Sorry for the wait y'all. Excuse any errors.
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Sunday Morning
Parker
"I wasn't expecting you this early." Elijah said as he opened the door of his dorm. He was only in grey sweats. It was obvious he had just woke up.
"I texted you last night and told you I would be here first thing in the morning. You gone let me in or I gotta stand out here in the hallway?"
He moved out of the way and opened the door wider, allowing me to walk into the room. I kicked off my Crocs before making my way to his bed.
"Your roommate gone?" I questioned.
"That nigga ain't never here." He replied before walking into his bathroom. I took a seat on his bed and started pulling out my things. He walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later with a t-shirt and durag on.
"So, who did you choose to write your paper on?"
"Pavlov." He said as he took a seat by me on the bed.
"Interesting. Have you started?"
"You and I both know the answer to that." He chuckled.
"You do know this is due first thing in the morning, right?"
"I mean, I got a lil somethin somethin down. Just not the finished product."
"Well, let me see."
He reached into his bookbag and handed me his paper. I pulled out a red pen before grabbing the paper.
"Oh man, not the red pen." He joked. I smiled before reading over the paper, making sure to make notes as I read.
"It's not bad." I said handing him his paper back. "It could be better though. It just seems like you threw all your notes into one paragraph. You gotta space it out. Add your own words. Make it to where it looks like you know what you talking about, even if you don't."
"Easier said than done."
"Why you doubtin yourself?"
"I've had people doubt me my whole life." He shrugged. I didn't know what to say, so I just stayed quiet. "My bad. I ain't mean for shit to get deep."
"No, it's okay. You wanna talk about it?"
"Nah, I don't wanna bother you with my shit."
"You know I'm a psychology major right? Like my goal is to become a psychologist. I mean, I've changed my major a lot but that's besides the point. This is what I'm sticking to. I might as well get used to listening to people. So, let's talk about it."
He sighed before placing his stuff down and laying back on the bed.
"I'm the youngest of five, and all my siblings are successful. Two of my older sisters are doctors, my older brother is a lawyer, and my other brother just got accepted into medical school. On top of that, my parents are both lawyers. Growing up, school wasn't really my strong suit and my parents looked down on me because of it. I mean, I wasn't failing but I wasn't making straight A's and B's like my siblings. I didn't graduate at the top of my class like them. My passion was sports, and I really only made the grades I did just so I could play. It was my outlet, and they hated that. They said that I wouldn't make a real career playing ball. When I got accepted into school you know they ain't even say congratulations? It's like they didn't even care because I'm not tryna wear a white coat for the rest of my life. After I moved out, it's like they completely shut me out. My brother, the one that just got accepted into medical school is the only one that reach out to me to make sure I'm straight. The only one who got faith in me for real. I sent them all tickets to my first game, and he was the only one that came. That shit hurts."
"Damn Elijah, I'm so sorry."
"Y'all don't think I'm serious about this tutoring shit, but I am. Making it to the league is my only way out. I don't have no other plans. I have no choice but to make it."
"You will. I got faith in you. I've seen you play."
"You watched me play?" He asked sitting up.
"Yea. I mean, not in person but I've watched the games on TV."
"Let me find out I got a lil fan."
"Shut up." I chuckled. "I do got faith in you though. With football, and academics. I'll continue tutoring you, as long as you continue putting in the work. Both on the field and off."
"Fasho. I gotchu." He said holding up his pinky. I chuckled before linking my pinky with his. "You real easy to talk to Parker."
"Oh really? You was calling me uptight the other night."
"That was before."
"Before?"
"I actually sat and talked to you."
"Never judge a book by its cover." I smiled.
"Yea, I'm learning that. I told you about me, now tell me about you."
"Nope." I said picking my computer back up. "Gotta finish this paper."
"Man, come on. I just sat here and told you my whole life story basically, and I don't open up to people. At least tell me a lil somethin. How you start strippin?"
"I knew this was coming." I got comfortable on the bed and placed my back against the wall. "I used to work at this diner back in Houston. It was a busy night, and a group of girls came in. One of them turned out to be cousin, but anyways they asked how much I made and basically said they knew where I could make better. They took me to the club, and it just went from there. It wasn't supposed to be a permanent thing, but it ended up being that way. Once I got accepted into school, I said I was gonna stop."
