-=(Sagien)=-

One Asian Against the World

And if I lose, there's a couple billion more where I came from...

The Phoenix Saga

It's all set. We're getting married, and everything is good to go. Life is happy, smiles are everywhere. Even the manic depressive mom hasnt been going all that crazy.

Except, we're sleeping on the floor. We don't have our own place, our own room, and no money to get it. We're stuck.

"Willis said we can move in with him in Florida." Willis is her step-dad. Or was her step-dad. Him and her mother divorced a couple of years ago, because of Kristin.

"Didn't you say he sexually abused you?"

"Yeah, but he's better now. And when it all comes down to it, he's still the only father I've ever known, and he loves me."

Okay.

I saved up enough money for two one way bus tickets to Port Richey, Florida. Kristin was excited. She gets to be where she grew up at. She gets to be with her friends again. The friends that fed her too much acid when she was fourteen.

This bus ride was worse than the first. I now had Kristin's worldly possessions to lug across the country on top of my duffle bag of wordly possessions. We had $20 between ourselves to last us the five day trip to Florida. We also had Cheese Nips in our carry-on luggage. I went hungry for a couple of days, and at one point we split a number two meal at McDonalds.

But we were going to a better life, she said. Everything will be much better than how they were in Phoenix.

The bus arrived in a run down station in the worst part of Florida. There's a bearded man with a pickup truck waiting outside the station.

Kristin runs out of the bus and gives him a hug.

Willis brings us to his double-wide trailer home. He sets us up in a bedroom in the back. The next day, he takes me to Radio Shack to get a job. He also sets me up with a car his friend gave him. Chrysler LeBaron convertible, it was. Piece of shit, it was.

Life in Florida was bliss. Kristin was joblessly happy. I worked tirelessly at a retail store making no commission because nobody in east bumfuck Florida was savvy enough to care about a Radio Shack.

Kristin went clubbing every weekend. I tried to go, but I can't make it all the time, what with working and all. I also couldn't afford it all the time because I had to give most of my money to Willis.

So she had other guys take her and pay for her. She would never cheat on me though.

I slept in the car that night. She had the only keys to the house. She was at the club, with some long haired guy who wore skirts and fishnet arm coverings. It was goth. They all smelled like pachoulli. I had to work late.

She said she'd be home in time when I got home from work. That was at 10pm. She raps on the car window at 4am.

She'd never cheat on me.

I hate Florida. I miss my friends. I miss my family.

Then Willis kicks us out. Go back to Phoenix he said. It seemed that Kristin has stolen his rolled up change that he's saved up over the course of halfa decade. Hundreds of dollars in pennies she used for cigarettes and goth makeup.

Another bus trip.. another five days.

To be continued...

Posted by sagien at May 19, 2005 11:36 PM