The Artist (Latrelle)

Chapter four

It's Halloween today, so everyone came to school in costumes, I decided I didn't want to wear a proper costume, so I wore a themed outfit I wore a white dress with a light blue cover up and white heels with my hair in a bun, if you couldn't tell I was Cinderella.

I'm sitting in class when I hear " Jamal Turner. Jamal Turner. Please report to the office." I hear on the P.A I'm gonna have to call Jamal and find out what happened later.

After school we're at Rubys planning for what we're gonna do tonight "Ah! She danced on Soul Train. That's what choo choo means." Jamal rants about something completely unknown to me looking up from his phone I take note of his fake hospital gown "Eighty-six the chitchat and focus. This is gonna be the best shut-in ever. But we have to follow protocol." Ruby lectures in his vampire costume "dude, we know the drill." Monse says from next to me wearing a lifeguard like red jumper and shorts "this year's different. It's not about our survival. It's about Olivia. There was magic in our first dance." Ruby says mentioning Monse' party I didn't go to "have you guys ever been to Brentwood?" Jamal asks "my parents are out so I set up touch control LED lighting." Ruby ignores Jamal's question as he picks up a remote turning on fairy lights that shine red like rubies "Bordello red." Ruby says "and nightmare on elm street is gonna get Olivia a little scared and a little lappy." Ruby says mentioning one of my favourite films "you know that's creepy, right?" I ask "one step ahead of you." As soon as he starts his sentence I tune out knowing I do not want to hear I open my phone;
My baby 💚:
Ma :
What you doing tonight? x

My baby 💚:
prophet$ stuff x

Ma :
Boring x miss you x

My baby 💚:
Miss you 2 x what you doing tonight x

Ma :
Probably gonna watch movies w the guys x

My baby 💚:
Okay have fun x

Ma :
I will x be safe xx

My baby 💚:
Always am mamas x

I look up from my phone when Cesar comes in "but i thought you were with Oscar." Ruby complains "good to see you too." Cesar says "no, it's fine. It's just... take a seat. Any seat. " Ruby cuts himself off and Cesar nods going to sit down but Ruby pushes him "not the love seat. And don't block my scented candle." Ruby says as Cesar sits next to me putting up pillows in-between him and Monse then Olivia comes out from her room in a cowgirl costume "what do you think?" She asks "that looks nice." Ruby says "so, when are we going out?" She asks "Never. Trick-or-treating in Freeridge is a no-go." Ruby says and I nod "why?" She asks "you might wanna sit down." Ruby says "I'll be brief." He says as she sits down "in 2012, Prophet$ rolled up on us. G**s to our heads and snatched our bags. 2013 we were kissing pavement  all night. Caught in a d***ve-by. That night, we lost our candy and perhaps our innocence." Ruby tells her "can we talk?" Monse asks Cesar as I tune into their conversation away from Ruby and Olivia's "I'm good." Cesar says "Brentwood." Is all I hear from Jamal as Monse drags Cesar away.

Monse comes back a second later "you're right. we should go out. I'm feeling like this could our last Halloween trick-or-treating. And frankly, it's feeling a little cramped in here. You feel me?" Monse says sitting back down "I vote for Brentwood. It's safe, rich, and I bet they've got full-sized candy bars." Jamal says "shut-ins are tradition. And I ordered the pizza. Did I mention the artisanal?" Ruby ask quickly "why can't we go somewhere else?" Olivia asks "Brentwood." Jamal whispers "there's gotta be other places." Olivia adds "Brentwood." Jamal whispers again "how about Brentwood?" Olivia asks "I'm down. Good call Olivia." Cesar says "it's a bad call. It's a Great Idea. It's just Brentwood's super far and we have to take public transpo, which sucks." Ruby says quickly "you've never been on a train." Cesar says "sorry, guys, but I don't know how we'd even get there." Ruby says not sorry at all "all good." Jamal says as he plops down next to me "I got us a hook-up." He adds, as I pull my phone out texting my mum first letting her know where I was going then texting Latrelle: