Chapter one

A man walked through the street to his home, he kept cursing at everything he passes, he hates where he is living and the area, they were children running around, playing in the dirt. He cursed at them and continued walking, if God should help him and his project becomes a success, moving out of here would be the first thing he would do. But at the moment, he just needs to make sure that everything is set perfectly and he had the inkling that he would win, he has to, all his life he had been preparing for this, if it doesn’t work out then he is doomed for the rest of his life.

“Hell no, it’s going to work, I have to be chosen, I have looked at the draft of the others, none of them could amount to mine, even Mr. Bridgeton said so,” he murmured to himself, trying not to step inside a puddle as he avoided stepping on a banana peel that was on the ground. “Fuck this place,” he cursed, if only he has any other choice, nothing in the world would have made him live here, in the slums.

“I just need some cash, if I am able to land myself with three thousand dollar bills, I am good to go but where can I get so much, I don’t even have up to five hundred dollars in my savings and this constant going around and taking cabs just to look good is draining me, when will it end? Mr. Bridgeton better choose my work, if not, what else can I be doing?” He kept murmuring to himself. He could already picture himself working in Fashionista, the best clothing brand in Chicago, all he just needs to do is bring his design to life before the big day but how can he do that? He needs real cash to buy the materials and one of the requirements in the contract is that every designer should come with their work in their hands. Mr. Bridgeton already expressed his love for his design, if he could just gather the materials and have it sowed, then his life is blessed and he could work as a designer in such big company.

Something hit his leg, bringing him out of this thought but before he could notice what was happening, children were running towards him and they all stepped into a puddle beside him, splashing the dirty water on him as they fought to get their ball.

Frank cursed and felt like hitting every one of them, he looked at his damaged suit which he had been hoping to wear again tomorrow but now he would need to wash it and pray that it dries before he needs to leave. He ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair and glared daggers at the kids who were oblivious to his anger as they continued running and playing with their ball. He sighed, now covered in dirty water; he hid his design inside his jacket to avoid future accident like the one that just happened.

When he finally got to his house, actually, his girlfriend’s house who he had been staying with for the past two years after her parents death because he couldn’t afford to pay his bills again, he sighed but the happiness he expected didn’t come, he was only staying there for the sake of having somewhere to sleep, he was tired of sleeping in the slums, he was tired of calling that small house that often leaks when it rains his home, he goes to the city always and sometimes he would just wander around till it’s late to go home and he leaves as early as possible in the morning. He hates his life, especially having to pretend to like everyone he sees because sometimes he needs to depend on them for feeding. When will his luck shine?

He pushed open the creaking door and entered the house, “Athena? Athena?” He called but got no answer, he entered where they called bedroom and started taking off his clothes, he needs to wash it but he was so tired, hopefully Athena could do that for him. He picked up his towel and in shorts, he left the house to the bathroom that they shared with three other families in the compound. He cursed silently when he heard someone taking a bath and had to walk back to the house to wait for whoever it was to be done, “I hate this place,” he murmured.

“You are back,” he had a sweet voice called to him from afar and he looked up to see his girlfriend approaching him, as usual, she looked stressed out and filthy due to her kind of work. She takes out garbage for the richer ones in the vicinity and she works as a cleaner in a diner. She approached him with smiles on her face, her deep brown hair up in a loose ponytail and her brown eyes twinkling as always whenever she sees him. They have been dating since she was sixteen and he was seventeen. Her parents had been in support of their union and he had loved her dearly then, only that now, he can’t shake off the feeling that she wasn’t his kind of woman anymore.

She fits in perfectly in the slum and while he goes around complaining about everything, she faces everything with happiness and she knows almost if not all the people here which he must admit gets on his nerves. He smiled to her when she was closer, “yes.”

“How was the day?” Athena asked, she reached up and wiped away a strand of his hair from his face, she does that every time she sees him that it became a habit.

Frank forced a smile on his face, he hates it when she does that especially with the hands that she had been using in cleaning and throwing away garbage all day, he doesn’t like her touching him unless she has taken a bath but he couldn’t let his distaste be known, he needs somewhere to stay after all. “Better than last.”

“Don’t worry, soon you will find what you are looking for,” she comforted him, she looked behind him, “oh Tom is done bathing, want to take a shower?”

Frank looked behind him and saw the so called Tom approaching them, definitely to greet them and he hates that, just what is it with the people here, why can’t they stay on their own? “Yes,” he forced out just as Tom got closer.

“Hi Athena, hi Frank, tough day?” He asked, his blue eyes shining in the sunset, he looked really handsome and with the water beads dripping on his body.

“No, everything is good,” Athena answered and he nodded and walked away. “Why don’t you take a shower, I will try to fix up something for us to eat.”

“Won’t you take a shower first?” He asked, trying to hide the scowl on his face.

“You want to and I can’t lay around waiting for you,” she answered innocently.

“You won’t be laying around, my suit, it needs to be washed, some stupid kids splashed dirty water on me while I was walking back.”

Athena smiled, “oh Frank, they are not stupid, they probably didn’t realize they did that.”

“Yeah, whatever, so can you wash it for me? I hope it can dry before morning and you can then take a bath after washing it then make dinner.”

Athena thought about it, “alright,” she smiled.

“Thanks,” Frank smiled, she leaned forward to kiss him and he took a step back before he could stop himself, then seeing the shock on her face, he pretended to be wiping out something from her hair, “you must have had a really tough day, why don’t you hurry up with your duties so you can have a rest.”

Athena sighed and stretched herself, “you are right, it’s been a tough day.”

“Yeah, go ahead now,” he said and turned, walking to the bathroom and Athena went back to their flat.