Rachel Stevens, NJ📍
"Bro what the fuck!" I said throwing my phone across the room. NuNu came running in the room with her hair in a towel.
"What girl what?"
"Jay's outta jail. And he got Ashanti pregnant." I sighed and laid back on the bed. "This is going to fuck up everything."
"How is that?" She said brushing her hair out.
"Cause I'm not finna take no mother away from her kids."
"Girl whatchu need to do is go see your kids!" I sat up and gave her a mug look.
"Fuck them kids." I said to her. She rolled her eyes.
"You need to get your shit together Rachel. Ion even hate the damn girl! Ion have no heat against Ashanti or Jo'nae. It was her house if she ain't want me there she ain't want me there point blank."
I looked at her again.
"Bitch who side is you on?" I asked her.
"Wtf you mean side? Bitch this is not middle school." I rolled my eyes and picked my phone up off the floor. I looked at the picture again before showing Nunu.
She smiled.
"She's a pretty girl. Just let her be. She's going to be a mom and she don't need that kind of stress. They already go through enough with the pregnancy already." I ignored her.
"Look Rachel. You can't keep holding the past against you. He fired you he fired you. There is no going back. You snitching on him and taking his money is a bitch move. Imma tell you straight up. Just let it go Rach." She went and grabbed the blow dryer out her drawer and walked in the bathroom. I followed her sitting on the counter.
"I'm not even mad that he fired me. He just better not replace me with a bitch like Ashanti."
Before I started stripping I was part of the gang with Demarcus and Jay. But I keep fucking up so he fired me and hired the dudes he has now. I'm a little salty by it but aye who wouldn't. Thanks to him I had to turn to stripping. I had gotten pregnant twice and still don't know the daddies. Ion wanna know them. Ion gaf about them kids.
"And if he does. Why does it concern you? Oh my god Rachel you're so problematic. You're fun to be around but you cause so much drama just grow up. You got your ass whopped by them both back to back. What more do you want?" I started getting irritated because like bitch you supposed to be my best friend.
"And do you really think Jay will let her be a member of their gang? Do you really? His girlfriend aka his babymomma. No come on now he's smarter than that." She blow dried her hair and we sat in silence for a little bit.
"You know what. I miss the old times. When we were all cool. We went to arcades, movies, restaurants. All that as a friend group and it was so fun. Then you had to fuck it up. And you dragged me tf down with you." She unplugged her hair dryer and walked out the bathroom.
Shit, now I feel bad. She'll get over it.
I sat on the bathroom counter and started to think about a plan. First of all, I can't have NuNu against me. She is the only person on my side right now. Ever since I gave them kids to my mom she hasn't been talking to me and my father don't even know I exist.
I can't let Ashanti get in between my relationship with my best friend. I looked at her sitting on the bed scrolling her phone.
"I don't even know why you siding with her anyway." I said hopping off the counter and into the room.
"What are you talking about?" She said looking up at me. I leaned on the dresser in front of her.
"I don't get why you siding with her after all the shit she said about you." She gave me a mug look.
"Girl she ain't say shit about me. You jus startin shit."
"Why do you think Jo'nae beat you up?"
"Because I kicked Ashanti trying to defend your dumbass. I deserved that ass whooping. That's what you needa do own up to shit and stop holding it against people."
"She talked about ya mom." She looked up at me with pain in her eyes.
"Are you deadass?" I nodded.
"She dead fucking wrong for that. Say less"
She got up and left the room slamming the door. I smiled.
We love to see it.
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Jay'shawn Lawson, NJ📍
Ashanti's has been sleep for almost an hour when Jo'nae and Demarcus came back in the room. They was being loud asl like there isn't a pregnant mother sleeping.
"Ayooooo, Jay wassup!" Demarcus said stumbling towards me. This nigga drunk.
"If you don't shut the fuck up with all that loud shit. Ashanti is sleeping. And I'll be damn if she wake up with an attitude."
"What you scared of her?" Jo'nae said laughing.
"First of all she was already dangerous. Now that she's pregnant her hormones be having her on a thousand! And I want to see my child be brought into this world."
They started laughing. Demarcus was so drunk he couldn't stand up straight so Jo'nae helped him to the couch.
"Imma go take a shower." She said before leaving the room.
Demarcus started to straighten up a little bit.
"Jay"
"What" I said scrolling through my laptop.
"I've been thinking about the gang. And I got an idea."
"Talk to me"
"I think she should put Ashanti into the crew." I looked up at him with a mug.
"Shut up talking to me."
"No Jay peep it. All that detective shit that she was doing while you were in jail. She's really helpf-" I cut him off.
"I understand that. And I appreciate her for that. But I am not letting her join this fucking gang" I got up and went to the kitchen to get some water.
"Come on Jay you kno-"
"Ashanti is not j-"
"Ashanti is not what?" I looked over at Ashanti coming out the room rubbing her eyes.
"I'm sorry ma. We're we too loud." I walked up to her and gave her a hug.
"Nah ya weren't that loud I had to pee. And I heard my name so what's up." I looked over at Demarcus.
