12/24/2011.

"Hey, you two have to go. I have inspection in an hour, go, go." The man who owned the gas station, Abdul, gestured with his hands at a tired Dayvon.

Without saying anything, he stood up from the floor of the janitor's closet, picking up an asleep Jayda, feeling her wrap her arms around his neck.

His small body struggled to carry her, but he made it out of the closet, and then out of the store with both of their backpacks in his hand.

"Fats, wake up." He mumbled, placing her on her feet, and she frowned her face up, her eyes opening as she stabilized her balance.

"What are you doing?" Her small voice sleepily spoke out, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"We have to go back to the tent. I can't carry you the whole way, so you have to walk." He told her, grabbing ahold of her hand, and she held a pout on her face, letting him pull her with him.

"Cyn I don't wanna sleep outside. It's so cold out here." She sniffed, becoming sad after they'd been walking and talking for about fifteen minutes.

"I know. I will find somewhere for us to go soon okay? I promise." He rubbed her hand, approaching a dimly lit alley that had multiple homeless people occupying it.

"Okay. And food too? Please." Her eyes gleamed with sadness as she looked up at him. She was starving. The two kids hadn't ate in two days, and it was definitely catching up with her.

"Yes. Food too. Pizza?" He suggested, and a smile covered her face.

"Pleaseeeee." She did a little dance, clapping her hands, flapping them, then bending over to do a shimmy, making him laugh. Pizza was her favorite.

"Why out of all dances you always wanna do the chicken dance?" He asked, pulling the tent from the large duffel bag he carried, beginning to set it up.

"Because it always makes you laugh. Even when you have a sad face." She told him, playing with her finger nails.

"I don't have a sad face." He chuckled, finishing setting up the tent within a few minutes.

Once he was done, Jayda pulled off her Dora tennis shoes, stepping inside, and Von zipped it back up once they were both in.

"It's so cold." She mumbled, helping him make a small pallet out of the blankets that they had, laying her ladybug pillow on top of them.

"I know. I'm sorry." He laid down, pulling her down next to him, and she snuggled into his body warmth, her eyes closing once he laid their blanket over them.

It was a cold December night in the city of Chicago, and the temperatures had dropped below a mere 20 degrees. Which is why they were previously at the gas station, where minimal heat was available.

Abdul frequently let the kids stay in the small closet for hours at a time whenever it got too cold outside, feeling bad for them. Not bad enough to where he'd get them some real help though.

"Cyn I'm cold." Her teeth chattered lowly, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

It wasn't unusual that they slept in the cold, having been homeless for about two and a half years now; but it always made her cry because she wished she could just be in a warm house with a bed.

"I'm sorry. Just go back to sleep, okay? Scoot closer." He placed their duffel bag on top of her for extra heat, and she nodded her head, holding him tight as he patted her back.

He listened for her slow breaths, meaning she'd be asleep within a few measly seconds. She fell asleep very easily, and he didn't know if that was good or bad.

Her body lightly shivered as she slept, but she didn't care. With Von at her side, she knew she'd have the best sleep. She always did.

Dayvon looked down at her, her thick hair twisted in little ponytails, done by him. She loved to have her hair done, and since no one else could do it, he always did it for her.

He could feel tears brim in his eyes, watching her sleep, her body cold. He wished that life wasn't as hard as it was for them. He didn't mind it, but watching Jayda struggle with him made his heart hurt.

They were just kids, and were struggling very hard living day to day on their own. No parents or guardians, they did everything themselves.

He believed that this wasn't the life that Jayda deserved. He wished that he could put them up in a big house, with her own room, with toys and heat; and food. He wished life was much easier.

He knew he had to figure out something eventually, because there was no way that they could continue on like this.

It was currently Christmas Eve, rounding in to Christmas Day, and probably near very early morning. Von didn't have a watch, so he couldn't tell what time it was, but he figured it was probably around four or five in the morning from the steady flow of cars that'd picked up-people most likely heading to work.

One day, he knew that he would be able to buy Jayda everything that she wanted for Christmas. A day where she wouldn't have to want for anything, and he'd be able to fully provide for them. A day that couldn't come any faster.

He was tired of struggling, tired of wondering if he'd be able to feed the two of them, if he'd be able to get back in school, tired of everything.

