Miles away from shore

The One Who Left

"Everybody got they on thing, currency chasing," - 2Pac

"Hey subs! Lace here! Thank you for tuning into Beauty on a Budget. Before we get into today's video I want to thank you all so much! We are almost at 100k subs! I feel like it was just yesterday it was only 10 of y'all talking to me!" Lacole Knolls laughed. "I low key want to cry but I won't break my thug code...anywho! If you've been rocking with me, you know every 10k new subs I get that I do a giveaway. This one is going to be big! Gotta do it big for 100k right? I'll be announcing the giveaway rules LIVE as soon as we hit that 100k so make sure you like, comment and share this video so we can get it poppin! So now that I got all the logistics out the way, on to today's topic...it's almost spring so you know what that means! Time for an updated Ross Haul!"

Drena tried not to giggle as Lacey danced on past her camera and turned it off.

"That was good."

"Thanks!" Lacey said. "I been on a roll with these videos."

"I know!" Drena said. "The comments blowing up about you posting twice a week now."

"Good!" Lacey said. They laughed before Lacey pulled her camera off the tripod and made sure to save what she just filmed to her external hard drive. She had already filled the rest of the video, today she just needed to get the intro down.

"You want me to edit it?" Drena asked.

"Nah, just go ahead and edit your Fresh Face Friday. I think I want to add some stuff."

Drena nodded before walking over to the computer.

Lacey sighed as she looked around their office space as she did everyday, wondering how it was her life. So much had changed for her in the last few years and although it wasn't what she expected, she loved every minute of it.

She and Aiden tried to give their relationship another try, but found out they were better off as friends. Lacey was content with that break up over their first one, because it was still all love. They actually still talked often and kept up with each other.

Once they broke up, Lacey pushed herself into her writing and her Youtube Channel. Whitney convinced her to really go for it and after a few months she really got a following. A lot of things in her personal life kept her in chaos, so she made a leap of faith and moved to LA after getting a job with a small magazine.

That's where she met Drena Scott, she was an influencer in the beauty industry but she marketed more to celebrities and people after lavish lifestyles. She and Lacey immediately clicked. Drena was from the area, so she introduced Lacey to a lot of people and in turn, Lacey taught her some technical skills that Drena had been outsourcing. They started a blog together and began getting speaking engagements and their brand grew.

Last year, they opened up their coworking space.

Lacey looked at her phone as she got a picture of her two favorite little guys, Miles Jr and Jamel. She laughed before calling Nikki to see what they were doing.

"What do you have my God children doing girl?"

"They said they wanted to send you that," Nikki said, sucking her teeth. "I don't know what them and their dad got going on."

Lacey laughed before Nikki explained how Mikey was training the boys to be bruhs. Lacey laughed.

"Mikey needs to grow up."

"Keeps our marriage fresh," Nikki said. "I'll tell you that."

Lacey smiled, still happy about Mikey and Nikki getting married two years ago. Nikki Parks was Lacey's best friend and she would do anything to see her happy.