Brought Into This Life

Chapter 2

~ Santana ~

I wake up about 10 a.m. the next day to my phone ringing. I looked at it. It was my girl Ashanti, she been rocking with me since we started dating when I was 14. She ain't never put another person before me, nor left me hanging. I love shorty and she got my heart. I broke hers a few times and I regret it, but she know where home at and she know I'll never let her go.

I answer the phone to hear her pretty ass voice. "Hello?" "Oh my god. I heard there was a shoot out last night. Everybody straight? Where's Nisha Jay and Noodles? Where are you?" She asked me so many questions at once, that I didn't know how to reply. "Yo. Calm down. We straight. Nisha Jay and Noodles in the living room sleep, and we at the spot. You always get worked up. You know this shit ain't nothing new, and you know this shit ain't gone stop til we get on Dontae bitches". I say well assure of myself. For a minute the line was blank, but then she decided to speak. "I know .. I just, I don't know. I be worried about you yo. You never hit me up and let me know if you straight, or if there's anything I can do to help out", she sates in a whiney voice. I knew she was getting kind of sad because all she wants to do is be close and support me as much as she can. " I know baby, look I'm sorry okay? I just don't want to bring you into this shit. This ain't the life you was raised up in. It wasn't mine either, but after -" I got cut off by Ashanti finishing off the short story. " After Dontae's girls took yo mama life you decided to get back at him by hopping into the drug game, and thug life to let mfs know what they had coming .. I know bae, you told me this, and it hurts each and every time I think about it. I'm sorr-" I cut her off before she could apologize, she always does even tho it ain't her fault . " Bae, its cool. It wasn't your fault and you don't need to apologize for another mfs actions", I said that truly hoping to make her feel better. For a minute she was quiet. Didn't even make a sound. Then she spoke again . " Okay ", I could hear a hint of relief in her voice. She was still a little sad, but we had a start at making her happy again. "Hey! What are you doing today?" She asked, with her voice more perkier this time. " Um, nothing. Gone lay around probably. Why ? Wassup?" I ask. " Oh, that means you don't want to hang with your girlfriend today then". She says with her voice a little low, yet high enough to be heard. " Awe. Nah Bae, we can hang today. That would get my mind off of things. Maybe hit up a hotel for the night. You need anything?" I ask, hoping she would say yes. I've always had this thing for shopping for her. I don't even know why. " Yes, I need a few things!" She said happily. " And what are those things child?" I asked her playfully. " I need a swimsuit, some pajamas, and my girlfriend". I laugh at her. "Ite, I got you. I'm a get dressed and then I'll be to get you". I tell her. "Thanks. I love you baby". She says, and by the way she says it I can tell she's smiling. " I love you to ma", I say before hanging up.  

After I get off the phone with her, I get up, use the bathroom, take a shower, and fix myself up. Then when I finished getting dressed I went into the living room to grab my car keys and dipped out to get Ashanti. About 30 minutes later I pull up to Ashanti place and honk three times and she comes out. She look so pretty with her long brownish black hair, straightened down past her shoulders, big brown eyes and long eye lashes. With her favorite summer dress on. It was a floral pink and orange summer dress , with little jewels on it of all colors.

She walked up to my car smiling and delightfully got in. As soon as she closed her door I leaned over and gave her a kiss, causing her and I to both have a big kool-aid man smile. "Happy to see me , or Nah?" I ask before whipping out her drive way and down the street. She Looked at me with a smile. " Yeah. Bout time you came and seen me. Its been weeks now. Why was you gone so long?" God. Here comes the questions. " I was doing a hit, Ashanti. It wasn't here in Cali. I had to hit up another state". I say briefly hoping to end the conversation. " Oh, okay. Well calm down on that. It makes me nervous". She demands. I sigh and keep driving until we pull up to a swimwear store.

We get out the car and walk up to the store hand-in-hand, happy as always. As soon as we walk in her eyes and smile light up as she sees all the swimsuits. I look at her for a minute. "Well, pick one!", I say. She let's go of my hand and starts rummaging thru every rack and shelf there is. Finally about 15 minutes later she finds one and brings it too me. "This one!" She squeals and hands it to me. I give her a stank face. " Its ugly tho". As soon as I say that her whole face changes from kool-aid man to a mad poodle. " It isn't ugly. You just don't have taste". " You're right, I don't, and apparently you don't either." " You're mean, you know that?" "Yeah, so? Your point please ?" We go back and forth for a minute before she puts the swimsuit back and grabs another one. " Here. This one better?" She asks in a cocky, but yet hopeful tone. " Yeah, that's sexy". I say smiling. She just rolls her eyes and follows me up to the check out counter. We pay and then head down to the Mall. 

On the way to the mall, all she did was tell me about how she spent her time while I was gone. It was kind of depressing, because all she did was basically sit in the house, work out, go to work, and text a few friends. She really hates when I'm gone, and I feel so bad about it but its just shit I got to do. I love her , and that's from the heart. But I have other things to fulfil, and it will be a long time before it can just be her and I. I'm trying so hard to have a regular life, but in the shoes I chose to step in, ain't no regular life.

Half way to the mall the car ride was silent. I was so busy in my thoughts I forgot that I was even in the car with my girl. "Santana?" She said, waving her hand in front of my face. I still was kind of blanked out. "Santana!" She slightly yelled. Then I snapped back into reality. "Uh, yeah. What?" I said abruptly. She sighed. "Stop zoning out on me, okay?" She looked kind of worried. "Yeah yeah. My fault baby, I just got a lot of shit on my mind that I'm trying to sort out", I say. " You need some time alone ? We could do this another day". She said. I shook my head and grabbed her hand to kiss it. " Nah bae. Its me and you today. I promise you that", I say to her. She smiles, and blushes a little. "Okay bae". I nod, then pull up to the mall. "Okay, we're here", I say turning the engine off. For a minute we look at each other , then I lean into kiss her again. She smiles then opens her door to get out. As well as I.

I walk up to the mall, holding her hand. She squeezed mine tightly. I take it she does that to make sure she can holds on to me right. I smile to myself.