It was so much responsibility on the 13 year old's shoulders, but he wouldn't give up-he couldn't give up. He had Jayda to keep fighting for, he had to make life better for them. He just didn't know how.

Von ended up falling asleep in his own thoughts, but was awoken just about two hours later by Jayda tapping his shoulder.

"Cyn, I have to go pee. Get up please." She lightly shook him, and his eyes opened, sitting up.

"You have to go right now?" He asked, before sighing under his breath seeing that she was holding between her legs, doing a small dance so that she didn't pee on herself.

"Okay, come on. Come on, get your bag." He told her, standing up, and she followed instructions.

Von walked her to the local QuikTrip that took about four minutes, then led her over to the bathrooms.

She quickly made her way in the stall after giving her backpack to Von, and he held the door closed, chuckling as he listened to her rush to get her tights down.

"Whew." She sighed in relief, able to make it to the toilet before she peed on herself, and he chuckled again, shaking his head.

"Cyn." She mindlessly called out, swaying her feet up and down.

"Yeah baby?" He responded back, getting their toothbrushes and face towels out of their bags, as well as their soap so that they could do a quick wash down.

"I'm sorry for waking you. But I had to pee really, really, reallyyyy bad." She told him in a sing song voice.

"That's ok. You sitting on the paper right?" He asked, and she hummed in a positive response, knowing he didn't like her sitting on the bare toilet seat.

"Cyn?" She called out again, but this time her voice had slight fear in it, making him frown.

He walked over to the stall, opening the door, meeting her teary eyes.

"I think I'm dying." She sniffed, a pout on her face, and he followed her eyes to her panties, before his eyes widened, seeing the blood in them.

"Oh y-oh? Shit." He squatted in front of her, pulling her messy panties and the tights off since she'd bled through them.

"Am I dying?" Her voice cracked, and he coughed so that he didn't laugh, because he knew this was serious for her.

"Nah. It's called a period. It what happens so when you get older, grown people stuff don't happen to you." He told her, going to their bag to grab baby wipes, and then over to the free dispenser to grab her a pad.

"Grown people stuff? Like when I get a job? I don't want a job though." She said, beginning to cry.

"Hey, hey, not a job. It's okay. I won't make you get a job okay?" He chuckled, now back in front of her, and she nodded, aggressively wiping her tears.

"It's only for today?" She asked, watching him spread her legs, beginning to clean her lower half off.

He was only 13 and didn't really know how periods fully worked, but he knew the basics. Jayda was only ten, and Von thought that might've been too young, but maybe not.

"I think it's for like 3 days. It makes your stomach hurt sometimes too. So we need to go to a hotel for a few days or something." He explained to her, and she dramatically groaned.

"But that's allll the days. I have to do this for so long? But Dayvon I didn't say that I wanted this." She frowned at him, and he laughed.

"I don't think that's how it works fats." He told her, sliding a new pair of panties around her ankles.

"Will you help me all the days please?" She asked, and he nodded.

"I'll help you for life." He kissed her cheek, and she smiled big, leaning over to hug tightly around his neck, and he laughed, catching her before she fell from the toilet.

"Thank you Cyn. If I didn't have you everyday, I think that I would be a bum ass nigga." She told him, and he immediately frowned at her.

"Watch yo mouth Jayda Rain. Who the hel-heck, you learned that from?" He had his eyebrows furrowed, and she giggled.

"That's what you said to that man at Taco Bell who asked for my taco." She shrugged, and he face palmed himself, making her laugh, and he cracked a smile.

"Don't repeat after me. No cussing for you. Now look, watch me okay?" He said, and she nodded, watching as he took the wrapper off the pad.

"So this back part is sticky, it goes on this middle part of your panties like this. So that the blood gets on here instead of messing your clothes up. And these are called wings. You just fold them back like this." He showed her, following the instructions on the wrapper.

"So I'm just wearing a diaper again?" She frowned, and he laughed, nodding.

The first few months of them being homeless together, Jayda peed on herself almost every other night for a month straight, so Von made her wear pull ups-which she hated.

"Wipe yourself with the tissue." He told her, and she wrapped it three times around her palm the way he'd taught her, before wiping herself.

