Streetlife

17 - Photo-shoot?

"I'm telling you, Tessy I can't wait to get some shut eye. I can't have bags under my eyes. Oh no. Not this face!" Julius says as Tess laughs and he places cucumber slices over his eyes and puts his feet up on his kitchen chairs.

"It was a pretty long night. My ankle is damn near killing me."

"Oh baby, you need to take it easy. BUT I know easier said than done. I know it but honey, it was warm! Good GOD, I was not made for this. I just wasn't. And poor Frankie! Daddy wanted to collect his money alone. Giving my boo more work."

Tess fans herself as she lights a smoke and smiles at her friend, but was grateful she had made enough money to keep Warbucks from slapping her around again and she had not told Julius what happened the last time how he had pulled a knife on her. But her friend had seen the bruises Warbucks let behind on her face but Julius knew not to ask for he didn't want to make Tess feel any worse.

"Are you two a couple or what? I mean are you ever gonna come clean about that?"

"Oh honey, Frankie and I are just friends. And I care for him. Oh do I ever. And he has been so stressed especially with Little Miss Hot Pants in town bossing him around. He called me the other day for TWO HOURS to beg me to take her photos. JESUS!" He folds his hands across his chest as he takes a deep breath letting the cucumbers work their magic on his eyes. "He sounded so damm pitiful and desperate and I couldn't take it!"

"Well, he doesn't seem to know how to handle her, like at all." Tess says puffing her smoke as she finally feels some relief with her ankle being put on the chair as Julius shakes his head.

"HE DOESN'T. SHE RAILROADS the shit out of him!! You know Frankie is so sensitive, and she should be ashamed of her damn self. She should respect her elders! But she doesn't even know what that damn word means. I'm telling you, she needs that behind whipped. I thought Lena was gonna yank her by her hair the other day! She wasn't having any of her bullshit!"

Tess shakes her head as she sips her coffee. "Well you can still say no. I mean..."She says as the two friends hear a knock at the door which grows even more louder.

"Julio, it's STEF. You home! JULIO!!!!!!!!"

"Oh JESUS!" Julius says taking his cucumbers off his eye balls as he quickly sits up and looks at Tess. "QUICK! Act like we aren't home! I AM NOT DEALING WITH HER. Not this damn early when I need my sleep."

"I'll deal with her." Tess says getting up as she feels Julius tug on her shirt begging her not to open the door. "I'll get rid of her. Relax." She insists as the man lets out a giant sigh hiding in the kitchen, and Tess opens the door and is faced with a tall blonde with dark shades and a long braid. Stef lifts her glasses up and smiles at the darker skin woman with the afro.

"I don't think we met before? You live here too?" She says stepping inside as Tess looks like this girl has lost her mind. "Julio home?"

"Hi, to you too. I'm Tess, and his name is Julius. You have a habit of walking into places you aren't invited into?" Tess asks as Stef looks right at her smiling.

"I've been here before darling, and I don't need to be invited. JULIO!" She calls out as she ignores the stunned woman who's face is turning red with anger.

"I live here too. And we all need our sleep." Tess slams the door as she says this in a rather assertively as Stef looks her up and down.

"Man, are all of you rude as shit? Did you all drink from the same fucking fountain of snootiness or what? Look, I just came to see if Julio could take my photos now. I don't have business with you, Tara. JULIO, WHERE ARE YOU?!" She continues into the apartment as Tess follows close behind her.