“Aye!” I called after her. She continued to walk, so I followed her so I wouldn’t cause a scene. I ended up following her into Victoria Secrets.
“Do I need to get mall security?” She said once she realized that I was still behind her.
“Mall security? You must not be from around here, talking like that.” I laughed.
“I’m not, and?”
“Mall security ain’t gon do shit. Them rent-a-cops are lazy as fuck. Where you from?”
“VA.”
“What part?”
“Damn, you nosey.” She laughed.
“Not really, just trying to get to know my future wife.”
“Boy, bye.” She blushed. I was breaking her down.
“What part and why you up here?”
“Richmond. I’m visiting some family for the holidays. What you doing here? Damn sure not buying shit.” She smirked then walked over to the panty section of the store.
“I order my shit online like people with short patience for mall lines. I just came to chill with my mans and shit for a minute.” I said as I watched her put a couple of panties in her bag. I wasn’t with that stealing shit, but I wasn’t knocking babygirl’s hustle.
“Eric!” I heard someone yell from outside of the store. I turned around and saw Roon walking over with some bad brown skin chick with him. She quickly walked to the PINK side of the store and left him with all the bags.
“What’s up, bro?” I said while giving him dap. He was definitely making big money now because he looked like money. Roon was never a bummy nigga, but you could tell that his financial bracket changed.
“Nothing much, getting this shopping shit out of the way. I only shop for two people, but grams don’t be asking for much. It’s just this one over here who needs ten pairs of shoes and expensive ass make-up.” He said as he pointed to the brown skin chick.
“Who is that?” I asked.
“My little sister, Kay. You don’t remember her, huh?” He asked.
“Nah, not really. Wow.” I said, checking her out.
“Nigga, don’t get your head knocked off.” He said as he peeped me checking out his sister.
“I’m just settling the score. You did more than check out Raquel.” I smirked.
“That’s the past, and that’s really between Wayne and me. Now, if it was Bre, then you and I could have a problem.”
“Nah, you and the jail system would’ve had that problem.” I laughed.
“Shit you right. How is Bre? Wayne told me what happened.” He said.
“I don’t know. She hasn’t been answering anybody’s calls or responding to our texts. I don’t think she even went to school before our break started.”
“Word? That doesn't seems like her, though. I know her lil’ boyfriend….do y’all need me to reach out to that nigga and check on lil’ sis? You know your sisters are like sisters to me.”
“Except Raquel, but yeah, see what you can do. I know shit is crazy, but we just want to make sure she’s good.”
“I gotcha, let me get this girl before she spends any more money. You good, though?” He said while trying to offer me money. I could use a couple of dollars, but I wasn’t about to accept it in front of shawty, who was still standing here, surprisingly.
“I’m straight, brah,” I said. He walked away to join his sister, who was in line with mad shit in her hands. I laughed as I saw him arguing with her about how much she had.
“How you know, Roon?” Shawty asked me.
“How do you know, Roon?”
“I don’t, I’ve just heard about him. He’s making big moving up here, and his name is traveling fast down to VA.”
“Yeah...I guess.” I said, skeptically. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what Roon did for a living, but I wasn’t about to confirm that with her. I didn’t know her, but she seemed to know and be impressed by Roon. And just like that, I wasn’t interested anymore and just started walking away.
“Hey, wait!” She called out. I paused for a second.
“What’s up?” I said nonchalantly.
“You not going to ask me for my number?”
“I don’t even know you like that.”
“But, you followed me to this store not too long ago.”
“Right, it was a mistake. Take care, love.” I said, then started walking away.
“A mistake?” She said as she followed behind me.
“Yeah. I don’t like how you seemed all interested in my mans.”
“It wasn’t anything like that. It’s just I have a thing for bad boys. I first saw him at a house party that I went to not too long ago when I visited my cousins. You must be a bad boy if you know Roon and y'all cool like that.” She said. I stopped in my tracks with a smirk on my face. My ego had been restored, and I had her right where I wanted her.
“You like bad boys, huh?” I asked while turning to face her. I handed her my phone, so she could put her number in.
“What’s your name?”
“Tiffany Henríquez.” She smiled.
8.Bre
As much as I want to say that my mother was right, she was, but you won’t hear me say it. Living with Jemar was okay at first, like the first two weeks. He seemed to be concerned and caring when I first moved in, but it seemed like it was all an act. He never came back like he said he would. After the third day, I gave up and asked Chianne to come to get me. Then yesterday, my mother finally had my phone turned off. So even if Jemar did call, I wouldn’t know, but I doubt he did.
“Merry Christmas, bestie!” Chianne said as she walked into her bedroom. I was sitting on bed still in my pajamas, just lost in thought. She handed me a gift bag, and I rolled my eyes because we agreed to not get each other a gift this year. After all, I couldn’t
