ψ⋆｡° 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 ⋆｡°ψ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓞𝓷𝓮 ψ⋆｡° 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟 ⋆｡°ψ

Ziron looked perfect. It was famous because it contained the best university in the country, Crestwood Heights Academy, and was full of academic success. There was probably a library with a built-in coffee shop on every street you turned and the satisfying scent of a mixture of new books and coffee was way too strong to resist, you just 𝘩𝘢𝘥 to stop at the library. Many rich, intelligent, famous people had been born in Ziron, and in every speech they made, the beautiful city of Ziron was sure to be mentioned and credited. Sure, the houses were stupidly expensive, but that didn't matter too much when there was an apartment you could rent out for less down the street. All this sounded perfect to Bronx Valentina.

Bronx was an eighteen-year-old woman who had big dreams. She wished to become a children's doctor and help save lives. That may not seem like a big dream to some, but to Bronx and her family, that dream was nearly impossible.

You see, it was usual for the Valentinas not to be greeted by success. Most of the family lived and died in Sunhaven, a small, crime-filled town where everyone knew each other. It was kind of like a village. The town was stinky and ghetto, and it was rare to feel safe, even in your own house. Many residents did not survive past the age of forty, and some struggled with unemployment even after turning thirty. There were three important rules to follow if you wanted to survive in Sunhaven.

1 - Never interact with strangers on the street. You shouldn't try to befriend strangers with guns for possible protection in the future. Thinking that a stranger living in Sunhaven will waste a precious drop of energy protecting you is ridiculous. Plus, you may get jumped for even making eye contact with someone. 

2 - Never make it seem like you have money. Always keep your money hidden when going out. Some thieves check pockets and purses, so it would be best to keep money hidden in your shoe. Don't even give money to a homeless person, even if it may seem like it's just the two of you. Someone is always watching. 

3 - Never trust anyone except your family. They're the only ones in Sunhaven who want the best for you, even if it'll bring the worst on them.

Follow these rules, and you may survive, at least before thirty.

Birthdays were usually depressing and saddening because no one had a single drop of time or money for gifts, and birthdays were just a reminder that you lived another dreadful year in Sunhaven, so imagine how ecstatic Bronx was when she learned that at age eighteen, she would be escaping the harsh living conditions of Sunhaven, and would celebrate her birthday much happier.

Last month, Bronx bought a lottery ticket with a prize of 10,000 dollars and won. She did not tell this news to anyone except her older brother, Ravon, who was overrun with joy.

♡❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･♡ 𝓞𝓷𝓮 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓱 𝓐𝓰𝓸... ♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･❀˖⁺. ༶ ⋆˙⊹❀♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Bronx's mouth fell open in shock, her eyes wide with surprise. She couldn't believe the last five numbers that had been said by a man on the TV. 

"54930!"

Bronx looked down at her lottery ticket for a second time and couldn't believe what she was seeing - the same five numbers the man on the TV had said were printed in bold on her ticket!

Am I in a dream or something? she thought. This is not real, this is not real!

Bronx was about to scream with joy but stopped herself when she remembered that the walls of her townhouse were thin, and her aggressive, greedy neighbors would definitely want to know what she would be squealing about.

I need to tell this good news to Ravon immediately! Bronx thought.

She ran over to her brother's room and saw him playing a video game. Even though she knew that he didn't like to be interrupted while playing video games, she still jumped on him and hugged him tightly. 

"Ravon, oh my gosh," Bronx said excitedly in a quiet voice, "you'll never guess what just happened to me!"

Ravon pushed his little sister off of him. "What the hell!"

"Ouch," Bronx muttered after falling on her butt.

"I died, why would you do that?"

Bronx stood up and grinned. "Because something amazing just happened!"

"What?"

"Guess!"

"I'm not about to play this guessing game. Now tell me what happened or I'll never know."

"Fine!" Bronx leaned into her brother's ear and whispered, "I won the lottery."

"WHAT?!" Ravon jumped up from his chair and started to frolic around his room like some type of leprechaun. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at his sister. "If you're lying, I'm gonna smack you."