"Nothing. Everything is handled" I kissed her forehead.
"Jay now I know somethings wrong what is it?" She started looking around.
"Where's Jo'nae?!" She said in a panic.
"Baby, calm down Jo'nae is fine she's in the shower." I took her hand and lead her to the couch and sat down.
"Demarcus just wanted to talk to me about something. And I didn't agree with it."
"What was it?"
"He wanted you to become part of the gang. He thinks you were really good when I was in jail." She shook her head.
"I can't do that and take care of the baby."
"That's what I said. But he's drunk and don't know how to shut up." We both looked over at him slump in the chair.
"Don't worry about it mamas. You gon have this healthy baby and we gon be parents, okay?" I said grabbing her hands and kissing them. She smiled.
"You wanna go lay down and watch a movie?" I asked. She nodded so we went to the room.
We switched through the movies on Disney +. Ashanti's been addicted to Disney movies lately. She is such a kid at heart. I love that about her.
"That one!" She said pointing at the "Black Panther" movie.
I turned it on and we watched it. This is a good ass movie no cap. We got to the part where Black Panther had to fight his long lost cousin. As soon as the cousin threw him of the cliff, Ashanti started to cry.
"Baby what's wrong?" I said looking down at her. She lifted her face off my chest and her eyes were full of tears.
"He's dead." She said pointing at the screen. I laughed.
"Ma it's just a movie."
"No it hits different now that he's actually gone." I tightened my grip around her and wiped her tears away.
"Mama, he's in a better place now. Stop crying before you make me cry!" I said looking down at her. She wiped her tears away and laid back down. We finished the movie and she started clapping like we was at a movie theater.
This damn girl.
She leaned over and gave me gentle kisses before biting my lip.
"Don't even do that! You bouta start shit." I said to her. She laughed and got out the bed to fix her shirt over her bump. I got up and walked over to her from behind and held the bump.
"We're going to be parents!" She said smiling.
"Yep. We gon have a lil peanut. She gon be just as pretty as her mom."
"Aht Aht. I think it's a boy."
"No. I think it's a girl I hope it is. Do you want a babyshower??"
"Yea. Of course I do. I want Jo'nae to plan it."
"Bet bet. Share those ideas with her that you saved on Pinterest." She nodded.
"But if the color comes out pink everyone is going home and no one is eating." I laughed.
"You don't mean that you know you'll be happy asl! Have a mini you doing her hair, and matching outfits, spa days!" She smiled at the thought of that.
"Daddy's girls" I went to kiss her when I heard a crash and yelling.
Now what.
"Stay here Ma." I said leaving the room and shutting the door.
The living room was normal except Demarcus isn't in the chair anymore. I walked into their room and Jo'nae had a lamp in her hand getting ready to throw it at Demarcus.
"Jo'nae what the fuck are you doing??"
"He's texting another bitch! He thinks I'm fucking dumb!" I ran over and grabbed the lamp before she threw it.
"I swear to god I wasn't. The girl texted me and she saw the notification! She didn't even say anything . She just asked for the directions to O boy house!"
I felt a small hand on my back and I turned to see Ashanti.
"Baby go back in the room."
"What's going on?!"
"He's cheating like I fucking said."
"Jo'nae. Come here." Ashanti said walking over to her.
The two hugged and Jo'nae cried in Ashanti's arms. I heard them talking but it was more in a whisper. A little while later Jo'nae walked over to Demarcus and hugged him. Of course he hugged her back. Ashanti and I locked eyes and shook our heads.
"I'm hungry let's go get sum to eat." She said to us.
We all got dressed and met back up in the living room.
"Bae take a picture of us." Ashanti said giving me her phone. I took a couple flicks of them.
Jo'nae is such a supportive friend to Ashanti them two are like two peas inna pod. They slow asses.
We drove her to the restaurant and got out while Demarcus parked the car. He met us at the door and we all walked in.
"Hi welcome to Capital Grille, Where will we be sitting today?" The man behind the desk said. He was staring at Ashanti. She didn't notice cause she was looking around.
"Bro. Why tf are you looking at her like that?" I said to him.
"She's a pretty girl. How can I not?" I punched him in his jaw. Causing the whole restaurant to go quiet.
"The fuck is wrong wit you. You can tell she's with me can't you. She's with a whole ass nigga and you callin her cute and shit. Fuck no we not eating here." I said turning around putting Ashanti in front of me.
"Well what the fuck was that?" She said as we got back in the car.
"Nothing don't worry about it. Where ya wanna go." I said putting the car in reverse.
"Let's go to CJ's Crab Shack!" Jo'nae said showing me her phone.
"What the hell is this." I looked down at the picture.
"It's a restaurant duh. They have seafood boils and that's ya favorite food." She said gesturing to Ashanti and I.
"Aight then let's ride out."
We drove for a little bit until we ended up at this little restaurant. It wasn't crowded but there were people there. We got out the car and walked up to the door. I held it open for Ashanti and passed it to Demarcus.
