DEEP

Chapter I

ERIKA

"You're not moving in with some random ass nigga Erika! That's the end of discussion!"

I took a deep breath, slowly rubbing my temples. I love my man. I really do. But right now I just seriously needed him to shut the fuck up.

"Rashad how many times do I have to tell you, Ty is not random, we've been friends for years."

"He's random to me!" Rashad's nostrils flared as he paced back and fourth around the room. "If y'all have been friends for years then how come I've never met him?"

I rolled my eyes. We've been having this same damn argument for almost an hour and I was getting fed up with it. "Look," I snapped, "Have I met every single one of your friends? No. So why are you buggin?"

"Erika you've met all of my friends."

I raised an eyebrow, daring him to lie again. Rashad knew good and damn well that he still had female friends (more like hoes) I've yet to meet.

"Or at least you've met all the ones that matter!" Rashad finished, changing his tune a bit. Yeah nigga, that's what I thought.

"What other options do I have?" I asked him pointedly.

"You can stay here. Stack your bread up, and get on your feet in a few months."

"I already told you, I don't want to live with you!"

"WHY NOT?" Rashad cradled his head in his hands "Man you need to just get over your pride and stop being so fucking difficult!"

I folded my arms. It was the only thing I could do to keep me from hauling off and smacking him in the face. I wasn't really going to hit him, but I had the image of me doing it in my head and it wouldn't go away.

I should have never said anything in the first place. I could've avoided this whole situation, to be real. But me, trying to be the good girlfriend that I am, decided to be honest and now look where the fuck it got me.

Long story short, my current living situation is on a down hill spiral and I needed to get out of it - soon. I was living in a nice ass two-bedroom apartment with this white girl, Sam; that the landlord had paired me up with. It had everything - hardwood floors, granite countertops, a fireplace, dishwasher, two separate bathrooms, and a balcony overlooking downtown. Our rent was $850 with everything included, which meant we only had to pay $425 a month a piece. Easy money, right?

Anyway, everything was cool in the beginning, until I started getting hit up left and right for more money. Sam had asked me for an extra $200 for utility bills about a month ago. My dumb ass gave it to her without looking at any proof. Then two weeks ago she called me again asking for another $350 for our cable bill. Cable?! I don't even have a fucking TV!

That shit wasn't adding up and I already had a sense that it was time for me to get out of there. My lease was a month-by-month lease. So I gave my landlord a two-week notice, then Rashad and I packed up my shit and I left. Ever since then, Sam's been blowing up my phone begging me to come back or at least pay a month's bills for her to help her out.

This bitch must think I shit money.

Excuse my language, I really don't curse that much unless I'm angry. And right now, I'm fucking pissed.

Anyway, now I have to find a new spot and of course Rashad wants me to move in with him. But here's the thing about that...

Rashad has two roommates, Ja Khell and Cullen. They're cool but who wants to be the only female in a house full of niggas? Not to mention, none of them have proper house training if you ask me. Shit, I won't beat around the bush. The house is just fucking messy. The floors have stains on them, they never clean the dishes, and the couches in the living room are so worn down it looks like they were donated by slaves. It would take more than a woman's touch to get this place to where I could allow myself to live in it. Now I will say that Rashad kept his room pretty clean, but I couldn't hole myself up in his room all day and night, that shit would suffocate my ass.