I got my day started at 5 am with my morning run, yoga and breakfast. My brother, Game, always taught me that the earlier you woke, the more you had to gain. I’d lived by that mantra since I was fifteen and it hadn’t steered me wrong yet. I slid on some American Eagle jeans, a fitted V-neck shirt and my chestnut Uggs so that I could get ready to go to the K-Spot. The K-Spot was my baby. I ate, bathed and slept the K-Spot. I always got there before anyone else, and was the last person to lock up. The K-Spot was not only a vegan juice bar, but it was also was a chill spot for geeks like me.

There were several special reading rooms with soothing lights and relaxation crystals. So not only could you get yourself a cool, refreshing drink, you could also zone the fuck out. My baby had been thriving for the last six months and I owed it all to my brilliant big brother, Game. Game was the only one of us who’d graduated from college. Jalen spent most of his time in and out of prison, Danni got involved with some fool and had millions of kids, and my youngest brother, who was something like a miracle baby being that my mother had him at damn near fifty, was still in high school. Me, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but Game let me know that I had to do something even if I didn’t want to go to college.

Game even fronted me $50,000 and the rest was covered in a bank loan. Now, here I was. I unlocked the doors to the K-Spot and it was just as spotless as I had left it. But I remembered that I had something to do for Game. I got some breakfast started, which consisted of fruit, muffins and freshly squeezed fruit juice. Once I was done, I went outside to wake up the sleeping woman. I called out to her, but she didn’t respond. I then gently shook her and she jumped up.

“Sorry,” she said quickly. “If you want me to leave, I will go. I don’t want any trouble.”

“No, no,” I said.“ You don’t have to leave. I was just wondering if you wanted some breakfast.” She looked like she was thinking before she shook her head no.

“Okay. Well I’m Kayla and this is my place. I have some extra breakfast left over and I just didn’t want it to go to waste,” I lied. “How old are you?” I wondered who would leave their kid to fend for themselves like this. It was cold as hell outside and she was sleeping on a cardboard box.

“I’m twenty-five.”

I gasped when I heard her age. This girl was so tiny that I thought she was about sixteen or so. Now I was in ‘save-a-hoe’ mode just like my brother.

“Oh, okay.” I tried playing it off. “Well, if you don’t want to eat at least come in so that you can get warm. I promise I won’t hurt you,” I assured her.

She looked for a few moments before she finally got up and followed me inside. For a homeless person, she didn’t have a bad scent and though her clothing was filled with holes, they were clean.

“You can sit here,” I said, directing her to a table. We wouldn’t be opening for a few hours, so she was good. I brought out the food for her and now I felt like I needed to make more. I was around her age and couldn’t imagine my life being anything like hers.

She stared at the food at first before slowly giving in. She started off slow, but then eventually stuffed her mouth as if the food would disappear. She saw me looking at her and then slowed down.

“Anna,” she said, while taking a sip of juice. “My name is Anna.”

“I don’t mean to be in your business or nothing, but why are you sleeping outside? Where is your family?”

“I don’t have any family. It’s just me. My mom died when I was little, and my father is off somewhere.”

“Sorry to hear that,” I expressed.

“It’s okay. It happened a long time ago. Do you mind if I use your restroom?”

“Sure. It’s right through there.” I pointed to the back. She left and I grabbed my phone to text Game and tell him about Anna. Anna emerged from the restroom about five minutes later. When she walked past, I smelled the scent of mouthwash.

“Well, thank you for everything.”

“Kayla.”

“Kayla, thank you for the breakfast and for letting me use your restroom. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’m going to go. Thank you again.”

With that, she didn’t even let me respond before she dashed out of the door. Ten minutes later, I went to check on her and she was gone. I had a feeling that she was used to running, so she wouldn’t be coming back.