De'Shawn's POV:

It's been 2 months since I moved here from Michigan. Im finally 18 & I have moved out of the motel. Im renting a one bedroom house with a walk-in closet. Business is great and my job at Footlocker still stands. I keep getting raises ☺. Im technically living a happy miserable life. I still haven't gotten accepted to college yet. So far, Ive been getting rejection letters and I don't want to go to community as an obligation, I'd rather it be my choice.

I decided to put in my golden poetic justice braids after work and just chill like always. No friends. No love. Just me. I want to look cute to boost my self esteem tonight and put on my cheer spanks, and a white crop top. I forgot to tell you... I got my belly pierced and a tattoo of a rose around my belly button. I also got my nose pierced. I slip on my white No show socks to keep my feet clean around the house and then topped it off with my diamond ankle bracelet.

Damn, I look good.

So, I started on my hair while watching Sisterhood Of Hip Hop and eating my favorites. ( Chocolate covered pretzels, caramel peanut clusters, and powdered donuts ) Yassss, Im fat but a bitch need her snacks. Im still cute though. This is the life. Peace an--

Knock, Knock, Knock!

WHO the hell is at my door? I say to myself on my way to the door.

Whoever it was will pay for this shit, interrupting my peace & quiet.

Me: "Who is it?!"

I checked the peep hole but I didn't see anyone.

I opened the door and saw little kids running. I guess they didn't know how to play "Ding Dong Ditch" correctly.

"Damn kids."

Just when I was finna close the door, I see a group of niggas I always see walking past my house, just staring at me.

"Oh, Shit" I whispered to myself because I forgot I ain't done with my hair. They done caught a bitch slipping. Well, I still look good though. I smile at them as they walk past and one familiar guy turns his head and I knew that right then, that was my queue to go.

I see him all the time but we never talk because of what happened last time. I know what he wants from me, so I don't even want him to flatter himself. I think it's best that we keep this shit on a stranger level. No matter how good he looks. I know where we stand.

I shut my door, lock it, and head back into the room to continue my peace and quiet.

De'Mario's POV:

My life has been since I moved to Cali. Im on my grown man shit now, baby. There's not a day that Im sitting on my ass wasting time. There is music to be made, money to be paid, and parties I need to raid. Im getting my shit done. I may not be making more money with less work but Im done selling. Im trying to be legal for now on.

Tonight, me and my niggas finna hit up this party that's down the street. So we just gone walk there. Im not trying to get too pilt so I ain't gone drink. But a nigga finna have a good smoke session. I really can care less about a bitch right now, but a dance might do. I'll see, it depends on how Im feeling at the moment. Shit, they all look the same to me. Thirsty, Thotty, & Trifling. I don't have time for it.

My boy Eric, who let me stay with him, suggest that we leave at 8 to catch the first hits of the blunt. Plus, he want to catch a bad bitch tonight. I don't blame him.

Me, Eric, & a few homies headed out to the party. I wasn't looking my best, I really wasn't trynna impress nobody. I just had on a black sweatshirt with the silver diamond supply logo on it. I had on some black joggers and my gray Timberlands. All my piercings were diamond and I put my dreads in a big braid. I was chilling tonight.

Eric: "Bruh, we finna get shit slapping. "

Homies: "Hell yeah, Im finna be yiking with all the bitches!" "Yeah right, you know Imma be pulling them bitches" "Im just trynna get faded" "Yeah, Im with that, I feel you"

Me: "Yeah, me too. Just trynna chill."

Eric: "You always trynna chill."

Homie: "Right, you need a bitch." Everybody laughs in agreement.

Me: "Nah, Im straight"

Eric: "Man, Yah gone leave my boy alone. He good. Everybody here for a reason. His just ain't Ass & Titties, He's bout 100's & 50's."

Me: "E, Shut the Fuck up!" I say jokingly then we all started laughing.

Cake mixing with my niggas on the way to the party, we seen some little boys running to random doors and trying to play 'Ding Dong Ditch" except that were beating on the door instead of ringing the doorbell. It's too late for all of that. They need to take they little asses home.

Me: "Them little niggas need to take they ass to sleep. Its too late for all the fuckery."

Homies: "Hell yeah" "They on that fufu shit." "I would beat they asses" "Aye, Bruhhhhhh!!"

