Jungle

Chapter 23

Christmas Morning.

Alexis sat on the edge of her bed counting up some of the money she had been saving. With tears in her eyes, she sat aside a stack to add to the money to pay off one of Anthony's fines. Her mother and father had also been saving and could now afford a good lawyer. He told them he would do his best, but by the looks of it, Anthony would still be doing some time. Whether he did his full sentence or got a shorter one, all the fines needed to be paid off.

Alexis grabbed three separate labeled envelopes and put the money in them. She then put on a pair of tennis shoes and tied a red bandana around her blue hair. After putting the money in her dresser she went into the living room to see her parents sitting on the couch. They had agreed not to celebrate, but Alexis got them something anyway.

"Merry Christmas." Alexis smiled, grabbing two gifts from off the floor.

They smiled and opened up the gifts she had bought for them. Her mother received a new pair of earrings and her father got a new flask with his named engraved in it. It wasn't much, but Alexis didn't want to not buy them something when she got everyone else a gift.

"Thank you, baby." They both said.

"I'm going to drop these other gifts off." She picked up the few gifts she had.

It was a little chilly, but still warm outside. Alexis opened her car door and drove to the Magnolia projects. Before she dropped off the gifts, she needed to pick up some money. Anthony and Will's friends were helping out in any way they could because the streets missed them. It was rare to find loyalty like that and Alexis was appreciative of them, even though they were headed down the same path.

Alexis parked her car across the street from the dope house Anthony used to spend his time in. Zay, someone she knew for about seven years walked over to the car and Alexis rolled her window down.

"Wuzzam, potna." He reached his head in the car and dapped Alexis up while observing his surroundings.

"Hey." Alexis looked in her mirrors to see if anyone was around.

"This for Will and this for Ant." He handed her two wads of money folded in rubber bands.

"Preciate it."

"Keep yo head up, black." He pulled his head out the car and put his hands in his pocket.

"Alright, I'll see you." Alexis was ready to leave now.

She put the money in her purse, next to the gun Rico got for her months ago. Alexis wouldn't dare tell her mother where she got this money from because she had a big issue with what Anthony was doing. She was just going to give it to her father and keep it at that.

Now that she had the money, she drove to Rico's house. She was excited to give him his gift and couldn't wait to see what he got for her. She opened his front door and yelled out his name. With tired eyes, he walked into the living room and yawned.

"I know you wasn't sleep."

"No, but I'm tired as hell. I didn't get in the house until five this morning." He sat down.

"You suck, I wanted you to be cheery." She handed him his gift.

"Too bad. Here go your gift." He reached on the side of him.

"Open yours first." Alexis insisted.

"Nah, at the same time." Rico held his gift.

Alexis dug in the gift bag as Rico slowly tore open his perfectly wrapped present. She smiled at her outfit and held it up to take a better look at it. Rico waited to open his because he watched Alexis pull out the box the anklet was in.