Ms. Carter

Chapter 2

{1 Month Later; 10:00AM, Monday Morning}

“Lay it’s been a damn month and you still ain’t out of my house yet, I’m starting to feel like you’re not really working,” Paris was starting this shit again, she complained at least twice a week, you’d think someone would be happy to spend so much time with their sister, guess not. It’d been a month since I moved in with her, I was working two jobs now so I was never home, I never had time for Jaiden, let alone friends but I was getting real sick of her questioning the shit I did, it’s like she had a big flashing sign on her forehead that read, ‘GET THE FUCK OUT.’ So I’d finally give her what she wanted. I huffed, turning in my chair to face her, giving her this blank expression, mind you I had heavy bags under my eyes because I never slept, so this sight wasn’t too appealing. “Look Paris, I’m trying to get enough money to save up to get a nice apartment, better than my last one, chill out alright, it’s bad enough momma is ridin’ my ass, I don’t need you cosigning either,” she rolled her eyes at my response, I already knew how this would end, “you know what, fine I’ll leave but could you at least keep Jaiden here with you, if that’s not too much to ask, she needs to stay somewhere safe because I know if she stays with me it’s gonna be hard…” She nodded, shooing me off to work, gathering my things and bags of clothes, I kissed Jaiden’s cheek and headed out, going to my next resort, Jay.

{Monday Night, 11:00PM}

“Rakim where the fuck is my money?! I had sixty fucking dollars in this jar and now all of a sudden it’s missing?!” I could hear Jay yelling before I even got to the front steps, I chuckled to myself, her ass always worried about some money, I couldn’t blame her though, green was a beautiful thing, and much needed out here in these streets, if you didn’t have it, you couldn’t survi—my thoughts were interrupted by Jay shoving Rakim out of the house, cursing him as she pushed her finger against his head repeatedly, he brushed passed me without a word, I watched him head to his car, trying to keep the last strip of dignity before pulling off and disappearing into the night. I looked back up at Jay, her thick long braids hanging down her back, she glanced down at me, a smile stretching across her face as she recognized me. “Lay Lay! Wassup girl!” she pulled me into a tight hug, gushing over the new color in my hair, she loved seeing me try new things. I smiled, looking around the apartment, she had a nice place, she was doing a lot better than me, that’s for sure, but she wasn’t nearly as snooty as my sister. In fact, Jay was complete opposite of Paris…though they shared the same attitude, Jay wasn’t stuck up, she was just real as fuck with a heart of stone but I knew why, the streets made her that way, Jay was successful in a different type of trade, she was one of the most notorious drug dealers in New York, she knew the system so well she had cops working for her, that’s how powerful she was in these streets, and I knew she’d look out for me if I needed the money. She smacked her gum as she pulled out a couple drinks from the pantry, “So what brings you here this time of night miss thang? I know this ain’t just a little talk, wassup?” Knowing her, it’d be hard to beat around the bush so I just cut straight to the point, “Jay, I was wondering if I could sell for you, I need the money real bad and I need it fast, I’m tired of living like this,” I rushed the words out of my mouth as fast as I could, cringing away, expecting her reaction. She stayed silent for a while, staring at me, then finally after a few moments of silence she spoke up, “Aaliyah…,” she never used my full name, so I knew this would be big, “are you sure you wanna get into this? I mean you’re a smart girl; you graduated college, that ain’t getting you nowhere? I don’t do this shit because I want to, I do it because I have to, it’s how I live the lifestyle that I want to, fast money, fast life. I’m just saying, maybe you should think about this a little bit longer, I’ll give you a place to stay but I don’t know if I’m gon’ let you sell for me, that’s just too much…” I sighed in frustration, I should’ve known she was gonna say this, I mean she was like a big sister to me so of course I knew she was just looking out for me. “Fine, I’ll think about it or whatever but just letting you know now, my mind isn’t gonna change.” She rolled her eyes, even I knew I was telling a big ass lie, I wasn’t even sure if I was ready for that type of life, I mean selling dope gets you the money, but is it worth the risk of getting caught, or even my life…as much as I hated to admit it, Jay was right, I wasn’t ready now, and I definitely won’t be ready for it anytime soon.