Dare To Love

Chapter 4

Carmen’s POV

It’s the 5th of August, usually this would mean me having to hustle up some money to pay the rent. Not this time though, with the $10,000 I got out of the bank I was able to pay Ms. Paige the 3 months rent we were behind on and this month’s rent early. You wouldn’t believe what that lady had the nerve to ask me when I gave her the money.

“How’d you come up with the money so fast? You and that fast girl ain’t workin’ the corner are you?”

What?! What in the hell would give her the idea that me and Hannah were hookers? I didn’t bother wasting my time with that lady, I walked away. That day after we left the bank with the money Hannah still wanted to go and see if she could get a few bucks from her uncle. He gave her $20. She was pissed but I didn’t care, I didn’t expect for him to give us too much of anything anyway. Especially after the way she acted with him before, I don’t think I blame him. Plus it was enough to buy us dinner so I couldn’t complain. We still have about $17,000 in the bank, so Hannah’s been bugging me to go shopping with her. I told her that I refuse to use the money on anything unnecessary, though she claims that it is necessary for me to get new clothes. Whatever. I’ve thought about it and I’m cheaper than I was before we had the money. Only because I’m afraid of waking up one morning and the money is gone. I still don’t know where it came from, and I want it to last as long as it can. I’ve been meaning to check and see if my mom’s bank account had any money in it, if I’m not mistaken there should be.

I’m sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal (did not feel like cooking this morning) when Hannah walks in holding her head and lays down on the couch. She was out all night. “Hangover?” I ask.

She nodded. “Mm-hmm”

“What time did you get in last night?” I threw my bowl in the sink and noticed her flinch at the noise.

“Early.”

I went to bed at around 11, so I know that’s a damn lie. “Oh really, early last night?”

She chuckled and walked over to the table and sat down. “No, early this morning.”

I shook my head. “How’d you get home?”

“A friend of mine.” She looked me up and down. “Hey, why are you all dressed up? Where you goin’?”

I looked down at what I was wearing. A purple striped dress with a pair of wedges. “I have a job interview and I’m going to check on the car.” A few days ago my car broke down so I had to take it to the repair shop to see if they can fix it. I’m going back today to see if they have. “Which I’m going to be late for if I don’t hurry up.” I grab my bag and start making my way to the door. I open the door to walk out but then I turn right back around. “Oh, I forgot to tell you something!”

She looked back at me. “What?”

“Well, I just wanted to warn you about the…bugs in the kitchen.”

Hannah’s eyes got huge. “What bugs?”

“I saw a bug around the stove, it looked like it could have been a cockroach, but I’m not sure.”

“Oh hell no!So you’re telling me there’s a big ass cockroach in the kitchen?!Oh of all places Lord, why the kitchen?!”

I walked back in and closed the door. She hates bugs. “Look, I’m going to mention it to Ms. Paige today. I just hate having to confront her about thisafter we just now gave her her money.” I think back on what she said when I gave her the money. “She always has some smartass response.”

“Well then let me confront her!‘Cause I’ll be damned if I have to start living with some roach.”

“I said I’ll take care of it. Besides, when I saw them they –”

She cut me off. “Them?! They?! What the – how many of them did you see?!”

I figure it would be best not to answer this question. “I’mma take care of it.” I opened the door and walked out.

“Carmen!”

“I’mma take care of it.” I said again while closing the door behind me. I had made it all the way down stairs when I realized I left my house key. I need that just in case I come back and she’s not home to let me in. So I had to go back upstairs to get it. After I knocked on the door a person opened it, but that person wasn’t Hannah. It was a guy and he was shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist. I glanced at the number on the door to make sure I had the right apartment. I did. “Uh –”

The guy smiled at me like he knew me. “Hey Carmen.”

I guess he does, but I don’t know him. “Who are –”

Hannah walked up behind the guy and put her hands on his shoulders. “Hey, I thought you had left.”

I just stood there for a second trying to figure out who this guy was and why he was here. I pointed to my key lying on the table. “I forgot my key.” I pointed my finger towards the guy and looked at Hannah. “Who is he?” Now, I know that was rude, but I’m past the point of be pleasant.

She cut me off again. “Oh, Carmen you know Austin. From the bank remember?”

I gave Hannah a look that said “No, no I don’t.”

The guy looked at Hannah. “My name is Asher!” He walked away.

Asher? Oh, yeah right, Asher! The bank teller guy. I looked at Hannah. “Why is he in here like that?”

“Aus – Asher, damn I just can’t get that right. You know I was calling him Austin all night.”

I shook my head. “That’s a –” I stopped. Why am I even surprised?

Asher walked over and handed me my key. “Thank you.” I said without looking back up at his bare chest.He walked back towards Hannah’s room. That’s when I noticed my Snoopy house shoes, on his feet! I looked at Hannah. “Is he wearing my house shoes?”

She looked back at him, then to me.“I told you, they’re called slippers and it’s not like you ever wear them.”

That may be true (I’m more of a sock person myself), but damn it that’s not the point. “House shoes, slippers, socks, whether I wear them or not, I don’t give a fuck. Why is he wearing them is the question.”

“Hey, the first sentence kind of rhymed.”

She’s trying to be funny. "Hannah."

She started to laugh. “Ok look, I told you I had a friend bring me home. What did you expect?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe for them to have gone back to their home?”

