Brielle sat in the living room happily eating a bowl of Froot Loops while watching tv.

Hakeem had left about an hour ago to go do whatever it was that he did. She didn't care to ask, though she assumed she already knew. It wasn't that much of a secret since as she'd stated before, damn near the whole city knew who Hakeem was.

Then again, she'd never seen him with drugs, but she was sure he didn't go around wanting people to see him with them either.

Brielle looked up as Josiah came into the living room, squinting at her, "Ion smell no eggs Bri."

"Me either." She fake sniffed the air, "Maybe you should go cook some."

"I distinctly remember you saying you didn't mind cooking for us." Josiah reminded her.

"Distinctly? I didn't know you knew actual words."

He laughed, not offended in the slightest bit, "You the dropout, not me."

With a sigh, Brielle stood to walk into the kitchen, washing her bowl before opening the fridge to get the same items she'd used when she cooked for them the first time, "Hakeem said you'd be gone by the end of last week, yet here you still are."

"I was at the leasing office about to sign the damn papers yesterday, and here come that nut to bust my windows." Josiah explained while shaking his head, "The lady said they don't want that kinda drama over there."

Brielle laughed at how nonchalant he seemed, "You don't sound upset at all."

"I'm used to it by now. I think she got issues or some man Ion know."

"Then why won't you leave her alone?"

Josiah looked at her like what she said was crazy, "I can't leave her alone, that's my baby. We in love and shit."

The only actual relationship Brielle could remember being in was in middle school, and even then they just used to hold hands and kiss behind the building after school before she went home.

But if they consisted of busting people's car windows while they're at the leasing office, she wanted no parts.

"That sounds like too much." Brielle shook her head, "I'm not about to be doing all that."

"I love crazy girls. She set my shirt on fire one time when I was sleep, then we fucked right after. Ian had no pussy like that in a minute."

As hard she tried to contain it, Brielle couldn't help but laugh. She enjoyed Josiah's company, him always had a story to tell and conversation between them flowed naturally.

By the time she was done making him breakfast, their conversation had taken a turn towards something different.

"No." Brielle replied in response to his question of did she ever intend on going home, "My mama is legit evil. When my daddy was still alive she was bearable because I guess he paid all of the bills and she wanted him happy by keeping me happy? I don't know really."

Josiah put his eggs on top of one of the pancakes, folding it in half like a taco, "She don't bother nobody else?"

"She only picks on me. The only reason she pretends to look for me is because they'll stop my check if I'm not in the home. That's why she calls the police."

"Yeah... But I'm just sayin' you'll rather do that other shit you be doing than wait a few months to leave? That's crazy to me."

One of the reasons Brielle never talked about her reason for not returning home was that people didn't understand. To them, it wasn't that bad, but imagine living with someone who doesn't even hide the fact that she only wants you to there to spend your money.

That was the initial reason she ran away, having the assumption that if she wasn't in the home then Alisha, her mother, would no longer be able to spend it. Once she found out it didn't work like that, she had already found Kyser and decided to just stay gone.

Brielle never touched a dime of her money, Alisha usually spending it on unnecessary shit, things that didn't benefit them in any way.

The way she saw it, one way or another she was going to be used. At least this way she benefitted from it.

Josiah watched Brielle seemingly shut down and quickly decided to steer the topic elsewhere, "You tryna go to the store with me?"

He didn't actually intend on going to the store but that was the first thing that came to his mind to say.

"I'm going to take a nap." Brielle replied as she left the kitchen.

• • •

Hakeem was at the cut on his arm with a grimace before looking back to Brielle who was standing by him with a bottle of peroxide since he didn't have any alcohol in the house.

"Why didn't you just go to the hospital?" She asked, not really wanting to do anything to it in case it got infected.

"It's just a scratch. Hurry up bruh."

It was nowhere near a scratch, Hakeem having gotten a deep gash on his arm when he was helping Josiah break into Kyr- Josiah's house to steal some clothes because she wouldn't let him back in.

Hakeem really didn't even know why he took his ass over there knowing the girl was a psycho.

With her face scrunched up, Brielle turned her head slowly while pouring the peroxide on the injury, "This shit got my stomach hurting."

"I know you done seen worse than this." Josiah yawned while opening the fridge, "Keem you needa buy some more Caprisuns."

He looked around Brielle to look at him, "I know you ain't drink all my shit."

"Nigga it wasn't nothing but two boxes. Stock up bro."

Brielle giggled, their conversation taking her mind off of the foam that was oozing out of the cut.

After letting it dry, she reached for the gauze to begin wrapping it around his arm, "If your arm gets amputated it's not my fault."

"You gotta take care of that man. He gave you a home."

"He gave you a home too. You take care of him."

Brielle moved closer to Hakeem unconsciously, attempting to make sure the wrap was tight, and her head was ended up beneath his nose.

Sniffing slightly, he smelled the aroma of her shampoo or whatver the shit was that she bought from Walmart when they went. He wanted to keep sniffing, but felt like some type of dog so he leaned back, observing her.

Feeling his eyes on her, Brielle looked up from his arm, "What?"

"You look different when you clean."

Josiah dropped his juice, not even attempting to hide his laugh while Brielle yanked the gauze making Hakeem hiss in pain, "The fuck wrong witchu'?"

"That's rude to say, stupid ass dude."

"It's a compliment bro you trippin'. You ain't finna act like you looked like this when I first saw you."

Hakeem wasn't trying to be rude or even make a joke. Brielle really did look different in the lone week that she'd been staying with him. Besides looking cleaner, she looked... healthier.

She now had access to a shower, a clean bed where she got good sleep, and food whenever she wanted. Her drug use had also decreased.

But only because she was trying to spread it out so it would last longer.

Eventually she was done and Hakeem sighed, standing up to go throw away the paper towels, "You ready?" He asked Brielle.

"Ready for what?"

"We finna go to my mama house."

• • •

bri and josiah are bonding.... i luv dat.

my sis is ab to meet his 27 peice wearing ass mama next chapta. how do we think that's going?

follow me on instagram where all the baddies link & decide which updates i put out. if you don't follow me you ugly & that's on period luv 🤧

thanks for reading 💕