VII.

                                    

                                          
Chapter VII. Excuses
                          
Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent used to build large monuments of nothing-ness, those who use them will never succeed.
                          
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
                          
Lauryn's POV
                          
I quickly packed up my makeup supplies and started to make my way out of the school. Today had been a really long day. Not to mention that I had been avoiding Audi just to make sure that I wouldn't run into Sly. 
                          
There was something about Sly that left me unnerved, it might have been his touch, the smell of his cologne, or the attention his demeanor called for. I smiled at the girl next to me trying to remember if I had plans for today. I had already been to the gym so that was off my check list. But, luckily Milly was out of town, he had been getting on my nerves asking me all those questions about my relationship with Sly. Did everyone really think that Sly and I had something going on?
                          
Just as I started to think back on to that movie night Audi and I had a few days ago my phone started ringing much to my annoyance. I hated talking on the phone after struggling to do something because it left a bad taste in my mouth and made me slightly cranky. "Hello?" I asked still trying to force my stuff into the trunk.
                          
"Elle, what you doing?" Audi asked, making me roll my eyes because she knew my day better than I did. I slammed the trunk before it had the chance to spit all of stuff back out of the small area.
                          
"Leaving class. What's up?" I asked getting comfortable in my car. It was pretty nice day and my hair just seemed to be extra laid so there was no reason to not be in a good mood. 
                          
"So...you're not busy?" Audi asked causing my mind to work at overtime because I knew she was about to trap me with the response I was about to give.
                          
"No, Granny is out of town visiting Becca and I think I'm about to go home and sleep some" I said honestly since for the last few night I had been staying up late. Sleep just seemed to be avoiding me in every aspect, then my mind would slip over to wondering what Sly might be doing or if Audi had stayed out of the kitchen would Sly have really kissed. To be truthful I had been kissed but I felt like I had never been kissed the way a woman deserved.
                          
"Come over and spend the night. Sly isn't in town still and Que gone too so I'm by myself feel lonely" I laughed a little not even sure which topic I should comment on.
                          
"Oh, bae isn't home?" I questioned.
                          
"Oh you talking about Sly?" She replied.
                          
"You know I wasn't talking about your brother" I bit out biting into my lip as I went in the direction of her apartment.
                          
"But that's your boo, right? Or you still playing that cat and mouse stuff?" She asked smacking on what sounded like gum.
                          
"Girl, get a life. I'm not playing with anyone. And no one is even pressed over your brother" I said as I got on the highway. My school was at least 30 minutes away from downtown Flynt. 
                          
"Right...Just come over now. And bring some Chinese, I'm hungry and my hair still wet" Audi demanded knowing that I wasn't going to say 'no' to her.
                          
"Alright, grownie I'mma do that just let me get out of this traffic" I replied turning up my radio once I realized that The Weeknd was playing. 
                          
Sly's POV
                          
I shook my head as I watched all of the events transpire in slow motion. Isn't it funny how when you least expect it something always manages to go wrong. Well, my supplier, Big Joe, that I was here to see, seems to had made some enemies that I wasn't aware of until this very moment with this shoot out I am being forced to be a part of. I already had a bullet slice though my right shoulder like hot butter but at least my adrenaline had the pain the farthest thing from my mind.