𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

7

HER PREDATOR

After work, I decided I'd clear my head of all that crazy bitch drama, head home, get dressed, and go out and do something with my people. Maybe laser tag, maybe go karting- something. Oh, and somewhere that I don't have to see Dylandra at or any of her little friends. Those are my requirements.

I pull up to the house, and I see my parent's respective cars in the driveway. A day that both of them are at home means more hell for me, to be honest. I park behind my mom's Range Rover and get out, locking up my vehicle.

I text Arah, one of my closer friends that I had made in the little time I had joined the school last semester, and told her I'd be ready in about an hour.

If things go well.

Because, see, I know Brian probably told them what went down at the firm today. And if that's the case, all hell is definitely finna be raised.

I unlock the door, and guess who's waiting for me on the couch, legs crossed and arms too.

My mother.

"Good evening," I greet her, turning around and locking up.

"Good evening to you, too, Lowen," she says back, her tone a little frosty.

I try walking upstairs, but then here comes my dad!

"Sit down. We need to talk," he declares.

They never want to talk to me unless I'm 'fucking up' somehow, I swear to it! Never a congrats, always a 'do better'.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask, sitting down, sinking into the couch.

"What happened today at work, Lowen? You know our rule for you to keep your Jeep is that you work. I don't even understand what's so hard about that. The money you earn from work never has had to go towards your vehicle anyways. We just want you to have work experience because you'll need it, and you still act wild-

"It wasn't me," I defended myself, "It was Dylandra."

"You don't need to be seein' that little girl anyways. I told you once I laid eyes on the girl that she was crazy," my dad argued. "Now what she does at your place of employment is reflecting on you. And what reflects on you, reflects on us. We have very high paying jobs in a very close knit city, Lowen. All of this drama has to go," my dad stated.

"I wish I could make the drama go away but I honestly don't know what more I could do-

"Leave her alone and let us file charges against her. Some sort of restraining order should hold the girl back. Brian's even told me he suggested it," my dad said.

"He has but...I don't wanna hurt her like that. I've already hurt her enough," I sighed.

"You need to let her go and let someone else have their moment with the girl. Let someone else deal with her crazy ways. Look, you want to know how your mother was back in the day? The same exact way, but I tamed her," my mother shot him a look as he said this, "and I encouraged her to pursue her dreams and now we both have more than enough money to our names."

"Some of that money that will go on to you, but if you're showing us you aren't capable of being responsible, why would we leave you a lot of money, Lowen?" my mother asked.

"You guys only care that she's trippin' because it's affecting how people look at y'all. You don't care about-

"Oh, crap. Lowen, not everything's about you. You're an extension of us and we can't have you dealin' with this ghetto ass bitch," my mother told me it like it was.