Stripping At 16

18

( Chardonnay's POV )

After we got done shopping, Alize and I went to my house.

I used the key to unlock the door to my house and walked in.

Junebug and Lele was sitting on the couch, watching t.v.

"Hey y'all." I said.

"Wassup C." Junebug said.

Although he was young, he talked as if he we're grown.

Lele ran over and hugged me. I hugged her tightly little figure, trying not to squeeze too hard.

*

Alize and I walked in my room and plopped our shopping bags on the bed.

*

A couple minutes after, my mom screamed my name at the top of her lungs.

I looked at Alize and Alize looked at me.

We quickly ran to my mother's room.

I swung open the door and could see her sitting up in her bad.

"Hey Mom. I just got back a couple minutes ago." I said.

"Yeah yeah. Could you tell me what the fuck this is?" She asked, holding out her phone to me.

I took the phone slowly and looked at it.

It was the same pictures that me and Alize took in those outfits.

I played dumb, "Oh that's me and Alize." I said, rubbing the back of my head.

"Play dumb with me again and I swear I'll whoop both of y'all asses." She said.

I looked over at Alize, who was looking scared.

"Now, I know that's you and Alize. I wanna know what the fuck is y'all wearing? Y'all dressed like some strippers. Some ten dollar ass hoes." She said.

I looked down at my feet in shame.

"Crazy how our neighbor, Ms.Shirley had to knock on my door saying that y'all been posting half naked ass pictures on social media."

"And I went through your room while you was gone. Where all them new clothes coming from? Because I know I damn sure ain't buy it." She said.

I looked up at my mother. My poor, sweet mother.

"Mom I have something to tell you." I said.

I looked over at Alize, who was shaking her head no.

Whether if this was gonna ruin me and Alize's friendship or not, I had to tell my mom. I know that I've been keeping it from her for a minute, but either now or never.

"Alize, could you go in another room so we could talk?" My mom asked.

Alize nodded and left out the room.

*

"Okay Mom. I love you alot and I know that you have been upset about dad's passing. And I just wanted to help you out." I said, taking a deep breath.

"Okay, Alize and I... We went to look for jobs and applied to many, but they never called back. So.. with us being stupid, we walked in this club, and they hired us on the spot. We lied about our ages and started working that same night."

I took a break and looked at her to make sure she was still listening.

"So ever since then, we've been getting paid every night. I figured that I'll help you out, and get a job to help pay the bills. Plus, Junebug and Lele's birthdays are coming up." I said.

She didn't say a word. She leaned in and hugged me, nothing that I expected her to do.

*

"I love you baby." She said.

"I love you too." I said, looking her in the eyes, trying not to cry.

"But listen baby.."

"I know that I've been slacking. And hearing from you that you got a job to help me out, that's good. I don't mind you working baby. I just don't want you working there. It's too dangerous, and plus you girls are too young. Anything could go wrong, anything could happen at any minute. You know how some boys are. When they don't get what they want, they try to take it. I don't want either one of you girls getting raped or better worse pregnant, I just want the best for you girls. Even though Alize is not my daughter, I will look after her as if she were. I love the both of you. I just want you to get a different job, something better. Something that's positive." She said.

I knew she meant every word she said, my mom want the joking person at all. She was always serious.

"But they all let us down." I said, bowing my head, holding my tears back.

"I will help y'all. So I tell you what, next week, I'll take y'all down to a couple job fairs and help you both find another job. Just please, stay away from that club. I get y'all girls growing up. Y'all only got a couple more years till y'all legal, just wait till you're 18, then y'all can do whatever y'all want." She said.

I nodded my head and smiled.

"ALIZE, GET BACK IN HERE." She yelled.

A couple seconds later, Alize came back in the room.

She had a scared look on her face, which made me and mama laugh a little.

"Come here baby, give me a hug." She said.

Alize slowly walked over and gave my mother a hug.

"Now I'm gonna tell you the same thing that I told Chardonnay. Keep ya asses away from that club, and next week, we going to find y'all a different job." She said.

Alize smiled, and looked at me.

She sat down next to me and put her arm over my shoulder.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you girls. I'm going back to work. I have to get back well, I can't just throw my whole life away. I have to do better by my kids. I love y'all." She said.

She hugged us one last time before she laid back down.