Cleopatra

Chapter 18 - Causes

C L E O

I had come home to an empty house meaning that I didn't have to answer stupid questions about whether I had eaten proper food or if I had remembered to take my vitamins. Dad and Vanessa were at work and Taî was in college I don't really know what Athena is doing with her life at this precise moment in time, all I know is that she lives in Central London with her friends but she comes round basically every week.

My family are as overprotective of me as Reuben is. It's cute that they care but sometimes they're mad annoying. I went into the kitchen ready to just eat ice cream and chill because lately I had been tired as hell, I don't know whether it's to do with me being pregnant or because I've had so much work to do. Being pregnant actually scares me a lot but I guess the more I don't think about it and just live, the better I feel. I'm still waiting for the whole situation to hit me properly because I'm nearly 2 months pregnant and I still think my life is going to be the same in 7 months. I'm actually really lucky that I have support from my friends and family.

This week after I turned 17 school started again. I didn't do anything for my 17th even though Tyra wanted me to. She went on holiday with her boyfriend so I hadn't seen her in ages. When I told her that I was pregnant she was less than pleased, she also threatened to kill Reuben but after a while she calmed down and said I was going the right thing.

So due to my current situation, the start of college for everyone else meant the start of work for me. At first I was upset about not going to school but after a while I'd grown to accept it. Besides, working at a PR firm is actually really interesting. I just underestimated the amount of work I would be getting. Most of the time I do office work but other times I work at different events where I'm in charge of the guest list, it's actually quite fun because I get to meet a bunch of interesting people.

I was thinking that I could come home to a free yard and eat food and watch Gossip Girl or something and not be bothered by anyone; that was my plan until I found out that someone – Taî – had eaten all of my ice cream leaving only a tablespoon for myself. See this is the shit that really gets on my nerves. Why couldn't she have just finished it instead of getting my hopes up and thinking would be getting a whole tub to myself? Yes I'm greedy like that, I like food. #KanyeShrug

I ran upstairs mentally insulting Taî as I went. I went into my room, then changed into a Nike tracksuit. I looked like some road chick but it's not like I'm going anywhere special. Unless you call the corner shop that's 5-10 minutes away from my house special. The only thing special about that place is that I can get my Ben & Jerry's ice cream from there, that's about it.

Before I left I slipped my Nike slides on and then put my hood up and earphones and listened to Travi$ Scott at full volume to avoid being pestered by any road men. Forreal it's not every day try and holla at girls when they're clearly not in the mood. Then the same boys will start getting butt hurt talking about, "You're not even buff anyways,"

Anyway, as I neared the shop I noticed a group of boys hanging around the front of it. I took me a while before I realised that it was Jamal and his friends. Lord why? Luckily for me I was already on my phone text Reuben so I could avoid any awkward eye contact. I lowered my head as I entered the shop praying that he wouldn't see me but of course on of his dickhead friends just had to say my name. I don't even know how they could even be sure it was me seeing as I had cut my hair and my hood was up, but then again when is luck ever on my side. So that's how I went from purchasing ice cream to having a conversation with someone I wasn't particularly sure I wanted to have a conversation with.

***

"I just heard some shit about you, that's all." Jamal told me. His friends had gone so it was only us two sitting outside the shop. I had already bought my ice cream, as well as some other stuff because I'm always eating anyway. I was ready to go straight home, but if someone said that they'd heard stuff about you, you would want to know as well.