Chapter 78

***Levi.***

***24th December, 20 years earlier***

Cold seeped into me, as I walked to the bus stop.

It was 6 pm, my shift over.

I was grateful I didn't have to repeat this for the next few days, until Christmas was over. Mr Nate asked all high school students working for him to go on leave for the holidays.

I now worked shifts on the counter at Thrills and Burgers. It was a few minutes from home and they paid good. It was a relief for us. I was really exhausted, not a break since dad's death. But we were surviving. Yeah, I worked. Funny right. But it was true.

After the funeral, things spiraled downhill. We eventually sold my Porsche. Abandoned by our friends. It was funny how people disappeared when you became destitute.

I had Mum's Christmas gift in my back pack and some chicken left overs, heading home. *I hope mum would be able to get a tree. There was no Christmas without a tree.*

I got in the bus, sitting at a window seat. Putting on my ear piece, listening to some music. I absently watched the snow covered streets. All lit with Christmas lights. I suddenly recalled days we had such Christmas decorations. I banished the tears that stung.

My only priority was mum's wellbeing. She had this unrelenting and pesky cough.

Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned sharply to stare at a boy, my age, gazing at me. I took off one ear piece. My brow questioning.

"Mind if I sit?" He indicated the empty seat beside me. I shifted. He wore an expensive looking coat. A designer coat, from the texture. His brown hair, ruffled, and he smelled of cigarettes. He offered me one and I refused. He shrugged.

"I've been watching you, you know." The boy started. I turned quizzically to him. "My name is Black Pea. I like you."

I raised a brow. "I'm not gay," I said. He chuckled.

"I'm not either." Then he turned quiet, the smoke equally warming me.

"I see you working at that fast food and I feel sorry for you. You, my man, deserves better."

I impatiently watched the boy. I didn't need all this kind of pep talk. I was already irritated, sitting in a bus with these fucking low lives. The last thing I needed was being reminded of my nose dive.

A few weeks ago, this kind of street rat that reeked of celebrity wanna bee, wouldn't have stopped me. Wouldn't have even seen a piece of me.

"ErrLook, Black Pea or whatever"

"Am not here to bore you. I just wanted to tell you that if you're tired of counting peanuts, call me." He handed me a card.

I condescendingly ignored it.

"I don't need your fucking card." I tightly spat. He grinned, darkly.

Then he pressed the emergency stop button over my head, the bus coming to a slow halt. Dropping the card in my lap, he said.

"I'd be waiting for your call. This is my stop." One last nod, he dropped down. Our gazes locked, as the bus continued on its way.

I was furious as the bus drove on. The thought of the drastic changes in our lives, which had caused us to live in such conditions, infuriated me. I was livid as I recalled the boy and his smug talk. Like he was doing me a fucking favor.

Our lives had become a forgotten story. Our names, erased from everyone's lips.

When things had grown dire, we had begged for help from almost all dad's friends. People that had once dined with us. But they had all ignored us. The men, propositioning mum for sex. Although mum never agreed to their terms and she never told me. But I eavesdropped, and I heard her pleas; asking them not to. I had listened. Memorized all their names.

We had eventually moved to Hell's kitchen. The only place no one would look to find us. Affordable rent and I was now schooling at a public school. No hope for college yet.

Entering the house, I was greeted by the smell of christmas. It was a small room in an apartment building.

We cleaned it up nice. The neighborhood, dangerous at times. Every now and then, someone got shot.

"Hi mum." I greeted, dropping my backpack and the chicken on the table.

I kissed her, as she pulled out a fresh batch of cookies from the old oven. We got it on sale. She excitedly kissed me back. Slipping a cookie into my mouth. I pulled out my paycheck and handed it over.

"I got this for Christmas. And Mr Nate even handed us all bonuses and chicken." I smiled as I came to join her in decorating the small Christmas tree.

"It's small." I teased, my mind instantly recalling the large tree that used to stand in our house.

I didn't want her to feel bad, so I hastily came to hug her. She swatted me playfully.

"This isn't so bad, honey." She put her hand over my shoulders. "Look, Mr Chen even handed us a box of old Christmas ornaments he no longer uses."

I turned to her, my heart torn, watching her try to pull up a brave front in the midst of our woes.

This was a woman, whose entire wardrobe, once contained designer clothes and jewelry. Now she barely had a gem to her name. I wanted to cry. This was supposed to be a perfect family. My perfect story. And dad ruined it.

I pulled my gift from my pocket, my eyes taking in all the decorations. Lights, figurines. Slipping my wrapped gift under the Christmas tree, I kissed her.

"Merry Christmas mum." I smiled. I saw adoration in her eyes, as she watched me. A lone tear finding its way. I brushed it off. She had been through a lot of pain.

And I was going to alleviate her suffering.