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  "I'm not dressed, right, Rashaan," she objected.

  "Come on, they don't judge and plus you look beautiful to me."

  "Okay, but we are not staying long, I'm ready to get back to Brittany," she stepped out the car, and we started walking back towards the porch.

  "Ja'kari and Yanni this is Kaylee," they both turned around from their conversation and looked up at us.

  "OMG Kaylee!" Yanni jumped up and hugged her.

  "I missed you so much Yanni," Kaylee said. She and Yanni were having a little family reunion and Kari and I were looking at them like they were crazy.

  "How y'all know each other?" Ja'kari asked the ladies.

  "Babe, you remember my best friend that I’m always telling you about? Well, this is her! Kaylee meet my boyfriend Ja'kari and Ja'kari this is my best friend, Kaylee," Yanni introduced the two.

  "Well, now that Yanni introduced everyone I guess I don't have to," we all laughed.

  "Kaylee, come with me so we can talk," Yanni said grabbing Kaylee's arm and pulling her towards my car.

  "That's crazy how they already know each other," I said to Kari.

  "Yo, the shit that’s crazy is, I heard some shit about shorty."

  "Say, word? She’s a THOT bro?" my stomach turned because I thought more of her. I guess looks can be deceiving.

  "Nah, bro not even, she been through it with her family. Beatings, sexual abuse, and all that other crazy shit. I know because it's been plenty of nights when Kyanni has cried to me, telling me how she wish she could do more for her."

  "Wow," was all I could say. I couldn't even find the words to get out. That's why shorty was so closed up and protective over her little sister.

  "Shits crazy bro!" he said as Kaylee and Yanni walked back over to us.

  "You ready Kaylee?" she looked like as if she was ready to cry, and I didn't want her to feel even more uncomfortable by staying there.

  "Yeah."

  "Wait, Kaylee let me get the charger to the phone," Yanni said.

  She ran in the house and came back with a charger.

  “I’ma call you later," she said to Kaylee.

  They hugged each other, and we got in the car and left.

  "I didn’t know you knew Yanni," I said just trying to spark a conversation. It was crazy awkward.

  "Yeah, we have been best friends for years," She said looking out the window.

  "Let's pick up this pizza before Draya starts calling and bitching," I laughed.

  Kaylee turned the radio on and Beyoncé’s song, "Pretty Hurts", was playing. She sang along with Beyoncé and you could hear the raw emotions she felt as she sang along with Bey. I saw a teardrop from her eye, but she wiped it away before any more could fall. She changed the station and Rich Homie Quan’s, "Walk Through", was playing. I turned it up and drove to the pizza place.

  "You want something to drink?" I asked.

  "Yeah, I want a sprite," she walked to the freezer and grabbed a sprite.

  "Get me and Draya an orange soda and get Brittany whatever she drinks."

  "Okay."

  After we got the pizza and wings, we went back to the house. As soon as we stepped through the door, Draya started with her mouth.

  "Finally, you decided to bring your ass home, I was about to die from malnutrition!" Draya said being her over dramatic self.

  I couldn't do anything, but laugh. We all grabbed some food, sat on the couch, and watched Tyler Perry’s, "Why Did I Get Married". I was cracking up the whole time. This nigga Mike said, "You’re beginning to glow," that shit wasn't funny, but at the same time, it was. I was enjoying myself when Ashanti started calling and texting me nonstop. I went upstairs in my room to call her back.

  Chapter Five - Kaylee

  I was so shocked that Rashaan’s friend was Kyanni’s boyfriend. It was such a small world. Seeing her sent me on an emotional rollercoaster. I don't understand why I couldn't have her life. She had it all; she had both parents who cared for her. Yanni’s mother, Paulette was a teacher, and her father, Dwayne was a Criminal Lawyer. I loved Yanni, but she didn't appreciate shit. I'd do anything to have a "normal" life.

  Draya, Brittany, and I was sitting on the couch watching TV when Ms. Jackie came walking in the house with groceries. We all got up to help her with the bags.