"Hey! Welcome to CJ's Crab Shack," She paused when she looked at Ashanti. "Oh my god. Your Ashanti Renèe!"
"Yes I am. Hi how are you?" Ashanti said sticking her hand out.
"Oh, Hi! uh I really love your clothing! It's so stylish and cute. Okay so Um welcome to CJ's Crab Shack uh I'll get you guys a table for 4. Come right this way." She said stepping from behind the counter. She lead us to the back of the restaurant to this booth and we sat down.
"I'll have a waitress come assist you in just a moment." She quickly walked away smiling.
"You sell clothes??" I asked her.
"I did. Back in New York. All of New York knew who I was because of my clothing."
"How much money did you make over that shit?" Demarcus asked.
"35k a week."
"What?" We all said in sync.
"So ya clothes are still selling or you shut it down?"
"No it's still selling. Why do you think I left the other day to the bank when we were in New Jersey. I had to switch my accounts over so they can go to my account and the baby's."
"The baby's?" Jo'nae asked.
"Yea. Jay and I set up a bank account for the baby. He makes a lot of money and so do I. So by the time the baby is 18 they'll be set. Money wouldn't ever be a problem for them."
I looked down at her and her eyes were sparkling. They always sparkle when she talks about the baby. She's going to be a good mom.
The waitress comes up to the table and takes our orders. A little while later our food arrives and we start eating. We talked and laughed all night long. Jo'nae got up to use the bathroom while we were talking. It's been like 10 minutes and she wasn't back yet.
"De. Go check on her." I said to him.
He got up and went to the bathroom area while Ashanti and I sat and talked.
"So, I've always wanted to ask you about that business back in New York."
"What about it?" She said drinking from her glass.
"Why you sippin your water like it's wine?"
"Jay, lemme imagine damn!" I laughed. "Anyways! Whatchu wanna know?"
"Why did you stop?" She gave me a uncertain look.
"I don't know. After Jo'nae invited me to Jersey I just got this urge to leave everything in New York."
"But why? I mean you was making mad money and it seemed like you enjoyed doing it."
"I did. But then I didn't. I got so much unwanted attention. I had bitches beefin wit me that I didn't even know. I had a mother that was money hungry. It was just too much attention."
I gave her a hug because I can tell it was hurting her to talk about it. I kissed her forehead.
"Get off of me!" We snapped our necks in the direction of the scream and it was Demarcus and Jo'nae. Of course.
"You grimey asf for that shit word to my motha I'm fuckin done wit you." He had a hold of her hair and was pulling her to the door. I quickly straightened up the table and put out a wad of money before grabbing Ashantis hand and walking outside.
"Bro what the fuck was that all about??" I said meeting them in the parking lot.
"She's a fucking hoe bro! A fuckin hoe! She was flirting with some nigga in the hallway of the bathroom."
"All he did was ask me for my number!"
"And you have it to him?! What the fuck type shit is that! But you would tweak out on me if I were to give my number out to another bitch right!"
"Ayo if ya don't shut that shit the fuck up! What the fuck is wrong with ya! Ya not fuckin kids anymore! Ya grown asl!" Ashanti said stepping closer to them.
"This shit is ridiculous! We can never have a good time. This is why we can't have nice things. We are in Florida to have fun and damn near this whole time ya been arguing and we only been her for a day! One fuckin day! Fuck this shit I wanna go home." Ashanti walked over to the car and slammed the door shut.
"Ya dead fuckin wrong bro. Ya stressing her out and she's pregnant. Just get in the car." I got in and so did they. The car ride back to the hotel was quiet. We can feel the angry radiating off of Ashanti.
Once we got to the hotel she walked in front of us and got on the elevator by herself. Once we got back to the room she was already getting ready to take a shower. Once she got out she came into the living room where we were to get some water.
"Shanti, I'm sorry. I ain't mean to fuck up our trip like this." Jo'nae said getting up to hug her.
"No, please. Don't touch me."
"Why you acting like what towards me?"
"Cause you dead fuckin wrong for giving your number to a nigga while you out wit Demarcus. And Demarcus you dead fucking wrong for embarrassing her like that in that restaurant!"
She walked in the room and slammed the door behind her.
"I'll talk to her. Ya get some sleep."
I got up and walked over to our room. I pushed open the door slowly.
"Bae?" I said poking my head in. "You feel like talking?" She shook her head. I walked in and closed the door behind me.
I laid on my stomach in front of her while she was scrolling on her phone. I reached for her bump and started rubbing it. I kissed her bump and reached up to kiss her lips.
"Still don't wanna talk?"
"There's really nothing to talk about. They just doing to much. And I'm tired. like I just want to have a good time. This is only our first day here...it's what 3:15 am. Our second day..."
"I know. How about we go shopping tomorrow?" She frowned
"None of those clothes will fit over my bump." She said.
"Then we'll get dresses you look fine asl in those."
"Okay." She said with a smile.
"Come on let's get some sleep. I pulled the blanket over her before I went to take a shower. Once I was done I crawled in the bed behind her and held our baby till I feel asleep.