Nor⭐️Cal

XXIII.

Nor⭐️Cal

CJ

<>The Next Morning<>

Imani never comes out of her room anymore... let that be the best thing to ever have happened in this house. The less I see of her, the better. Nana and I were in the living room discussing my bank account in terms of she and I should have a joint account in case I actually do get locked up. Everyone that knows me knows I like to be prepared for any possible outcome and this is no exception.

"You shouldn't have said those things to her." Nana said when she sat back in her chair. She reached down to grab the end of her shirt and lift it just enough to use to wipe her glasses before putting them back on her face. "It wasn't necessary."

"Nana, I'm an honest person and if people don't like my honesty, then they don't needa associate with me-"

"She's blood."

"I don't care if she's blood, that doesn't mean shit. Look what she went and did, confessed to cops about where the drugs could be found. I haven't gotten a call from them so who knows if they found something or not. Anyways, she sold me out. I owed it to her to be upfront, I've never liked her and never had love for her. She's a lying, stealing, snitching ass girl who can't get her priorities straight." I said back and she was gonna say something in return but instead kept quiet. "I'm sorry if what I'm saying hurts you-"

""It hurts because Papa and I didn't raise you like that."

"You two raised me to be responsible and I am. Been holding up this household since I was basically a kid myself. It pisses me off when I walk in the house and see Imani just locked in her room on the phone when there's shit that needs to be done around here but for her to do me like that after all I do for her? I'm done with her. Don't even have a sister anymore and don't say what I know you're gonna say."

"Fine CJ. She's been awfully quiet in her room, though. I'm a bit concerned." She said with a certain pitch to her voice before shifting her gaze off of me and to the TV.

"You think she killed herself?" She shrugged. "She's not smart enough to configure a way to hang herself and she gags at the smell of bleach so she can't drink it. Not to mention she hates the sight of blood so obviously she wouldn't cut herself and there's nothing she can overdose on. The fact you just shrugged though, makes me question you." I said. "I bet she's in her bed not doing a damn thing like usual."

"Please go check and apologize."

"I'll check but not apologizing." I got up from my seat on the couch and walked down to her room, knocking on the door. "Imani, are you awake?" I asked as I continued to knock on her door but there was nothing. I opened the door to find some of her stuff gone, her bed made and the window let unlocked. "Good. One less problem." I said when I walked up to the window to lock it. Her backpack was gone and her dresser looked like she had been digging through it.

"Well?" Nana said in a questioning tone when I came back to the living room. The screen on my phone was lit and I saw I had two messages, one from Vanity and the other from an unsaved number. "CJ."

"She packed some of her things and left. Don't know where 'cause she didn't leave a note."

9:38 a.m. -Vanity: Today I'm going to be at work but Chastity texted me and said Rack City was able to find Marquis and is keeping an eye on him for the most part. After work, we can get together and FaceTime them so you two can talk.

9:41 a.m. -Me: Aight, hit me up when you get off, unless you wanna come straight over to my place. Either way, just let me know.

"What-"