  "Hey babies, I’m glad you two are still here." We all walked into the kitchen to put the stuff down. "I know this place isn't that big, but I want you young ladies to stay. I prayed hard about it, and I can't see myself sending you babies back out there in those mean streets with nowhere to go, so what do you say?”

  I looked at Brittany before answering.

  "Ms. Jackie we honestly appreciate it, but we don't want to be a burden on anyone. I figured we would ask you if we could stay one more night, then tomorrow we will go down to the welfare office and see if they can help us," I explained.

  "That’s nonsense Kaylee, y'all are welcomed to stay in my home. As I stated to say before it's not that big, but we are going to make it work," she wasn't taking no for an answer.

  "Yeah, we can share my room. I've always wanted sisters; Lord knows Ra be getting on my nerves," Draya laughed.

  "What y'all down here discussing?" Rashaan came into the kitchen and asked us.

  "Not you ugly," Draya pushed him and ran out the kitchen as he took off behind her. I loved how close their relationship was, it reminded me of the relationship I have with Brittany.

  "Rashaan and Draya, stop playing in my damn house!" Ms. Jackie yelled at her children.

  "Okay, we’ll stay. We haven't been to school in two weeks. I'm going to call my school counselor in the morning and tell her what's going on. She knows what we've been through, but I'm supposed to graduate in June, so I need to speak to her."

  "What school do ya’ll go to?" She asked.

  "We go to Rosedale High, I'm in the tenth grade and Kaylee is a senior," Brittany answered for me.

  "I will call the school and talk to them in the morning. Draya goes to Lynn More High school. She’s also in the tenth grade. I'm going to see about switching y'all to the same school Draya attends. It might be hard because I don't have custody of y'all, but if they give me a hard time we will go to the courts and get you girls emancipated."

  Three Months Later

  Draya and Brittany have been hanging out tight. Wherever Draya went, Brittany wasn't far behind. I didn't agree with it because I could see how much of a fast ass Draya was, but Brittany was getting ready to be sixteen in a few month. I couldn't really tell her what to do. The only thing I asked was that she came inside at a reasonable time. Draya was sneaky, and Brittany was a follower. We were both back in school, which made me happy. I've always been very book smart. Growing up in my house all I did was study and read.

  I would be graduating from high school in less than two months, and I was so excited. I didn't like the new school because I didn't know anyone except Draya, but I guess having no friends is better than having a bunch of people who say they’re your friends. "Friends” cause trouble and I'm not with it. I'll stick to Kyanni. Yanni has been coming over a lot. Ms. Jackie loves her too. She's supposed to stop by today. She said she has something important to talk to me about. I was sitting at the computer desk in the living room looking up plastic surgeons. I wanted a complete makeover. Soon as I got a job and saved enough money, I planned to get a boob job and a maybe a nose job. I didn't hear anyone walk in the house, but I felt someone breathing on me.

  "Wassup Kay, whatchu doing?" Rashaan asked me. I hurried up and clicked the little x button at the top of the computer screen to hide the website.

  "Nothing much, I was just surfing the internet, wassup with you? Oh yeah, Ashanti came by. I told her you weren't home. She had a nasty ass attitude," I shook my head, and sat on the couch. I tucked my feet under my body and pulled out the cellphone that Yanni had given me a while back. Rashaan didn't say anything he just stared at me.

  "You know I hate when you do that shit," I said getting a
ggravated.

  I hated when people stared at me. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I expressed this to him plenty of times since I had been staying there.

  "Why do you want plastic surgery?" he asked before sitting on the couch next to me.

  Damn, I got caught! I didn't even know how he knew because I turned the computer off before he could even read the screen.

  "What are you talking about?" I went into defense mode.

  "Kaylee you know how many times I seen you on that website? I just don't speak on everything."

  "If you had a chance to walk in my shoes, you'd feel the way. If you could feel my feelings, hear the things I hear, and see the things I see, then maybe you'd understand. Can we not talk about this? Matter of fact I'm going to take a nap, when Kyanni gets here, please let me know," I started to get up, and he pushed me back down on the couch.

