“So, here’s the deal. Heather decided out of the blue to move in with her loser boyfriend.” I lower my voice as I heave my dance bag onto the empty seat next to me.
“She told me a couple of days ago. Wait—that’s not true. I happened to come home early and found her and a creepy guy moving her shit out. That’s why I was avoiding your calls because I know money is tight. But I think I might have saved us and we don’t have to get another roomie.”
Again silence. I look down at my phone to see if I’ve lost her.
“Um, Toni?”
“Yeah?”
“I have some news that… sucks.” She sighs and that sliver of dread goes up my spine. I
know what’s coming, but I’m praying it’s not.
“Oh God. What?”
She sighs.
“Just say it. You’re freakin’ me out.” I close my eyes as I let my head rest on the back of the seat.
“So, our landlord called me and said if we don’t have the last two months’ rent, he’s
evicting us.”
I blink my eyes open and sit up.
“What?” I scream and wave at some woman who shoots me a dirty look from the front of the bus. “We paid. I paid,” I whisper.
“Apparently Heather was taking the rent that we gave her and instead of paying the
landlord, she was keeping it for herself and the shitty boyfriend.”
The bus shifts and I realize I’m almost back in Hollywood as we pass Beverly Boulevard. A moment of sheer terror comes over me. This can’t be happening.
“She wouldn’t. I mean, we paid her…”
A deep sigh comes over the phone. “She did, Toni, and now we owe close to three thousand six hundred dollars. I’m so sorry, but I don’t have it.”
A car horn startles me as the bus driver curses and honks back. I need to get off at the next stop. The colorful shops selling clothes of all sizes and shades flash by. But my mind is still trying to process what she’s told me.
The bus swerves and I stand, tossing my dance bag over my shoulder as I get off the bus and look around.
I hate Hollywood. At least I did until now. Now, I love Hollywood along with my shithole apartment. I love it a lot.
“I’ll kill her. What are we going to do?” I’m screaming and panting as I run toward my
apartment. Seriously, what am I going to do?
“Bella, please tell me you can pay some. I just got a job and if it’s as good as I
hope, I can—”
“Toni. Stop.” She sighs and I do stop. I’m almost at our apartment, but her tone makes
everything in my body go cold.
“I’m not coming back to LA for a while. I got asked to stay on the tour. Remember that woman Georgia? I was telling you about her? Anyway, she knows everybody.” She clears her throat. “And she got me in—”
“Wait. You’re not seriously thinking of doing this to me, are you?” I drop my bag as sheer terror slaps me in the face. The truth that I’m alone, truly alone, sinks in.
“I intended to keep sending my share, but that was before Heather did this. Please don’t be mad at me.” Her voice cracks, which usually makes me feel sorry for her, but today I’m freaking out.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Bella. I need you to please pay rent. I… if you don’t, I’m not gonna lie. I’ll be beyond fucked.” I look around and glare at a woman walking her dog as she shakes her head at me.
“I’m sorry. But this is not my fault. I know you’re the one getting screwed, but I don’t have that kind of money!”
Silence fills the phone. I blink back tears and look at the palm trees as I walk toward our building.
“Well, perfect,” I croak. Grabbing my bag, I punch in the code and wait for the loud buzz before I open the glass door. “You know what? Don’t worry. It will work out at the end of the day.” I snort as I ignore the elevator that is so old it takes twice as long as the stairs.
“Toni, I feel awful. If I had any money, you know I would send it to you. But I don’t and my mom’s been calling asking for money for her and my dad…”
“I get it.”
“I can’t keep paying rent on a place that I probably won’t see for another six months.” She sighs. “We got fucked. That slut of a friend of ours did a numb—”
“Bella, stop.” I move the phone to my other ear and set down the dance bag to get my keys.
“It’s gonna be okay. I got a job. I’ll make the rent on my own. And when you get off tour, if you want to move back in, you can.”