She leaned against the door and folded her arms. “Let’s just be honest here. Does that sound like me?” She pointed to herself.

Nope, it doesn't. “Could he be gone by the time I get back?”

She looked at me and grinned. “I’mma take care of it.” She mocked me.

“That’s not funny.” I told her.

“I’mma take care of it.” She continued.

I shook my head. “I’m gonna’ be late because of you.” I turned and walked away.

“Hey! Bring me back some cookies!” I heard her yell down the hall.

“Let’s just be honest here, shall we? Does that sound like me?” I turn and point to herself, mocking her now. “At all?”

“Bitch, just bring me some chocolate chip cookies.”

As I walk away I stick up my middle finger and she must’ve noticed because I next thing I heard was the door shutting.
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Well I feel like crap. There’s no way I’m getting that job, though I won’t know for sure until Monday. Although common sense will tell you that when someone says they’ll call you and they don’t even have your number, not to wait on that call. After the interview I went to the repair shop.

“So is there any way it can be fixed?” I asked the repair man because I don’t want to have to buy a car.

He was about my age (maybe older) tall with blonde hair. He had on a ripped up pair of old looking jeans and shirtless (Hannah’s type). He laughed. “No.” He walked around to the front of the car where I was standing and sat on the hood. He looked at the car with a funny look on his face. “Damn girl, this car is old! Why won’t you just treat yourself to a new one?”

This fool. “I’d rather treat myself by saving my money.”

“There is such a thing as getting a used car, you know that right?” He smirked.

Smartass. “Yes I know that, I just don’t – You know what? Why am I even discussing this with you? All I need to know is if you can fix the car?”

He stood up and walked closer to me, hell, too close. “No, and even if I could fix this piece of sh –” He stopped himself because of the way I looked at him. “Piece of machinery, it would cost you less to just get a used car.”

I sighed. “Fine, whatever.” I turned to start walking home.

“Hey, here’s my number, in case you ever need anything.” He handed me his card.

I looked at it. “Rusty? That’s your name?”

“Yes.” He pointed to the sign on top of the building, it said Rusty’s.

“Wait, so you own this place?”

“Yeah, well it was my dad’s place, but when I graduated from high school he gave it to me.”

I nodded. “Oh, well then if I do call you, it will be in regards to my car. I doubt anything else.”

“Ouch, well, ok can I at least get your name?”

I looked at him. “Carmen.”

“Carmen.” He repeated. “I like it.” He reached into his back pocket. “Hey, I found this in the back of your car, I didn’t know if you needed it or not.” He handed me the London brochure.

I thought I threw this away. “Thanks.” I put the brochure in my bag.

“Are you thinking about going to London?”

I shook my head. “No, not exactly. Why?”

“Oh, because I was going to say if you were then you’d love it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And how do you know that? Have you been?”

“Yeah, it was a school trip, just a week though. It was a lot of fun. It’s really cold out there though.”

I nodded, I love cold weather, I like dressing for it. My mom and I use to call it "sweater weather". “Mm-hmm, well I don’t think the cold would really bother me. Winter is my favorite season.”

“Well then you would love London! Plus, at night, the lights look amazing.”

I scoffed. “Doesn’t sound too bad actually.” I don’t know why but lately I’ve started to really hate this place (LA I mean). “Well, thanks, I guess for checking out my car.”

He chuckled. “You’re welcome Carmen, see ya’ around mate.”
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“Hey!” Hannah said as I walked in and set my stuff down in the living room.

“Hey.” She’s in a good mood and dressed up. Must be going out again.

She sat on the couch next to me. “Guess who you missed?”

“Who? Austin?” I joked.

“Ugh, no, he left a few minutes after you did. He got all butt hurt after I got his name wrong. Cece and Skyler were here though.” She smiled and walked in her room.

“What? I thought they were in New York?”

“They were, but now they’re back, and they invited me to go to this new club with them.

They’ll be back to pick me up so you could see them then.” She called out.

“How wonderful.” I said sarcastically because Hannah already knows I hate those bitches.

They’re so damn fake, they even hate each other. Cece’s dad is a surgeon and her mom is a real estate agent. Skyler’s dad is a police chief and her mom’s a lawyer. Both of their families have more money than they know what to do with. That’s how both of them could afford to go to New York in the first place. Cece and Skyler have never ever worked a day in their entire life. Some (like Hannah) would say that I’m jealous of them. Bullshit! I’m not jealous, I just don’t like fake ass bitches like them! Plain and simple.

She laughed and walked out the room. “How do I look?”

She was wearing a skin tight little black dress that just barely covered her ass. Black high heel shoes and a big necklace. “Umm, if you like it, I love it.”

“Yay, I like it!” She walked in the kitchen and opened the cabinet door. She screamed then ran back in the living room.

I jumped up from the couch. “What?! What is it?!”

“There is a huge cockroach in the cabinet! Go look!”

I looked over that the cabinets. “Nah, I’m good, it’ll go way.”

“What?!”

“It’ll go way, just forget about it.” Honestly, after seeing three of those things this morning, I’m not trying to see anymore.

She stepped down from the couch. “Ugh, I swear I’m really starting to hate this place!”

Damn, that’s what I said. I grabbed the laptop and went in my room. If Cece and Skyler were on their way back over here they wouldn’t see me. I sat down on my bed and logged on.
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Notes