Tora'lei Taylor
📍Harlem Prep Highschool
Tuesday, 10:47 a.m.
Tora'Lei sat in her class waiting for the bell to ring. She was currently in English 3 Honors. She had always been an honor student and she loved the classes because not many people were in them.
It was now next semester and her schedule as well as her friends's had changed. She had her first period with Ddot, second period alone, they all had the same third period due to it being a elective, and her fourth period she just had with Lora.
5 minutes later the bell rung snapping her out of the trance she sat in. She stood up quickly gathering her things. She waited until everyone exited the room and she walked out after them.
Her next class was upstairs since she had 2nd lunch along with the others since they shared the same 3rd period.
She walked up the two slights of stairs, down the hallway and stopped at the door of her classroom. She looked to see only Lora sitting in the back of the classroom saving their seats.
She knew this was Mrs. Perkins class and she wherever you sat on the first day of class would be your seat for the remainder of the year. They were just happy she lets them pick their own seats instead of doing assigned seats.
"Hey pookie" Tora walked into the classroom catching her cousins attention.
"Hey sister girl" Lora removed her bookbag from off of the chair beside her since Tora was now here.
She had did the same placing her things in the 3 other chairs around them, reserving them for the boys.
They walked in the class about two minutes later after a couple students had already came in.
"Yooo"
"Wassup my hearts"
Dd and Ddot greeted them as Notti gave Lora a side hug and sat down. You'd think he would have warmed up to Tora by now, but no. He still held whatever disliking he had for her, and she acted like she didn't care.
No matter how many times she tried to be cool or cordial with the boy he would always shut her down, ruin her mood, or immediately go back to not speaking to her.
"Goodmorning class, some of you may already know me but if you don't I'm Mrs. Perkins and I'll be your art teacher this semester" The tall darkskin lady started.
"Now my class is very easy, as long you do your work and don't bother me we're cool and we'll stay cool. I don't assign homework because who does that, especially for art" Some students nodded already liking the woman's vibe.
"Of course I don't expect y'all to be Picasso, but I do want you to at least try when you do work on your assignments. I don't have a problem with eating or drinking just clean after yourself, do not leave nothing on my floor or my tables" Tora side eyed Ddot as he flicked her off.
"Last but not least you can wear your headphones and have your cellphones i just shouldn't be able to hear what you're doing or listening to, and don't be yelling in here nobody wanna hear all that" She ended making the students laugh and nod letting her know they understood.
"Alright now that, that's established. We won't be doing anything too crazy today since it is your first day" She spoke as everyone sighed in relief.
"I'm going to pass out some blank folders I bought and I want you to decorate your folder with the things you like, be creative and make it you because this will be your folder for the rest of the year. It is where you'll put your assignments and place them on my desk at the end of class everyday or whenever we do work" She explained to them walking around sitting a nice sized Manila folder on each desk.
"You can use anything you see on your tables, there are color pencils, markers, glitter, glue, rhinestones, yarn, etc" She pointed around the room as she named off the things they could utilize.
The table was sphere shaped and the friends sat around it all fitting at one table since there were 5 of them. The supplies sat in the middle of the table nearly.
She finished passing out the folders making sure every student had one. When she was done she went back to her desk putting her attention on her computer letting the students do what they pleased.
"I think this might be my favorite class, she don't do too much" Lora commented as she picked up a pack of markers beginning to work on her folder.
"Yeah she cool" Tora nodded grabbing a pencil, she wanted to sketch first.
The group sat working on their folders while holding a conversation. Tora had to help Ddot with his because he started to whine saying theirs looked better than his.
When the bell rung they were surprisingly upset because they actually wanted to finish their folders. Mrs. Perkins let them know they would have time tomorrow so it was okay.
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Tora'lei sat at home laying on her couch with nothing to do. It was Saturday and Lora'lei had previously informed her she would spending it with dd since he wanted to take his girlfriend on a date. She thought it was too cute and was genuinely happy for her cousin.
She just wished she was next.
She scrolled through Instagram liking a couple stories here and there. She was about to go on TikTok when she saw a call come through.
'Dot dot🫵🏾 would like to FaceTime you'
"Hello"
"Yoo wassup sis"
"Nothing bored as hell, you know my other half busy today"
"I know that's why I called you, I knew ya ass was sitting in that house depressed and shit"
"Nigga I am not depressed I just miss my bestie"
"Yeah yeah, aye slide to Notti crib, we here chillin waitin for dd you might as well come get lit with us"
"Who all over there"
"Just me and my son Notti, Mama Crim gone and Jay with his girl"
"Ion know, what kind of mood Notti in, cause I don't got time"
"Yo is she coming or not, why she worried about me" She could faintly hear Notti in the background but she chose to ignore him.
"See he already starting, I'll gladly stay my black ass at home"
"Bro he not gon bother you my heart i swear, just come im ready to smoke"
"Alright Ddot, I'm on my way"
She hung up before rolling over and stretching. She got off the couch cleaning the mess she made with her cereal. She washed the bowl and spoon before heading upstairs to her room.
She had showered and everything prior so it would take her no time to get ready.
She put on grey leggings and a white wife beater t-shirt. She didn't wear a bra because she simply didn't feel like it and her breasts sat up nicely on their own. She slipped on a blue jacket leaving it unzipped.
