Traffic Lights

Chapter one

Summer of 2005

Aliyah~ It's literally a hard life where I'm from, the Deep South streets of Jackson mississippi . I'm a very smart 6 year old , my moms says I have the chance to skip the 2nd grade. Who would've thought I'd ever get the chance to fulfill that opportunity....

Nia- I got another new outfit from mommy I wonder where she got the money from, oh well I'm spending today with my nana, mommy said she's going to go get me another outfit that's better than this one. I love my momma.

June 23 is the day these little girls lives will change forever

Aliyah- I woke up to loud cries and huge steps walking towards my room, nia was asleep right beside me , I ignored the sounds because my mother would occasionally cry for no reason. But this time it was all different.

As I drifted back to sleep, I felt someone lift weight off the bed and the cries got louder . I opened my eyes, and saw a man grabbing and tugging at nia. I tried to hold on to her as tight as I could. "Let her go" I screamed and cried.

But my pulling turned weak , another man grabbed me and punched me, after that I was in and out. I heard loud cries and pleas , last thing I could remember my momma yelling I love you baby. Nia's voice was traveling right beside me, "what's happening" is all I could say, before my eyes closed shut, but I felt nia softly grasp my hand

Summer 2016...

Aliyah- Tying my heels around my ankles and up my legs, I breathed out a heavy sigh. Thinking about my "job" was hard, especially since I work all night. Ever since Nia and I were taken our lives have never been the same since.. We now live in a trap house with our pimp, and a woman named Beck. We found out that our moms were into some real bad drugs..

They were best friends, and we even found out that they started this journey in college together. When they had us they had to make a living one way or another, and they've just been hooked on it ever since. Putting in my bamboo hoop earrings I walked out of the room and let the curtain fall behind me. Our pimp Link, was sitting on the couch with Beck in his lap smoking a blunt.

"Where's Nia?" he said blowing out smoke.

"I don't know she's probably still in the bathroom.." I said looking around.

"Well tell her I said to hurry the fuck up!" he said blowing smoke and passing the blunt back to Beck.

I walked past the curtain and down the hallway and knocked on the door.

"Nia! Link said hurry up! You okay??" I said pressing my ear up to the door trying to hear over the loud music.

"Okay! I'm coming" she said.
I tried the doorknob and it was locked. I shrugged my shoulders and walked off.

Nia- Taking the last strand of hair out of the straightener I unplugged it and looked for my mascara. Pulling the wand out of the tube I applied a thick layer to each of my lashes. Even though I hated the "job" of ours I still loved to beat my face and put on my best outfits because it just makes me happy. I was always a spoiled child that's just what my mother loved to do. I unlocked the door and walked down the hallway past the curtain.

"What the hell took you so long??" Aliyah said standing up out of a chair.

"I was just straightening my hair and finishing my face." I said walking up to Link with Aliyah following close behind.

"About time damn what were you in there do- Aw shit you look sexy as hell ma" he said smiling at me biting his lip.
I looked down at the floor and pushed some hair behind my ear. He makes me so uncomfortable every time we get ready to go he always compliments me in a weird way. Aliyah felt me tense up and she put her hand around my shoulder.
"Don't we have to get going?" she said looking at Link with a stank look.

"Yeah, yall go with Beck. Yall know the rules.." he said tapping off ashes.

"No creeps, nothing cheap, and if you see police act sweet." we said in unison.

"Aight yall go."

We walked out the door and onto the streets and started walking to our local corner. Tonight was gonna be another long night.