It was Friday and my paycheck was lookin like booboo. That was okay because I had been bringin in atleast fifty dollars a night from my tips. Me and Tyler got this job at this new restaurant that opened in Decatur called The Biz. It was almost like a bar/club/restaurant. It was open from eleven in the afternoon to three in the mornin. I had been takin the earlier shifts but ever since I had the opportunity to get that ankle bracelet off, I been thinkin about the night shifts because I heard so many girls talkin about makin atleast a hunnid a night. And it wasn't like I needed the money but I wanted to build some stacks.
I was so proud of myself for gettin it together. And more than anythin I really owe it to Shawn. After seein how he kept treatin me I realized that it was a trend that I needed to break. Every dude has been treatin me the same way and it's because I didn't have a life of my own. And I wasn't thinkin enough about my own damn self. I was tryin to live thru them and goin to these rehab classes was helpin me to see that life was short and I didn't have time for no bullshit no more. I was even thinkin about goin to art school and maybe becomin a painter. I still hadn't even told Tyler about that but I was thinkin about tellin Joi. Even though I had told Shawn, it didn't matter cause it wasn't like he cared about it. I even went to the store to get some materials that I had been wantin and I had been drawin and paintin a few things. I even painted somethin special for Quis.
And speakin of Joi- She was so proud of me and she really showed me what sisterly love was all about and I appreciated her so much. She even helped me check out some new apartments right around the corner from her. I thought she might think that I didn't wanna live wit her anymore but she understood that I had to grow and stand on my own two feet. I talked with Ty about gettin a place together since he was finally lettin Keith go, but we both needed to think more about that. We loved each other but we needed our own space away from one another sometimes.
And speakin of him- I was proud of him too. He started comin to some classes with me and we made a promise to each other that we wouldn't smoke weed for the rest of the month atleast. I hadn't given up on my cigarettes yet but I was down to half a pack a day.
"U ready to go Ty? We gone be late to Quis' party. It's already six now."
"Yeah okay," he said cleanin off his last table and followin me to the locker room. As we got our things out of the locker, he asked me somethin. "U know u haven't talked about Shawn in a minute. What's up with that? U not feelin him no more?"
"Yeah I am but I gotta do me right now. I'm doin what's best for both of us. Gettin myself together before I keep pursuin him and besides he still probably gettin over his girlfriend so it ain't like he goin somewhere."
"Hah, u never know. These dudes be playin them soft ass roles and then all of a sudden u got Ike Turner on yo hands."
"Ike Turner?"
"Yeah...u remember in that movie he played all innocent and shit, then he wooped Angela Basset's ass up and down that hallway," he said laughin. We finished gettin our things and headed towards his car.
It was so many people at Joi's house when we arrived that I was actually nervous. I saw Shawn's car there and my heart nearly stopped in my chest. Damn. I didn't realize that she would invite him. There was more people there than the bbq she had the first time I came here. Me and Tyler walked inside and all of Joi's same friends includin more were standin in the kitchen. That girl Janelle was there too but she didn't make a bad move when we came in. I figured I already set her straight once and I wasn't gone ruin Quis' party to do it again. Joi came over and gave me a hug. "Glad u got off from work in time. Quis' dad is bringin him over right now so hurry and get dressed so we can surprise him when he come in. He has no idea." She gave Tyler a hug and we headed upstairs to change.
