Two weeks passed and I did recover. I got a few threats from Davion but I blocked him from my phone so he couldn't threaten me anymore. August is a really nice guy and he cares about me even though I'm just an employee.
Imani and me have built a good friendship since she spends most of her time in my hospital room talking to me. She told me a lot while August was gone.
She walked in my room with my going home bag and a big smile on her face.
"Time for you to see your new home!! Here's your outfit babe go change. We have a lot to do"
"Alright" I took the bag into the bathroom and changed into a pair of low cut skinny jeans, a floral crop top and a long black cardigan.
I put my hair up in a ponytail and did my makeup. I looked at the shoes Imani brought dumbfounded. She wants me to walk around town in some black stilettos?!
She does it but I can't. I put them on and walked out of the bathroom.
"Imani there is no way I can wear these heels all day"
"Kat hun you get to go home and feel the relief of taking them off and putting on your slippers. That's the only reason I do it."
"Fine"
"August is coming to pick you up and take you shopping for furniture and Guess what"
"What?"
"I get to shop for all your clothes!!"
"Please buy actual sneakers"
"I will. But did you hear? August is taking you shopping. Alone"
"Okay. And?"
"Maybe he'll make a move" I started cracking up laughing.
"Mani that'll never happen! August and me? Come on he's my boss!" August walked in making the room go silent.
"Did I do something wrong?" He asked taking off his hat.
"No we were just talking about girl stuff. I'll be going now. See Ya later" She kissed my cheek, winked at August, and left.
"You ready?"
"Yeah. Yeah let's go" I followed him to his car and he drove to the furniture store.
"I never finished telling you what I wanted to tell you" August said.
"What'd you want to tell me?"
"Two weeks ago. The nurse walked in and cut off our conversation so I just forgot about what I had to say"
"Oh. Well what is it?" He pulled into the parking lot and stared at me for awhile.
"I'll tell you some other time"
"Okay. I guess"
We walked inside the store and went straight to the dressers.
"See any you like?"
"Uh you can pick" I said. I hate these issues I have. I only told him to pick because I don't want to pick something wrong or too expensive.
"What? You don't want to pick your own furniture? That you're going to live with for I hope a long time?"
"Well no. You can pick everything. I can pick the bed"
"Alright. I hope we got the same taste" He picked out a mahogany dresser that was so beautiful with gold knobs and a mirror that could be nailed to the top.
He picked a matching coffee table, dining room table, desk, and chairs. Everything was so pretty. We must have the same taste I guess.
I picked a bed that was memory foam with a mahogany frame and head board. I love everything so much. I hope I never lose it.
August had the store ship all the furniture to my new place. I can't explain how grateful I am. This is probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.
We got back in the car and August smiled at me for no reason. I smiled back. For no reason.
He drove to an alleyway and handed me a blindfold.
"What's this for?" I asked.
"The condo is a surprise"
"Oh alright. Don't sell me to any creepy people" He laughed and turned off the car.
"I can only sell you to people that got their shit together" I laughed then put on the blindfold. He guided me around a whole maze it seemed like. When he finally had me walk up stairs I knew we were here. We walked inside a door, got on an elevator, walked through a hallway, then inside another door.
August took my blindfold off and I opened my eyes wanting to cry. One wall was all windows, there was a fireplace, a balcony, a huge bedroom, a huge living room, a very nice bathroom, and the kitchen I've always dreamed of.
"Oh my gosh. August I don't know how to say thank you. I mean I- just thank you so much"
"Katherine are you about to cry?!" August asked.
"Yes! This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me and it's kind of overwhelming. I went from being homeless to being here. Seriously"
"Awww" We both laughed and when he hugged me I was surprised but warm and comforted.
Movers walked in with furniture and August pulled away. Imani walked in with bags and said nothing when she made her way to my room.
When she walked back in she almost walked right back out but I stopped her.
"Mani what are you doing?"
"Kat I'm on a mission to find you a whole wardrobe. I've only been to three stores in two hours. I need to speed it up or I'll be shopping until midnight" She ran out of the open door and disappeared.
August handed me the keys to my condo. It's so weird being able to say 'my condo'. Weird in a good way.
"I'll be back later. Ight? You'll be good by yourself for a few hours won't you"
"Yeah I'll be fine. I can get settled and all that good stuff"
"Alright" He left and I watched the movers put everything where they thought it went. When they left I shut the door and took off my heels. I got right to work putting everything where I wanted it.
I went into my bedroom and seen that the wall had wallpaper instead of paint. Hell no. I found the number to the landlord on the fridge so I called.
"Hello" A gruff voice answered.
"Hi I'm the new tenant in 32B. I wanted to ask if I could paint the bedroom"
"Sure. As long as you paint it white before you move out"
"Okay thanks"
"No problem"
I put my shoes back on and grabbed my ten dollars that I found on the street. I walked to Lowes and bought two cans of gray paint. I went home and changed into a pair of old jeans and a ripped shirt. I put tape up then started painting.
I used a chair to get the ceiling and in the end it looked too nice. I opened the window to air out the paint fumes and to let the paint dry.
I looked at myself in my mirror and laughed. I had paint splatters all over my shirt, jeans, and feet. My hair even had a gray spot on the ends.
Someone knocked on my door. What a great time for someone to come over. I went and looked out the small window on my door. A girl stood there. I opened the door.
"Oh Hi! I'm Taylor"
"Hi I'm Katherine"
"I noticed that you just moved in and I wanted to come introduce myself. Sorry if I sound weird. There's really no other people that are my age in the building"
"Oh yeah I can relate"
"Well do you like it here so far?"
"I love it"
"Yeah me too"
"You want to come in?" I asked.
