A BLACK WOMAN'S DIARY

Chapter Three: First days aren't suppose to go like this.

  JONAH

I'm not like most people. I'm normally a chill person, but on the other side of that chill lies a bad attitude. Sometimes it comes out dickish, but, at those times I don't really even realize it until after it's said. Way after. I say what's on my mind, right then and there no matter how it comes off, and I guess that's why people think I'm an asshole. Because I don't sugar coat, or try to dumb it down to protect someones feelings. But, what can I say? That's how I was raised. Nothing but good ole tough love'n. I didn't have that Sweet Home Alabama type of family, where momma cooks dinner every night, or daddy took me to ball games. Most of the time I never really got to see my parents. Day in, day out work work work work. And you know what comes with hard work? Rich rich rich rich. I'm not necessarily rich, but I was born with rich parents. My mom is a very gifted and talented surgeon. From what I've been told, her hands work like magic. She's a surgeon in every and anything you can be a surgeon in. That's pretty epic if you ask me. I don't know much of anything about her though besides the fact she left my dad whenever I was really young, and I've never seen her again. Apparently she had an affair with another man, and ran off with him.

It broke my dad's heart. He wasn't the same after that, and neither was I. He drowned all his hurt, anger and pain into his work, made a name for himself in the law firm, and became the Top Lawyer in the U.S. He runs so many different law firms, while being a kick ass lawyer himself. He's a beast at what he does, and wins damn near every case he has. He's only lost a total of three since he's been in that field. What can I say? It's his calling.

But, my calling isn't any of that. No where near close. Y'see my dad want's me to go to law school and join his firm. But, I have this huge passion for music. I live and breathe music, and I want to make music. I know that this might sound cliche, but, I want to become a rapper. Yes, I know everybody and their goddamn grandmother wants to be a rapper. But, I actually have a true gift in this. I spit crazy shit off the dome without even thinking. The typa shit that you don't hear in rap music nowadays. And, I think, no wait, actually- I know that's what my calling is. But, my dad, he think's it's bullshit. He thinks even if I do make a name for myself that I'll become a one hit wonder. He hasn't even heard me rap, not once.

Needless to say, when I told him I didn't want to go to law school, he told me I either had to go to college (which I really didn't want to) and get a degree in business. Option B is well, he basically threatened to kick me out, told me I was going to have to in his exact words "fend for yourself" if I wanted to focus on my music career and putting a name out there for myself. So, it's obvious what I chose... the college route. The route I didn't want to take because it's completely a scam. I mean, what's the point of going to school all those years and you're more than likely not gonna even be working in that same field? On top of that, having to pay back thousands of dollars for the rest of your life? Uh, no thank you. After high school, I told myself I wasn't going to do this, but, looks like I've finally been forced and pushed to.

I don't even know why he's so set on this law crap. If he's getting to do something he loves, why can't I? It's my life. But, right now, it's being controlled, all because I wanted to follow my own path. So, since he wanted me to go to college so bad, I chose somewhere far away from his ass. And, It lands right here, in Georgia. I'm fresh meat here, and I know it's going to be way different from Michigan. But, I guess I'll adapt. I'm gonna have to. Even though my dad and I don't get along for so may reasons to count, since I agreed to going to school; he made a deal that he'd get me a penthouse. And, so my request has been granted and I got it. I moved into it about three weeks ago, but hardly ever left. School doesn't start until another two weeks, so why do I need to leave? I'm comfortable being alone, playin video games, eating like a champion, and doing whatever I want, whenever I want to.

Anyways, I know you're probably thinking, "You're hella rich, why did you even take a job at Starbucks?" It wasn't a choice. I had to get a job too, so I chose the easiest one I could think to get, Starbucks. And lo and behold, it had to be the one where my dad needs me to be. He's working on a case here, even though he's all the way in Detroit. But there's been a certain someone he's been trying to find, and crazy enough, they work there. So, now, I have to be the eyes and the ears for my dad too. That certain someone has been living a lie, and now I'm gonna be a part of an investigation not even wanting to be, but my dad he's paying me for this. So... might as well take the bait, right? I don't know what I'm gonna get myself into being in the center. But, It better be worth it. And I mean all of it. He hasn't given me a name yet, he claimed he'll tell me, but he hasn't. I don't even know if it's a male or female.

That's all I can explain for now, I have to get to work. It's my first day. And let me just tell you, this isn't even close to all I have to say.

3:30PM // 30 minutes before shift starts:

Just as I was about to start getting ready for work, my phone starts buzzing. I pick it up to see who it was. My phone lights up with the name "Sperm Donor"  appearing across the screen. It's my father. I inhale deeply, preparing my nerves for this call.

"Yo, everything good?" I start before he even gets a word out of his mouth. My dad hardly ever calls me, but today he does. Today he bothers me.

"Hey son, everything's alright, how are you adjusting in Atlanta?" Does he really care? Or does he just want something?

"It's chill. What you need?" I say short, just trying to get the chit-chat over with. He wants something, what's the point of going through all this extra waste of time, in-genuine bullshit small talk?

"Okay, look, I'll just get straight to it. I know it's your first day working at Starbucks. I need you to keep your eyes pealed and focused. The person I'm looking for is there. She goes by the name of Cheyenne Diaz, if you need a short description, she has red hair. I need you to keep an eye on her. Tonight we're going to hack into the system at Starbucks and shut it down. So your first day really won't be your first day. But, look at it as your first day working with me." He gives a slight chuckle at the end. Like that was suppose to be funny or something. When will he get it through his intellectual ass brain that I will never work for him? This is the only time I've EVER done anything like this for him. But, just as expected, as always, he never calls me to actually check up on me. Sometimes I wish he did, sometimes I wish someone did.

Cheyenne though, that name sounds familiar, I think she's the one who answered my phone call. I think she's one of the managers there. Somehow I got hired right on the spot, the third time I called asking about my application. More than likely, my dad pulled some strings after I told him that they hadn't gotten back to me yet.

"God, dad, you call me 30 minutes before my shift to process this information? I have so many questions to ask. First of all, who is this woman, and why are you shutting down Starbucks because of her? Why are you looking for her? What did she do?" I couldn't stop myself from asking questions, hopefully he actually answers them, instead of telling me it's none of my business and to just do what he says.

"Since you're doing this for me, I need you to know what you're dealing with..." Oh shit, he's actually going to tell me. "Her ex husband, and her sister got killed months ago, and although we haven't gotten much evidence on her, we believe that she killed them. They were sleeping with each other behind her back for months. Tonight, she's suppose to be meeting up with someone, a guy who does not have a good reputation, somehow when you can, put the tracker I've sent you inside her bag. It's so small, she won't even notice it. We're shutting it down, because, the earlier she leaves, the more time we have to track her, and to listen in on her conversations before she meets up with this guy. Don't be awkward about this, just do what I said and everything should go smoothly. Kapeche? I got another call coming in, I gotta run, but you can do this. Okay? I'll talk to you later."

He drops those bombs on me, and I didn't even get to say goodbye. How am I gonna go to work with the knowledge that my manager could be a murderer? This was suppose to be an easy job, but this changed way too quick. I take another deep breath before I leave my penthouse after getting ready. I'm about to head into the start of the unknown chaos that's bound to happen. First days aren't suppose to go like this.