It's official. Day one in our new apartment. Furniture being shipped as we speak. It doesn't feel like it is worth $2700 a month though. It's really only white people that live over here too. I wasn't surprised. 

Shit, growing up my family and my aunt and her kids all lived out of a 3 bedroom apartment. We made it though.

Xander and I changed our numbers so we could actually succeed with running away.

Technically we didn't even have to run away since we were both grown but I knew my people's wasn't going to let me leave and he knew his baby mama was going to have a fit and call her family and it would've been too much. 

I ain't one for drama. Everyone can miss me with that bullshit.

"Let's go," he told me grabbing his keys.

"Go where?"

"Shopping nigga."

"What kind of shopping?"

"House shopping, clothes shopping, lingerie shopping..."

"The last one is a no-go."

"You are so damn beautiful."

"Thanks."

I walked into the kitchen and looked around. This isn't too bad.

"Alexandra no!" I yelled. She was always trying to stick her fingers in the sockets, "Xander we need to baby proof. Asap. I can't live like this."

"Live like what?"

"Like this! I'm scared she's going to electrocute herself!"

"Mommy mode: activated."

"You think it's a joke and I'm being serious. I'm never having kids. I don't want any."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. It just isn't something I want which, is very un- Mexican of me."

He laughed, "You're Mexican?"

"Yep."

"I had no idea."

"Well now you know."

"Y'all do be having a lot of kids though."

"My mom is like number 4 out of 9. It's crazy because she's only half Mexican."

"What's the other half?"

"Black."

"Oh okay. I see you girl. Little Blaxican."

"You know that that's an actual restaurant?"

"Really?"

"Mhm it's in Georgia. Soul food and Mexican food."

"I ain't even know that."

"Now you know."

We stared at each other.

"We should get going." I said breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah. Fasho."

I put Baby Alex in her car seat and strapped her in.

"Whose car are we taking?"

"Mines, obviously."

I nodded as he took the carseat from me. We walked out to the car. I kept stealing glances at him.

This is some weird shit. I just met ole dude last night now I'm all the way across the country with him and his daughter. 

I could have been raped, murdered, or whatever and nobody would know where I am. I lied about my whereabouts and changed my number.

I studied him. He was so damn handsome. He caught me looking.

"What you looking at, Ma?"

"Alex. My name is Alex."

"So is mine."

"Besides the point."

"Shiiiiiiiit, you was the one staring at me."

"You're really handsome."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Baby Alex started making gurgling sounds.

Maybe just maybe this is where I start my new beginning. Peace and quiet. No gang-related bullshit. No none of that. Just a random nigga and his daughter from last night.

I can start saving up and eventually move out into an apartment of my own, find me someone special, get a dog or two. Say, "Hey Honey, I'm home." When I get off from a long day at work. Maybe just maybe this is exactly what I needed.

I went to Insta and checked my DM. The usual thirsty niggas, friends, girls wanting advice on relationships and make up, I saw my brothers' were active. I hurried up and closed the app before they noticed I was active. Guess what? That shit didn't work. José was trying to video chat me. I answered.

"Hey José."

"Don't 'Hey José' me, Alexandra where are you at? Because you aren't at your friend's house. She told us you guys got into a fight and ole boy was over there so I know that's a lie."

"I'm not a baby anymore, I'm grown."

"Where you at?"

"I'm not even in the same state no more. Y'all not about to keep treating me like this."

"Like what?!"

"Like I'm a damn child!"

"You are acting like one, where you at I'm coming to get you?"

"Nope. I'm finally happy. No, no, no, not today."

"Is it because I fought ole dude? Y'all can date! I don't care just come home Lexi!"

He was on the verge of crying.

"We can go back if you want." Alex said.

"No, it's fine. We staying here. I'll visit them on holidays."

"You with a dude?! He kidnapped you?! Are you pregnant?! Just forget it, come home Alex."

"No."

"No?"

"No."

With that being said I hung up, I knew I should've handled this situation with a better approach but, I was just tired of them treating them like a fucking child! I'm not a baby anymore, I don't need them breathing down my neck, I don't need anyone telling em what to do or how to do it, I don't need anyone telling me who I can and can't date. I don't need anyone telling me to do shit! I can fend for myself! I AM A GROWN WOMAN! 

I took a deep breath and focused on the road. They made me miserable. Why though? Because I was the baby in the family? Because I was the only girl? It don't even matter I'm my own person now and I refuse to let anyone make decisions for me. 

About 13 minutes later we pulled up to Trader Joe's, we just googled the closest grocery store to us since we just moved here and we didn't know where anything was.

I got Baby Alex out and carried her while Xander pushed the cart. I didn't want to put her in the cart because for one, I loved holding her and two, those things are highly unsanitary. I don't need my little doll baby getting sick.

Xander was just throwing stuff in the cart, he wasn't looking at the brand, price, or anything. The way he been spending money since yesterday is incredible. I'm halfway convinced that his card was unlimited, he used to work in construction and he drove big rigs so I wouldn't be surprised if he was making bank.

"I'm going to grab another cart and get my personal products and get the dairy stuff."

