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"Man, I'll have the money today! Just give me till' tonight." Von pleaded.
"I already gave y'all two free nights. Y'all gotta go." The manager shook his head, walking passed Von.
"Wait, please don't wake her up." Von slowly backed away as the manager froze at Von grabbing his shoulder.
The last thing Von wanted was the hotel manager barging into the room throwing their stuff out as his girlfriend was sleeping. Something either of them barely got to do nowadays.
"Give me 2 hours Ben. I'll have the money for the two nights and two more. I can't take us back out on the street man please." Von fought hard to keep eye contact with the frail guy without breaking down.
His lip quivered at the thought of him and Saavia having to go back to living on the street. It's been 7 months since they were evicted and they spent the first month couch hopping, and the next 6 living under the bridge.
Saavia never complained and always found the bright side to any situation, but he knew as a man, he was failing. He could protect her, and he absolutely loved her with every fiber in his being. But he was failing to provide for her. This last month he was able to scrape up change to pay for a hotel, but this last week he fell short. Again.
"You got an hour Dayvon. $200 and you both can stay for the rest of the week." Ben stretched his index finger between Von's eyes before storming back off behind the desk into his office.
Von left out a breath he did not know he was holding, before dropping his head into his hands.
Von had a total of $13.00 in his possession that he planned on buying bread and sandwich meat with today to store in the fridge.
He felt his dreads fall into his face before he finally let the tears fall.
Von did not have the best upbringing, but he never thought his life would come to this. No friends, no family and nothing to his name.
As a young boy Von always envisioned he would live in a suburb of California by now. With a nice house, a couple cars, a beautiful family and a blue eyed pit bull.
Von chuckled at the thought. He was always obsessed with pit bulls, even as a kid. Now, having a dog was the furthest thing from his mind. He was barely able to provide for himself and his girlfriend, let alone children and a dog.
Saavia.
He refused to let Saavia down anymore. She is his motivation. Without her, he would have gave up a long time ago. He needed to come up with $200.00 in one hour. He did not know how, but it had to get done.
He lifted the rim of his shirt, wiping the last few tears from his eyes before pressed the "Up" button on the dingy elevator.
Ding!
Von stepped onto the elevator, joining the older black woman.
"Dayvon! How are ya' baby?" She smiled, hitting his floor number as well as hers.
"I'm doing good Ms. Frazier. What you doing with all them bags?" He said noticing all the grocery bags on the elevator floor at her feet and the two in her hands.
"I was craving some fried tomatoes and got to the store and went crazy." She laughed rocking back and forth on her heels. Von chuckled shaking his head at her antics.
"I'm making smothered chicken with rice, greens, cornbread and cherry pie. You and your pretty girlfriend stop by and get a plate."
"Ms. Frazier you always feeding us. What can we do for you?" Von said grabbing all her bags that sat on the elevator floor. She waved him off.
"Oh hush boy! You always fixing something in my suite and scaring them little hellions off. And that girlfriend of yours keeps my hair did." She poked her lips out, running her fingers through her bright gray curls.
Her and Von let out another laugh as the door opened on Ms. Frazier's floor.
"This raggedy ass hotel. You would think they would fix the leak in the ceiling? Or clean the vomit out the carpet." Ms. Frazier shook her head keying into her room.
Von furrowed his eyebrows at the bucket sitting under the leaking ceiling as well as the brown stain still sitting in the carpet.
"I don't know why they won't just hire you Dayvon. You know how to fix everything." Von followed Ms. Frazier into her room, setting down the bags.
"They said they not hiring." He shrugged, pulling the flour and other spices out of the bags.
"Ben's ass is always lying. They need help!"
"You stop that. You've done plenty. Gone head and do what you were about to do nah'!" Von chuckled as Ms. Frazier popped his hand before pushing him out of her room.
"Here, I don't wanna hear your mouth about it either. I owe Saavia." She said pushing a $100 bill into his jacket pocket.
"Ms. Fra-" he started.
"Didn't I say I don't wanna hear it? Now get out." She pushed him further into the hallway.
"Let me find out you got you a little boo or something. That's why you trying to kick me out." Von raised his eyebrows causing Ms. Frazier to smirk.
"Maybe I do. Old lady gotta get hers too right?"
"Can he fight?"
"Goodbye Dayvon." Ms. Frazier sang before closing the door.
Von chuckled again before turning on his heels towards the elevators again.
He quietly keyed into his room, hearing the tv lowly play another episode of Love and Hip Hop Hollywood, Saavia's favorite show.
She was laid in a fetal position with the comforter pulled up to her chin. Her chest rose and fell slowly.
"So beautiful" Von thought as he watched her.
Her beautiful dark skin looked so delicate against the cocaine white comforter and sheets. Her long eyelashes sat perfectly on her full, round cheeks. He could stare at her for the rest of his life.
He softly kissed her forehead before reaching under the nightstand for his gun.
He tip toed to his side of the bed, digging through his backpack for his ski mask and bullets.
After finding all his necessities he tied his hair into a low ponytail, before pulling his hood over his head.
Thanks to Ms. Frazier, he was halfway there.
But him and his girl need that money.
Very short chapter but I just wanted to give y'all a taste for how this story is going to go.
I'm excited, this will be very different from any other story I've written. And I'm excited to see what y'all think 💜