Everybody: "What?"

One of my home boys nods his head in the direction of the house the lil boys just ran from. The door was opened and a female was standing in the doorway. She was bad asf and looked so familiar. She had on black shorts and a white half shirt. All of Which showed her perfect shape. Then she smiled and I knew right then who she was. The girl from the mall. She looked even more beautiful, even though she didn't finish her hair or have any make up on. She looked beautiful beyond the lights. When we met eyes she stopped smiling and slammed the door shut. Eric & the homies was still making comments about her but shit, I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Eric: "Yo D, why you so quiet my nigga?"

Homie: "Yeah, you good?"

Me: "Yeah, Im straight. Im just ready to hit up this party Mann, I needa blunt like right now Ma nigga. Ya feel me?"

Eric: "Shit, I feel you."

Homie: "Nah nigga, you need to be hitting SOMEONE rather than SOMETHING."

Me: "Bro, Chill."

They all laugh but I was being dead ass serious.

Eric: "My lil nigga don't need to do shit but make money."

Me: "Fawkk you meann!"

I said with confidence while giving him some dap.

We arrived to the party early asf and I went straight to the basement. I need to relax before I go crazy over this girl. I roll up the weed and light that shit up. Every hit made the thought of her disappear. Okay, now I was in my zone. No bitches, No problems, No love. Just me & my blunt. I needed this shit.

Just when I got comfortable, Eric gets into it with one of the niggas at the party. They ask him to leave and you know Squad rules. If one goes, we all go. Usually, If they tried to kick us out, we would start a riot but I wasn't in the mood for that tonight. Plus, Eric and the homies were too blowed.

Me: "Bro, you good?"

Eric: "Yeah, Im straight. Im just finna go home and take my ass to sleep. I know Im finna have the biggest headache in the morning."

Homies: "Right, Me too." "HELL yeah" "Fuck that, Im still turning up at the crib" "My shit banging already"

Me: "I bet. That's what Df Yah get! I told Yah."

Everybody was quiet for a moment. Then I spotted that house again. Just the thought of her, I can't get take the guilt anymore. If this is my only chance. I'd better take it.

Me: "Aye, I'll catch up with yah lata, Iight?"

Eric: "Where you going?"

Me: "None of ya damn business!"

Homies: "He prolly finna go get some punani!" "Ass & Titties!" "HE said fuck 100's & 50's" "Hell, Yeah!" "IM Trynna get like D, Fawkk you Meaann!?"

Me: "Man yah some clowns! Go home and take ya asses to sleep."

I parted from them and went my separate way. I headed the house and hesitated to knock on the door...

De'Shawn's POV:

Knock, Knock, Knock

I had just finished my hair when someone knocked on my door again. I jumped off my bed and ran to the door.

Me: "Who df is knocking on my damn door at 11 o'clock at night. You little mfs bett-- *GASPS* OH, SHIT! You scared the fuck outta me!"

So while I was talking shit when I was unlocking the door thinking it was those little boys again. The guy from the mall is standing in my doorway, obviously high as hell.

Him: "My bad ma."

Me: "Can I help you?"

Him: "Well, uhhh. I just came here to apologize for the shit I said to you in the mall that day."

Me: "You're drunk and high."

Him: " Im high but Im not drunk."

I rolled my eyes and shut the door in his face.

Knock, knock, knock

Me: "Go away please!"

Him: "I wish it was that easy!"

Me: "How come?"

Him: "Because I didn't get to finish my apology."

I open the door and looked at him dead in the eyes.

Me: "Continue."

Him: "Thank you... To be honest I don't know where to start, but I know what I did was wrong. Im sorry for disrespecting you like that, Im just not used to being rejected. Shit, it never happened before. I cant say that I wish I didn't say what I did because it was the truth. I know it ain't right but I mean Im not finna lie about it. This has been eating at me for the last few months and I cant take it anymore. A good girl like you shouldn't be treated like a hoe. So I should've left you alone. I just thought you should know."

Me: "Apology accepted."

I opened the door wider to invite him in.

Me: "Thirsty?"

Him: "Yeah"

Me: "What's your poison?"

Him: "KoolAid please"

Me: "Coming right up"

Him: "So, you live here by yourself?"

Me: "Yeah, pretty much."

Him: "Don't you ever get lonely?"

