𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 - 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦, 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐦

8:30pm
"You do not need this much makeup," Pop looks at me as I filled up my shopping bag in Sephora, "You got mad of that shit at the house and at your grandmother's house."

"I gotta re-up every couple of weeks.. you know that!" I say making him laugh, "But I know I don't need it as you remind me every single day when I do decide to put it on my face," I explain as we kept walking down the isles.

"Oh my gosh! Ciela and Pop!" Aliyah, one of the girls I met when I worked at starbucks, stops us along with her mom.

"Heyyy!" I smile before we hug eachother.

"She idolizes you guys," Her mom smiles before I hug her, "She told me you were supposedly coming to her quince in august to perform?" She looks up at Pop.

"Yeah yeah that's right, I forgot about that because she told me months ago but I'll definitely be there," He laughs.

"I'm not sure how this works the whole celebrity performance thing so how much do you charge for booking?" She asks.

"No charge. I got y'all," He smiles.

"Seriously?" Her mom smiles wide.

"Told you ma," Aliyah looks up at her and laughs, "This is why y'all are my favorite. And Ciela's coming too..right?" She looks at me.

"Of course, I got you.. we're gonna be there."

"This party boutta be the talk of the year," She laughs, "Okay ima let y'all shop.."

"You sure you don't wanna get your picture with them like you said?" Her mom mentions.

"Maaa," aaliyah sucks her teeth, "no me avergüenza."

<< don't embarrass me >>

"Está bien Aliyah," I chuckle, "Vamos," I motion for her to stand in the middle of Pop and I.

"You speak spanish too?" Her mom questions as she gets out her phone.

"Sí," I nod.

"This is how little you pay attention to what I talk about or what i'm interested in," Aliyah says making Pop and I crack up.

"Alright smile," She holds the phone up before the flash goes off, "Got it. Uhm so I wanna exchange contact information just to keep you guys in the knowings of what'll be going on.." She trails off.

"Okay," I take out my phone before Pop takes his out, "I'm available siempre! I always pick up the phone, you can call me or text me. Babe, a veces responde al teléfono.." I chuckle making them laugh, "Pero, i'll be the go to."

"Gotcha," She laughs before we both wxhange numbers with her mom.

"Why can't I get yah numbers!" Aliyah laughs.

"Security reasons mami," I laugh, "Can't risk it accidentally getting out there. Your friends could take your phone or something.. it's like this whole big thing," I explain.

"Facts, can't have people calling me off the hook.." Pop laughs, "I would be changing my number 25/8! Can't risk that woo."

"You should be lucky I even got their numbers," Her mom looks at her, "Celebrities these days only want you to contact them through social media and then an email they don't check for months. Bullshit."

"Straight dickheads. Excuse my language ma," Pop says making us all laugh.

"It's fine it's fine," She laughs.

"Ohhh she's the cool mom not the regular mom!" Pop cracks up making us all laugh.

"You watched mean girls?" Aliyah laughs.

"I watched it once," He laughs, "But Ci be watching it sometimes that's how— never mind man," He waves his hand down making us laugh more.

9:21pm
"Today was successful," I sigh getting in the car.

"I mean you got like twenty plus bags of clothes back there," He nods to the backseat making me laugh, "Don't sweat it. I remember when you used to never let me spoil you like for what?" He starts the car up.

"Because I wanted to show you like i'm independent and I got it myself. I still do but today, I was feeling in the mood.." I laugh as he laughs.

"Whatchu want to eat?" He asks, "Spanish food, jamaican food, some soul food.." He looks at me.

"Soul food sound so bomb. I want that."

"Her mom was nice.." He mentions.

"Aliyah's right. Mad nice."

"I don't know about this record deal Ci.. shit not popping off. I got the songs. The music is ready. I need my shit out there you know? I feel like i'm
not getting nowhere. I still gotta sell drugs and be a distributor in the business with K and em.."

"You gotta let it play out, sit back and wait for it to pop off. It's gonna be your time.. you just gotta be patient. Everything will fall into place. The tape will drop, the songs will pop off, and you'll be booked and traveling everywhere meeting people who love your music. When the tape drops, and we promote it.. it's gonna go up forreal. It's gonna reach a bigger audience and people gonna jack you the next 50!" I explain making him laugh.

"I really hope you right mama," He looks to me.

"Trust me. I can't wait for the world to hear your music—not just Brooklyn, not just New York City. But state to state. Country to country. Continent to Continet!" I laugh as he laughs more, "All jokes aside. You gonna be up there. Promise. For now stay low, get money and stay aggressive baby that's it!"

"Get money and stay aggressive huh?" He smiles at me.

"Something Malik used to say to me and papi. 'Get money and stay aggressive' meaning exactly what it is. Get money, stay down, be a boss basically. Be about it and be independent and never dependent on nobody."

"That's fire..forreal. He really came up with his own saying cause I never heard nothing like that! He must've been real smart."

"Beyond smart. He had the ability to become valedictorian but he wanted to be in the streets more than go to school because it was making a living for him and us too," I start explaining as he nods, "I wish I had my laptop. I got so many pictures of us on there from years ago.. mad memories. Niggas probably smashed my shit or sold it to be honest," I shake my head.

"You gotta go to the courts for that Ci forreal.." He looks down at me as we stop at a red light, "Like that's not even a fair way how your situation got settled."

"I don't know what they'll do if I went to the courts. They already had us in foster care, to us going with them, then my abuela. Papi and I are both minors. Who knows if he's even my real parent.."

"But that's definitely your grandmother," He interrupts, "She's been there forever. She's looked after you guys and she took y'all in. Regardless of what test results you decide to get, I mean if you would ever do that..but regardless if he's not your biological pops..that's your grandmother."

"I know.. this is just confusing..and hard like I don't know what i'm gonna do," I look at him.

"You don't have to know everything baby. It's gonna work out in the end. Just know ima be there," He nods.