"No baby. Front to back, remember? Like this." He grabbed some tissue, leaning over to wipe her the correct way, and then she copied his actions.

"It's blood on my tissue." She frowned, turning it to show him, and he quickly covered his eyes, laughing.

"Jayda I don't wanna see that." He chuckled, and she put it in the toilet, shimmying herself down.

"Well close your eyes then because there's moreee." She said in a sing song voice, frowning at the blood on the toilet seat from when she'd just dragged herself off of it.

She used tissue to wipe it off, and then used her foot to flush the toilet, just how he'd taught her.

"I'm all done Cyn Cyn." She mumbled, and he reopened his eyes, leading her out of the bathroom.

Walking over to their duffel bag, he grabbed her a pair of clean joggers that had thick fabric, grabbing the matching hoodie to it.

"Start cleaning off Rain." He told her, and she nodded, both of them beginning to brush their teeth, wash their face, and their bodies.

"Brush, brush, brush your teeth. Brush, brush, brush your teeth. Brush, brush, brush your teeth, two times a day!" Jayda sung, spitting toothpaste out of her mouth, and he smiled.

Jayda was always so happy, despite the life they lived. She was always able to find the hood in situations, and that made Von happy. She was so sweet and innocent and he hoped she saw the world as cupcakes and rainbows forever.

"Look fats. We matching." He showed her his outfit of a jogger and hoodie, and she turned her head, smiling.

"Ouuuuueeeee okay! You look so fresh!" She clapped, and he laughed, placing all of their things back up.

"Thanks. You look pretty too. So, do you want to go and get pizza right now? Or maybe the park?" He suggested, counting the money that he'd saved up, totaling out to $492. He didn't know how much an apartment cost, but he hoped he'd reach the milestone soon.

"Pizza!" She did a cartwheel in the middle of the bathroom, and he shook his head, chuckling,

"Pizza it is. Merry Christmas Jayda." He pulled a box from his bag, and she pouted, a brand new baby alive set in his hand.

Without saying anything, she wrapped her arms tight around him, crying softly on his chest.

"What you crying for fat girl?" He chuckled, squatting in front of her and wiping her face.

"I don't know. I know that we don't have so much money, but you still got me a gift. But I don't have any money to get you one, but I been wanting a baby alive doll for so long. And I just love you so much because it's only me and you and I know it's so hard but I still got a gift." She rambled to him, continuously wiping her face.

He wrapped his arms around her in a hug, and she returned it, sniffing. Life sometimes made the young girl sad because she knew how hard Von worked for the two of them to be able to make it by. She wished she could do something for him so they could just be okay for one day.

"It's okay baby. I wake up everyday and I see the greatest Christmas gift in the whole world. I see you everyday and I always be happy with you, okay? I love you so much. I got you." He wiped her face, kissing her forehead, and she sniffed, nodding,

"Thank you Von. I love it." She pouted at her new doll that came with fake food, milk, clothes, and diapers.

"You welcome. And this one poops too, so I hope you know how to change a boo-boo diaper." He teased, and she giggled, nodding again.

"And I do." She shrugged, and he laughed, shaking his head as he grabbed both of their bags.

"Merry Christmas Dayvon. One day I will get us everything for Christmas. Like shoes, and clothes, and necklaces, and pizza, and maybe fries too, and the President." She rambled to him, holding his hand as they walked out of the bathroom after putting their coats on.

"The president? Why we need him fa'?" He asked, looking down at her as they walked out of the store.

"Cause. He got the big ole house with a hundred rooms, and we can live there. Ms.Snider taught us that at school last week." She told him, and he nodded, chuckling.

That was one thing he was very grateful about. Jayda was still enrolled in school, and she went every weekday without raising suspicion.

She was in fourth grade, and she was in love with school, and with all of her friends. While she went to school, Von went with Cane, a man who was teaching him the ropes of the game, which was helping him make money.

Their schedule worked out fine, and nobody suspected that Jayda was homeless, which made him happy because if anyone found out they'd be back in a foster home, probably separated.

Making it to Cici's pizza, Jayda began to get excited, skipping towards the door, making Von laugh, holding it open for her.

