𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐓; nipsey hussle

𝟏𝟕 | 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒

LAUREN WAS DROWNING INTO the screen of her phone with Adam's text message from twenty minutes ago staring directly back at her— unknown of what to say in response. An odd, indescribable feeling succumbed her as her thumb hovered closely over the red heart emoji.

No, that would be too much for him, she thought.

She nibbled on the inside of her bottom lip, indecisive. The last thing she wanted to do was become vulnerable and get her emotions involved with another man who wasn't her husband, so a simple thank you, Adam had done the trick. Without a second lingering thought, she exited from the messages app and pressed the lock button located at the top of her phone.

Lauren continued to patiently wait for Cassie to finish scavenging the store for an outfit. The traffic in the parking lot of the shopping center seemingly doubled in people in a matter of minutes. This scenery brought her back to her childhood.

"This top will look good on you for the party tonight, Boogie!" Cassie yelled out.

"No, thanks! I'll pass on the skank-ish outfits for tonight," she said taking a look at the time on her phone for the fifth time.

"Yeah, yeah," said Cassie as she disappeared behind a wall of the store.

There was a short moment of silence until the low, familiar voice of a man startled her, "I see you still looking fine."

Lauren immediately turned on her heels coming face to face with the man she's loved since the beginning of grade school. Though he appeared different from how she remembered him, he still looked the same. His hair was neatly stitched into four braids that was pinned to the back with a hair tie and his beard was trimmed and shaped to perfection, yet his smile was still to die for.

"I missed you."

"Ermias?" she questioned with a look of astonishment.

"Don't just stand there, baby," he voiced with a grin, grabbing at her hand for a hug.

Lauren was at a loss of words. Ermias' fingers automatically interlaced with hers as if it was a sense of second nature to him. His arms tightly gripped Lauren at her waist in which she reciprocated the gesture with a hug across the back of his neck— burying her head. Her heart was beating a hundred miles an hour and Ermias felt it.

"Boog, it's okay," he chuckled, respectfully rubbing his palm in a vertical motion along her back.

"I—I thought I lost you."

The inside of the clothing store became quiet without observation, that is until Ermias noticed Cassie conversing on the phone, pacing back and forth along the rugged pavement of the parking lot.

"You can't lose me if I ain't never left," said Ermias, kissing Lauren on her forehead.

S. LOS ANGELES, CA
7:36 PM

          THE REMAINING HOURS OF the afternoon swept by quicker than expected, for the first time in a while for Ermias. After spending a few hours at the store, mingling with customers, signing autographs, and taking photos, Ermias decided it was time to remove Lauren from the limelight— though she seemingly enjoyed it. It was the lifestyle she became accustomed to over the years, but it was also the life she didn't have an interest in anymore.

Lauren's anxiety continued to shoot through the roof as she accompanied the passenger seat in mere silence of Ermias' Maybach Mercedes-Benz. A notification chime sounded causing Lauren to look down at her phone. A text message from her grandmother displayed.