"Congratulations students, I now pronounce you all graduates!" The whole crowd cheered, the room shook, and suddenly I realized that I had done it.
"WE OUT THIS BITCH!" Me and my best friend, Breanna, yelled hugging each other.
I was free. No longer a high school student but a high school graduate. Going to the college of my dreams, Howard University. Life couldn't get better.
But it definitely could get worse.
———
"Revoked? How can my scholarship get revoked?" I questioned the lady sitting in front of me. She sat her glasses on the top of her head and stared into my eyes. Like she was trying to get into my soul to help me understand the words that were coming out of her mouth.
"Cheyenne, I mean we're taking back your scholarship. The way you present yourself on social media is not a representation of our foundation and what we stand for. I'm not saying anything is wrong with how you choose to express yourself, we just do not agree and are choosing to disassociate ourselves."
I just stared at her, my heart pumping out of my chest. I know I'm no saint, don't let this angelic face fool you, especially not on twitter but damn. The whole scholarship. The whole 4 year, full ride, scholarship.
I nodded my head as tears started to form. I wanted to cry but I also wanted to punch this lady dead in her face. What the fuck was I going to do now? I'm sure as hell not telling my parents. Or any member of my family for that matter. I was supposed to be the first person to go to college and make a name for myself. I was their problem child who got held back in the 9th grade twice, finally doing something right. (Don't judge me, I was boy crazy and unmotivated as hell unless there was a fine teacher teaching my class).
But I finally got my shit together. I was supposed to make my family proud. I was supposed to graduate and make six figures. But now that's dead. And so am I.
She apologized for the inconvenience, and excused herself. I got up from my chair and left the office building ready to flip shit over and set it on fire on my way out.
As soon as I got outside I called my bestfriend.
"Bitch we need to get fucked up."
—————
"Whats wrong ma?" She asked watching me as I took another shot.
"I lost it..."
"Lost what? Cause your virginity been gone for 4 years so what are you saying?"
I rolled my eyes. "My scholarship bitch! I lost it!"
"Do you need me to help you look for it or something? Like I'm lost..."
"I swear you are the dumbest person I know. The foundation took away the scholarship. They are not giving me money. I am broke. I can't afford college."
She stared at me like a deer caught in headlights. "Are you serious?"
I drank straight from the bottle again. "I would not joke about this man. I don't know what the fuck to do. I can't tell my family that I lost this scholarship. They just threw me that big ass graduation party and announced to the entire family how proud they were that they wouldn't have to pay for my college tuition."
"I mean I guess you're gonna have to do what the rest of us have to do and take out loans."
"Bitch I will strip before I take out loans. They follow you through life adding interest out the ass. I don't have time to be worried about paying for school 30 years after I'm no longer in school. I just need to get my hands on the first semesters tuition while I figure this out."
"When do you have to pay it by?"
"The beginning of August."
"I mean I know a few dealers... I could get them to let me borrow some cash for you."
I rolled my eyes. "As thoughtful as that is, I don't need those kinds of problems."
"Well you were getting somewhere with your first idea..."
"What idea?"
"Stripping."
"Girl I don't know. That would honestly be a last resort."
"Alright well if you don't want to get naked I might know a way that you can still get paid."
"Let's hear it, I'm fresh out of options."
"Have you ever considered being a sugar baby?"
"A what?" I blinked at her. Breanna was always coming up with these out of pocket ideas.
"A Sugar Baby. Spend time with some lonely rich old man and get an allowance in return."
"I know what a sugar baby is... but I have no idea how to become one. All the old men in my dm's asking me to be their sugar baby are scammers!"
"We gotta find a legit website for sugar baby's and make a profile for you."
"Oh God... what if I see somebody that I know on there?" I bit my lip. Was I really even considering this right now?
"Then we'll block them. But I highly doubt you'll see anybody you know on there. How many rich old men do you know?"
"None bitch, that's the problem!"
"Exactly so you're good!" She chuckled.
I grabbed my macbook and started looking up sugar baby websites. We only found a handful that looked legit.
"I say you make accounts on all of them and work all these rich old men."
"Shit, we were thinking the same thing!
—————
The sun beaming through my window woke me up in the morning. Bre and our two empty bottles laid on my floor and I almost cried. I thought I was having a horrible dream, but nah, this was my life. My head was pounding and my stomach was hurting a little bit... maybe I should've relaxed on the shots.
I rolled over to see my phone vibrating uncontrollably as various email notifications came in. They were from the sugar dating websites. It was 2pm and my phone had been going off since early this morning.
"Bre wake up!" I whispered kicking her lightly in her chest.
"Cheyenne... this better be good. You almost killed me hoe." She dramatically clutched her chest.
