Natahalia's Song

Stay True to Myself

Chapter 14

            Natahalia paced back and forth holding Nevaeh in her arms. Nevaeh had yet to fall asleep, it was after midnight and no one in the house could fall asleep. "Can you go somewhere else?" Nicole groaned through her pillow. She just wanted  some sleep, she had to be at work earlier than usual. "I can't leave and disturb everyone else." Natahalia replied as Nevaeh finally let out a burp. "This is bullshit." Nicole murmured. Nicole grabbed her pillow and a blanket as Natahalia laid Nevaeh in her crib.

           "What's your problem?" Natahalia finally asked. These last few weeks, Nicole hasn't been herself. She's never been like this before. "Who said I had a problem? Maybe you and this baby is getting on my last damn nerve." Nicole raised her voice. 'Why is Nicole yelling at me? I never did anything to her or talk to her like shit.' "Mommy, should have your ass put out. You should suffer on the streets." Nicole said. Nicole herself wasn't even aware what she truly was saying.

           "What the hell, Nicole! Remember Mommy was a teenager herself, Demetrius Talbert didn't do shit for her. Abuelita was there for her." "It's not Dad's fault Marisol could have kept her legs closed." Natahalia couldn't believe Nicole out of all people was defending him, Demetrius Talbert. Neither of them had see him since they were toddlers, so he wouldn't be receiving the Father of the Year award. "Keep her legs closed? Geesh, Nicole how about you take your own advice."

         The arguing interrupted Nevaeh's sleeping. She began whinning as Nicole shoved Natahalia. Soon she found herself crying to the top of her lungs when Natahalia didn't grab her baby. Marísol rushed into the room, to see her oldest daughters grabbing each other's hair.

       "Stop it you two!" Marisol shouted as she pulled Nicole away from Natahalia. "What has gotten into you two?" Marisol picked up Nevaeh and her cries began to diminish.

              "You have raised the most ignorant girl on the South Side of Chicago." Nathalia stated. Nicole rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to this girl. She's just another statistic." "Enough! Enough! What the hell is wrong with you two? Y'all are sisters! Sisters! Sisters have each others back not bringing each other down! I don't know what's happened to you two, but you two really need to figure out. Goodnight and go to bed." Marisol grabbed Nevaeh's blanket, indicating that Nevaeh was with her for the night.

~

        His kisses were warm and made Nicole melt. Tristian was here was a couple days and Nicole was determined to spend as many days as she could with him. "I'm so happy you're here." Nicole said as she began to leave a trail of kisses down Tristian's body. "Me too, I've been meaning to talk to you." Tristian replied. 'Talk to me? It better good. He better be paying for my college fees.'

           "What do you want to talk about?" Nicole asked as she rubbed the little beard Tristian had on his chin. "Are you still involved in you know what?" Nicole knew what he was talking about, but she didn't want start drama. "What are you talking about?" Nicole played stupid. 'That stare he had was terrifying me. He wasn't playing, but how am I suppose to tell him no?'

"You planning on saying something?" Tristian asked as he shook Nicole's body lightly. "What am I suppose to say." Nicole mumbled.

           Tristian shot right up. "What the hell, Nicole! I thought you were going to quit?" "Tristian I need money! I have a family to support. My regular job can't pay off everything." "I got the money, I have you!" "No, it's not enough money! I can't keep doing this." "You can't keep doing this sex shit Nicole. I will not tolerate it anymore. If I want to be my leading lady as I become a star, you better stop all of this shit and right now." Tristian explained. He was furious and somewhat disgusted. He never understood why a girl would be in that type of life. But Nicole just wanted the money, so she thought. Thanks to Dominic, she found herself in love with the pleasure she gets from it.

           'This motherfucker must be out of his mind.'

        Nicole bursted out laughing. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing. Tristian was trying so hard to be tough, when deep inside he wasn't. Tristian doesn't come from the background Nicole does. He was raised in the suburbs, he wasn't use to her life, the struggles Nicole went through.

          "You don't know my life. You don't know my struggles, we come from different backgrounds. Opposites do attract, but not us. You're making me into what I'm not." "You don't want to be leave the dangerous streets, the streets that will kill you?" Tristian questioned.

       'Do I want to leave? I don't even know anymore.'

        "I don't know, but we're done. Have a nice life, Tristian and hate to disappoint you, but you won't survive in the NBA." Nicole said to Tristian as she grabbed her things and headed out the door. Never again will she be coming back to this complex. Never again will she'll be with Tristian. She needed to stay true to herself. She needed to be where she belong.