She stuck her feet in her blue ugg slippers before grabbing her tote bag and turning her room light off. Her mom was at her work so she locked the front door when she walked out.
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She knocked on the door in front of her holding her tote and car keys. She looked around seeing not many people out but she figured it must have still been too early.
"Bout time, I was about to come get you" The door opened revealing Ddot who had his hair freshly done from when Tora did it after school the day before.
"Shut up" She stepped into the house shutting and locking the door behind her. They walked further into the house entering the living room where Notti sat playing the game.
She didn't want to be rude and not speak since she was walking in his house but then she remembered who she was talking about.
He probably wouldn't even acknowledge her.
She sat on one end of the couch, Ddot sat in the middle, and Notti sat on the other end. There were many open spaces between them since they were so spread out due to the couch being big and spacious.
Ddot sparked a blunt and puffed it a few times before passing it to Notti.
Tora watched the tv as Notti played the game. He was playing call of duty and the game intrigued her.
"I want to learn how to play" She turned to Ddot as he took the blunt from Notti and passed it to her.
"Imma hop on with bro next, you can watch me" He said making her nod and hit the blunt.
Notti finished his game and then him and Ddot started playing with him on the top and ddot on the bottom of the tv screen.
She watched them kill the opposite team and she could admit the boys were good at the game.
The next round Ddot let her play with Notti who was surprised she was keeping up but he wouldn't dare admit it.
"Yo I'm hungry, let's walk to the deli" Ddot suggested rubbing his stomach getting the munchies from the 2 blunts.
"We can" Tora shrugged slipping her slippers back on and zipping up her jacket.
Her, Ddot, and Notti left the apartment walking down the stairs and outside.
They began walking down the block, Tora staying quiet while Ddot and Notti talked about music.
"I just recorded some hard shit at the Stu last night, imma let you hear it when we get back" Notti told Ddot who nodded as they approached the deli.
They walked in seeing only one other person in the store. Ddot went to the chip isle grabbing red Doritos and a bag of Cheetos. Notti walked off not being in Tora's sight anymore.
She walked to the candy isle picking up lifesavers, m&m's, and starbursts.
She left walking to the drinks grabbing a water and a pink calypso.
Turning around and walking back to the counter she met Notti and Ddot who were sitting their snacks on it. She stood on the other side of Ddot waiting to pay for her things.
"What you doing my heart, put ya stuff up here" Ddot told her making her shake her head and tell him she could pay for her own things.
He shook his head and grabbed her stuff from her arms sitting them on the counter. He paid for her and Notti's things before they all walked out of the store and back down the block.
The sun wasn't shining anymore and more people were starting to appear outside. As they got closer to the apartment they saw a couple guys hanging around the stairs and some standing on the side walk.
"Yurrrrrr, there go my sons" Someone called out making her look up as they approached them. Ddot and Notti immediately began dapping some of the boys up.
"What y'all on today gang" Notti spoke to the boys making Tora look at him. She had never seen him in this element.
"Not shit for real, niggas buggin nobody got no parties or nothin" A boy spoke as they nodded. Tora shifted her standing position now putting all of her weight on her left leg. She crossed her arms waiting for them to be done.
Unbeknownst to her, this caught the attention of the boy in front of them. All the others had walked off to do their own thing leaving him being the only one talking to them.
"My bad shorty, I'm 83, what's yo name" He smiled at Tora it being contagious and making her smile.
"I'm Tora, nice to meet you" She shook his hand when he stuck it out.
"It's nice to meet you too, this my first time seeing you with them. Where you been hiding Ma" He made conversation with her as if Ddot and Notti weren't standing in front of them.
"We usually be at my house, and when I do come over here we don't really be outside" She explained to him making him nod.
"Well now that I saw you, y'all gon have to come out more" He effortlessly flirted with her wanting to see her smile.
"We will, Just for you though" She laughed in her head because she knew she was stroking his ego.
"I fw that Ma, imma let y'all go though because I see how these niggas looking at me" He laughed seeing the bored/irritated expressions that covered the boys faces.
They walked up the stairs and back into the apartment with Tora locking the door again. They sat in their original seats taking the snacks out of the bag.
"Yo Tora" Ddot called to her her attention making her look up.
"Yeah" She responded.
"I know you just met him and all but don't get caught up with 83, I saw y'all flirting and shit and that's cool but don't go too far with him my heart" He lectured her as she scrunched her eyebrows.
"Is he a bad person or something" She asked rarely ever seeing Ddot be serious.
"Nah he cool that's my brother, but I see how he do bitches and I would hate to have to beat his ass about you Tora" He explained making her nod.
She thought the flirting was harmless although she did think the boy was cute and would like to see him again.
But with what Ddot had just told her she decided to take his advice. She would hate to be the reason he fell out with his 'brother'.
"I hear you dot, he not really my type anyways" She semi lied as he nodded opening his chips.
Notti sat quiet through the whole conversation not saying a word at all. He was clearly listening to them but pretended to have his attention on the game.
Tora'lei eyed the side of his face while played. She loved his side profile. She always admired him secretly she just thought he didn't notice.
He cut his eyes at her making eye contact. He didn't look away until she did thinking it was awkward for them to just be staring at each other.
They didn't even like each other.