Is there ever a reason to be up at 7?

This thought continuously ran through Grace's mind as she followed behind one of the more experienced interns, not listening to a damn thing she was saying.

The only reason she remembered the girl's name is because it reminded her of Scooby-doo.

"-Finally, this is the copy room where we." Daphne paused to do this annoying ass laugh she'd been doing throughout the tour, "Copy things."

"Great." Grace responded dryly.

She turned to look at her, "I definitely see how you're related to your dad."

She was pretty sure that wasn't a compliment.

They made their way back to the room where the rest of the interns were, hearing them argue over a spreadsheet.

Grace didn't even know what a spreadsheet was.

It was already awkward being here since they'd all seen her naked. When she had sex with whichever previous intern, she never had to see them again.

At least they were nice pictures.

• • •

Grace soon realized if you have a cup of coffee beside you and type really fast, people assume you know what you're doing.

Grace: i wanna go home. i hate it here.

Josiah: welcome to the world of an adult. nice to have you here.

Grace: whdjwhehehsjdjsbebd idnfjw. is six babvdhdksns d isn't skdbdmsnd

Grace: sorry. i want these ppl to think i'm actually doing work.

Josiah: man bye

Grace: i'll see you when i get off WORK.

Josiah: 💀 you finna blow me

Grace: stop texting me so i can do my JOB.

Her messaging was interrupted by a throat being cleared in front of her.

She looked up to see Isiah standing there.

"Hi dad."

"How's it going?"

Grace quickly exited onto the other page she had pulled up, in which she was drafting a report for some meeting that was being held tomorrow.

It was going as well as it could go she guessed.

"Uhh." She paused to turn the laptop to face her father, "You tell me."

Isiah bent to look at the screen, confusion crossing his face.

Grace felt herself grow nervous since that was never a good sign, "Whats wrong?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because Daphne told me to."

He nodded his head, and stood back to his full size, "Send it to my email when you're done so I can go over it."

When Isiah left out of the room, the guy on the other side of the room glanced at Grace with a smirk, "Well there goes her spot as one of his favorites."

"What?"

"She knew damn well when she told you to do it that you wouldn't know how."

Grace's attention went to the screen, wondering why her dad hadn't told her she was doing it wrong.

Whatever his name was came to stand beside her, staring at the screen as well, "Do you watch Mr. Simmons do this?"

"I Googled it." She admitted.

There was yet for Grace to need something that couldn't be found on Google. She didn't want to admit to Daphne that she didn't know how to do it since people seemed to already be cold towards her.

"Good for you. It's good for me too since he's probably gonna make her do bullshit work for the next couple of days."

She was wondering why he'd pick now to tell her, "Why wouldn't you tell me that's what she was doing? Or at least offer to help?"

The guy laughed like Grace had said something hilarious, "Everybody for themselves. I'm trying to get a permanent spot here. The more fuck ups from people around me, the better."

Sighing, she stood from her chair and walked to an empty room down the hall.

• • •

Josiah was laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling and feeling bad for himself.

He got fired today.

Because he was late again for the 3rd time this week.

It really wasn't anybody to blame but himself, seeing as he when he left Grace's house it'd be close to 1 or 2 in the morning, then he'd have to wake up 5 or 4 hours later.

He slept through every alarm this morning, and when he finally jumped out of bed, he was already 3 hours late. His supervisor at least let him work the day out so he'd get paid for that day before telling him he was fired.

Another time in his life where he allowed his need for pussy to overshadow common sense.

"Well I don't know what you think laying on the couch is going to do." Lia stated, "We need to pray."

Josiah squeezed his eyes shut, pushing away the urge to tell her that praying wouldn't do shit for him. He'd prayed that night when he watched someone die in front of him.

He prayed for him to be the one to go instead.

That's why he didn't believe in God. If there were one, He would've taken him for being the one that was fucked in the head instead of the person who just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I don't understand why you kept being late anyway. That girl has money, you don't."

"Mama what does Grace have to do with this?" He asked, "You gon' find a way to bring her up ain't it?"

"Because that's all you seem to be concerned with these days. Do you think she'd lose a job for you?"

This is the lady who birthed me, Josiah reminded himself as he blocked her out.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, Grace calling him.

"Yeah?" Josiah answered, letting Lia continue talking to herself.

"Hey." Came Grace's voice in an excited tone, "So remember when I said I've never seen Set It Off? I bought it for us to watch together, and I'm ordering pizza so what kind do you want?"

Even that wasn't enough to make him get up, "Ian feelin' it right now Grace. I'll see you probably tomorrow."

She took note of his tone and asked him what was wrong? to which he responded truthfully, telling her he got fired.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Grace responded, not knowing what else to say.

"It's fine."

They hung up shortly after that.

• • •

Isiah was looking at the report Grace had prepared, smiling slightly at the near perfect result.

There were minor mistakes, but that was to be expected since she'd never done one.

He knew exactly why Daphne had done what she did, but that still didn't make him feel bad about letting her know that she wouldn't be kept on after the internship was done.

It spoke to her ignorance for her to think that an extra spot couldn't be made for Grace if she wanted to work there permanently, the same way one was made for the internship.

A knock on the door distracted from his task, and he looked up to see Grace walk in.

Zeroing in on her twisting the ring he'd told Samantha to buy her for her 19th birthday, he knew she was nervous.

Isiah hated that she was so easily disrupted, the smallest thing throwing her off.

He would stare at her until she spoke in an attempt to make her more assertive, more straightforward.

Grace probably hadn't noticed it, but each time she spoke to him, it took less time for her to initiate the conversation.

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

Two times she's asked him for something in a week. They were on course to break records.

"Yes."

Grace thought it was a question, but it was really him agreeing to whatever it was she was about to ask.

"You know my friend? Josiah?"

An involuntary frown appeared on Isiah's face. He did in fact know her 'friend'. He knew enough to know that they weren't friends.

"Well he got fired because of me."

"Because of you?"

Grace nodded, "He was late for work a few times because he was here and I-"

"It's not your fault that he can't manage his time better." Isiah interrupted, "I'm assuming the favor is you want me to give him a job?"

"It doesn't have to be anything super important. Just like, I don't know something."

"Unless you want him to be a janitor, I don't have anything."

Her face fell, "I don't think he likes cleaning that much."

"Does anybody?" Isiah asked with a small laugh, "I know the manager at a sporting goods place. He owes me a favor."

"Is this another joke? Do you own the sporting goods place?"

His laugh was louder that time, "I don't. The manager's son is a felon so he has a soft spot for them."

Hearing her dad laugh almost made that line go over her head, "Wait he has a soft spot for who?"

"Felons."

"Who's a felon?" Grace asked, her head tilted in perplexion.

"Josiah."

_______

i dead did not watch set it off until i was 16. & i was 20 when i watched boyz in the hood. my grandma wouldn't let me watch movies like that 😂😂😂😂

also, it might not seem like a big deal that he's a felon, but you can only be that for serious crimes, e.g: murder, manslaughter, rape, gang-rape, statutory rape, etc etc.

thank you for reading & to to those who vote, it means a lot ♥️♥️