๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ - ๐พ๐. 1
A|N: What's a better way to practice writing than using story-lines that you already find interesting? I'm excited to finally release my first fanfic! This is mature in nature and I would highly encourage adult audiences only. While this chapter isn't explicit, there is and will be themes that are both explicit and graphic in nature, more can be found down below in the content warning section. I'd like to say thank you to my friends for both proof reading and helping me improve the formatting for this story. Not only that but encouraging me to write when I was doubtful. The character that you'll be stepping into takes a lot after my own experiences and life, being a black woman, growing up in a predominantly Mexican neighborhood, navigating language, hardship, loss, and love, all of which are imperative in our world today. With that, I hope everyone will enjoy, please leave comments, as well as look forward to more chapters to come! With love -Dropche
๐๐ช๐ข๐ข๐๐ง๐ฎ: ๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ๐จ, ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ฅ, ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐ค๐๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ & ๐๐ง๐ช๐๐๐ก, ๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐/๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฏ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ 3 ๐๐ช๐ก๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ 10๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐จ๐จ, ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ช๐จ๐? ๐๐ช๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐๐, ๐ค๐ง ๐จ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐๐ฉ, ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ช๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ. ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ง๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐, ๐จ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐, ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฉ.
CW: Violence, MDNI, SW, Spanish and English incorporation, swearing, strong language, stealing
"I'm sorry, Ms. Mendez. Looking at the progression of your mother's illness, we're going to want to start more aggressive treatments." Your ears ring white as you stare at the doctor, processing what he's saying.
"ยฟMija, quรฉ le dije?" Your mom's voice fades in, pulling you out of the trance.
"Hmm, what? Oh, sorry mama...let me finish listening." You translate back into Spanish, trying to fathom how to interpret such news. The doctor continued, asking if there were any other questions, handing you an envelope containing treatment options, prognosis, medication regimens, and, unfortunately, the cost.
The number repeats in your mind while you both situate yourselves in the car. You translate everything to her while in the parking lot as she uses her finger to smooth out your brows.
"Mami, you'll get wrinkles if you frown so much." She says with a soft smile on her face.
"Don't worry, I've lived a good life, you and your brother being the best parts. I'm going to try my best, but if it's my time, then God make it easy on both you and me." You nuzzle against her fingers, eyes closed as you feel tears begin to prick at the corners.
You weren't prepared to cry, at least not facing her.
"Te quiero mucho." You inhale, opening your eyes with a pained smile of your own. While she may not have been your biological mother, it takes a special person to find a child and raise them as their own through all these years. Eva Mendez was that special person. She was a housekeeper who settled in the Metro Detroit area to both provide and care for two children. Since then, it's been the three of you. You, your mom, and your younger brother.
You pulled into the driveway, dropping your mom off but leaving the car on. "I'll be right back; I'm going to grab a few things for dinner." She nodded and waved as you pulled out, heading to the local grocery.
Fine & Frugal... You thought placing the tostadas in your basket. Frugal my ass, everything's just getting more expensive... Sighing, you continued down the aisles to the register, hoodie covering your eyes to hide that you had been crying on the way there.
"Imma need you all to get down on the ground, cell phones out of your pockets now!"
You hear the commotion, seeing three masked, and what appeared to be women, pointing small, black handguns around. Shit, this can't be happening right now! You exclaimed in your head, quickly ducking behind the aisle end cap to avoid being seen.
You quickly took your cellphone out to dial 9-1-1, only to have the screen light up with a low battery sign. Oh, you've actually gotta be fucking joking! You swore at yourself in hiding, watching the events unfold before you. Sweat brimmed your brow as you shuffled to stay out of sight.
God, please, I don't ask for much but help me just this once! You prayed. You heard one woman in particular yelling repeatedly till all of a sudden, you heard footsteps running towards the back of the store where you were hiding.
As they scurried away, you heard something drop on the floor. Turning to look, your eyes lit up, seeing a few stacks of bills on the floor. Your heart thumped as the security guards' footsteps got louder. Without thinking, you snatched the cash up, stashing it in your hoodie. The manager approached shortly after.
"Are you ok, miss?" He asked frantically. "I'm better now..." You let out a shaky smile.
"We're gonna need everyone to stay put for questioning while we get a hold of the police if you can come with me." He starts to walk off towards the front of the store, but you had other plans, walking quickly towards the back exit and parking lot, being unknowingly watched from the camera above.
Pulling into your driveway, grinning from ear to ear, you couldn't help but cheer with delight and exhilaration.
"ยกGracias a Dios! I can't believe that just happened." You quickly rushed inside, dropping the groceries on the counter as you rushed to your room, your mom and brother's eyes following your figure with surprise as the door thudded and clicked behind you.
You jumped on your bed, plugged your phone in, and began taking out the money, fanning it across the comforter. You stared hard as you began counting the bills, thoroughly placing them into piles.
"10k..." You breathed. This could cover Mama's first half of bills. You thought as you placed the money into separate envelopes to be deposited.
"Y/N? Mom said dinner's ready!" your eight-year-old brother chirped through your door. "Coming!" You yelled back, stashing the money underneath your bed.
