Calvin anxiously twirled around in his gaming chair, holding his phone to his ear. " Ayla, please, can you just forgive her?" Calvin pleaded, referring to August. Calvin figured if Ayla started talking back to August, he could get closer to speaking and finding more about Janien.
Truthfully, ever since Calvin met Janien... he could admit he felt a fulfilling connection. It was different.
-𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤-
After dinner, the four went out for ice cream and walked around the city. Janien walked beside Calvin as August and Ayla held hands walking in front: Ayla rested her head on August's shoulder.
" So, what flavor ice cream do you plan on getting?" Calvin asked Janien as he stuck his hands in his pocket, rocking on his heels.
" I like...Strawberry ice cream." Janien responded, '' What are you going to get?"
" Probably Chocolate," He said as Janien chuckled.
"What's funny?" he smirked as he licked his lips. He looked a Janien, causing her to blush. Calvin couldn't help but take in Janien's beauty. Perfects Curvy, beautiful face, Janien had all the right things in all the right places.
" Anyone ever told you that you're beautiful?" Calvin complimented as Janien felt her face getting hot. " Of course, I mean, look at me, " Janien smiled, showing her pearly whites, as she rested her hand under her chin.
" Ehh, you aight," Calvin playfully mugged as Janien nudged him. " Play with your fucking mother" Janien snapped her fingers as she twisted her head.
The two laughed as they continued on down the street. After walking for 15 minutes straight, they finally made their way into the Ice cream shop.
" Welcome, Wel- Calvin?"
" Emmyori?" Calvin squinted his eyes at her.
{ EM-MOR-RI}
" Calvin... Oh my gosh, how have you been?" The girl said as she came from around the register, hugging Calvin.
" I've been good; how about you?" Calvin chuckled lightly as he hugged her back.
" I can get you three." A dark skin lady said as she typed on the registered computer.
" You know, I've been pretty good; I've just moved back up here," Emmyori said as she tucked her loose hair behind her ear.
Emmyori was Calvin's EX girlfriend. They met in high school, where they became close and started dating, but Calvin had to leave for Georgia, and Emmyori leaving for North Carolina pulled the two apart.
" That's great," Calvin smiled lightly as he stepped closer to the counter to order his ice cream.
" Yo, Why do I feel you don't want to talk to me?" Emmyori asked as her Northern Darwl thickened.
" What are you saying? I am talking to you." Calvin frowned confusingly as he let out a nervous chuckle.
" Well, what do you have planned for tonight... I was thinking we can kick it, like the old times," Emmyori flirted as she bit down on her bottom lip, tugging on Calvin's White Tee.
" Here's your ice cream, Calv.'' Janien handed Calvin his ice cream and walked away.
" Attitude much? Who is that, your aunt or something?" Emmyori smirked as she looked Janien up and down. " Hey, she looks like that girl who wanted in Ge-
" Yo Em' I really gotta get going; we got family coming in tonight from L.A.," Calvin interrupted as he brushed her aside.
" come on yall; we gotta go," He gestured.
Janien followed behind Calvin as Emmyori scowled at her.
" Call me, Calvin!" Emmyori semi-yelled out the door.
The rest of the walk was silent as they returned to the car. Janien tended to eat her ice cream as Calvin tried talking to her.
" Marie, are you mad at me or something?" Calvin asked as Janien shook her head.
" then why aren't you talking?"
" Because I'm trying to eat my ice cream," Janien said, dipping her spoon back into her ice cream.
Calvin blew his breath, making Ayla turn around.
" Hey, what did Em' want?" Ayla asked, making Calvin sighed deeply as they stopped on the busy sidewalk.
" nothing. Just wanted to tell me she's back in town.." He mumbled.
" The hell wrong with you?" August chuckled.
" Nothing," Calvin waved, taking a seat on a milk carton bin.
" I'm going to head back to the car" Janien walked off.
Calvin smacked his teeth and shook his head; he didn't understand why Janien's demeanor was changing. Was it because of Emmyori?
