Chapter 16 Help

P O V: Eva Dawson

January

"Help!"

I'm exhausted it's been a long ass night. We've been in Miami for months now, I was lucky to get a job almost straight away as a VIP Hostess in one of the hottest clubs in Miami. It's my job to get the drinks flowing, the guests dancing, drinking, spending.

Of course they think I am 21. Thanks to my fake ass ID from Marissa's cousin Agisilaos he also works there as a promoter. It's long, long hours. I spend all night from 7 pm to 4 am standing on my feet rushing after guests, refilling drinks, getting the girls I am in charge with to be aggressive. I spend most of my time making sure the dancers are fueled with drinks, weed. I never had anything to do with drugs my whole life, never saw them hadn't even smelled weed before, so it's easy for me to ignore it. I don't use the stuff, but I can see how it would help the girls to loosen their nerves before going on stage. Drinking however has helped me get through these long nights in the morning after we close I am in charge of restocking. Cleaning up, I never get in before 12 pm.

From one to three I have classes I am trying to get my GED, and help Diego get his. I worry about him, while I've stayed away from the drug scene he's driven into it full circle. Selling for Marissa's brother Emilios who runs one of the local gangs in Miami, I can see the drastic change in Diego. He went from a sweet, fun chess loving nerd to a hard core beat the shot out of you for looking at him the wrong way kid.

He's high 99% of the day I worry he's using more product than he's selling. He has no idea what will happen to him if he messes with Emilio's business. I miss our parents, I worry about them.

I can't wait to get a few hours of sleep after tonight's shift I will have enough to get Diego and I out of this tiny cramped apartment that we're sharing with three of Marissa's cousins, her brother. I'm the only girl living there, at times I am scared, their all much older and look at me like I am piece of meat. I have to stay strong though.

Help!

Diego's scream gets my tired blistered feet moving he's in trouble I knew it before I flung the door open, before I saw the gun pressed to his temple, heard Emilio's angry drunk voice threatening. "I warned your punk ass what would happen if you used my product and cost me money, now you'll pay you little bitch." I heard the click, I saw Diego's face filled with fear, shame, my heart dropped.

"Don't shoot him, please I'll do anything!" He turned to me his eyes cold, hard unfeeling. "Grab the little hoe boys, maybe I'll have some fun before I blow their brains out, watch and learn little boy what happens when little bitches mess up and their sisters have to pay the price,"

Fear gripped me as two of his boys grabbed my arms roughly covering my mouth to prevent my screams from being heard, not that it would matter in this neighborhood people mind their own business.

My back was slammed roughly against the floor as they snickered, their eyes scanning my body. "Who gets this slut first?" they tied my hands above my head ripping at my skirt as Diego was shoved in roughly thrown to his knees, his hands tied behind his back.

"Now watch and learn little boy, I'll make a man out of you right before I slaughter you."

Closing my eyes I prayed for God to watch over us for my dad to never find my bloody broken body. He didn't deserve this, neither did my mom.

Would God hear my prayers? Would he care?