WEST COAST 18+

4.

W E S T C O A S T

Waking up to a text from her ex, Daniela was put in a bad mood.

Why is it that when exes wanted to spin the block, it was always when you were doing better? Hitting you up like everything was all good.

Daniela's ex had a nice quality about himself or two, but the in and out was draining. Any other time, she would've been entertaining him, but she was over him and over that relationship.

And he ain't eat pussy? She needed out anyway.

"Good morning, meemaw," Daniela greeted warmly, entering the kitchen where her mother sat.

Vivian sipped her coffee. "Stop calling me ya damn meemaw."

"It's cute," she laughed gently, knowing very well she only called her mom that to bother her. Heading over to the coffee pot, she asks, "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty decent aside from you blasting music," Vivian said, brows lifting to inform her daughter to lower the volume next time.

"I didn't even know it was that loud," she excuses, taking a mug out of the cabinet.

"How'd you sleep?" Vivian asks.

"I slept like a baby," she gasps in remembrance of that feeling of waking up, fully rejuvenated. "I love the fact that my room is at the back of the house cause I don't hear a thing."

"Lucky you," she mumbles, swallowing black coffee. "What time you heading to work?"

"In about an hour. I figured I could walk Ashton to the bus stop and get some time in with him," Daniela said, searching for the sugar container.

"He really loves the fact you two walk together," Vivian brightens. "He told me not to tell you this, but he loves how you two get these sandwiches in the morning and split it on y'all way to the bus stop."

Daniela turned around in awe. "For real?"

"Mhm. You know he's been struggling to fit in somewhere here, so knowing his sister is there for him makes him feel better about things," she shrugs. "It's adorable."

She loved this information, but she got sad about, "I wish kids were a little nicer to him. He's a cool little dude, and they bother him like I won't smack 'em and their mama."

"If you two were close in age, I'd have to worry about you getting expelled."

"You would because I hate bullies." She was never bullied herself, but seeing the little people get picked on, she got called to the principal's office a few times.

Vivian wonders, "That's why you let him hang around Georgie?"

"He stood up for him. Besides, Ashton's lonely, and as scary as it is for him to be friends with Enrique's brother, I don't wanna ruin this for him."

"Enrique is a good guy, y'know."

"How would you know? We've known him the same amount of time."

Vivian cracks a smile. "I've spoken to him. I see what he does for people. And what also is obvious is the attraction you have towards that young man. Why haven't you given him a chance?"

With a look over her shoulder at her mom, "Since when were you invested in my love life?"

"Since I've been able to witness you actually like someone. I never know you like a guy until I run into you two, and you're telling me he's your boyfriend," Vivian says. She only met Jared once, and that was by accident.

"That's because everyone I end up talking to is someone I met online."

"Okay, and Enrique is in person. What are you going to do about that?"