"POISON, DEADLY MOVIN' IN SLOW. LOOKIN' FOR A MELLOW FELLOW LIKE DEVOE. GETTIN' PAID, LAID, SO BETTER LAY LOW." Monica's slightly raspy voice echoed throughout the car, the multiple rings on her finger reflecting against the rearview mirror as it rested on the steering wheel. The continuous movement of her head caused Diana to let out a chuckle watching as the woman bopped heavily to Poison by Bel Biv Devoe. The car's bass vibrated roughly against the car's interior causing the woman who sat in the passenger seat to let out a wince from her eyes ringing slightly.
"SCHEMIN' ON HOUSE, MONEY, AND THE WHOLE SHOW!" Yelled Monica, her index finger pointing aggressively as if she was rapping it to someone. They were currently stuck in traffic with Diana keeping an eye on the stoplight and Monica engaging in a mini-concert.
In Monica's opinion, Poison was the biggest hit to have ever come out of 1990. She was that much of a fan of the trio and would remain a fan until the end of time.
Diana reaches a hand out to the radio and lowers the volume, "I would like to keep my hearing, thanks." She knew what kind of driver Monica was and it was everything but good. She's a dramatic driver. For example, she's not afraid to get out of the car mid-rush hour and curse somebody out, nor is she the type of person to shy away from initiating a carpool. And since one of her favorite artists was currently playing on the radio she just had to react with the dramatics.
"Excuse me. My car, my rules. You know that Di." Monica looks at Diana as if she'd done the most hurtful thing before turning up the volume, "Sorry, can't talk right now. I'm busy listening to the hottest song.
Diana simply shook her head, letting Monica win this round. She knew better than to argue with Monica because Monica always wanted the last say in things—so did Diana but that's another story for another time.
Monica continued to bop her head once the lights turned green. Placing her hands around the seat belt, Diana could only pray that they wouldn't get into an accident due to Monica's antics.
• • •
Another second, another minute with It Never Rains (In Southern California) by Tony! Toni! Toné! playing loudly in Monica's car. Diana who remained still in the passenger seat, occasionally humming along to the beat could feel her body vibrate as the bass lingered throughout the vehicle. She was starting to feel a little bit overstimulated and the loud music followed by Monica's singing wasn't helping the feeling any bit.
"Where is this 'lil nigga Kanan at?" Monica asks loudly, her eyes looking out the window but a hand remains on the steering wheel. In front of her was a rather long line of parents who were busy picking their kids up and that was the one thing she hated the most: waiting on people. It was a never-ending chore because you never know how long they might be doing something and when they'd finally be over.
Monica's car was currently parked outside the entrance of Queens High School. With it being by the curb, they looked for a certain teen boy who had yet to be seen.
A little while earlier, Raquel paged Diana, and Diana who was on break took the call. Come to find out she had to pick up Kanan from school. Usually, she didn't necessarily have to since she had her own shit going on but decided why not and said yes. With her being so busy she never got the time to see what was up with her nephew hell even her niece Jukebox.
Diana could only sigh, "I don't know where he's at." She replied, looking down at her pager. She wished she could've paged him to see at least if he'd answer but he didn't have a pager and pagers were expensive.
As her eyes remained focused on the school's entrance, she couldn't help but go down memory lane.
Class of 1986. Once upon a time, Diana used to be those students who roamed the halls, some looking for ways to get out while others knew that they were simply in a cycle that had yet to be pulled out from. She knew however that things would be different with her. How her life would be, things would change. At thirteen, Diana knew that she would own her beauty salon, and had it written on a vision board that she created out of old project boards. By the time she was twenty, she'd have her own business and graduate from cosmetology school.
If only seventeen-year-old Diana knew that her twenty-three-year-old self would be her boss, working at her beauty salon and having her place at just the tender age of twenty-three.
Most people her age aren't so sure about what they wanted in life but she did and with hard work, and sleepless nights of studying, gaining copious amounts of credits needed to graduate. By the year 1989, she was smiling widely while holding her diploma from AAROJO Academy. As well as gaining a side diploma in business management from Colombia University.
Diana was adamant about succeeding and that she was. Nothing—I mean nothing was going to stop that.
"Look at what the cat dragged in." Diana sarcastically mutters watching as Kanan eventually exits out of the school with Jukebox, and Famous following behind him.
"Man, if they don't start putting some pep in their step! They acting like we got the whole day or sum? I gotta go handle some business." Monica voiced honking her car horn to let them know that she was parked outside "Over here!"
Opening the right passenger door, Kanan hopped inside, soon following with Jukebox. Famous was the last person to get in slamming the door rather loudly.
Monica couldn't help but cringe at the sound of her door slamming. Turning her head down slightly she couldn't help but eye the teen, "Now unless ya moms got a hundred to give me, don't be slammin' my door, Shawn."
The usage of Famous's real name causes the boy to naturally cringe, rolling his eyes at the older woman's action only to then let out a quick apology once the look she gave him reminded him of something his mom would do.
"It's Famous..." He mumbles averting his gaze out the window.
Monica couldn't help but snort loudly, "Unless you rackin' up them stacks you ain't famous to me."
"Kanan, Jukebox." Diana greeted her niece and nephew the moment that Monica soon drove off, "How was school?"
Jukebox was the first to speak up rolling her eyes, "The usual. Ain't nothin' good ever happenin'."
Kanan shrugged, "It was aight."
A wide smile soon appeared on Diana's face as she then remembered what Raquel told her. Glancing at Kanan she begins, "So I heard that you might make it into Stuyvesant."
Stuyvesant High School was one of the most prestigious high schools in New York City. It was the best of the best and many wished to send their kids. It wasn't easy doing so as they had to take an admissions test and if you fail that was just about it.
But if you do get in let's just say that your life will change for the better.
Kanan only shook his head the sound of his lips smacking as he didn't find the whole thing exciting "I have to take the admissions test first so don't get too excited."
"And you'll pass it with flying colors. I know you will Kanan. Just getting into that school is an opportunity that'll lead to the bigger things—bigger things that you need 'cause the streets ain't worth it." Diana saw what the streets could do to a person and it wasn't pretty. Just one action can change your life in an instant.
"So you better take this seriously 'cause there's a brighter future for you Kanan. All of you." Diana addresses the trio who sat in the back. They could only nod while Kanan avoided his aunt's gaze.
Monica hums in approval, "Like Di said focus on your education because if you don't you'll either be dead, in jail, or paying child support." It wasn't exactly encouraging but moved to turn up the radio as Around The Way Girl by LL Cool J played.
Little did they know what Diana and Monica alluded would eventually come true.
