Unaccustomed: Urban

Hood Princess

I held my phone up taking selfies for Snapchat. I was home alone like usual when I'm not at Siriya's with the gang.

When I felt someone sit beside me, I wasn't surprised, but when I saw that it wasn't Lace, I was so relieved.

"I thought you hated him." Josiah said.

I do.

"Josai-"

"Snipe." He corrected me. I looked at him for a second.

"Josiah I thought I did too. Shit is just complicated." I mumbled.

"If you so called love this nigga why Siriya keep tryna tell me I need to be with you?" He asked.

"You can clearly see that Siriya hates him." I said.

"Yeah, but she told me that you had to tell me why." Josiah said.

"I can't." I shook my head. He nodded, pulling out his phone he called somebody and put the phone on speaker.

"BestFriend either you finna tell him or I am. Either way, Lace ass finna get sniped." I heard Siriya's voice. My jaw dropped.

"Siriya please." I mumbled.

"Okay so she came to my house one day with-"

I cut her off.

"When I met Lace he was the perfect dude. He was a hood nigga, but he was soft to me. He spoiled me with his drug money. He made me feel like a hood princess.

Shit got serious fast for us. We fell in love quick as fuck. One day, he sees me comment on some boy's picture on Instagram. It's like he snapped.... over a comment of heart eyes.

He slapped me. It got worst from then. All the bruises I've had, the "clumsiness" I used to have... it was all him. One day he choked me so bad and I finally broke down and told Siriya. She vowed to get him handled, but he was arrested for drug possession that same night. I was so relieved." Josiah sat there with his jaw clenched.

"Tell me one thing. He abuses you physically I know, but sexually too?" He asked.

"I mean I haven't objected to it in a while now." I said.

"Then he brags about this shit like he doing something right." Josiah spat.

He was heated.

"Josiah calm down. Don't do anything stupid. He hasn't even hit me since he got out." I said.

"He has raped you."

"I didn't say no."

Josiah grabbed my face, making me stare straight at him.

"You don't want him touching you do you?"
I shook my head. "He is controlling because you know what happens if you don't cooperate. It is rape." Josiah said. My eyes watered.

"He said he loves me. He just shows it differently." I mumbled.

"Do you love him?" Josiah asked.

"I'm afraid not to." I admitted. He starred at me for a second.

"You don't have to be scared. I got you. Imma show you what real love is." He said. I smiled.

He smiled too, leaning towards me. He put his lips to mine and something swept over me. I didn't hesitate to kiss back.

"Helloooo?" I heard come from his phone. He grabbed it, turning it off before pulling me into his lap, never breaking the kiss.

---

"Wassup baby." Lace smiled, hugging me.

"Hey babe."

He stopped for a second and just held me. He put his lips to my ear.

"Explain to me why you smell like cologne." He said.

"I don't know," I mumbled."I tried new perfume today." He gripped me tighter

"Shit ain't no perfume. I see you tryna get killed today." He said. I looked him in his face. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't joking.

I heard laughter and looked over his shoulder to see Josiah and Jordan walking into the room.

They stopped when they saw us. Lace instantly loosened his grip.

"What y'all got going on?" Jordan mumbled.

"She trying me hard." Lace shook his head. He laughed and backed away from me.

He dapped them up, bro hugging them. He held Josiah a little longer. When he let go he looked at me and nodded. He walked right out the door.

"Imma go wake my baby up. Y'all might wanna cover y'all ears." Jordan told me. I laughed, shaking my head and so did Josiah. Jordan went right up the stairs. I followed Josiah into the kitchen.

"What was that look about when he hugged me?" Josiah asked. I frowned.

"He smelt your cologne on me. I was stupid. I should have changed. I don't know what I was thinking." I squeezed my eyes shut. He pulled me close to him.

"Calm down baby girl. Snipe got this all under control." He said.

"He might beat my ass tonight. My mom has to work." I said.

"Spend the night with me." Josiah said.

"He'll notice the night I'm not home is the night you choose not to go to Siriya's house. Like you do daily." I said.

"Unless..... Siriya kicks everybody out before you show up, so we all just split up." He said.

"You smart." I said in my DJ Khaled voice.

"You lame for that." He told me.

"Okay but you like it." I shrugged. He smirked licking his lip.

"You starring at my lips like you tryna make sum happen." He said.

I smiled, "I'm just waiting on you."

That's when he kissed me again. I remembered why I even fucked with him after I gave up on love. I feel like I'm in the clouds when our lips connect. He gets me high... higher than I've ever been.

"What the hell?" We both turned to see Jordan standing there astonished and Siriya smiling from ear to ear.

"I knew what y'all was up to when y'all hung up on me this morning!" Siriya exclaimed.

"Chill." I told her.

"Snipe what's going on?" Jordan asked Josiah.

"This my girl. I don't give a fuck what Lace got to say about it. He can catch a bullet in his skull if he want." Josiah said. Jordan was so confused.

"Why you tryna shoot the homie over a girl when all she got to do is break up with him?"

Everyone was silent for a second. I sighed and began my story.

The more I talk about it, the better I feel.