"I'm not, and if you smack me I'll smack you ten times harder."

"Try me."

The two siblings started to wrestle on the floor for some minutes until they heard the door of Ravon's room creak open.

"Bronx, didn't I tell you to wash the dishes an hour ago?"

A short, fat woman with grey hair stood in the doorway. Bronx's good mood instantly dropped upon seeing her. It always did.

Bronx sighed quietly and walked closer to the woman in the doorway. "Yes, Mom."

"Then why are they still in the sink?"

"Sorry, Mom, I'll do them, b-but those dishes are so dirty! And It's never me making the dishes that dirty, it's always-"

"I will dish you some dirty slaps!" Bronx's mother said as she stomped her foot on the ground. "Now go do them!"

"Well, Mom, I have to tell you something first."

Ravon slowly walked over to where his sister was standing.

"I won-"

Suddenly, Ravon slapped his sister's mouth and gave her a stern look. "She was going to say that she won the video game we both were playing."

Bronx gave her brother a dirty look and was about to say what she intended to, but her mother spoke first.

"Bronx, that's all you wanted to say? How irrelevant! You make me wanna pull my hair out! Thank the Heavens for my milk. Where's my milk?"

"Uhh, I don't know! You should go find it!" Ravon said as he rushed his mother out the door.

Once she was out, Ravon turned to his sister.

"Are you stupid?"

"Why're you calling 𝘮𝘦 the stupid one? You slapped my lips right as I was going to tell Mom the good news!"

"Well, duh, you're not supposed to!" Ravon exhaled deeply out of his nose and lowered his voice. "Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Bronx stayed silent and when she realized what her brother was talking about, she started to cry. Ravon went up to her and gave her a tight, comforting hug, the type of hug that everyone likes, even if you're not someone who likes hugs. 

"It's okay, you didn't know she would do that."

The door swung open and the figure of the short, fat woman appeared once again. Ravon and Bronx quickly pulled away from their hug and stared at their mother.

"Are y'all hiding something from me?" their mother asked. "Ooh, is it money?"

"No, Mom, we're never giving you even a penny after last time! I still can't believe you wasted a thousand dollars on propofol!"

"Stop using that word, I hate when you make me look like a crippling addict!"

"You 𝘢𝘳𝘦 a crippling addict, and the only way we'll ever give you money is if you promise you'll use it for rehab."

"Fine, I'll use it for the stinkin' rehab. Just give me the money."

"Who said we had any money? I'm just saying if I 𝘥𝘰 get some money, the only benefit you'll get from it is rehab."

"Ugh, y'all stress me out! I need my milk! I'm freakin' out!" Ravon's mother walked out of the room.

Ravon turned to his sister and gave her a hug. "Seems like we need to be a bit quieter with our plans," he whispered as Bronx nodded. "What do you plan on doing with the money?"

"Hm, I wanna buy two pairs of those expensive shoes we wanted-"

"Have you gone insane?" 

Bronx glared at her brother, annoyed. "No, I have not."

"Like seriously," he continued, "have you forgotten all the years you've lived in this town? Aren't you aware that thieves will rob us if we step outside in those shoes?"

Bronx's excited expression turned shameful in a matter of seconds. "Sorry, Ravon."

"Sorry for yourself. Imagine what trouble you'd be in if I wasn't here!"

"I know, I'm sorry."

Ravon sighed and softly placed his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Now, here's what I suggest you do with the money - you get the hell out of here. Buy a plane ticket and fly to where your friend lives, Ziron, right?"

Bronx nodded.

"Ziron is a great place from what I've heard. It has the best university in the country, and with a good education, you can do anything. Apply for a scholarship and make sure you get in."

Bronx started to cry. "Okay, Ravon, but I can't do all this without you!"

"Yes, you can. You're amazing, smart, and strong. You can definitely do this without me. I need to stay here and make sure Mom doesn't overdose on her milk but promise me that one day you'll come back to save me."

"I promise I'll come back to save you, Ravon," Bronx sobbed, "don't worry."

Bronx gave her brother a tight hug, and soon, she would be wishing him farewell.