Bedroom Boom

Chapter 4

Telay lay in bed reminiscing about the good times she had before her mother met Flip. She had a brother named Telon. He was four years older than she was. She hadn't seen him since she was six years old. When he was ten, he was caught selling crack. Children's Services took full custody of him, and they would've taken full custody of Telay too if they had could find her. Marie tried repeatedly to regain custody of her Telon. The problem with that was she couldn't stop getting high long enough to get her son out of the system. She went to her grave promising that she was going to get clean, get her son back, and get her kids away from Ohio.

Telay wondered where her brother was now. Did he know that Marie died at the hands of Flip? Did he know that Flip was pimping Telay out, or did he even care? She thought of what it would be like if they were ever reunited with one another. She imagined him as her knight in shining armor. He would be the one to get her out of the mess that Flip put her in.

"Caramelay?" Pepsi called out, interrupting Delay's thoughts. "What you in here thinking about? You look like you in the zone for real!" She said, plopping down next to Telay. Telay propped herself up onto her elbows, giving Pepsi her full attention. Telay had always been fond of her. Pepsi was a year older than Telay. She had a deep brown complexion, with big brown eyes. Her hair was not long but she always hid it under the finest weaves. She had perfect teeth and the body of a goddess. The true definition of Beautiful.

"Don't call me that. I hate that name. Call me Telay." Telay said with disgust.

"Bullshit! You try telling Daddy that!" Pepsi joked, nudging Telay on the shoulder.

Telay rolled her eyes. "Flip ain't no damn Daddy of mine."

"Wow! What's your problem?" Pepsi asked, confused.

"Pepsi? Let's be fucking serious! You don't ever think about getting out of this shit?"

"Caramelay? What are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about? Do you really think it's okay for this nigga to get all the money we make selling our pussy?"

"Girl, quiet down. If Candy hears you talking like that, you know she will tell Daddy."

"FUCK HER! Fuck him and fuck this!" Telay pointed her finger around the dirty room. "I'm tired of living like this."

"So what do you plan on doing Caramelay? It ain't like you can just walk out the door."

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"He's not going to let you just leave. He'll kill you before he lets you leave him."

"You think I'm gone tell him I'm leaving? I'm just gone walk out this bitch one day and never come back. He ain't going to stop me if he thinks I'm going out to make him some money."

"Well when are you leaving?"

"I don't know Pep, I got to get some more money saved up."

"And what are you going to tell him when he asks about it?"

"What you mean?"

"I mean, he gone notice if you pinching his money."

"Pepsi, let me tell you something." Telay scooted closer to her and placed her hand in between Pepsi's legs. "This here is worth a million dollars. That's what Flip doesn't know. He wants us to charge one hundred dollars. Fuck that, you tell them niggas five hundred or better. That way every time you fuck, you're making at least four hundred dollars that Flip don't know about! Just keep putting money up and eventually you will be able to get the hell out of here too."

Pepsi took a minute to let everything that she was hearing settle in. It all made perfect sense to her. She didn't like the life she was living either but Pepsi accepted her life. That was the difference between her and Telay. Pepsi had given up her ability to dream. She didn't believe that she had the power to do with her own life whatever she wanted. She had never even considered the possibilities of all she could be doing until Telay brought it to her attention. "Caramelay," she paused. "I mean Telay, I want in! We can help each other out.! Two is always better than one, right?"

Telay looked at Pepsi and smiled. "Okay but you can't tell anyone else. Keep your fucking mouth shut. Okay? Stay in your own lane. Do whatever you got to do to get that money and I'll let you know when it's time to go."

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