The need.

~Chapter 16~

“What exactly are we doing here?” Shane asked as we stopped in front of my house. I got out just as he did.

“Do you trust me?” I asked him. He looked me in the eyes and nodded. “Then relax,” I said. I walked by him and go to grab his hand but stop. “Can I touch you?” I asked. He looked down at my hand and moved back.

“Don’t push it, Lola.” He said. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I began walking up to the house and pulled up the rug and grabbed the key. I unlocked the door and took a step inside.

“Where the hell have you been you bitch?” Mom yelled. I knew she was high off pills and drunk.

“Hey, mom,” I said. Shane stepped in and stood close behind me.

“Don’t hi mom, me. The landlord showed up for the rent money and you weren’t here. So I went up in your room searching for it. I found the secret stash you hid from me. I paid him.” She said. My body went heated.

“You went in my room?” I asked. She smiled popping another pill in her mouth. A few 100’s laid on the table and I snatched them up. “You spent my money too?” I asked.

“I don’t want to hear it. I deserve this.” She said.

“No, you don’t. I pay these damn bills. I buy everything you ask for the least you could do is save me a little cash and respect my rules about my room.” I yelled. I walked up the steps to see the lock on my door was broken. My room was a mess. I grabbed my teddy bear my uncle gave me before he died. I unzipped the back to see all the money gone. I hit the wall. I had worked my ass off for this money to save for art school and it was all gone. I turned to see Shane standing there. I had totally forgotten he was here. I looked away from him. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” I mumbled.

“Why did you bring me here?” He asked. I looked at him.

“I have learned so much about you in the past two days. You trust me and I haven’t given you a good reason to trust me. I decided if you can trust me without me trying to earn it then maybe I can trust you. You unlike me have proven it more than once.” He nodded and sat in a chair I had.

“My mother had been heartbroken to take care of me. My uncle raised me until I was 6. Then he passed away. I have raised me and my mother ever since. I got a job as a milk girl pretending to be 8. I would work down at the junkyard from the moment I got out of school to 9 at night. I worked my tail off trying to put food down on the table at night. I paid for my mother's drugs. I paid for everything the guys she brought over.” I said. I pause. “This is my life. School, work, and deal with her.” I said. He looked at me.

“I had no idea.” He said. I nodded.

“That was the point. I would tell people my mom was a doctor and when they made fun of my clothes I would tell them she worked her ass off. I gave her a good name.” I said. He stood up.

“Are we done here? I have somewhere I want to bring you.” He said. I searched his eyes and nodded. “Do you want to take anything with you?” He asked. I looked at the teddy bear and grabbed it again.

“Let’s go,” I said. He waited for me to go first then walked behind me. I walked downstairs to see mom passed out. I walked into the kitchen grabbing her bottle of pills and dumped it down the sink. I grabbed her liquor and dumped that too. I grabbed the can of change on the fridge and pulled out the rent money. $700. I put it with the $400 I found on the table. I put it in my teddy bear and walked out of the house.

“You didn’t have to take all your money. I can get you all you need.” He said. I nodded.

“I know but I wasn’t going to keep there for her to spend it on drugs,” I said. He nodded. “After we’re done going to where you’re taking me can we stop somewhere else?” I asked. He nodded. We get into the car and he drives 5 houses down. When the car stops I look at the house. I’ve walked past it 400 times but never bothered to stop. The mailbox said 2012. He sighed.

We walk up to the place and he knocks on the door. A nice lady answers the door. She smiles big. “Shane, what a wonderful surprise. You only come once a week. Twice in one week is amazing.” She said. She looked at me. “Who’s your lovely friend?” She asked. He looked at me.

“Her name is Lola. Where here to see Rosa Anderson.” He said. She nodded.

“I know. Come on in. She should be in the back painting.” She said. Shane waited for me to enter first. I did and I smiled looking at the place.