CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX – DESTRUCTIVE HOUSING

"Frank," Nia continued, turning back to the surly superintendent. "Can you at least give us regular updates on the repair situation? And maybe post some tips for staying cool in the meantime?" Frank grunted, which Nia took as the closest thing to agreement she was likely to get. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll put something up on the bulletin board. Now, if you're all done whining, I've got work to do." The crowd slowly dispersed, still grumbling but no longer on the verge of riot. Nia felt a hand on her arm and turned to see Mrs. Ramirez smiling at her. "Thank you, dear," the older woman said. "You handled that very well." Nia managed a weak smile in return. "Thanks. I just hope it actually accomplishes something." As she climbed the stairs back to her apartment, Nia felt the full weight of the day crashing down on her. The failed interview, the broken AC, the confrontation with Frank – it all seemed like too much to bear. She stumbled into her sweltering apartment, barely bothering