Me: "Sometimes but I like the peace and quiet. Im more of a stick to myself kind of gal."

Him: "I see, what are you? "

Me: "Human.???"

Him: "No, race. You mixed right?"

Me: "Yess, but Im more African American than anything If that's what you mean."

Him: "Awe, I thought you were Puerto Rican"

Me: "Awe, Nah. Im black. Im sorry, whats your name?"

Him: "D"

Me: "I asked for your name, not an alias. Im not one of your lil hoes."

Him: "Damn ma, whats your name then?"

Me: "Why do you care? If I dont know yours, Im not giving you mine. Okay, D?"

Him: "Why you so damn difficult? My name is De'Mario but everybody calls me 'D', now whats your name?"

Me: "Hey what a coincedence, My name is De'Shawn but everybody calls me Shawny or Dee as well. I think im going to stick with Shawny and you can have D I guess."

D: "Sounds good to me. Where you from?"

Me: "Grand Rapids, Michigan. What about you?"

D: "Well, I see why you dont have any friends. Im from Detroit, Michigan but moved to Indiana a couple years ago"

Me: "Whats that supposed to mean? & Wow, thats weird how were from the same state."

D: "Last time I seen you, your plates were from Michigan. I thought I seen it some where. That would explain why you dont have any friends. You left them on the other side of the country."

Me: "Wow, youre good. Did you like it in Indiana?"

D: "Hell nah, I hated it there. But I had no choice."

Me: "What made you choose to move to California then?"

D: "My moms died."

Me: "Oh, my god. Im so sorry. How did she pass? If you dont mind me asking."

D: "Drug overdose."

Me: "How long ago was it?"

D: "6 months ago"

Me: "I know that must be hard, how is your father taking it?"

D: "Fuck him. I dont need his bitch ass. He dont even give af."

Me: "Im sorry..."

D: " You good,"

It was a respectful moment of silence before I spoke again. I could see the hurt in his eyes about his mother.

Me: "We can change the subject if you want.."

D: "Alright, tell me about you. I mean what made you move to Cali? You seem so innocent."

I told him a brief summary about myself and what happened. The more I spoke, the more emotional I got. Eventually we both started to tear up speaking about our lives. With him being a man and all, he obviously tried to hide the pain. I tried to as well. I cant be a little bitch. Shit, im grown. Im going to be okay. Ill live another day.

D: "I know I dont know how to express my feelings but youre a female. I dont think thats healthy. No wonder you seem so mean and angry. I hate to see a frown on a pretty face. To see someone as beautiful as you go through so much pain, mentally and emotionally makes me want to do something about it. I know im a hood nigga but Ive seen my moms go through it. I damn sure dont want to see you go through it either. If you need to talk to someone or cry, im here, you can come to me. We may not really know each other but I got all the time in the world and I know you need a friend right now,"

Tears just start running down my face uncontrollably and I cant help it.

D: "Come here"

He reaches his arms out and I buried my head into his chest. I felt so protected, his grasp around me was so warm. Everything began to dissolve around me and everything was silent even my wimpering. He stopped shushing me and I suddenly felt high. He rocked me slowly and started rapping. I was at peace, he spoke soft and calmly. His spoken word made sense. I felt at ease for once in my life. So comfortable and innocent. Before I knew it, I was sound asleep...

D: "Goodnight Beautiful" was the last things I heard.

De'Mario's POV:

After De'Shawn fell asleep in my arms, I continued to speak softly to her and rock her slow. My high done went away and I really didnt want to stop talking to her but Im getting a weird feeling the longer I hold her. After I knew she was completely out of it, I picked her up and carried her into her room. I laid her on her bed covering her with a nearby blanket. She was so beautiful. She didnt look sad anymore. I kissed her forhead like my mom used to do me before she had given up on motherhood. I dont want De'Shawn to give up on herself, shes too young. Shes too beautiful.

No matter how tempted I was to climb in bed next to her and cuddle until morning. I feel different about her. I have respect for her. Like legit respect. So, to make her feel safe in the morning. I guess Ill K.O. on her couch tonight. I dont think she would want me to leave anyway.

I laid down and thought about her for a good hour before falling asleep. I dont know what this girl has done to me but she got a nigga going wild. I just cant wait to see her tomorrow. For once in my life Im actually looking forward to waking up.