KUTZ

Chapter 1

A/N: This is my new urban story, comment & vote. Let me know what you think of it so far.

I slowly crept down the weak steps of the apartment building holding a basket full of dirty clothes. Today was laundry day and since my mother's passing, I was the only one to do the housework. It's been a year since she left and every day has been a living hell with my father.

I remember her accident like it was yesterday. A drunk driver hit her while she was on her way home from work. Losing her really put a strain on our family. I was miserable every day I lived without her.

I shook the thought from my head as I came out of the building and saw how all of the teenagers my age were outside hanging out. Only if I had a normal life I thought as I started in the direction of the local laundromat.

To be seventeen I had full figures. As they say, "red beans and rice didn't miss me." I stood as tall as five foot four with a small waist, big bottom and hair that fell to my shoulders. I had deep dimples on each side of my cheeks. I got that gene from my mother.

It was hard to walk down the street and not get noticed. Thugs called out to me to get my attention but I paid them no attention. Some thought I was stuck up but neither of them had what I wanted.

The laundromat wasn't far from my house so I didn't have far to walk. It stood next door to a barbershop called "Kutz". The barbershop was owned by Rio, the biggest drug dealer in the game. He was something like a big deal.

Everybody wanted a piece of him. He had plenty of money and good looks to top it off.

As I walked past the open door to the shop men that were waiting to get their hair cut called out to me. I glanced in and Rio smiled at me before going back to cutting his client's hair.

"Aww damn, I should've known that was Rio's girl." One man joked.

What people failed to realize was that I never spoke to Rio. I guess you can say I was too shy to. He would always smile or wave to me but I was too scared to speak back.

Rio was six years older than me and I was always taught never to "be looking at a grown-ass man" as my father would say.

I laughed and walked into the laundromat and over to the biggest washer tossing all the colors inside. I would be glad when I finished this I thought to myself as I put four dollars worth of quarters into the machine.

"Yo, can I have you wash this?" I heard a voice say to the service clerk behind the window of the service desk.

I looked up from the paper I'd picked up to see Rio holding up a laundry bag.

"I can show you how to wash it but I'm not gonna do it for you." The service clerk said as she smacked on her gum without looking up from her magazine.

I smiled to myself and took a seat next to my washing machine waiting for it to start its cycle.

"How much you want?" He asked.

She finally closed her magazine and looked up at him.

"It's really not that hard. Follow the directions on the machine." She snapped.

I laughed out loud and Rio glanced at me after he finishes mugging the service clerk.

I opened my paper and pretended like I was reading when he walked up to me.

"Excuse me." He finally said.

I slowly looked up at him and noticed he was more handsome up close.

He stood as tall as five foot nine, light brown complexion with light brown eyes and a perfect set of teeth.

"I'm in a hurry and I got clients waitin. Could you wash these towels for me?"