In my Own Shadow

Chapter 20

I walked into the house with my diamond gleaming brightly around my neck. I couldn't wait to get to my room so I could call Shia and thank him for my jewelry. He had awesome taste. It was beyond beautiful. I stepped in the living room with a big smile on my face. Terrell was sitting on the couch with Super and a girl that looked fairly familiar. I stepped up to get a better look.

"Tiara?" I said to the girl, completely ignoring the boys.

She looked up, "OMG Honey!" She jumped up to give me a huge hug. Tiara was Tink and mine's best friend from high school. We didn't see much of her anymore ever since she started her professional cheering career. It had been almost three years. She still looked the same with her thick shoulder length, messy hair and her dark skin. She was still skinny too, but she had had some work done. Her cheek bones seemed a bit higher. She had some serious Botox. Her lips were filled with just the right amount of collagen to give them a plump Angelina Jolie look and she had Nicki Minaj boobies.

"It's been forever," I laughed at her.

"I know girl," she smiled and scratched her head awkwardly.

I twirled my diamond on my neck as I talked to her. Tink finally made it into the house about ten minutes later with B and Chastity.

"Oh my God Tiara!" She screamed as she ran over to Tiara to give her a big hug. I laughed at the reunion. We introduced her to Chastity and we all took seats with the boys.

"Girl, that's a gorgeous necklace," Chastity said from B's lap.

I grabbed the rock and squeezed. "Thank you," I smiled at her.

My eyes got big as I remembered that I had to go call Shia to thank him. I got up to walk to the back.

"You're not gone say thank you?" Terrell asked grabbing my hand to pull me back down.

Tink's eyes shot toward me and Terrell and the room became quiet.

"What?" I asked looking at him like he was crazy.

"The necklace," he started, "you're not gonna thank me?"

I was mega confused. "Wait," Tink interrupted my thoughts, "the necklace is from you?"

Terrell nodded. I stood there waiting for the punch line. No one said anything, so I took it upon myself to burst out into laughter. I laughed awkwardly and overly loud. My laugh died away awkwardly when Terrell didn't laugh with me.

"You're serious!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah," he laughed, "did you think I was kidding?"

"Yeah," Tink and I said in unison.

We laughed. "I'm dead ass serious," he said.

"Oh," I didn't know what to say. So I said the thing that was on mine and probably everyone else's mind. "How much was this?" I asked.

He frowned, “Uh, 5,000 dollars I think," he shrugged.

"You think?" Chastity spoke up again. She was seriously fitting in.

"Uh, well how long will you be paying for it?" I asked. 

"I paid it off when I bought it," he bragged. Once again I got quiet and waited for the punch line. Again, he didn't laugh.

"You paid 5,000 dollars for a necklace!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah," he smiled.

There was no way he could afford this.

"Take it back," I said reaching around my neck to take it off.

He stood up, "Why?"

"You can't afford this," I said.

He grabbed my hands from around my neck and put them by my side. I figured he would be insulted by me mentioning his lack of cash flow. Surprisingly though, he found it amusing.

"Trust me, I can."

With that he headed outside. We all heard his old Tahoe truck crank up and speed down the road.

I didn't know what to say. I walked to my room leaving everyone else behind. I undressed and stood in the mirror to admire myself. I eyed the diamond that now hung to the top of the crease in my breasts. I smiled as it glistened in the bathroom light. I felt kind of bad that I had questioned Terrell's money. It was the thought that counted for anything. I truly was grateful for the gift, but working at a garage doesn't buy a diamond like this. Terrell had something else going on and I was going to find out what it was.