•
The car ride was silent for the most part, other than August and Ayla flirting in the backseat. " Hey, can I talk to you?" Calvin tapped Janiens thigh as the others got out of the car.
" Now, don't be trying to get fresh with my sister," August knocked on the window, causing Calvin to laugh. " Ain nobody getting fresh."
Calvin ensured his sister and August got into the house safely before conversing with Janien.
" Look, Marie, as weirdly as to say it, I like you... and I was hoping that we could build a connection or something?" Calvin expressed, causing Janien to sigh.
" You don't even have to worry about Em-
"That's not the problem," Janien palmed her face.
" I like you too, Calvin, but we just met, and plus, I have a lot going on in my personal life right now...Truthfully-
'' Save it, Marie. I don't want to interfere with your personal life; I want to get to know you as a person, maybe hang out more?" Calvin insisted, making Janien nod her head in agreement.
"Sound good to me," Janien smiled.
" Good, now let's go in the house; I overheard Mallory telling Ayla you were good in Checkers; I want to test it." Dared Calvin as a smirk plastered his face.
" Ahem, you got yourself a challenge, my boy!"
-𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐬-
" No, Calvin, and plus, five—O took her phone anyways; it was a part of the investigation," Ayla responded.
" Hem, how do you know you claimed you haven't talked to her since that day?" Calvin questioned.
" I-uh-I--fine... we text on Instagram, she trapping from her sister's MacBook," Ayla admitted.
" A-ha! so you have been talking to her. How is Janien?"
" We don't talk about her; it's a sensitive subject for her, and plus, why don't you find out yourself you work at the police station," Ayla asked.
"It's not that easy, and I tried... every time I call her she hangs up; she doesn't want anything to do with me," Calvin mourned, as he felt his eyes watery.
" bro, are you crying?" Ayla questioned.
"Man, Ayla, what am I supposed to do?" Calvin grumbled.
" I don't know, Calv; she probably doesn't want anything to do with you since you rat on her," Ayla said.
" I DIDN'T, THOUGH."
" Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, but anyways... I have to get going; mama wants me to run to the bodega; I'll call you when Later, Aight?" Ayla hung up the phone before Calvin could respond. She knew how long-winded her brother gets when he is in distress.
---
---
August laid across her sister's bed, binge-watching The parkers. She found herself in here more than usual, to the point that she even sleeps in her sister's room from time to time.
" August honey, August Hon- What are you doing in here?" Carolyn said, opening Janien's room door while holding a laundry basket.
August rolled her eyes and ignored her mother. Truthfully she hasn't talked to her mother at all since Janien was gone.
" August, I am talking to you. Now I am tired of you ignoring me!" Carolyn raged as she slammed the laundry basket to the floor.
" Now, when I talk, you respond! Do you understand, young lady!?" Carolyn pointed her finger in August's face.
" I don't have to say shit to you, lady! YOU'VE RUINED MY LIFE, MY SISTER LIFE, AND MY DAMN FATHER LIFE," August yelled, " WHEN WILL YOU GET YOUR HEAD OUT YOUR FUCKING ASS AND COME TO A REALIZATION OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITH NO CRAZY RELIGIOUS ASS MOTHER WHO THINKS BREATHING WRONG IS DAMN SINFUL...IM TIRED OF YOU, CAROLYN!"August got up from the bed as she exploded in anger.
" I-I-I ruined you and your sister's life?" Carolyn questioned, as her eyes glossed from the threatful tears forming. " For 19 years, I've tried to be the best mother too, Janien, and you mean to tell me I failed?" Carolyn squinted her eyes as the tears came overflowing.
" I ruined yall life." She continuously repeated as she stared out the window with her arms folded, nodding her head and rapidly blinking.
August palmed her face as she sighed deeply.
" Oh-Oh- and your father's life, I ruined his too," She whispered.
" Stop putting on an act. For once in my life, I could say Aunt Mary was right about you... How could you give your daughter away to the feds?" August grimaced as she let out a small chuckle. " That's right, you let your Sky daddy control your life" August threw her hands up in a surrendering manner.
