Betrayed by Alcino

Telica Vivenzio Jan 01,2010, Stanford, California I looked at Asha. Sharp hunger pains gripped my stomach and I clutched it and doubled over. The cold brick floor of the Stanford Holy Shelter was damp. A mold and musty stench hung in the air. Asha bent and handed me half of peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a piece of a whole grain bar. “Here, I brought you some food.” Looking down at the food handed to me, I frowned. “I haven’t eaten in three days, and this is all you brought me?” She turned away from me. “It won’t be like this for long. I graduate in six months. I will have a job and a place for us to live.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I stood up. “You said that four years ago. You also promised that we would all be together. Where is Nico?” Asha looked away. “I don’t know where he is.” She opened her mouth then closed it when several girls passed by my bed. This place was noisy, dirty, and depressing. My other pair of shoes that were hidden under the bed, were not there anymore. “Teli, we just have to weather this place for a little while longer,” said Asha. “You ‘ve been saying that but what if you don’t get a job or a place for us to live? What if we don’t find Nico?” “Teli, trust me. I already have several offers. I’ll select the one with the highest salary and best relocation package for us.” Balling my fist, I shook my head. “This life sucks.” Stomping down the hall, I turned right and exited the side door. The wind whipped my thin shirt about me and I trembled as the cold air felt like thin blades slicing through me. Leaning against the brick building, I slammed the back of my head against it. I don’t know why I’m giving Asha such a hard time. Her and Nico are the only family I have left. Maybe she will get tired of me and leave me too. Everyone always leaves. Reaching inside my pocket, I pulled out a cigarette. Fumbling in my other pocket for my lighter, I cursed. It’s dark outside and the shelter wasn’t in the best location. Across the street the homeless crackheads paced as they rubbed frantically at their arms, speaking in hushed tones to themselves. Asha might have a future. She was getting ready to graduate from Stanford University. Instead of parties and boyfriends, she worked two minimum paying jobs to get through school in the hopes she’d be able to take care of me. Sighing, I watched the pregnant homeless woman across the street. She wore a tattered polka dotted dress and shoes that didn’t fit her feet. Her blonde hair was matted and twisted in a ball on top of her head. The strands looked oily. Every time she saw a man, she rushed up to him, offering herself for drugs, money, water, and gum. A red car pulled to the curb. The passenger side door opened and a fat man jumped out. He grabbed the pregnant woman by the hair and threw her to the ground. Unbuckling his pants, he pulled his p***s out and urinated in her face. There were several guys inside the car laughing and making jokes. Sputtering, she punched the fat man. He punched her in the face in retaliation, before doubling over. After a few minutes he pulled his pants up and got inside the car. I looked around as the car sped down the street. The guys on the street watching the incident just stood there and did nothing. Nobody helped. Turning, I looked at the woman. She wiped her bloody face with her hands and stood to her feet. When mom and dad were alive, they said that homelessness was a choice. I wasn’t so sure now. We didn’t choose for them to die and we didn’t choose to become the property of the foster care system. Auntie Tanya never wanted us, but she didn’t put us out on the street. Living with her and her abusive husband Mark had been hell. When she had a heart attack, he tossed us on the street. She left everything, including the house in his name. Why hadn’t they taken us with them? Dying with them in a plane crash would have been much better than the life we had. Looking across the street I saw the woman again. Her back was plastered to the metal bus sign. A tall man had her legs wrapped around his waist and he pumped into her so hard the sign wobbled. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and forced myself to watch the horrible scene. In life you have predators and prey. Right now, I was prey. This could be my life any day now. At five foot three, I didn’t have any breast and my thick, frizzy, curly hair never flowed into slick luscious locks. There was nothing beautiful about me. My thin body was scrawny and malnourished. At least I had a mouth. I would be forced to shove d***s in my mouth to survived, at least until I had breast and looked like a girl. Turning away I walked back to the side door when I heard tires screeching and smelled burning rubber. Looking behind me a dark car pulled up to the curb a foot away from me. The passenger window rolled down. “It’s dangerous for you to be out here late at night all alone. Are you lost?” My heart raced in my chest. The deep baritone voice caused shivers to run down my spine. Did he think I was a prostitute or drug addict? I couldn’t blame him if he did. “Life is dangerous. Get lost.” I curled my fingers around the door handle but I didn’t go inside. “So much mouth for a little kid. You should run along before trouble finds you. This isn’t the safest neighborhood,” he said. My teeth bit my lower lip. “I’m not a kid.” He laughed. “I see you like danger and adventure. If you’re not a kid prove it. If you come here and tell me your name, I will give you a hundred dollars.” I looked across the street. There were still some junkies roaming around but none of them were paying attention to me. I doubted that they would help me if I needed it. I was on my own. Dropping my hand from the door, I walked over to the passenger side of the car. I stood a few feet away from the door, not trusting he wouldn’t yank me inside. Ignoring my ragged breaths, I shrugged. “My name is Alyssa.” His face was shrouded in shadows. A faint scent of sandalwood and Cuban cigars filled my nostrils. The faint sounds of Nat King Cole played on the radio. “Try again little girl. What is your real name?” I frowned. “What difference does it make?” His right held a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill. “I don’t like liars and I wanted to like you.” Lowering his hand, he placed the money in the ashtray not bothering to secure it to keep it from flying out the window. That hundred