"Bitch look! All these old men are trying to talk to me!" Overnight my sugar baby profiles had received hundreds of views and I had at least 15 men ready to meet me.
"Look this one wants me to meet up with him today, and he's local, and he doesn't look like a creep. " I showed her his picture on my screen.
She nodded her head in approval. "Let's go! There's no time to waste, we have a tuition to pay for."
I emailed the man, Clifford, back confirming our meeting, and then hopped out of bed.
I showered, slicked back my hair into a low bun and got dressed in a white crop top cardigan and light blue mom jeans. I threw on my favorite 1's and then stepped out of the closet.
"How do I look?" I asked Bre as I came around the corner.
She nodded her head in approval. "You look good."
I stared at myself in the mirror, nodding in agreement. "Okay let's go."
"Good morning ladies!" My mom greeted us happily as we came downstairs. Shit, what am I going to tell her?
"Morning mommy." I said kissing her on the cheek. My heart started pounding as I came up with a lie. "Me and Bre are about to go to the mall with some friends." I smiled hoping I sounded believable.
"Okay. Be safe and don't be out too late! I'm making dinner!" She shrugged not even taking her eyes off of the television.
—————
Once we arrived at the cafe Clifford selected, I started to rethink my entire existence.
"Bre, I dont think I can do this."
"What do you mean Chey? You don't really have much of a choice..."
"I think I'm gonna be sick. What if this man is a crazy psycho who tries to kidnap me?!"
"Listen! I already have your location on my phone, and I'll be sitting right outside the whole time. If it feels weird, just text me and I will get your ass out of there."
I nodded and tried to take deep breaths to calm myself down. "Okay, fine. Wish me luck." I said getting out the car.
"Go get us a sugar daddy!" She cheesed, putting up her thumbs. I rolled my eyes and walked inside the restaurant.
I looked around trying to find anybody who resembled a wealthy man. I was ready to turn around and run to the car when I heard a deep, raspy voice, say my name.
"Your name is Cheyenne right?" He asked walking up to me. I nodded and smiled nervously. He grabbed my arm and gently walked me to the table, pulling out my chair.
"I'm Clifford," He said stretching out his hand.
"Nice to meet you." I smiled. He put his other hand on top of mine and looked into my eyes. He was actually attractive. He had a caramel skin tone, with a low cut, freshly lined up beard, and a Colgate smile. He wasn't bad looking at all actually, he looked way too young to be a sugar daddy. He was also covered in tattoos and built very nicely. I could tell from the fit of his shirt that he went to the gym regularly.
"It's very nice, to meet you as well. Is it your first time at one of these meetings?" I nodded and he smiled warmly. "I can tell. Generally the first meeting is like a blind date. We just chat about ourselves, and towards the end if we decide we're a good fit, discuss the terms and conditions of our arrangement."
I nodded slowly as he spoke. How the hell did you end up here, girl?
Clifford and I talked for about an hour. He was actually very easy to talk to. Almost like a friend. Clifford let me know that he had just turned 40 years old, which I figured was kind of young for a sugar daddy. I also learned that he was previously married, but his wife passed away a couple years ago. They owned a business that was doing very well. When his wife passed he decided he never wanted to marry anyone else, he just wanted company. He wanted to be a sugar daddy in order to help other young women achieve their goals as well as to find companionship.
"I believe what we have here will work out fine. What do you think?" He looked at me raising his eyebrows.
"I think so too. I really do enjoy talking to you."
"Likewise. So... I believe that seeing each other twice a week in return for a $5,000 monthly allowance will work out, not including the various gifts and shopping spree's you will receive."
My internal jaw dropped, but I played it cool. "That sounds great."
"Cool, I will speak to you soon." He grabbed my hand helping me out of my chair.
"Okay, thank you. Have a good night Clifford."I said giving him a hug, he smelled great. He hugged me back strongly. "You too Cheyenne."
It was around 5:30 when I got back in the car.
"Alright spill the beans. I saw y'all in there gazing into eachothers eyes and shit!" Breanna smirked.
"Well I mean he's really nice, and really easy to talk to and didn't give me pervert vibes at all. And he's giving me $5,000 a month plus taking me on shopping sprees and he also said something about gifts." I raised my eyebrows at her waiting for her reaction. I actually did enjoy my time with Clifford today. I figured being his sugar baby wouldn't be bad at all.
"Damn bitch maybe I needa be a sugar baby too." Breanna joked seeing as she was gay as hell and I couldn't see her even holding hands with a man.
"Shit you can't have him, he's mine!"I stuck my tongue out as I pulled out the parking lot and drove us back to my house.