𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃

TWENTY-EIGHT.

It was another lousy shift at the market and JoJo minded his business with one AirPod in, listening to "Over" by Lucky Daye at a low volume. He dragged the wet mop back and forth along the floor, determined to make sure it was spotless.

Wyatt, his coworker, was on his way to bother him and ended up slipping, damn near doing a split on the ground.

"What the fuck, nigga? I almost killed myself!"

"And that woulda been yo' fault. You see me moppin' here."

"Where the hell is the yellow cone thing at then?"

Seven walked by, pointing to the 'wet floor sign'. "It's right there. You a dickhead," he shook his head, going off to tend to restocking cases of water.

"Oh...I ain't see that," Wyatt stood up straight, trying to reach for the mop but JoJo retracted.

"The hell you doin'?"

"Chill, let me mop the floor for you."

"Hell nah, this my task," JoJo refused. "This simple as hell and I ain't gotta worry 'bout dealing with nobody at the register. Ain't you supposed to be over at the meat section anyway?"

"I got bored," Wyatt shrugged. "I ain't wanna be over there no more. I wanna mop."

JoJo gave him a blank stare. "Get the fuck outta here, Wyatt," he moved away from him, mopping another area.

Looking around, he made sure Seven couldn't hear or see him and popped his other AirPod in. He took a second to call Azalea, and she answered on the second ring.

"Hel—"

"Come get me!"

She chuckled, sensing his irritated mood. "What's wrong?"

"Niggas botherin' me while I'm tryna do my job—and I ain't even talkin' 'bout no customers this time, I'm talkin' bout coworkers. I ain't tryna be here no more."

"You can't just leave work because one person irritates you. Besides, I already came to get you that one time when you lied and told your manager you saw a rat in the bathroom and it bit you."

"So?" JoJo put the mop in the bucket. "I can make up another lie. I'll say K-Ci and De popped some Xanax and now they in the hospital, then I'll be able to leave!"

"That's not funny...and they don't actually pop Xanax, do they?"

"Not that I know of. But are you gon' come get me or what? I can sit at the office with you and sharpen your pencils."

Azalea laughed. "I'm not coming to get you, but how about I stop by on my break and pretend to shop? Will that make you feel better?"

"I guess. Text me when you on your way."

"Okay, I'll see you when I get there."

The two hung up and JoJo went back over to where Wyatt was in confusion, seeing him in a debate with a homeless man.

"Old head, I said you can't sleep in here! Especially not on these floors after my coworker just mopped the floor!"