CIARA ARMANI LOVE | CICI | 17
A frustrated groan left the brown-skin girls mouth, tired of coming home to her room being the opposite of how she left it. Although the changes were small, she knew how she left her things and her perfumes weren't crooked or her bed sheets weren't wrinkled so someone had to be messing with her belongings. She also had a good idea of who that someone was; her mother.
The first place she looked was the top of her closest, knowing her mom was looking for her stash of money. When she didn't feel or see it, her worries instantly began piling back up. This would be the fourth time Gabrielle had stolen from her daughter and she was growing tired of it. Luckily there was only two hundred dollars in the shoe box and the other three thousand her mother thought was in there, had been deposited into Chase.
"Mama, why do you never ask for my money? You don't have to go in my room and steal." Cici spoke in her soft tone, standing in the doorway of her mothers room. The smell of marijuana and period blood was strong causing Cici to fight the urge to scrunch her face up.
"You were at school and I ain't wanna bother you. Now close my do' and gone bout your day— unless you think you getting this back?" Gabrielle rose her eyebrows, daring her daughter to say the wrong thing.
Cici only shook her head, "It's fine mama."
"It better be. Now get out my face." She dismissed the bothered girl before putting her attention back on her blunt. Cici closed her door, making sure she didn't slam it because she wasn't trying to hear another one of her moms outburst.
She walked quickly across the hall and into her sisters room, ignoring the sound of people beginning to pile into the five bedroom house. She knew it was no one other than her brother, C'Ron and his friends.
"You okay?" CiCi whispered, climbing onto her seven year old sisters bump bed.
"Yeah, just watching LOL Dolls. Is Ron here?" Candyce asked.
CiCi nodded, "He's downstairs with his friends. I'll be in my room if you need me, okay?"
"Okay."
Cici kissed her sisters check before heading to her room. The sound of her phone and iPad ringing caused her to flinch, not comfortable with the loud vibrations. She looked at the contact before answering with a small smile on her lips.
"Hey Trey," Cici greeted her best friend.
"Where you at best?" He asked, blowing smoke past the camera.
"My house. Why? You okay?"
"Straight, you good?" He rose an eyebrow causing Cici to shrug. "Come pull up on me and the gang. We finna go bowling." Trey muttered, noticing his best friend's discomfort. Cici mentally celebrated, happy to finally have a reason to get away from her mother.
"Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes." She responded after checking his location.
"Text me when you on the way." Cici nodded, saying her goodbyes before hanging up.
She took a fifteen minute shower to wash the smell and germs of dirty kids off her being she had just gotten off of school. She'd brushed her teeth, completed her skin care routine consisting of CeraVe Foaming Cleanser and Bio-Oil, then moisturized her body in Palmer's Cocoa Butter. Her outfit was simple but cute; a white crop top from Zara, distressed boyfriend jeans, Gucci sneakers, and her pink Balenciaga bag.
(visual)
After drowning herself in Candy by Prada, she made sure her iPad was charging before heading out her room. She said goodbye to Candyce then made her way into the living room. The smell of weed instantly hit her face causing her to keep her greetings short and sweet, not wanting the smell to lock onto her clothes.
"You need some money? You good?" C'Ron asked his sister, opening the door to her silver 2019 Mercedes Benz 2-door coupe.
"I'm fine. When are you going to the studio?" She angled her head to look up at him. With her being 5'4 and him 6'2, she found herself doing that a lot.
"Ion think we going today. Might chill with V in a little bit though." C'Ron smiled as he referred to his— now— ex girlfriend causing Cici to playfully roll her eyes. V and C'Ron had been messing with each since their Sophomore year and were now graduates. They were toxic as hell but they loved each like no other.
"I thought y'all broke up," She lightly laughed.
"We did but that's my baby for life. She ain't going no where." He shrugged, stuffing a couple hundreds into Cici's hand, "Have fun tink."
_____
"Why we can't ride with you Cici?" Jackie asked, leaning her body on the hood of Cici's car.
"How y'all got here?" She asked with confusion written on her face and tone. The softness in her voice didn't allow her attitude to be heard but it was there.
"Uber." Mal answered.
"So that's how y'all gone get there." Rod butted in. He would've given the girls a ride but he didn't really fuck with them like that— no one did. They were only here for the two man Trey had planned for him and another boy they would be meeting at the bowling alley.
"Right, and Jelly's riding with me so I'm out of the equation." Cici looked over at the light-skin girl who was taking picture in the passenger.
"Man y'all riding with me, ion know why y'all acting clueless. Let's go!" Trey came out of the house, dangling his keys in the air.
