I couldn't get a job so I wrote a book

Part 1

My Story Starts In My Sleep....

"Q!" I heard my nickname be called.

"Quinn I swear to god wake up!"

I know who this is talking to me. It sounds like my roommate/bestfriend Paris.
I wanted to wake up and respond to her but I was stuck.
"Q if you wake up, I promise i'll buy you anything from taco bell up to ten dollars!" she coerced.

TEN DOLLARS WORTH OF TACO BELL?!

If I told you I woke up about 10 seconds after she said this would you believe me?

Because I did.

"Did You (Cough) saysom...something about taco (gasp) bell?" I spoke with a very scratchy voice.

"Quinn! Baby you passed out for almost 3 hours where the fuck did this trip take you?" Paris gushed shaking me by my shoulders.

I opened my eyes and looked at my friend. She had a quick weave burgundy red bob, with a invisible part. She was staring at me with her green contacts in. I had just put some eyelashes on her the day before. She likes her eyelashes double lashed and very thick. Her nose is pierced and she has a lip ring. She is skinny as hell but strong. Her caramel skin looked dry and ashy but I could feel her warmth.

"You are only taking half the pill next time, I hope you know that." She chastised.

"I won't be taking (Cough) a pill next time... that shit was torture, I need some water."

Paris didn't say anything she just got up and made it her business to get me some water.

I took a look around our apartment.

I'm not going to lie our shit was shabby, but it was home.

Paris got out of prison first. Eight months before me. She made us a home. She got approved for section 8 and got us this 2 bedroom apartment, she works at her cousins hair salon, as a shampoo/cleanup girl.... She has her side hustles too but that is her business not mine.

Paris brought me the glass of water.

"So you had a bad trip?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah, my nightmares were even more vivid than before. " I said before gulping down the water like I had never drank water before.

"Well you have officially tried every drug." She spoke trying to cheer me up.

"None of them help me to escape reality." I pouted. It actually did the exact opposite.

I could feel tears forming...

"Now you know they really won't help you escape reality Q, you are going to have to face it and accept it." She said sternly.

"I don't know how to progress!"

"Look I got you the drugs and let you try them out so maybe it could bring you some fun, or happiness, not to make you more depressed but I ain't seen you genuinely happy since we was in prison drinking moonshine together!" She exhaled.

"Because I haven't been happy since prison, I rather go back." I said spitefully.

I was only about three weeks out of prison.

"Dude...What?" She looked at me with confusion.

"No seriously, I was a inmate in prison, with a bunch of other inmates, out here im just some criminal!" I raised my voice at her, looking her directly in the eyes with tears running down my face.

I was frustrated. I don't remember how to live not in prison.  Everybody out here just disregards me like I don't exist.

" I go to job fairs, open interviews, I speak directly to managers and they love me, up until I can't pass that background check, then It's like im dealing with completely new people!"