𝑾𝑰𝑪𝑲𝑬𝑫 𝓖𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

HOUSE OF BALLOONS.

September 7, Thursday 5am.

Tapping my girlfriend's shoulder I try to wake her, but all she does is grip the covers and turn away from me. "Stop it Abel, I told you I'm tired. Go sleep on the couch," she groaned into the pillow. I took a seat on the sliver of bed next to her feet. She hates when I come in late and when that happens she doesn't want me in bed next to her.

"Lyn, we're leaving." I was ready to leave my horrible life in Scarborough behind and create something new for myself, but that required leaving everything I know behind. "Get up, we are going to Montreal. Like right now get your stuff."

"What?" she hastily sat up rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes. "Why are we moving again? We just moved here."

I never told Evelyn the real reason we moved, because she would've probably ended me by now, and I just don't think it's worth telling. She thinks we moved because of a scandal in Queens that wasn't even my fault. "Listen, I just want a new start. You coming or not."

"No. you're crazy if you think I'm going way out there for nothing at all." she snatched the covers up and dropped her head back onto the pillow.

I slang my bag around the corner and picked up my half-full suitcase. "Bye Lyn. I left half of the money for you.. I'll be back for you."

"Mmhm, text me when you make it safely," her words strung out as she drifted back off.

***

Loading up the car we made sure everything looked good. Before piling into the car, Henny would drive the Majority and Toni would finish out. "Mind going to pick up Jane?" Toni looked over to Henny.

"Your ex-girlfriend Jane?" Toni and Jane were a toxic couple in highschool. Always fighting, but claiming they're just having a moment. Jane was also a thottie lowkey and I did not like her. It always felt like there was secret animosity that I was never let in on.

"You want a new start, I want mine too." He glanced at me before turning around and directing Henny towards wherever his girlfriend had been waiting. We pulled up near a corner store. She stood on the curb, skimpy shorts that showed off her ass and a crop top that barely covered anything. She was on the phone looking like she was arguing with somebody.

Slinging the door open she glared at me and flounced to the other side. Sliding in she slammed the door and abruptly ended the call. "Who was that?" Toni's eyes examined Jane in the rear view mirror. "Hey babe, it wasn't anybody important."

"Then why can't you tell me who it is?"

"Don't start that shit in the car now. Save that for later." I whip my phone from my pocket as Henny puts the car in drive and pulls off. Leaving 65 Spencer Ave had my stomach queasy and every kind of uneasy you can think of. I was really leaving everything I know behind, my childhood. Right where I was born and raised. Never in a million years would I be missing this place, but now that I'm leaving I'll miss it more. I could feel Jane stealing glances at me whenever I'd be in a trance at my screen or spaced out, but I paid no attention to her.

We rolled up to the street around 1pm. I had been crammed next to her ass long enough. I snatched up my belongings and went inside. The smell of paint instantly slapped the shit out of me. This place is new new. I haven't smelled a fresh paint job til I went to Toni's house for the first time. I headed down the hall and took a left into my room. It wasn't all that spacious, but I could make it work. I peeped out of the blinds to a view of everything out front. "I call this room," Jane's voice echoed off the walls.

"I think the fuck not." I stared her up and down. She playfully rolled her eyes and reversed herself down the hallway. Tossing my bag I slid down the off-white walls onto the creaky chestnut wood. The floor was freezing just as the rest of the room.

Henny poked his head in. "A four bedroom home? How much money did you guys make?"

Toni and I been dealing drugs since 18, but I've been taking them since forever. I used to buy from this guy named Reggie, but one day I never heard from him again, and then Ricky swooped in. Deal some just to get some, no way in hell I had enough money to really buy a nice crib. The landlord was said to have a past and nobody would buy from him. Said he'd give us the place with even lower rent. There's no beating that. "I just know some people," I said.

After he disappeared across the hall I opened the suitcase to stare at 3 stacks of cash. This ain't nothing, but some pocket change. I knew we'd be broke for a bit until we could get some new supply, so I already had a plan.

***
9:30pm.

"The club Abel? We are on the verge of bankruptcy and you're worried about some booty?" Toni cupped his hands over his mouth, constantly blowing his breath to warm them in the bitter cold.

"Some ass can get you a long way, so yes. You on the other hand need to be worried about some lotion." I shrug holding the door open.

He playfully pushed me back as he went inside. The place smelled like cigarettes, weed, liquor, and sex sweat. I bought out a section and we went to take a seat. After a bottle girl came over and served us we began to converse. "I know we're going to be broke for a while, and hear me out, I already know what to do. I'm going to perform at a club called Souled Out."

"Because they all definitely wanna hear about how you're a man whore," Jane rolled her eyes.

"Right, right, and weren't you passed around back in Highschool? Remember to close your mouth and your legs." I collected my glass and went to get lost on the floor. I couldn't stand Jane for this exact reason, she doesn't know how to shut up. Toni doesn't even tell her to either, he just lets her run her mouth. I hope he ain't expecting me to take any more of her shit cause I'm not.

Squeezing through sweaty bodies, and drunk people I brushed passed a girl a little too hard causing her to whip around. "Watch where the fu-" she paused mid sentence.

I knew that attitude and familiar tone. "Lisa?"