"I'ma get alll the pizzas. And the cinnamon rolls oh my god." Her eyes lit up, and he smiled at how excited she was. He knew that she was hungry, he was too.

"Can I get two buffet passes?" Von looked up at the employee, and the girl looked over the counter at them.

"Drinks?" She asked, and he nodded, holding up two fingers. She rung him up, and after he paid, he passed Jayda a cup.

"Can I get soda? Pleaseeee no juice." She pouted up at him, and he tilted his head to the side.

"Will you pass your test on Monday?" He asked, and she frantically nodded, making him laugh.

"Ok. Yeah, get you some soda then." He gestured towards the dispensers, and she rushed over there, pulling him with her.

"I wanna do it by myself. But I can't reach it Cyn. Help me please." She frowned, and he laughed.

He picked her up by her legs so that she could reach the machine, and she happily poured herself a large cup of rootbeer.

Von helped her put her lid on, and after getting him a sprite, then went down the aisles of pizza, filling their plates up.

"It smells so good." She mumbled, situating herself in their booth, looking at her plate of multiple slices of pizza.

"Don't eat too much because you won't have room for the cinnamon rolls. Ok?" He told her, and she nodded, grabbing a slice of cheese pizza, taking a big bite out of it.

Her face became greasy as she mowed down on her plate of pizza, filling her stomach with as much as she could. She was so hungry and pizza was exactly what she had wanted.

"Cyn?" She called, wiping her mouth off and grabbing her soda, and he switched his attention to her.

"One day, I will buy me and you a big house. And I will have a microphone and the speakers and stuff so that you could rap like you be doing with Cane." She told him, picking pieces of bacon off of a slice of pizza and eating it.

"Not if I get it first." He smirked, and she covered her mouth, laughing.

"Well, you always get everything and take care of me. When I'm old enough to work at McDonald's, I will start taking care of you. Ok?" She looked over at him, and he chuckled.

"Ok fat mama. You can buy it for me." He agreed, and she smiled, drinking from her soda.

"Cyn, when will we be okay again?" She asked, mindlessly speaking as she continued to eat her pizza.

"We not okay right now?" He pondered, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, we are. I'm always okay with you. But I mean like when we sleep in beds again with the hot showers like with your grandma. And we ate the good food every night, and got money on our birthdays. I miss her and I miss my granny." She mumbled, now picking at her food, no longer hungry.

Von had met Jayda seven years ago, when she was only three, and he was six. While he was living with his grandmother, her and her grandmother had moved in next door to them.

Unfortunately, Jayda's grandma, Ms.Azure, had passed three years later. During that time, Ms.Azure and Von's grandmother, Ms.Ada, had grown closer than two peas in a pod.

They attended church together multiple times through the week, took turns taking the kids to school and daycare, went grocery shopping together, and often cooked at one another's house.

Once Azure passed away, Ada immediately welcomed Jayda into her home with open arms, knowing she had no one else. Life had slowly began to crash down for Jayda after her grandma passed, and within another year and a half, Ada had passed away as well.

With both of them gone, Von and Jayda had no where to go, which is ultimately how they ended up in their current situation.

They'd been in multiple foster homes, and each one was worst then the last. Von had finally grown tired of temporary homes, and him and Jayda had ran away two and a half years ago.

It had just been the two of them ever since. They were all that they had, and sometimes it made Jayda sad to think about.

"Jayda why you thinking like that mama?" He frowned at her, and she covered her face, pouting.

"I just want to be okay again. Why do only we have to go through this? Amara and Saddie always ask can they come over and play, but I always have to tell them no because we don't even have a home Cyn. And they have nice houses and cars and stuff, and they have mom's. It's not fair." She softly cried, not loud enough to gain any attention, her head on the table.

Von slid out of the booth, walking to sit next to her, wrapping his arms around her small body. She sniffed, hugging him back.

"I know you try so hard. One day I will pay it all back. I just wish the day would come faster. That's all." She wiped her face, sighing under her breath.

"Tough times won't last forever. Ok? We gone be good one day. I promise." He rubbed her back, and she nodded, definitely believing him. He always kept his word.

btw, the first few chapters are slow burn, like maybe three chapters. but anyways omg hi welcome back 🤭🤭🤭