Barbies From The A

Part One: The Boys

"Ay, you think it's our fault Ms.Jackson moved away?" KJ asked throwing a football to one of his best friends and roommates, Zayn Carter.

"You mean since you threw this ball through the window of the house and gave her a heart attack? Yeah mate, think it's a little bit your fault." Zayn laughed and threw the ball back, sitting down in one of the chairs on the deck, KJ jogged up to join him while the other two roommates walked outside.

"So when's that audition Jones?" Derick Holland asked, nudging his friend. "Dude, I will break you. Don't call me Jones I hate it so much. I'm gonna change it as soon as I land my first role, which will come after my audition - tomorrow." Jeyden Johnson sat down, passing out a round of beers for his boys. "This I gotta hear." he muttered, chuckling lightly.

"Oh yeah - to what?" Zayn leaned forward and sipped his beer. KJ leaned back and faced his palms towards the boys. "Apa." He dramatically announced spreading his hands apart like the spongebob imagination gif.

All three boys bust into laughter. "Okay no, that's a hard next." Jeyden waved his hands in front of his face laughing before he sipped his beer. "You're all some haters." KJ got up and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a slice of pizza from the box. "I GOT NO TIME FOR YOU HATERS!" and he plopped back down into his seat.

"In other news," Zayn began, rolling his eyes at KJ, "I met up with Williams, yeah. He said we could have a hit on our hands. This could be my big break. Said he's gonna send it to some place in Atlanta and see what they think, if it's good - I could get signed with Fair Media." he lifted his bottle to the excited cheers of his friends.

"If it's good, it's gonna be good you weirdo, you got pipes." Derick nodded his head towards his friend in the way dudes do before clinking his bottle against Zayn's.

"And he's got pipe."

"Fucking hell Gigi how long have you been there?" KJ held his hand over his heart, controlling his breathing.

"Long enough to tell you that you won't make it in Hollywood whether your name is Jones or Apa, because you're just not talented." She winked at him before settling herself in Zayn's lap, shoving her tongue down his throat.

"Yeah, that's me done. Bar?" Jeyden announced standing up from the deck chair. "Bar." KJ and Derick agreed in unison before leaving, KJ staying a second longer to flip off Zayn's lil no boundary side piece.

+

"Man! I don't see what he sees in her. I just don't." Derick shook his head laughing.

"Especially with all these fine black queens throwing themselves at him constantly." Jeyden laughed, grabbing the hand and spinning one of said fine black queens as she walked by.

KJ stared off at nothing, not paying too much attention to the boys or the conversation. GiGi's words, despite how much he knew she just said them to be a bitch, stung just a little and they were still ringing in his mind.

You're just not talented.

He wanted to snap back with something quick like 'Yeah well I'm not trying to make it in Hollywood - cuz this is New York so, ha.' But that was dumb and so was she and it was easier to drink half-heartedly with the boys than think of shoulda-woulda-coulda scenarios for some model mouthpiece.

"You good man?" Jeyden nodded towards KJ. "Yeah, no, for sure, but maybe like maybe Gigi's right? Maybe I'm not talented. Maybe I just won't make it."

Derick and Jeyden shared a look before they both smacked opposite sides of KJ's head.

"Ow lil bitche-"

"Nigga shut up. I've seen you half-assed run lines and it's better than most actors out there now. Don't downplay yourself and forget who you are just cuz some lil miss on Zayn's dick runs her mouth," Derick gestured his drink towards KJ "Now don't be a lil bitch and drink."

+

Back at the flat, Zayn was doing anything to get Gigi to take her ass home.

"I know you love me Zaynie, stop playing all these games. You know Daddy could make sure all your little songs play whenever and wherever you want. Plus then," she paused to take steps closer to him, running an acrylic up his chest, "then, you could finally stop working so hard," she leaned up to whisper in his ear "and start playing harder."

Zayn truly laughed out loud. Like, hard. Like, thought he was gonna pass out hard.

"Oh you dumb bitch. I'm sorry that was rude but wow. I don't need your Daddy's money love. You can head on home now." He clutched his stomach and doubled over in laughter again. Harry Potter and The Audacity of This Bitch right now, he couldn't stop.

"What is it huh? I'm not rich or pretty enough? Huh? What?" GiGi truly stomped her foot like an annoyed toddler and Zayn felt tears spring to his eyes for the third time. Time to lie. He set a gentle hand on her back, lightly pushing her from the house.

"I'm dying, I'm sick right now, I'm on my period. I'm gay. I'm tired."

She huffed again and stopped dead in her tracks. "The truth. Now."

+

"NIGGA YOU TOLD HER WHAT!?" Jeyden had just about fallen from his seat while Zayn leaned back and rest his arm behind another.

"I told her I got some other girl pregnant. Told her it was time for me to step up and get ready to be a father. That I 'wish we could have met in another Universe where it'd be me and her for certain'." he chuckled.

KJ had devolved into silent crying laughter, hunched over at their table, clutching his stomach with both hands, tears streaming down his face but no sound.

Derick was worried he'd pass out.

Jeyden was trying to sip his beer and keep a straight face but boyish giggles kept rising from his mouth until he couldn't take it anymore and laughed into his drink, making it spray all over them. This of course just sent the table into another frenzy of laughter.

"It was the only thing I could think to do! I knew she had gotten desperate because she started throwing money at me. I wish I could say I meant that figuratively too." The boys collectively shook their heads. "I might have to use that one, wow."

Once the table had calmed down, and the aftershock giggles had ended, Jeyden stood up. "I also have an announcement. I got booked for a gig." He smiled and lifted his beer to his group while they high fived and started throwing questions at him.

"Wait isn't Martin Lawrence in New York this week? Maybe he'll be checking out local clubs!" Derick clapped and turned to look at Jeyden again. Jeyden smiled smugly. "He won't have to go looking for me, because I'm opening for him!"

The whole table went silent for a moment, before all three sitting boys jumped up and hugged Jeyden. There were excited screams, Jeyden trying not to cry, KJ yelling his best friend was Kevin Hart, it was a little chaotic. None of them would have it any other way.