"So why didn't you?"
"My kid's father owns the club. The other night was only supposed to be a one night things too, but we ended up losing the club in Houston so I agreed to stay and help him out."
"Kids?"
"I have three."
"Damn, three?"
"Yes three." I chuckled.
"My bad...you just don't look like you have three kids."
"My oldest is 7. Don't try to do the math. I had him at 13. My babies are 6 months. They're twins."
"Wow. So what's the deal with your kid's father? Y'all together?"
"No. It's a lil complicated."
"And why is that?"
"I was in a fucked up situation when I met him. Dragged him along by a thread basically. We got over that, but during our break he fucked with someone else and she got pregnant. When we moved here, he wanted to work on our relationship but I don't think we need to be together right now. He needs to focus on the club, and I need to focus on the kids and school."
"Seems like ya'll ain't really forgave each other."
"Huh?"
"You haven't forgiven him for havin another kid, and he ain't forgiven you for dragging him along in the beginning."
"I never thought of it that way. You might be right."
The thought of Nico still being upset over that never crossed my mind. We forgave each other and made up back in Houston, but maybe there was still a small part of both of us that was still upset with each other.
"See, I'm a good listener too."
"I see that. I don't usually open up to people either to be honest."
"I'm glad you were able to open up to me." He said looking at me. "And no disrespect, but I'm glad you and your kid's dad not together."
"Why is that?"
"Because now I won't feel guilty."
"For?"
"You'll find out." He said picking his paper back up.
Nico
I pulled into the parking lot of Purple Diamonds Houston. Still can't believe Ace let this shit go down like this. I put my car in park before getting out and walking towards the front door. I pulled on the knob and surprisingly, it opened. I thought for sure the cops woulda had this shit locked up.
It was still so crazy seeing this place empty. I walked around before going to take a seat on the stage.
Memories of me meeting Parker for the first time started to flood my head. I loved that girl with all my heart. I just wish shit wasn't so complicated. We was both to blame though.
I was snapped out of my thoughts by rattling coming from the back room. I reached behind my back and placed my hand on my gun. I knew better than to come back here unstrapped.
I quietly tiptoed to the back before kicking the door down.
"Yo, Winter what the fuck?" I said taking my hand off the gun. "I thought you was somebody else bro. The hell you doin? Ain't you supposed to be in Cali?"
"Let me guess, Ace told you that?" She scoffed.
"That ain't the truth or somethin?"
"That's his truth." She said still rumbling through the lockers.
"Yo." I said grabbing her causing her to flinch. She looked up at me and I noticed her eye was purple. Her lip was busted too. I already knew what this was. "You trickin again?"
"Nico get off me!"
"No! I thought you was done with that shit! What the fuck is goin on?"
"When you and P left, shit went downhill. Ari was pregnant, and you know she was the star of the show. I tried to keep the customers flowin in and I did for a while, until I found out I was pregnant too. I told Ace, and he said that it was bad for business. He said that I couldn't be pregnant because Ari was pregnant. Basically told me I had to get an abortion."
"And you listened?" I questioned. That was some bullshit.
"No. I packed my shit and went out to Cali to be with my parents. About a week after me bein there, I found out that I had an ectopic pregnancy. I moved back here about a month ago because shit with my parents started to get crazy. I had to do something to get quick cash so yea, I'm back on the streets."
"Oh yea? And you think that shit okay?"
"Not everybody had the opportunity to up and move to Miami like you."
"Don't do that Winter. You know you family, and you know you coulda called. You the twins God mother remember? Parker been worried, and she been callin."
"I know. I see her messages."
"You comin back to Miami with me."
"Nico, I can't just le-"
"You can, and you will. I saved you from this shit once, and you said you wasn't gone do it again."
"Same way with you and the drugs right?" She asked raising an eyebrow. I nodded my head before rubbing my hand down my face.
"Ight, you got it. This what you wanna do, fine." I said before turning to walk out the door.
"Wait." She said causing me to stop. "How are the twins?"
"Return Parker's phone calls. I'm leavin Thursday. Either you comin or stayin, but this my only offer." I didn't hear her say anything. I shrugged my shoulders before walking out the room, leaving her in there by herself.