and a cut a teaspoon inside as well along with some hot sauce. Carrying the bowls, he sat his down on the floor and stirred hers. Levi offered her the bowl and she excitedly took it.
Levi watched her reaction as she savored the new taste. She. closed her eyes and moaned. They way he cooked the Top Roman was so different and tasteful then when she did.
"This is so good," Rae complimented his cooking skills.
"It's its called, 'The Struggle is Real' meal," he smirked, making her laugh.
"Understandable," she nodded, using her fork to twirl the noodles on it. The meal was way better than how she cooked it before.
"This meal saved me from countless days of starving to death," he told her, bring the fork full of noddles to his lips to blow on them.
"You didn't have your parents cook for you when you were younger?" She asked him, becoming curious about his life. She ate more noddles and waited for his reply.
"Not really. They were never home," he mumbled, getting up to go back to the kitchen. "Want something to drink?"
Rae sat her bowl down on the floor and rubbed her hands on her denim short. "No thank you," she replied. "So if they weren't home with you, where were they and who was home with you?"
He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a water bottle. Taking the cap off the bottle, he took a swig and leaned against the counter. There were several ways he could answer her question, but he didn't want her to get to deep in his personal life. His child hood was nothing like hers and the last thing he wanted her to do was feel sorry for him. His past made him into the man he was today and the problems that he watched people close to him go through made him to become something so he would never had to go through what they went through.
His parents had taught him in reverse. If he would have followed in their foot steps he would be exactly were they were to this day. Some would think that the way he grew up was sad and his parents were unfit, but he believed that his parents just taught him what not to do.
"Your guess is good as mine," he answered, coming back into the room and flopping down next to her . "I was home alone."
Rae knew his short answer was a way to tell her that he didn't really want to go into details . "My parents were always gone too," she said. "I mean I wasn't alone, there was always maids and butlers there with me, but I always wonder what it would be like to spend some time with my parents. Just the three of use or one on one with either one of them. They would always shower me with gifts and bring me something home from where ever they went and I would accept it."
Levi listened to Rae talk more about her parents. He realized that although they have different childhoods growing up, they weren't that different to a certain degree. They were both lacking the love and support form their parent and how he thought he turned out quite find, Rae was actually trying to find herself. In his eyes, it was unfortunate. If he ever had kids he would give them so much love that not a penny on the streets or a millionaire could buy. He thought love was priceless and from where he sat he felt her pain.
"I know you're transitioning from having everything at you feet to actually getting up on those same feet and getting what you want and need," he begun, "but there are people who will help you Rae. They just won't do it all for you. You just gotta know who's who and have your best interest at heart. "
She sat back on her couch and thought deeply about what he said. He was right. Carla helped her get accustom to her new life and so was Levi. He helped her today when nobody else would. He volunteered to help her put up her table when it arrived and Rae was more than grateful. She hadn't heard word about her father, but she was starting to get use to it not speaking to him. Carla warned her that he would be coming in a couple of days but once again she didn't believe him.
Rae thought she was better off by herself with a little help from Carla and maybe even Levi from time to time.
This has to be a joke. Adam thought as he pulled up to a run down apartment. He rolled down his window and stared up at the hideous place. This couldn't have been where Rae was living. He looked down at the post it note when the address written in horrible handwriting. It had to be the wrong place. He knew he was in South Central but the living conditions was horrendous. He put his car in park and shut the engine off. Sighing deeply he closed his eyes.
"Rawwrr!" A deep voice screamed loudly in his ear.
Adam jumped, scowling at the little boy next to him who doubled over and continued to laugh at his expense."Hey, you looked lost," he finally said.
"Please do not do that," Adam said, his hands gripping the steering wheel tight. He grabbed his Blackberry and tucked in the inside of his suit jacket pocket.
"My bad," he continued to laugh. "You here to audit somebody?"
"Excuse me?" Adam asked, confused.
Lil B placed his hands on the window and leaned inside. "You with the IRS?" He pried. "Fancy car, and by the look of you outfit it probably cost more than the whole damn building."
Adam chucked at the little boy ignorance. "Is it because I'm white?" He questioned him.
Lil B gasped and clutched his chest. "Your white?!" He exclaimed. "I would have never known. Na, the only time this block see's a white dude is if he's with five-o, CPS or the IRS, so which one are you."
Adam stared at him." I'm here to visit a friend."
"Oh you got black friends?" Lil B said, standing tall and opening up the door. "Congratulations, your life his complete. Who you here to see sir?"
"Rae Harris," he replied, fixing his tie before getting out his car looking back at the apartment that he dreadfully didn't want to go inside.
Lil B paused and eyed Adam up and down. "You don't look like a person that she would talk to," he whispered more to himself, but Adam heard every world. He dust the imaginary lent on his jacket. "But then again you do. Another sista lost to the white man."
He shook his head in disappointment. Adam took his keys to the car and gave them to Lil B. Puzzled, he watched as Adam strolled over to the other side of the car and walk towards the building.
"Please make sure you valet my car," he told Lil B. "Good service, big tip."
Smirking, Lil B threw the keys in the air before jumping inside the sports car. Idiot. He thought to himself. "She's in apartment 4A," he shouted.
Lil B glared at Adam from from inside the car as he waved him thank you. Something was off about that guy. He didn't trust Adam and would most definitely tell Rae when he had the chance, but that would have to wait until after he tested drive the sucker's car.
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A/N: I appreciate everybody who are reading, commenting and voting for this story! Thank you!
If you are competing in the RTR Writing Contest, message me on here or kik me @ yoncewashere for more details if you have not. The deadline is next Tuesday at 8pm PDT, but I might give an extention. Good Luck!;)