"Sure"
"Sorry about my uh paint splattered clothes. I was painting my room"
"No problem"
"So how long have you lived here?" I asked sitting in a chair at my dining table. She sat across from me.
"Almost a year. I'm only 20. My parents got me the place and now I'm paying for it"
"Oh cool"
"What do you do? For work?"
"I'm an assistant for the designer/boss of a magazine and I model"
"Oh wow. I sing. I guess I dance too though"
"Nice"
"Yeah. I've been doing that for awhile now" Her phone rang so she stood up. "Sorry I'll be back" I nodded and she walked to the door. Imani called me.
"Hello"
"Hey hon. I'm on my way with the rest of your clothes. My friend is coming with me. He wants to hear your voice"
"Uh I'm not exactly dressed for visitors"
"What you got on?"
"A ripped shirt, jeans, and I'm barefoot. I have paint in my hair, on the shirt, pants, and on my feet"
"Oh my god girl get in the shower and get dressed now!!" She ended the call on that. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. I took a 15 minute shower getting the paint out of my hair and off of my skin. I didn't care about my hair being curly so I just dried off and put on some of the new jeans Imani bought me and a white crop top. I tied a plaid black and white flannel around my waist and slipped my feet into some Timberlands.
I'm so foreign to having nice clothes. I did some light makeup and put my hair up in a loose ponytail with a white bandana tied around my head.
I ran back to the living room and gasped because I left Taylor in here for so long.
"I'm so sorry! I have people coming over in a minute and I had to get ready" I explained.
"Oh it's okay. I was about to tell you that I had to go. I'll talk to you later"
"Yeah okay. See Ya" She left so I hurried and threw all my trash away. I heard a loud knock on the door so I ran and opened it. Imani walked in with a ton of bags. She took them all to my room and I almost fainted when I seen who walked in after her with bags of food in his hands. Jahron Brathwaite. Partynextdoor.
He smiled and laughed at me.
"Oh sorry for staring. I just love your music"
"Oh. Thanks for showing love"
August walked in and put a tray of drinks on the table. I shut and locked the door. We all sat down at the table and started eating our Wendy's.
"Katherine right?" Jahron asked.
"Yep"
"Cool. I heard you can rap"
"Yeah. I guess. I can sing but I stick to rapping."
"Care to let me hear some singing?"
"Uh I don't know what to sing" I started to get nervous. I have never sung a song in front of other people like this.
"Sing..... Your favorite song by me"
"Okay....
I wanna kiss you, girl, I wanna kiss you
Girl, I wanna love you
Oh, am I moving too fast?
Fuck that (Well, well, well...)
Your momma must have taught you well
Cause you taste so purified
Need to get it while it's hot cause I'm cold at times
Open up to me and drop your guard, I need the proof
Constantly to know if you still have a heart
Cause a nigga done fucked up I feel like I lucked up at north side
But hop in your car and bring it to me
Promise to love you, and obey
And hit it more than once a day
Girl I say that genuinely
"Fuck that bitch!" It's what you say"
At that point Jahron joined in and Imani and August listened in awe. We sang until the end of the song and smiled.
"Yo that was amazing" He said.
"I can't believe you kept it to yourself that you sing like that!!" Imani said.
August still looked stunned.
"I definitely want to get in the studio and work something out with you"
"Uh okay"
"Don't be nervous. You have a great voice"
"Thank you"
"Alright I guess we can finish eating then meet up at the studio Monday night"
"Yeah cool"
Next Day
I slept all night in my new and comfortable bed. I took a shower, and got dressed in some green skinny pants with pockets on the sides, a blank white shirt, black Timbs and a long gray sweater that just covered my butt.
I left my hair down today and laid on my couch. I got on my phone and seen a text from Imani.
Imaniiii💕: I'm coming to pick you up. Don't eat breakfast.
Kat😘: Alright
I got up and went to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and put on mascara and lip gloss. I put my stuff in my pockets because I don't need a purse today. I opened the door right on time and went out to Imani's car. She drove to Tim Horton's and we got a bagel and coffee.
After breakfast she drove to a brown brick building. Inside cameras were set up, music was playing, and people were running around getting thing set up. I seen four other girls standing on the set ready in skimpy clothes. It's a winter themed cover. What the fuck?
They put me in a pair of black joggers, a black bandeau, and a white crisp blazer. They put my hair up in some weird braid type bun then did my makeup.
Imani took me out and put me in the middle of the four girls. For the first picture I had to lean on one of the other girls and the other one had to put her hands on my shoulders.
August walked in while we were transitioning for the next picture. A guy rolled a desk on the set and I had to sit on the edge of it. I felt bad that one of the other models had to get on all fours and sit under my feet. Two girls stood next to me leaning on my shoulders.
For the third shoot they had me take the blazer off, put on a beanie, and get on all fours. I was sideways to the camera but I had to look at the camera. I hate when everyone is just watching. The music in the background helps but it's still so nerve wracking.
For the last one I sat in a chair with my feet hanging off the side. I closed my eyes and parted my lips then let them do the rest.
Since it went by so fast the director made me do a few more smiling. I changed back into my clothes then left with August this time since Imani had to stay.
"Want to tell me now?" I asked.
"Uh sure. I was saying that I do want to know. Your problems. I like to help and if you need help, I want you to let me know. Whatever your old nigga's name is is going to court with me on Wednesday"
"What? Why?"
"I got him arrested. What he did to you wasn't no joke. I don't want none of that shit happening again. Ever!"
"Alright. Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
".....Yeah" Damn lie.
"Okay"
He was avoiding looking at me and moving around a lot in his seat. I'll find out what's up with him soon enough. For now I need to get me bread up.