Rising

Meeting A Belleview

    We all crossed through the tunnels and made it to the other side. As we were getting out, everyone started running in different directions to avoid being seen by the border patrol officers. I just froze, not knowing what to do, when Sara grabbed me by the hand and pulled me. 

    "Come on, Niray. We have to hide!" she yelled as we kept running until we found a hiding place. We could see the border patrol driving around when they stopped as they caught sight of a few of them. 

    "What happens now?" I asked fearfully.

    "We wait. Night time is the best time to run away from here" she replied and we just stayed there and waited. We could hear shouts and gunshots and I covered my ears, not wanting to listen to it. I never imagined our journey to be this dangerous.

    Hours passed, and I felt the silence in the air. The night fell and Sara looked out to see the coast clear. 

    "Let's go! We have to get out of here" she whispered, and I followed her, keeping an eye and trying not to get caught. After a few miles, we made it to the city. 

    "Where are we?" I asked Sara. She took a deep breath and looked at me.

    "We are in Texas, and this is where we part ways," she said, leaving me confused.

    "No, you can't leave me! I don't know where to go!" I said, tears threatening to fall. She held my hands and smiled at me. 

    "I am sorry, but this is survival mode, and now it's each on their own. Have a good life" she said, kissing me on the cheek and running away, leaving me there alone. I was shivering from fear and cold. I walked around trying to find somewhere to sit down. Without my bag or money, I was bound to starve.

    "Please, God. I know what I did was wrong, but you know why I did it. My grandma is all I am thinking about" I prayed to the heavens, hoping for good things to happen to me. I tried to find shelter somewhere, but every time they kicked me out.

    Days have passed, and I was homeless, hungry and tired. I kept walking around, digging in garbage, trying to find something to eat, disgusted at the sight and smell of things. I remembered my home, the delicious food my grandma would make me. I just sat there on the ground and cried. 

    Suddenly I felt someone in front of me. His strong cologne was overwhelming and when I looked up, I could see his handsome face and his clothes looked expensive. He smiled at me and extended his hand with a bag. And there was a delicious smell emanating from there.

******

    "Come on, dude. Stop being such an asshole and learn to treat your employees with respect!" I yelled at Michael, trying to make him understand that firing these people without reason was wrong.

    "I don't care. They don't fit the qualities required for the job," he replied. His face was stone cold.

    "Why? Because they are not up to your skin color standards? Or because they don't speak our language? They work harder than anyone in this place, and for a measly salary. They are underappreciated, and you don't seem to notice that. You are the boss, show a good example," I said, but my words were not reaching his ears.

    "All I care is about making money. I don't care about those workers"

    "Those workers keep this building running, cleaning, delivering mail, cooking in our cafeteria! They are the ones making YOU the money!" I had enough of his egotistical a*s. I walked out of there and left the building to get some fresh air. 

    As I was walking to the bakery close to us, I noticed a girl sitting by a dumpster and I felt a pang in my heart. I walked in the bakery and bought a few things for myself and bought her something to eat and drink. 

   I walked out, and she was still there. I kneeled in front of her, and she looked up. Wow, such a beautiful girl. She was shocked, dirty and scared, but I held my hand up in a warm greeting. I extended my hand with the bag of pastries and coffee. She hesitantly took them. 

    “Hello, What’s your name?” I asked, and she just looked at me like a lost puppy. I realized she probably doesn’t speak English. So I spoke on the best Spanish I could.

     “My name is Jayden Belleview. What’s yours?” I asked again. She fidgeted with her fingers and took a deep breath. 

     “I am Niray, Niray Moreno” she said, cleaning her hands up and extending them to shake. I took her hand and could feel the roughness of them. ‘Farmer’ I thought. I have interacted with a lot of them to know their work. 

    “Where are you coming from?” I asked, trying to get more information from her. She stayed quiet, probably scared. 

     “Don’t worry, I won’t call the cops on you, if that is what you’re afraid of,” I assured her and she nodded, while looking down. 

     “I just came here from Guatemala. I am trying to find a place to sleep and eat” she replied, shyly.

    I took my phone out and made a call while she opened her eyes wide, thinking I might call the cops on her. I looked at her with an assuring smile. "I told you I was not going to call the police, so don't worry"

    The phone rang and Minerva, my assistant picked up, "Hello, Mr. Belleview. Where are you? Your brother is looking for you" she said and I just laughed. My brother was an i***t, and he cannot handle the company without me.

    "Forget about my brother, Minerva. I need you to come here and pick me up. There is someone who needs our help and we need to go to your apartment. Don't let my brother find out where you're going" I said and hung up. I turned to the girl and she was eating the food like she hadn't in days.

    Call it a charity case, I don't care. But I always felt the need to help people. Me and my brother were raised that way, too bad he didn't follow our morals. I guess being in power does that to you. 

    "My friend is going to pick us up and we are going to help you"

    She looked shocked, "Are you going to help me just like that?" she asked. I could see a hint of skepticism. 

    "Yeah, I promise, just like that. Well, I have to ask for a favor, but it will be beneficial for you. I will tell you later on" I replied, showing her my most genuine smile.

    Minerva showed up on one of the company cars, "Shall we?" I asked while opening the door.

    She nodded and got in. I was going to help this girl and I would teach my brother a lesson.