" THAT'S IT; I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Carolyn burst, " you might talk me down, but you are not going to disrespect my God; GET OUT!"Carolyn ordered as she pointed at the door.
August shrugged her shoulder, leaving the room and slamming the door behind her. she then entered her room, leaving the door cracked; she began packing her stuff up and mumbling under her breath.
Carolyn busted through August's door, snatching her belongings out of her hand. " Fuck are you doing?" August spat, snatching her stuff back.
" Everything in the room, I BROUGHT, SO LEAVE IT," Carolyn demanded " oh, and those clothes you have on now are staying here too... I suggest you find some old rags or something because ain nothing I brought leaving this house"
•
August walked down the street holding a sheet against her naked body. Tears of anger fell from her eyes as she carefully walked on hard rocks.
" August?" A voice spoke as a car pulled beside her, making her acknowledge who it was.
" Bryce?" August squinted as she wiped the glossy tears from her eyes.
" Why are you walking down the street naked? Get in," he insisted as he unlocked the door.
August kept the sheet wrapped around her body as she entered the backseat. " So, do you care to tell me why you are naked?" Bryce pulled to the side, looking back at August.
" I got kicked out," She said lowly, as Bryce widened his eye and nodded. " where are you going?" he asked, starting the car back up.
" Westbrook, to my grandma's house," August responded.
" How's Janien? I haven't heard from her since I had to leave New York," Bryce asked as he made a sharp turn causing August to mug.
" You haven't heard, My mama sent the FEDS after her, and she was deported back here... doing time in Fulton County," August said as Bryce gasped.
" Man, what? That's foul as fuck... how did she even know that yall were up there?'' Bryce asked.
" This mother fucker name Calvin was working with the FEDS," August spilled, causing Bryce to shake his head.
" Mane, that some crazy as shit..." Bryce said, pulling up to August grandmothers house. " Say, you take it easy, Lil sis, and if you need me... you know I'm just a phone call away," Bryce assured her, making her nod.
•
•
Janien stared out the window of her jail cell, thinking about how life was to be freed again. Her only escape from her now celled lifestyle was praying to God to free her from this place and talking to her Cellmate, Ashton.
Unfortunately, Fulton County had ran out of space for women and men to be separated, so they had to start conjoining them together.
" What you thinking about Jan?" Ashton asked as his legs hung from the top bunk.
" How to escape," Janien sighed as she crouched down, sitting on the floor. " Ha, I've already tried shorty," Ashton chuckled, hopping off the top bunk. He then joined Janien, sitting on the floor beside her.
" Do you ever think we be freed?" Janien asked, shifting her attention towards Ashton. " Hopefully," he answered.
Ashton was in jail for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 25 years to life. Truthfully, he lost all hope in his Lawyer and in the outside world. He set his mind to be here for life.
" I wouldn't stress it, though; some folks die here" Ashton shrugged. As for Janien, she was determined to make it out; she had her whole life ahead of her; she was destined to do and be something, even if it was working as a manager at Mcdonald's.
" Tell me, what was your life outside of jail?" Ashton asked, making Janien take a deep breath.
" At first, it was peaceful, nothing to worry about...But then, I met this guy, which turned into a living hell. " She briefly explained. " Besides, he still roaming freely while I practically did the dirty work for him, " Janien added.
" How come?"
"Let's just say, in my case, it was self-defense... but since I was intoxicated, they proclaim, the judge ruled it as voluntary manslaughter, being that I was shooting at someone," Janien explained.
" That's still not fair, though; dude was the driver. He should be guilty by association, which is called aiding and abetting. " Ashton said, " Besides, if it is not primarily your fault, he could possibly go down for the murder and take the major charges"
"I'm going to bring that up to my lawyer Ashton; thank you so much," Janien said.
" I insist," he smiled, making Janien smile back.
" Janien, you have a collect call from an unknown caller," officer Oaks said, unlocking the cell.
Janien got up from the floor, dusting herself off. " Make it quick, " Officer Oaks demanded as he shoved the phone to her.
" Hello?"