Lauren
Today Rakim is going to court and I'm honestly scared out of my mind. He tells me not to worry but I cannot help but to worry. I'm trying my best to think positive but it's hard. I've been writing poems to keep my mind off the court situation, Rakim possibly going to jail, and school, that's have been weighing on my heavily.
I started writing poems when I was eleven but fell off a while back. I finally decided to pick back up at it and it was the best decision I've ever made. It's really a stress reliever.
"No, put my shoe down." I said to Zoe who was nibbling on my Air Maxes. He spit the shoe out and ran out of my room. I shook my head and closed my notebook and stood up to my feet.
I slid on my Nike slides and walked down stairs.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked Taya with a smile.
"I came to see you." She laughed as I sat at the kitchen table where her and my mother was located.
"Well how sweet." I chuckled looking at Zoe come beside me. I picked him up and rub his head.
Zoe was a present from Rakim, I almost died when I saw this dog at my house, but I grew to like him cause he was so pretty and playful.
"Well, I'm finna go to work! Love y'all." My mother came and kissed my cheek.
"Love you too." We said in unison as we heard the front door slam.
"Get ready, I'm taking you school shopping." Taya stood up, pushing the kitchen chair up to the table.
"Um, okay." I slowly said getting up and going to the couch to get my purse and phone. I looked down at my outfit, I had on some skinny jeans, a Trap Lord shirt and some Nike slides. I shrug and put my yellow purse across my body.
"We taking Zoe to Ferg." She put Zoe in his carrier bag and picked it up.
"Okay!" I grab the car keys and walked out the door behind Tay, locking it.
I got in the drivers seat as Taya put Zoe in the back and slid into the passenger seat. We both put on our seat belts as I started up the car.
After dropping Zoe off at Ferg's, we was on our way to the mall.
"What made you wanna take me school shopping?" I asked glancing at her.
"Well you been cooped up in the house every since, the umm.. incident and I wanted to take you out, cause you're my baby." She smiled looking at me.
"Aww how sweet." I laughed turning into the mall. I cut the engine off and took of my seatbelt.
"I know, plus I been suppose to pay you back for all the shit you do for me." She responded as we both got out.
"Girl please, I do that shit cause you're my bestfriend." I pulled up my pants and fixed my cuffs at the bottom of my pants.
"Bestfriends do shit for each other then." She laughed as she connected out arms together.
"You're a fool." I laughed watching her fix my ponytail.
"I don't know what the hell you have on today."
"Man, I didn't plan on leaving the house today." I groaned.
"Well I had to get you out of the house, you're wearing a bookbag this year?" She asked as I looked at her.
"Tay, my back."
"You're right, you're right, sorry."
"It's cool." I smiled as we walked into Footlocker, seeing Nae as soon as we walked in.
"Nae." I laughed as she hugged me.
"Hey girls, what are y'all doing here?" She asked hugging Taya.
"I came to get her out of the house." Taya spoked.
"How you feeling?" Nae looked at me.
"I'm good."
"That's wonderful, let me know if y'all need help with anything. I gotta get back to the register."
"Okay."
"You want some more huaraches?" Taya asked me as I started looking at the shoes.
"No, too many people wear them now." I answered picking up a pair of Reebok Classics.
"Man, okay! Tired of seeing them shoes." She chuckled.
"You should get those." I smiled seeing her pick up a pair of silver Air Maxes.
"Sure will."
After damn near five hours spent at the mall, we was heading back to Ferg's to get Zoe. It was going on 7:00 and I haven't spoken to Rakim since early this morning. I was getting worried and of course, thinking the worse.
I pulled to the curb of Ferg's house and got out with Taya. I locked the car doors and walked behind her up to the door. She twisted the knob and walked right in.
"Rakim." I ran up to him, jumping on him.
"Woah, hey mama." He laughed hugging me.
"I thought you went to jail, I was worried." I sniffle.
"Why you cryin'?" He laughed looking at my face.
"Cause I thought you were gone." I wiped my eyes.
"I'm here, baby. I'an goin' nowhere." He licked his lips and smiled at me.
I let out a deep breath that I didn't know I was holding in.
Rakim
"Richard Christian Knight is found guilty of the rape of Lauren Rice, he will be sentenced to 17 years in prison." Judge Connell exclaimed looking at us.
"And for Rakim Mayers, not guilty. Case close." She hit the gavel and got up from her chair.
"Well done, Rakim. Stay out of trouble, you hear me?" My lawyer, Ms. Mattews, smiled at me.
"Will do." I watch as an officer handcuff Rich. He locked eyes with me as I waved at him with a smile.
Your boy dodged the bullet, man.
"Pop Tart, chill out." I groaned taking my shoe away from him.
"His name is Zoe." Lauren said coming into her room.
"Man, his name is Pop Tart." I threw my shoe in the corner watching Pop Tart go to his blue bed.
"What kind of name is that?" She chuckled getting into her bed.
"It's jiggy." I smiled checking my phone.
"Whatever you say." She laughed looking at her phone.
"Ain't that right, Pop Tart?" He barked and wagged his tail.
"My nigga." I laughed.
"How did court go?" She asked catching me off guard.
"He was sentenced to seventeen years."
I watch her shoulders relax as she let out a breath.
"I can relax now."
"You ain't had shit to worry about anyway."
"Cause you got me?" She smiled.
"That's right!" I laughed opening a text message.
T: Interview tomorrow at 9 still interested?
9:12 pm.
Yeah I'm still interested.
9:15 pm.
T: Aight see you at the company.
9:16 pm.
"I've been looking for a second job, but so far haven't been having any luck." She sighed, rubbing over her knees.
"I'on want you workin'."
"Well money doesn't grow on trees, so I have to."
"Nah, I'ma take care of everything." I said honestly.
"No, I'm not finna depend on you." She shook her head, frowning at the fact.
"What I say?"
"What I say?" She frowned, once again.
"I said you ain't gettin' another job."
"Why not?"
"Cause I don't want you workin'." I repeated.
"Rakim, it's only for the first few months."
I thought about it. Lauren doesn't like to depend on anyone but herself. Plus, I really can't force her from getting a second job. Either way, she was going get one if I said yes or no.
"Aight, only for the first few months."
"Thank you."
"Has it settle in that we're havin' a child?" I asked laying on my back while looking up at the ceiling.
"No," she mumbled. "What about you?"
"Kinda."
It been settled in, when I looked at them pregnancy tests. Every since we found out, I've been trying my hardest to stay out of trouble and not do anything that will cost my life. Just trying to make sure this little one have a better life growing up than I had.
And I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure that happen.