"Ight."

"Is that your favorite word or something because you say that a lot?"

"When it comes to you and Baby Alex it's going to always be 'ight' cause y'all gon' always be alright."

"Yeah, ight. Not for long."

"What you mean 'not for long'? You plan on leaving us or something?"

"When the lease is up I'm out and I'ma be on my own. I can't be up under you forever."

"The lease is up in 6 months, Alex."

"I know. That's another reason why I gotta get a job fool."

"Bruh, whatever."

He walked off continuing to throw stuff in the cart.

I grabbed a cart with Baby Alex on my hip, we went to the feminine hygiene section. It was kinda crowded. It must be that time of the month for everybody.

I was just going to get a little bit of everything I needed because it the 5th and my monthly normally comes on every month between the 15th through the 19th. My brothers and my parents would all bum rush my room with flowers and candy, maybe even a teddy bear or two just because they knew I would be in there crying my eyes out.

"Excuse me?'

I turned around and saw a handsome ass, fine ass specimen,  if you know what I mean. 

"What's up?"

"My baby mama sent me in here for some tampons and pantiliners, I don't know what the fuck either of that shit is."

"Did she tell you a size?"

"Medium tampons and she didn't say a size for pantiliners."

I grabbed a box of Tampax Pearl tampons and a box of Always Thin liners.

"There you go."

"Aye, where you from cause ya accent definitely ain't from here."

"I'm from Texas."

"All the way down south?"

"Yeah."

"This yo' daughter?"

"Nah, she's my friend's daughter."

"When'd you move up here?"

"Damnnnn, you asking me hella questions."

"I'm trying to get to know you."

"You could've asked me what my name was."

"What's ya name?"

"Alexandra but everyone calls me Alex."

"I like it. What's her name?"

"Alexandra."

He smirked, "You sure that ain't ya child?"

"Positive. I don't want any kids... at all."

"How long you been up here?"

"A day."

"Let me show you around, later."

"I don't know about all of that."

"You got a boyfriend or something?"

"Nah, I just got out of a relationship. I ain't 'bout to stress over a nigga."

"Heard that."

"I need to finish shopping though so here's my number."

I airdropped it to him and rolled my cart down the aisle to get my pads. Me and Xander met up in the dairy isle while I was getting milk, orange juice, yogurt, eggs, and ice cream.

"You didn't get any meat or any baby food, Xander what were you doing because it obviously wasn't getting actual food?"

"I ain't know what to get so I just skipped that part."

"Right."

We wheeled back to the meat and produce section. 

I put steak, chicken, fish, sausage, ground beef, goat, lamb, and a Boston butt in his cart. We wheeled to the baby section and got his daughter organic food and Gerber, then headed to the register to pay.

The cashier stared a me and smiled, shit I smiled back. He was a fine little thing. 

He started ringing up the stuff when he finally broke the trance. My mom was calling me on Instagram, he was nowhere near finished so I answered it.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"When are you coming back home?"

"Ma, I'm gone for good, I ain't going back to Texas, not now, not ever. When I get my own place in 6 months I'm sending you a one way ticket, I know you tired of them too."

"They apologized. I'm here worried sick about you. My baby ran away and didn't tell me anything."

"I'm not a baby anymore, I told you I was moving out soon..."

"Because your brothers beat up your boyfriend?! Lexi, I mean Alex, please just come home. José said you ran off with a boy."

"Sure did, a whole stranger. It's crazy I risked my life leaving a that house just to be free."

"Alex, I miss you come home... Mario misses you-"

"I could care less if he misses me but, give me some time, I just need some space, you'll see me soon enough."

"You never miss Easter."

"I'll try to make it, my friend and his daughter coming too so make a lot of food."

Xander gave me a look that could kill.

"Okay, I have to start planning so I'll talk to you later. Adios."

"Bye, Ma."

I put my phone in my back pocket.

"So..."

"What? I ain't know what to say and she ain't gon' try to make me stay if y'all there, so I had to say something."

"They gon' think we together?"

"Probably but they ain't gon' be mad cause they already know we ain't doing shit."

"How they know?"

"They know damn well I'm waiting until there is a ring on my finger before I lose my virginity."

"So you really are a virgin?"

"My brothers won't about to let me freak-a-lick and get nasty before I was married."

He started smiling at me, "You weird as fuck Alex."

Baby Alex started gurgling.

"Not you Baby Alex."

"Your total is $1,431.25."

"Let me pay for it," I said pulling out 15 crisp one hundred dollar bills.

"Shut the fuck up and put your money away."

"Yes daddy take over!" I semi-yelled as I put my money up.

"I'm daddy now?" he asked as he swiped his card.

"Nah, I was just boostin' you."

"Mhmm." 

He put his pin in and then started to put the bags in the carts.

"You got insta?" the cashier asked me.

"Yeah, it's B-L-A-A-T-I-N-A."

"Ight, I'll hit you up later."

"Yeah, do that."

We wheeled the carts out and headed to the car, "You gettin' more play than me and I look way better."

"Not really..."

"Oh, so I'm ugly?"

"Far from it."

"Aw shit now!"