  "I just don't fucking understand why you are always looking down on yourself, Kaylee! You’re beautiful! I wish you could see yourself through my eyes for a little while," he confessed. I just stared into his eyes.

  "Yeah well, I don't think so and that's all that matters. If I were so beautiful maybe I wouldn't have went through every damn thing I went through. If I was so beautiful, why was I teased growing up? You know why Rashaan? Because I'm not beautiful! Sometimes I look in the mirror and ask myself if I’m meant to be here and why. My life is a living piece of hell. Take a walk in my shoes for twenty-four hours, and I can almost guarantee you take those bitches off faster than lightning!" I heard knocking at the door and I jumped up. Saved by the damn bell I thought.

  I looked through the peephole and saw that it was Yanni. I opened the door, and she looked as if she had been crying.

  "What's going on baby girl?" I hated to see my best friend upset.

  We walked into the living room and Rashaan was still sitting on the couch.

  "I’ma let y'all have y'all girl talk, but Kaylee this conversation isn't over," he walked out of the living room and out of the house.

  "Talk to me Yanni, what's going on? I swear I would kill Ja'kari if he did something to you."

  "It's not him, it's my parents. My mother's nosey ass went through my room and found my pregnancy test," she broke down crying again. I was in shock, did this bitch just say pregnancy test? Her parents are going to kill her.

  "Wait you're pregnant?" I had to ask her just to be one hundred percent sure.

  “I just found out two days ago, now my parents are making me get an abortion. Kaylee I don't want an abortion. My mother didn't abort me so why do I have to abort my baby. This shit isn't fair. She had made an appointment and everything. She scheduled an appointment for next week. If I tell Ja’kari, he is going to break up with me. He always said if I were to get pregnant we would keep the baby, you know we both are only children."

  The tears were pouring out of her eyes. I grabbed her while she cried and let everything out. There wasn't much I could say. I did tell her that I'm going to be there for her no matter what happened. Draya and Brittany walked into the house, as she was calming down. Brittany walked straight upstairs to the room.

  "Wassup," Draya said sitting down on the couch.

  "Nothing much, wassup with ya’ll?” I asked. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was surprised that they were in the house so early.

  "Brittany got hot, so she’s changing her clothes. We are going to a party later. Y'all should come with us and get out the house."

  "I'm going out tonight with Ja'kari, but thanks," Kyanni declined.

  "I'm in for the night. I got finals starting Monday, so I gotta study. Don't be out there getting into trouble though," I told her with all seriousness.

  "We never go looking for trouble, it looks for us," she laughed and ran up the stairs.

  I just shook my head and picked up the ringing house phone.

  "Hello."

  "What are you doing Kaylee?" Rashaan asked me.

  "Damn Ra, didn't you just leave?"

  "Don't answer my question with a question. We going out tonight and I'm not taking no for an answer," he demanded.

  I had to laugh at him. I don't know who he thought he was talking too.

  "Who are you talking to? I'm not going nowhere. I gotta study and plus I don't have anything to wear out."

  "You can study tomorrow, be ready in twenty minutes I'm coming to take you shopping," he said hanging up the phone.

  "Ugh, I can't stand Rashaan ass!" I said aloud and felt myself blushing.

  "Yeah, fucking right! I can see it in your eyes and the way you look at him when y'all talking. Bitch don't be going and falling in love and shit. Love isn’t shit to play with, sometimes it's good sometimes it's ugly,” Yanni schooled me, “And ain't he still with that dinosaur looking chick Ashanti?" she asked

  “You don't need to worry about me falling in love no time soon. I don't even like Rashaan like that. He’s just cool as hell plus Nate ruined it for me to ever trust another man in my life."

  "Speaking of Nate, I saw his bitch ass the other day. He asked me if I heard from you and Brittany. I ignored him, and Ja'kari wanted to body that nigga, but I told him it wasn't the time or place," she filled me in on what went down that day.

  "Fuck him, I can't allow him to continue to have physical and mental control over me and Brittany anymore. The nightmares have just about stopped and I don't need them coming back," I decided to change the subject because I didn’t feel like discussing him.