Everyone began getting into their cars, following behind Trey because he was the only one who knew where to go. Jackie and Mal were in the car with him while Rod rode alone and Jelly rode with Cici.
The original crew was Trey, Jelly, Rod, and CiCi. They had been locked in since middle school and had made it all the way to their senior year. Trey being the airhead of the group, Rod being the quiet but talkative when intoxicated one, Jelly being the one to always pop off, and CiCi being the soft spoken one. Their clique was dysfunctional but opposites really did attract.
"You didn't say all these people were going to be here Trey." CiCi frowned, walking closely behind her best friend. Their was a group of three boys already seated and waving them over.
"Chill Ci, it ain't gone be none of that tonight. My homie just got out and we welcoming him home." Rod says.
Cici didn't respond, simply nodded at his words as Trey squeezed her hand tighter. Her social anxiety was starting to kick in at the sight of the unknown faces being so close to her.
"Not they done opened that cell and let that boy out of jail! How you feeling mi amigo?" Trey dapped the boy up in a forced Spanish accent, not letting go of Cici's hand.
"Like a free man. Who that is?" He pointed behind Trey causing him to step aside and Cici got a good look at the boy— having to look up being he was 6'3. He was cautious of his surroundings and had to watch who was being brought around him.
He had brown-skin that looked smooth and moisturized with naturally low hazel colored eyes, neck length dreads, and plump full two toned lips. He also had tattoos displayed on his neck, his arms, and one above his eyebrow. His outfit was clean too. Burberry shirt, black Amiri jeans, and Burberry shoes, iced out Cuban and a bust down AP as jewelry.
He's cute, she thought to herself.
"This my best friend Cici," Trey introduced her.
"Hi," She waved awkwardly. She hated being out in situations like this because she didn't know how to respond.
The boy just chucked his head at her causing CiCi to lean her head on Trey's back. She was expecting him to tell her his name or at least verbally respond.
"That's how you talk for real or you just shy?" A brown skin boy with a low cut asked.
"Yes nigga that's how she talk. Back the fuck up." Jelly mugged the boy, not liking the tone he was using with her friend.
"My fault ma." He held his hands up, his eyes roaming Jelly's body as he licked his lips. Cici peeped her friend roll her eyes but she always seen the smile tugging at her lips. She mentally reminded herself to ask Jelly about that later.
"Chill on my nigga Youngboy man." Rod chuckled, already knowing Jelly would spaz on anybody.
"She straight. It ain't no pressure." Youngboy shrugged. Now that CiCi had looked at the boy long enough, he did favor the rapper a bit.
"Damn, can I get a introduction?" A shorter boy stood up from the couch causing CiCi to mentally giggle to herself. He looked to be about 4'11 and was could go for a midget on a rainy day.
"You know we can't see your short ass over all these people." Trey joked causing everyone to laugh and the boy to suck his teeth.
"Fuck you, fucking giant." He spat.
"Yeah whatever, this Nas y'all."
"Has anybody ever called you Lil Nas X?" CiCi peeped around Trey's arm.
"Nah so don't start."
"I like it though," CiCi pouted. She thought the nickname fitted him perfectly. His name was Nas, he was little, and sort of looked like the artist as well.
"Well, you can call me that because you fine." He emphasized "you" as he looked over at Jackie and Mal who were already mugging him.
"Thank you." She accepted his compliment.
"Cool, everybody know everybody. Time for y'all to get y'all ass kicked now." Rod announced.
CiCi smiled, letting go of Trey's hand and walking to the podium first. Bowling was one of her favorite activities. It was so boring but black people always found a way to make it fun and exciting.
"Yo, you done yet?" The boy who name she learned was Sage after listening to his and Jelly's conversation appeared next to her. His voice was deep and slightly raspy causing her flinch, not expecting him to be so close to her.
"Can you back up please?" She mumbled, beginning to pinch the back of her hand. It was a bad habit she was trying to get out of but it was the only way she could calm herself down in social environments.
"My fault. I didn't mean to scare you, I was only tryna see if you was done ma." He apologized.
"My name is CiCi," She corrected him. "I would like to be called by my name."
Sage was about to apologize again but she dismissed herself. He watched her speed walk to the bathroom causing him to shake his head. He didn't mean to scare her or come off disrespectful, he was just tryna see if she was done or not. Although the natural mug on his face was a dead giveaway that he wasn't interested in having a conversation with you, he still tried to sound as nice as possible. Especially to people like her.
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first chapter!! 🤗🤗