Nadiah and the Gentleman

1.

"TURN UPPPPP!!" Nadiah Covington, 18, turned her head to see her crazy best friend Ashley Bryans, 18, coming through her back door into her kitchen, tongue out Cardi B style. She joined in with her friend's antics and came over and gave her a giant hug in the process.

Today was Nadiah's birthday/graduation party. She and all her friends had just graduated from North Haven High School on the outskirts of Philadelphia. It was perfect timing for Nadiah because her birthday was around the corner, so her mother combined the two and let her invite all her friends. Her mother had done the best she could putting something together, but her meager hours wouldn't allow a lot of room for much even though she had done the best she could for her. Still, Nadia was grateful her mother did anything at all. She was trying.

"I can't believe we're finally out of that miserable ass place!" Ashley's face lit up. Ashley was the very opposite of Nadia physically; a redbone with light eyes and shoulder length fluffy hair that was currently up in a bun. Her slim body could easily pass for a size four. Nadia had smooth, pretty chocolate skin that she loved and dark eyes.

"I can't believe my ass passed trig," she answered her friend, already reaching into the bag on her back to be nosy. Inside, she found a two-liter bottle of red liquid. "What the hell is this bottle Ashley?"

"Did you not hear me when I hit the door? I said turn up right? It's special fruit punch." Ashley turned with a sly grin. Nadiah's eyes widened.

"No the fuck you didn't bitch!" she said to Ashley.

"What you mean no I didn't? Girl it was easy, I got my ways." Ashley crossed her arms in front of her and gave Nadiah a "girl please" look. Nadiah zipped the bag back up and rolled her eyes.

"Well you keep it under wraps for now. Since you just got here, my mama's gonna wanna see you. You know you like her third child." The two of them walked through the kitchen to the living room where Nadiah's mother, Gloria Covington, was sitting on the phone with her head turned away, apron on from cooking all the party food. She heard the girls coming, and turned to look at them. Worry was all over her face but Nadiah could tell she was trying to hide it. The look melted into a smile upon seeing Ashley, and she gestured for them to give her a minute.

"Did you get that? I just gave you the whole number. That's all I got for y'all now. Okay, I'll look out for that debit on the 18th. Thank you. Bye now." Carol's shoulders heaved and sighed one good time but still she managed to turn to the girls with a smile. Nadiah knew what just happened, phone conversations like that meant she just maxed a credit card to pay off an important bill. Nadiah was no fool. Her mother was stressing behind the smile.

"Ashley baby, how have you been?" Gloria embraced Ashley in a motherly hug.

"Good, we all been good," Ashley returned the hug.

"So what's your plan now that high school is done? School or work?" Miss Gloria gave Ashley a look of genuine curiosity.

Nadiah could see that the subject made Ashley uncomfortable by the way she shifted while she was standing. It made her uncomfortable too, as she felt that same sinking feeling in her heart that she got any time anyone would ask her this question -- she didn't know.

"You know what, I'm not really sure. I think I need like a semester off to think." Ashley confirmed her answer with a nod, which Nadiah noticed too. She was as unsure of her own answer as Ashley was.

"Nothing wrong with that. Just made sure you take that semester seriously." She touched Ashley's shoulder with a smile then turned to Nadiah with a semi-stern look. "That goes for you too Ma'am. Cuz you haven't told me much at all this whole school year and I have no idea what you're doing."