dollars could feed Asha and I for an entire month. I licked my lips. “Telica.” Suddenly the light inside the car came on. I stared at him. He had a strong jaw, thick blonde hair, and powder blue eyes. “I’m Daniel. Daniel Pennington.” He smiled. His pearly white straight teeth looked perfect as he picked up the money and held his arm out toward me. I licked my dry lips. “Toss it out the window.” Behind me, the door opened. Asha walked out. “Teli what are you doing out here? Get away from that car. I know you know better than to talk to strangers.” “It’s just Daniel.” I walked up to the car and leaned in and snatched the money curling it in my clammy palm. Asha wrapped her arms around me. “I know your license plate. Leave here before I call the cops.” As soon as we were safely inside the building and sitting on our bed, Asha turned to me. “What were you doing outside talking to a stranger? You don’t know a Daniel. Anything could have happened to you.” She ripped the cigarette out of my mouth. “I needed to smoke. It helps with the hunger pains, and I needed the fresh air.” I tried to prevent her but she snatched my cigarette and flung it. Asha gripped her fingers around my jaw. “We have already been separated from Nico. I can’t lose you too.” Flopping down on my bed, I crossed my arms. “I told you, he wasn’t a stranger. Go to sleep and stop worrying about me.” Asha snorted. “You’re my baby sister. It’s my job to take care of you. You’re fourteen years old. Just a baby.” Six months had passed with excruciating slowness. The only thing that got me through the day was Asha’s graduation and the hope of us finally having a real place to live and leaving this hell hole. I paced back and forth, waiting for Asha to come home. When the light had faded from the sky. I leaped on the bed and waited for her. Leaning against the tattered headboard I closed my eyes for a few minutes. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I jerked awake. Asha smiled but she didn’t have on her cap and gown. She wore a faded pair of jeans and a crop top. I sat up. “How was your graduation?” “Long. Teli, I received this today.” She pushed the crisp envelop toward me. Opening the envelope, I read it. “They offered you the job and are relocating you. You didn’t accept this job, did you?” “Yes, I accepted it. They offered a starting salary of fifty thousand a year and relocation expenses. Everything had already taken care of.” Closing my eyes, I threw the envelope back at her. “It would be perfect if the job was in California. We can’t move to Washington DC; how will Nico find us or get to us?” “We can’t afford to stay in California. The job offers I received wouldn’t allow us to live here, eat and pay for necessities.” Jumping up I paced in front the bed. “I don’t want to leave California without Nico.” “Neither do I, Teli, but we don’t have a choice.” Turning around I glared at my sister. “You can go by yourself. I’ll stay here.” Stomping down the hall, I turned and exited out the side door. It was raining. Leaning my head against the wall, I fumbled into my pocket looking for my half a cigarette. My lips curved when Daniel’s car pulled up. He rolled down the window. “Telica, do you need a light?” Pushing away from the wall, I smiled. “Thanks. I was just about to leave.” Strolling over to the car, I bent my head in his car window, and allowed him to light my cigarette. Daniel smiled. “Where are you going?” Ever since I’d met Daniel, he started had coming around more often. Each time he brought food, money and other things. I had never gone anywhere with him. Where are you going? I shrugged, out. He flashed me a wolfish grin. “Come with me. I was just going to get a bite to eat. Are you hungry?” “I’m famished.” Opening the passenger door, I slid inside. After we had eaten, I looked at him. “Thanks for the food. Can you drop me off at my place?” He glanced at me. “Sure, but I need to stop by my house first.” Shifting in my seat, I looked out the window. “I’ll wait in the car for you.” He smiled. “Nonsense.” Two hours later, we arrived at his house. His house was tan and dark brown stucco and nestled behind a thick wood. It was secluded and very drab. The other homes that were in the neighborhood had lighter colored stucco. He turned the engine off, and I followed him inside. As soon as I crossed the threshold, he closed the door and locked it. The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I swallowed hard. He put the keys in his front pocket and waltzed into the kitchen. There was exotic tan and gold granite counter tops everywhere and built-in stainless-steel appliances. Pulling out a chair at the glass table, I waited as I assumed that he needed something from the kitchen. He walked over to the cabinets and took out two glasses. There were several expensive paintings on the wall. The furniture was a combination of traditional and minimalist. After pouring two glasses of red liquid into goblets, he handed me one. “Here sip on this. I’ll be back.” Grabbing the glass, I took a big gulp. Daniel disappeared behind me and back down the hall. I waited for a while, not hearing anything past his footsteps upstairs. Tapping my fingers on the table, I took large gulps of the liquid. It was cool, tangy with a hint of pomegranate. My blood pressure rose and the vein in my head throbbed incessantly. Breathing heavily, I swayed in my seat. I glared at the glass and frowned. Something is wrong. I am here alone and nobody knows where I am. This was a mistake. I glanced at his full glass he hadn’t touched. My skin felt hot and itchy. Struggling to my feet I staggered down the hall to the front door unlocking it. Passing the welcome mat, I collapsed on the front lawn. I was paralyzed. Gritting my teeth, I tried to move my arms and legs but nothing happened. Opening my mouth, I tried to scream but my vocal cords didn’t work. The front door opened, and Daniel came strolling toward me. Without a word, he bent and picked me up in his arms. He kicked the front door closed behind us, and the lock slid into place. Instead of taking me back to the kitchen table, he past the table and opened the door to the basement. His heavy footsteps reverberated against the wood steps as he didn’t bother to turn on the light. When we reached the basement, he padded toward another door that had a silver pad lock on it. He dropped me, my tailbone hitting the cold, hard cement. His lips curved. “You really shouldn’t talk to strangers.”