The apartment was packed up, boxes stacked high, and everyone was ready to go—except Gavin. The air was thick with frustration, especially from J. Drew, who was sprawled out on the couch, glaring at the door.
"Where the fuck is he at? Nigga taking a million and one years," J. Drew grumbled, his arms crossed as he stared at the clock. Gavin was supposed to be there two hours ago to finalize everything.
"Maybe it's just traffic," Kymani said softly, her little voice hopeful as always, trying to see the good in the situation.
J. Drew wasn't having it. "Or maybe he just aint shit ass nigga," he muttered darkly, his jaw clenched.
"Boy, watch yo damn mouth!" Karen's voice rang out from her bedroom, sharp and loud enough to cut through the tension. But even Karen was on edge—pacing back and forth, her face clouded with worry.
Kierra couldn't take the suffocating energy inside. She slipped out the door, needing air, needing space, needing to not think about how everything felt like it was falling apart. She walked outside, heading to the old wooden bench near the apartment building. She sat there, staring at the empty street, waiting. Waiting for someone to show up, to give them hope, to prove they weren't being played.
Hours passed. Kierra sat on that bench alone, the sun beginning to dip low in the sky, casting long shadows over the pavement. Just as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek, Vanessa spotted her and made her way over.
"Yo, Ki. Why you all sad? Ain't today supposed to be the big day? You movin' outta here!" Vanessa asked, her tone light at first, but as she saw Kierra's face, her smile faded. "What's wrong?"
Kierra shook her head, biting her lip to stop it from trembling. "Nessa... that nigga been gone all damn day, and he ain't call once. I don't think he's getting the damn house."
Vanessa frowned, concern spreading across her face. "What you mean? What's goin' on?"
"I..." Kierra choked on her words, trying to keep the tears at bay, but they came anyway, fast and hard. "I think he took the money. He took all 20... and ran."
"Wait, what? All 20 as in... 20 grand?!" Vanessa's eyes widened, disbelief all over her face.
Kierra nodded, her body shaking as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "He took it, Nessa. All of it. All the money we saved, all the money I hustled for... it's gone."
Vanessa's face twisted in anger and sympathy. "Damn, Ki... that's messed up. I'm so sorry. That's cold, real cold," she said, pulling Kierra into a tight hug.
Kierra buried her face in Vanessa's shoulder, the weight of the betrayal crushing her chest. She had been so close—so close to getting them out, to finally giving her mom and siblings a better life. But now? Now they were stuck. Stuck in this place, stuck in this life.
Vanessa held her as she cried, whispering, "We're gonna figure something out, Ki. Don't give up. We'll figure this out. I got you." But Kierra wasn't sure how to believe that right now, not when the man they trusted had just shattered everything.
