444. (Completed)

1.

"Lateesha!" We could hear her mama yelling from the next block over.

"Yup, that's my mama. I'll see y'all tomorrow." She spoke as she got up in a hurry.

"Curfew having ass." Kace taunted.

"Shut up. I'm grown. I just have business to take care of. I'll call you when I get in the house and Monty, we're still going to the mall tomorrow right?"

"Yeah." I assured, hoping I wouldn't be too tired from work tonight.

"Aight. I'm out too." Kace said a few moments after, dapping up the guys.

"I guess we can all just link up tomorrow?" I suggested, standing my feet and they nodded as everybody prepared to leave.

I watched Kace grab his corner store bag and his Arizona can that was on the ground before he made his way out of the gate and then out of my front yard.

"Aight. Jo. I'll hit you up tomorrow." Milly dapped Josiah up.

"Aight. Watch your body." Josiah told him, basically telling him to "stay safe."

"You too, nigga."

As Milly left right behind Kace, Josiah stayed leaned up against the wall as I simply looked at him. I didn't say anything as I made my way to the top of the staircase.

"Coming?" I asked as if he was waiting for my permission. He said nothing, pushing his tall, lanky body off of the wall.

I opened the gated security door before I used my key to open the front door, walking straight in.

I watched as Josiah ducked down to come through the front door before I chuckled to myself.

"Shut up." He licked his lips, closing the door behind him.

"Mom." I called up the stairs to see if my mom was home but of course she wasn't. She never was.

Saying nothing, I moved her forty ounce bottle and ashtray full of cigarettes off of the coffee table and sat them both in the kitchen on top of the counter.

As I did, I noticed a bunch of envelopes on the counter as well. I scanned through, sighing deeply once I noticed that these were nothing but late and overdue bills.

I stood in the kitchen for a while, collecting myself and trying to keep my composure. I then began preparing myself for a long night at work. I needed to make a lot of money tonight because I didn't know what my mother was doing. Obviously whatever it was, it wasn't enough to pay the bills.

Luckily I had this job so I could help out. Though she didn't know where the money was coming from, she didn't mind me or question me helping. No one knew but I did work. I just worked...late.

"Monty." I heard Josiah calling me, breaking me away from my thoughts.

Walking out of the kitchen, I walked back into the living room and Josiah was now sitting on the couch.

"You good?" He asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"I'm fine." I assured him as I was about to take a seat on the couch beside him.

Stopping me, he pulled me into his lap instead, making me straddle him.

"I've been waiting you all night, Montana." He spoke into my ear as I mushed my head into the crook of his neck.

"I've been wanting you too, Joey. You think they noticed?"

"Who cares if they did." He shrugged.

Now Josiah and I were best friends, we've been best friends since fifth grade and it's always been innocent. We just decided we wanted more one day and he ended up taking my virginity.