Ready To Ride

1.

Kali.

I huffed as my professor rambled on about the fifteen page paper she had just assigned us. I was starving and honestly, I just wasn't up for being productive at the moment. I glanced at my phone for the umpteenth time, laying my head on my desk and groaning after I saw that only two minutes had gone by since I had last checked the time. Cynturie, my bestfriend since birth, chuckled at my misery. "Shut up, Cyn." I mumbled.

"I can't help it. You've been like this since we've walked in this room." She giggled, running her hands through my hair. "I need to tighten this track before we leave." She commented, feeling around for anything else that needed repairing. Cyn was known around campus for doing hair. She could do it all—Closures, frontals, box braids, syngalese twists, etc.— and every head she touched looked phenomenal once she was finished.

"I've been ready to go since we've walked in this room. Tonight's about to be so fun." I stuck my tongue out and twerked a little in my chair. She hyped me up before both of us bust out laughing. The professor cleared her throat and stared us down causing us to stop. She continued talking and I laid my head back down on the desk, waiting for the remaining ten minutes to pass by.

Tonight we were attending this girl named Camille's 24th birthday bash. I met Camille at Cyn's birthday party two years ago, and she was a cool person to chill with. I've hung with her atleast seven times after that, so we're pretty familiar with one another. Camille's father was a kingpin named Dre, who was well respected all around Louisville, Kentucky. Along with respect, comes a lot of hate, so in order to protect his family Dre forced them to live extremely private lives. But, this year, he surprised her and told her she could have a birthday bash and invite the entire city if she wanted, so she did.

She had flyers posted up all around the city and everywhere on the internet. I suggested charging money to get into the party, since I knew everyone would want to be there. Dre loved the idea and told me I could have half of the earnings they received tonight, and the other half would go to the club owner. I loved that idea more than he loved mine.

"Alright class, you're free to go. Remember, this assignment is due in one week precisely. No late work will be accepted, under any circumstances. No exceptions, No excuses. Enjoy your break!" My professor excused us. We were officially on Christmas break; exams are over, I finished all of my work, so the only thing I had to do was this fifteen page paper, and I have a month and two weeks to myself before the next semester began.

"I have two appointments scheduled for today, then I'll be headed to your crib to do your hair. As a matter of fact, I'll just get ready at your house and we can just ride together. Cool?" She asked me as we walked to our cars.

"Fine with me. The party starts at ten, but I want it to already be jumpin' when we get there, so let's aim to be there by 10:45." I said. She agreed and we went our separate ways. I hopped in my blue 2016 Mazda RX-9 Coupe and immediately cut the heat on. I facetimed Amaya, my other bestfriend, laughing at my flushed face in the camera. I was outside for two seconds and I looked like a damn pepperoni.

Amaya had been my girl since sixth grade. Throughout my elementary years, Cynturie and I were always in the same class. But, when we graduated and Cyn went to a performing arts middle school and I was attending a traditional middle school, I was nervous as hell. It was my first time riding to school and walking to class alone. But, when I met Amaya, we instantly clicked and we've been close ever since. We also went to high school together, but she dropped out when she began dating this drug-dealer named CJ. She also left her parent's house and moved in with him. He was cool, but he didn't really motivate her to do anything with her life.