Lilliana Morst
After work I took the bus home since I hadn't yet saved up for another car. Even though my mother worked at a car dealership, she still refused to help me out with purchasing a car, stating that I should work for everything I possess. Right now I just wanted to possess some personal space again, because the dude to my right smelled like must and cigarettes as he flashed his money around on Snapchat.
I looked down at my phone, texting my cousin with a smile as I sat in the seat closest to the aisle.
Dahnée: I'm buying a car soon. From yo mama
Dahnée: why don't u neva ask her to help u out wit 1?
Me: cuz she wants me to earn it for myself 🙄 shii it's not like I'm askin ha to buy it for me, just to give me a lil discount
Dahnée: damn... well, when u free? We should hang sometime, I feel like us meetin 2day was rushed asf
Me: whenever u got sum time. I usually don't work overtime
Dahnée: I was thinkin bout maybe goin to a club or sumin. How old r u? 21 rii?
Me: 20. It's all good doh, sneak a drink out fa me lmfaooo 🤣🤣
Dahnée: now how da hell would I do dat? 🧐
Me: order sum drinks, bring drink containers to put it in and hide it as u leave da place simple🙂
Dahnée: and here I thought my older cuz was innocent 🤧
Me: u da one who should be innocent. U da 19 yr old
Dahnée: shhh 😂😂
The Metro bus slowed to a stop and I realized we were at my stop.
Me: brb I'm gettin off da bus. If ion text back dis funky ass nigga to da left of me den kidnapped me and claimed me as his bitch 🤪
Dahnée: typing...
I got up and quickly made my way out of the doors. I stepped off of the bus next to the shed of the bus stop; realizing that it was sprinkling, I ducked underneath it.
"You know when the train going to Kashmere is coming?" an older woman asked me. "This is my first time riding," she explained.
"I'm not sure ma'am. I'd suggest going to their website," I offered. She nodded and pulled out her phone. I slipped my own into my bra safely and prepared myself to stay focused. I couldn't chance somebody robbing me or taking advantage of me because I was busy listening to music or texting on my phone. Once the rain lightened up, I'd start walking towards the apartment I could barely afford.
Oh joy.
Lightning crackled in the sky as the sound of thunder made me the shed over us rattle. "Damn, I didn't think it was gon rain today. It said 30 percent on the news," the older lady mumbled. I sighed, willing for the rain to let up. I hadn't even thought to check the news, because if I had I would have brought my umbrella. I didn't want to get drenched then be too sick for work tomorrow. Work was what allowed me to pay for my bus rides and my apartment. It was forever a continuous loop.
About another ten minutes later, the rain started to slack up and I was sleepy enough that I was willing to get damp so that I could fling myself in the shower then hop in bed. I got up off the hard bench and let my thighs adjust to not being pressed against the hard wood.
I walked quickly through the brisk rain, holding my hand over my eyes as I moved towards my apartment. It was a quiet neighborhood but it wasn't nothing special. It was a little raggedy at some points, but it was my home until I could get into another university and hopefully afford to live in a dorm. Other people found dorm life crazy, but it felt soothing to me.
I finally made it up to my door and pulled out my key, looking around quickly before I unlocked my door then quickly closed it behind myself. I locked the door and let my body temperature adjust to the cool of my apartment. I stripped out of my clothes in the one room place, and dumped them by the front door. I walked nakedly to the thermostat and changed the temperature, then bent over to pick up my clothes, put my phone on the counter, and walked to my room. I passed up the kitchen and living room and dumped my wet clothes in the washing machine. After my shower I'd immediately wash them so they wouldn't mildew.
My feet were dry but the rest of me was still coated in a thin layer of rain. I turned on my shower and stepped into the tub base. I pulled the shower curtain closed and allowed the hot water to soothe my body. I grabbed my soap container and started washing myself, letting my body relax and my mind wander.
If I could successfully get into this next school without raising any suspicions with my mother, then things might just turn out alright, but if there was one thing I knew about my life, it hardly went according to plan.
I grabbed a dry towel I left above the toilet and dried myself off. I then wrapped it around myself and went up to the sink. I brushed my teeth quickly because I could feel the sleepiness in my movements starting to settle in. I put on my night face cream so that I could stay youthful (something I had ordered that came in right before I moved here), and used a less than generous amount because I'd probably never be able to afford it again.
I left out of my bathroom and closed the door, then put my wet towel into my towel basket. I nakedly walked back into the kitchen and grabbed my phone, then turned around and went back to my bedroom.
Dahnée: are u ok? Did da nigga take u??
Me: yea I'm Ight. It stated raining so it took me a min to walk home
Me: started*
Dahnée: u walk home? It ain't a bus near u... or maybe an Uber u could take?
Me: nahh, the bus is like a few blocks away from my place honestly
Dahnée: nahh, we gon have to work sumin out. Ain't no way my older cuz finna be walkin round there alone early in da mornin and at night hell nahh
Me: it's fine. I keep a knife on me, I been waitin to cut a bitch up. I got hidden anger in me 😙
Dahnée: -shivers in fear- 💀💀🤧
Me: be funny if u want to Naé, I bust bitches upside da head fo a living
Dahnaée: now I thought u told me u was an editorrr 💀
Me: 🙂 Naé, I will hide ur body
Dahnaée: a bad bitch such as myself could never stay hidden 💅🏼
Me: 🙄🙄 I'm finna gts. I'm exhausted. I'll let yk when we can hang tmrrw ❤️
I remembered to wash my wet clothes then jumped back into bed. I turned over and plugged up my phone, set my alarms for tomorrow, then rested my head against my pillow. My body relaxed and sleep finally consumed me.
Another day, another dolla.
The next morning I woke up to texts blowing up my phone. I quickly sat up, my head rushing and my eyes barely focused as I picked up the small device. I unlocked it and scrolled to my Messages, the source of all the rapid texting.
My alarm randomly rung and I stopped to turn it off before going back to what I was looking at.
Was somebody hurt? Did somebody die? Was it... Teyanne finally coming to her senses? I gulped and realized it was a party of a bunch of unknown numbers and...family members? I clicked on the top one and inhaled deeply.
What?