"Thanks for cooking mama, I'll take care of the dishes tonight." You smiled from the couch as you helped your brother finish his homework. You were interrupted by your phone lighting up, displaying the text, "Pyramid tonight, don't be late." - Lorenzo.
"Gracias mija," your mom said next to you, causing you to quickly turn your phone off as she kissed both yours and your brother's foreheads goodnight. "Alex, come, let's get you ready for bed and give your sister some peace for the night. As they walked away, you sighed looking back at the text. The Pyramid was a gentleman's club that you started working at when your mom first got sick.
Originally, it was supposed to be a short term thing, but money is always a need, and your needs kept adding up. You'd already taken out more than a few advances with Lorenzo, the owner, and at this point you knew if he called, that meant you went. He was never rough with any of the girls, took out fair cuts too, but a cut was still a cut, and you needed all the money you could get.
1:00 am. The nightstand clock blinked as you finished packing your heels and bag for the night.
You had done this routine plenty of times over. Pack your bag, scope the house, and sneak through the window. Tony was already waiting down the street for you. You lowered yourself out the window, stealthily making your way down the sidewalk. Tapping on the window of the red, old-school, Lincoln town car, you pointed at the lock, smiling apologetically at the startled Tony.
Tony, aka Anthony, and you had been friends since grade school. He often came over to help tutor both you and Alex since he was more studious. Always getting A's in school and even getting an internship at the local high school teaching. He reached over and unlocked the door.
"Now, Y/N girl, you know I'm sick of dropping you off at this club!" He said, gripping the steering wheel with a pout. As you got into the car, you gave his arm a squeeze with a hum to follow.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry, Tony. You're the only one I can trust, though. As soon as mama's treatment is complete, I'll stop, promise!" Saying in a gushy voice, pushing your lips forward to mimic his pouting expression.
Driving down the street and entering onto the highway, he fixes his glasses, looking off onto the road ahead.
"I just wish you'd let me help you...I can always get you a job at the school; Pops still got his rep up in there being a math teacher. It wouldn't be hard, and we could get you out of this lifestyle. I hate seeing you in there." You could tell he was frustrated; it's not the first time he's told you this, and as much as you'd love to take his offer and live a regular life, it just wasn't feasible currently.
He pulled up into the parking lot as you grabbed your bag. "At least think about it." He said, grabbing your hand and squeezing it. You nodded, smiling gently back before letting go and closing the door behind you.
Bright lights welcomed your figure as you heard a boisterous voice ahead of you, following the smell of a freshly lit cigar.
"Y/N, what'd I tell you, babe? You always forget the don't be late part!" Lorenzo waltzes up to you, giving your cheek a squeeze. "Got a good feeling about tonight, make me some money will ya?" He saunters off to go fraternize with the other dancers and staff.
You make your way to the dressing room, slipping off your sweats and hoodie into a two-piece skirt and bralette, embellished with rhinestones, and matching your glittery tall heels. Your silk press, that once was up in rollers, fell freely and framed your shoulders as you placed your hoops in and began doing your face. Lash after lash, blush, and finally a glossy lip to finish.
You looked into the mirror. In another life, what could this face have been, and what was your potential? You stood up, blowing a kiss in the mirror, Make me some money, you thought as you headed towards the stage.
As the music played, your hips flowed with the beats as you gripped the pole. Sliding the toe of your heels around it with ease. You added a few twirls and lowered yourself onto the floor and back up again, multiple eyes glued to your form as money made its way onto the stage. An older man wearing a wedding ring beckoned you forward, to which you complied and were rewarded with a 100$ placed in the strap of your bralette. You winked as you sauntered back to the pole.
One set of eyes in particular caught you from the corner of the club. Dark and wanting, like they were there to take. Your heart started to thump faster as you finished your set and collected the cash, quickly looking back to see the eyes had vanished. That was weird, you thought. You didn't know why they were so unsettling, but you weren't going to snoop around and find out.
After ordering a margarita from the bar, you headed back to your dressing room for a few touch-ups. Settling into the chair, you rubbed your temples, unable to get those eyes out of your head.
You looked up towards the mirror and saw a figure move in the corner of the room. You spun around quickly, a scream attempting to leave your lips before it was muffled by a man clasping a hand over your mouth.
Your back was pinned against him as you frantically scanned the room spotting another grunt barricading the door. You squirmed to free yourself but the figure behind you grabbed and placed both your wrists to your side with his other hand. Your eyes finally landed on the dark eyes you had caught in the crowd earlier, now standing in front of you.
"Hey, mama." A deep rasp settled in the air.
"We've been looking for you."
A|N: We made it to the end of the first chapter, how are we feeling? I love a good cliff hanger ending! Again I hope that everyone enjoyed reading and please feel free to like and leave comments. I love seeing what others reactions and thoughts are. Eventually as more chapters come out, I will include a masterlist so that everything can be more accessible. Again, I want to thank everyone for being so supportive and give a shout out to @saradika for the beautiful rose divider. I feel it's fitting. See everyone in the next chapter! -Dropche
Please do not steal, copy, translate, or feed my work into AI!