Caught in the Crossfire

Chapter Three

Pic of Liz

Nia's POV:

The next day I wake up unusually happy. Always grateful for God giving me another day on this planet.

I jump out of bed and get ready for the day because I have some great news for Shuri.

The house seems quiet so I'm guessing my father is not home at the moment. Grateful for that, I rush over to her room and quickly wake her up.

"Hey Shuri guess what?" I say, giddily bouncing on her bed.

"what?" She asked still groggy from just having been woken up.

" so you know how I've been working every day and I've been saving a little money for a surprise I told you I would get you?" I say trying to fight the smile off my face.

"Wellll.. I saved enough money for you to join the basketball club when school starts," I say grinning from ear to ear, I love making her happy.

"YAYYY THANK YOU NINI," Shuri shouts out jumping into my arms.

"I can't wait to tell everyone at school, and mrs. Babysitter, and.. and Gianna, and Liz!" She tells me jumping out her bed so she can get ready to go to the neighbors house.

*******

I'm downstairs making Shuri and I two bowls of honey nut cheerios when my father walks in.  He better be sober and have been looking for a job, I think to myself.

"Are you going to work?" He grunts out in the most uninterested tone ever. I don't know why he bothers talking to me since it's blatantly obvious he doesn't give a crap so I just ignore him as usual .

"I know you hear me talking to you" he says.

"And I know you hear me telling you to get a job," I shoot back.

I guess he didn't like that since he just storms upstairs leaving a trail of profanity behind him.

The switch-up this man goes through when he's drunk verses when he's sober is trifling. Like how are you gon beat me one night and then come in the next morning trynna talk?

A few seconds later Shuri comes bounding down the steps bringing her constant upbeatyness along with her (A/N I know it's not a word don't come for me)

"I'm all dressed, what's for breakfast," she asks while struggling to get on the kitchen bar stool.

I chuckled watching her flail around til she finally gets on it, then, I pass her the bowl of cereal.

She quickly sighs and then starts to eat.

"Why are you sighing girl? Is there something in your cereal?" I asked her.

"No it's just that we always are eating the same things every day and all the other kids always talk about how they have a lot of different foods for breakfast."

I'm not gonna lie when she said that it broke my heart, how do you explain to a 6 year old that y'all  are living paycheck to paycheck without support from your parents and you can't even afford a simple carton of apple juice or a pack of bacon.

"Did you know Shuri we eat these things because it helps us get big and strong and guess what.. it's what famous people eat, so next time you talk to your friends tell them that you eat the same breakfast as the most famous person in the world."

I hate lying to her but I don't want to see her smile disappear at such an early age because of this cruel world.

That seems to cheer her up since she giggles and dives back into her cereal. 

*******

After dropping Shuri at the neighbors, I head to work and clock in. Not even a minute after I arrive here comes Liz skipping towards me lookin like she's finna burst any second now. I already know it'll probably be sum wild.

"Girly, you won't believe what happened last night," Liz shouted into my ear as we were getting the bar and breakfast ready for opening.

"What did you do this time I ask," a slight hint of humor and curiosity edging my tone.

"Remember that really hot guy that came in yesterday? The mysterious jerk? Welll, I ended up giving him my number."

"I didn't think he was gonna call but then he called me and  asked me to come over so I went." She  says in what seems like a single breath.

My jaw dropped. I'm totally speechless. I would have never suspected that.  She doesn't seem to notice and keeps going.

"He's such a jerk though. He literally kicked me out at like 1 am, told me I wasn't his type, and that I'm lucky he even called."

I chuckled and looked at her pouting face after that rant.

"I knew he was a prick, why would you even go after that Liz. Hot guys are always jerks since they're hot and know it. I definitely taught you better Liz." I say while shaking my head.

"I mean I'm not saying I regret it because, whoooo, what did doja say? That d*ck was a 10/10" She said laughing at her own joke.

"That was lame as hell, you gotta go," I say laughing along with her.

*******

Gianna walks in since  shes my ride home and I get off in like 10 minutes.

"Hey b, whats new?" she asks sitting down at one of the stool.

"nun much 'ive just been chillin to be honest. I did save enough to put shuri in basketball club," i reply.

"Yayyy i know shes been wanting this forever, I cant wait to go to her games."

I chuckled and get back to cleaning.

" so what have you been doing this whole time," I say putting the wet rag into the bucket.

" I didn't work today so me and Jonathan hung out at my place and ordered some food. And for dessert he ate –" I don't even let her finish her sentence because I know what she's about to say.

" Ah ah ah, what did I tell you about talking to me about what you and Jonathan do." I say with a laugh.

"Haha How do you know what I was gonna say" she laughs back.

" you do it every time don't try and play with me" I replied still laughing.

My shifts over so I had to the bag to change and get all my belongings with Gianna following behind me.

We head out lost in our conversation when I suddenly slam into someone.

"Excuse you, you're in my way." A very familiar voice grunts out.

I look up and see Mr. allthat standing very close.

"You bumped into me." I say back.

I don't feel like getting into anything else so I just take Gianna's hand and walk out.

" Who was that hunk of meat," Gianna says still breaking her neck to look at him.

" shut up you have Jonathan. And anyway that is a very rude man that came in before. I Don't know him and I hope it stays that way." I respond trying to get off the subject.

For some reason he makes me mad. I don't even know the guy.

Gianna laughs and we head home so I can see Shuri.