C H O K I N G

c h a p t e r f o u r

    June 1, 2016    

L A T E R   T H A T   N I G H T

      "Okay so let me get this straight. Ya moms ditched you on your graduation night for a dick appointment?" She said, rubbing her temples and sighing with an irritated expression. Words could never describe how furious I was with my mom. How could she? This only happens once, graduating, I mean. Who just randomly forgets their child's GRADUATION? "Yes, girl. If you repeat it again, I might have to slap you." I said shaking my head and sarcastically chuckling. "So what are you going to do? I mean you have to go back at some point." She explained. She was right, but the gag is I've already finished saving up to buy an apartment on the other side of town. I dont have parents to help me out, I dont have rich friends to give me rides to and fro', and I sure as hell ain't got a rich man kissing my feet and paying me to be pretty. I've got to make it out here, because if I dont, who the hell will?
     "Well, I've been saving up for an apartment since freshman year. All my babysitting, personal fundraisers, and dead-end jobs are finally starting to pay off. Starting by paying off this apartment." I explained. Gaysia's face immediately brightened. "Okay, Ms. Independent! I see you! Maybe if I'd listened to you freshman year, I'd be doing the same." she sighed sipping from her Yeti cup. "Everyone works at their own pace, G. While you're sitting here complaining, you have men on standby, willing to drink your bath water." I laughed. She mugged me and took another sip from her Yeti. "Girl bye, I want to be Ms. Independent, too! I dont want to have to rely on a man for a damn thing. What happens if he cheats and puts me out on my ass, or worse, leaves me alone in a big ass house patiently waiting for the lights to gets turned off, then the water, so on and so forth." she rambled, making a very exaggerated reference to the Tyler Perry play/movie, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman". "Okay, first of all, you watch too much Tyler Perry plays, be having you acting like a psychopath. Second of all, what the hell are you sipping, because I know it ain't water." I chuckled. Gaysia hates the taste of water, she always has. At first I thought that she was kidding, until she started breaking out all over her forehead and was crying asking me for a remedy. When I suggested that she drink water, she bursted into tears and wailed 'I'm gonna be ugly foreveeeerr!'. I literally still laugh at that as if it happened yesterday. "Shut up. Its apple Ciroc. DJ Khalid got me hip to it. Half of his Snapchat stories got a bottle in it." she giggled. "Where do you hide the bottle?" I asked. At that moment, I knew I resembled a young, curious, and innocent child. "Hide?" She asked seriously and followed it with a laugh. She continued to laugh harder and harder until she pointed to three half empty bottles on her nightstand. I gasped and laughed along with her. " Girl you know my mama dont give a fuck about me." She laughed aloud, slowly getting serious. Her face went soft and she looked down. "Aw, come on, Gaysia. Dont be like that, baby." I consoled her. "She dont care, Sika." she chuckled a lifeless chuckle. "I sure as hell wish she did, though.
     

    T H E   N E X T   M O R N I N G

    I woke up on Gaysia's carpet floor wiping the slobber off of my cheek. My eyes squinted, almost shut before they had adjusted to the sunlight shining through the half opened blinds. I slowly sat up, examining the room, as if I'd never seen the room before. Gaysia was securely tucked under her sheets. I hadn't noticed she threw her comforter over me after I fell asleep. I gave a small smile and lightly threw the comforter over her neatly. I smiled because, the small things always count. As we get older, we tend to forget about the small things in life and wait for the biggest thing hurdled towards us. I wish everyone understood what I understood. Gaysia did, and thats why she means everything to me. I went to the bathroom and washed the dried slobber and tear stains from my naked brown skin. I examined the deep, dark circles imprinted under my eyes. I frowned and poked at them wishing I could just make them disappear, obviously if I could just poke things and make them disappear, I would've been poking a lot of shit. I went back to Gaysia's bedroom and grabbed my overnight bag and changing into something casual. I packed my black leggings, my oversized 'Pink' sweatshirt and my pastel pink Puma slides. While I was getting dressed, I spotted something from the corner of my eye on the night stand. A note.
  

Gaysia, be back in the morning. Make sure the house is cleaned when I get back.
            -Your Mother 

     I shook my head and placed the note back on the nightstand. I grabbed my things and walked to the front door quietly. I got in my car and shot Gaysia a text before I left.

Be back later, I didnt want to wake you. I had to go take care of somethings with my graduation dinner and my mom. Text or call me if you need anything! Love ya! 💕🌻

   I started my car and sat and let it cool off inside before I drove home. When I got home, I spotted August sitting on his grandmother's  porch next door. "Hey Aug!" I exclaimed waving at him to get his attention. He looked up from his phone and smiled getting up from his seat. Wassgood, watcha babeh?" He asked hugging me tightly. "Nothing much, just left Gaysia's house." I replied shrugging my shoulders and looking around, then back at him. "Hey, you're still coming to my graduation party tonight, right?" I asked him. "You already know girl. I wouldn't miss it for the world." he smiled and winked at me. "Cool, cool" I smiled and hugged him. "Well I should probably get inside now. See ya later, Auggie." I smiled and turned to go in my house. "Wait, Sika." He abruptly stopped me. I turned around and waited before he spoke. "You maybe wanna...uh, come inside for a luh minute? I mean you dont have to, if you dont I'm not really tripping ju-" he rambled on before I giggled and cut him off. "Aug! Aug! Yes I'll come over just wait here. I have to put my bag away." I said with a goofy smirk. "Oh, cool, ma. I'll be right here." he said pointing at the plastic chair on my porch and sat down. I stared at him, holding back my laugh and he stared back. "Well? Go on! Shoo Shoo!" He said playfully. I rolled my eyes and went inside shaking my head.

Goddamn August Alsina.