  "I better go get dressed, I don't want to have Rashaan’s impatient ass waiting for me," I told her.

  "He and his best friend is the same damn way. Ja'kari will cancel our plans if I'm not ready," she stood and grabbed her pocket book.

  “They are a hot fucking mess, but remember what I told you earlier Yanni. I'm here for you no matter what."

  "Thanks, Kaylee, I love you bitch," she hugged me before she left.

  Chapter Six - Rashaan

  I had called the house phone and her cell phone before Kaylee came walking out the front door.

  "I been out here for like thirty minutes" I complained to her before pulling off.

  "Stop over-exaggerating Rashaan, you only been out here for two or three minutes cause I looked out the window when I heard you beeping like a maniac."

  He shook his head and turned his music up.

  Try to run down, and you can catch a shot, nigga!

  Running through these checks till I pass out (pass out) Your Shawty gave me neck till I pass out I swear to God; all I do is cash out! And if you ain't a hoe, get up out my trap house!

  I started rapping along to Bobby Smurder, and she was just staring at me. I looked over at her and started laughing.

  "What are you smiling at nigga?" She said turning the music down.

  "You beautiful ma, I don't understand why you didn't see it." He said

  She ignored him "park over there,” she said as we pulled into the mall parking lot. “I want to fill out a job application first."

  "Chill ma we shopping today." We walked into the mall, and he reached for my hand. She pulled my hand back, and I copped a little attitude.

  "I don't have time for this shit if you gonna have an attitude you can take me back to the house, matter fact I'll walk back." She turned and started walking back towards the exit

  I had to run to catch up to her; I grabbed her shoulder, "Chill out Kaylee, it's not that serious Ma; let's do what we came here to do."

  She was hesitant at first, but I turned her around and we walked to Bloomingdales.

  “Seriously Rashaan, I can find something at the house for me to wear. I don't need you to spend your hard-earned money on me. I'm only seventeen, ain't no way I can get in a club anyhow.”

  "You worry too much ma, let's just pick you out a dress,” We walked to the women's section and she looked hesitant at first but started looking through the dresses. She stopped and picked out an all-black Diane Von Furstenberg dress.

  “That’s sexy Kay; you want it,” I a
sked her.

  “Yeah, it’s cute, but this dress is damn near five hundred dollars. Let's go to another store,” she suggested.

  “We are getting this, you a size five six right?” I asked her before calling over a sales rep.

  “Bring this up front,” I said not paying attention to the lady.

  “Wassup Ra?” I looked up and seen Meeka, Ashanti friend. I didn't even know she worked here. Here we go with this shit I thought.

  “Wassup Tymeeka? I don't mean to be rude, but can you do me a favor and put that up front? I gotta grab a few more things, thank you! Come on Kaylee,” I grabbed her and walked away, leaving Meeka standing there with the dress looking dumb as hell. I already know she is going to call Ashanti the first chance she gets, but I’ll worry about that later.

  Kaylee let go of my hand and started walking ahead of me. She seemed as if she had caught a little attitude.

  “Wassup ma, you good?” I stopped her and asked.

  “Mmm, you getting something from here?” she asked with much attitude.

  “Yeah, after we get your shoes,” I walked in front of her and headed to the women's shoe section. “Kaylee what size shoe are you?”

  “Five” she answered dryly.

  We walked around the shoe department looking up for the perfect shoes to go with her black dress.

  “These are fly,” she said holding up a pair of multi-color Giuseppe high heels. “Oh, wait they don't have a price,” she started putting it back.

  I picked up the shoes and then proceeded to the men's section to get me something to wear out. I wasn't picky, so after grabbing me a True Religion fit and a black MCM belt we went to the register to pay for our shit. Kaylee tried talking me out of getting the shoes because they were over a G, but I wasn't hearing it. I didn't see Tymeeka when we left, and I was glad. I didn't have time for that trouble-making bitch.

  “Let's get something to eat from the food court then I’ma bring you back to the house while I go take care of some business and I’ll be back to get you around ten.”

  “okay.” she responded.