Caged |1|

Chapter 1 Basketball Tickets?

KEHLANI

I sat on my queen size bed strumming my guitar humming a melody, singing words in my head trying to write this new song. I needed something new to perform at my grandma and grandpa's bar. I loved singing, I loved creating music, I loved the way I got lost in myself with every performance, how every song was a piece of me. As much as I loved performing and as much as I craved the lights shining on my face I knew it would never be a reality for me. My whole life was planned out and if I strayed from the path my dad laid out for me he'd probably disown me. I'd like to think he doesn't know about me performing or working at my grandma and grandpa's bar but I know he does and just chooses not to say anything about it...right now at least.

"I don't wanna waste no time, yeah

You ain't got a one-track mind, yeah
Have it any way you like, yeah
And I can tell that you know I know how I want it
Ain't nobody else can relate
Boy, I like that you ain't afraid
Baby, lay me down and let's pray
I'm tellin' you the way I like it, how I want it" I sang smiling leaning over my guitar writing the lyrics on my paper. I hummed through what I had written so far and smiled at my work beyond impressed with the new lyrics forming. My phone vibrated and lit up on the bedside table catching my attention. I grabbed my phone to see Damarion Williams, my boyfriend since I've been 5 years old, texted me.

Ol'dude 😍- Aye baby, I'm about to come thru if that's ok with you?😘

Me- Yeah that's fine. Just let yourself in, no one else is home

I tossed my phone to the side looking around my bedroom almost having a heart attack. Damarion was coming over, my room was a mess, I was in my PJ's, with no bra, my hair was still in a rats nest. Ok history never fails with us, I had an hour to get everything in order for Damarion's arrival. I got up putting my guitar on it's rightful stand deciding to take a shower first. If he had to see anything being a mess I rather it be my room than me. I walked over to my mirror sliding closet doors grabbing a pair of high waist faded shorts, and a black Nike bandeau. I grabbed underwear from my dresser and rushed down the hall to the bathroom that me, my two younger sisters, and my dad all share. I got in the shower doing what I had to do quick making sure I had no undesirable body hair. Once I finished I got out drying off tying my hair up. I changed into my outfit going back to my room.

My room was a mess right now with clothes and water bottles thrown everywhere but the walls were a taupe color which I was obsessed with. My trim was white and I had the prettiest tan/sandy color fluffy carpet. When you first walked into my room you seen my bed pressed against the far left wall. It was dressed in black bedding, with a smokey grey color homemade wooden headboard that had globe lights hanging down from it. On either side of the bed was black polished side tables, that held your normal lamps, a phone charger, headphones, normal stuff. At the foot of the bed was a black leather ottoman that held extra pillows and blankets. Across from my bed against the back wall was an oak TV stand that held candles and pictures. Above that hanging on the wall was my flat screen TV. On the left side of the room on the same wall of the door was my mirrored sliding closet door that held some of my clothes and my shoe rack. On the right of the room was the windows and setting in front of those was my black glossy dresser that was covered in so much junk I couldn't tell you what was on there. Normally it held all my perfumes, lotions, and little things like that.

In the corner between my sliding mirrored doors and in table was where my guitar sat on it's stand when not in use. Above my bed was a cluster of photos from myself with my family, friends, Damarion and his family. To the right of the TV in a corner was a shelf that held all my hair and makeup stuff, I kept it in here so my sisters would stay out of it. My room was your average 19 year old girls room. Hanging in the middle of the ceiling was a white crystal globe chandler.