Chapter 4: Best Worse Day Ever

                                    

                                          


Lauren Nicole 
                          
Since thanksgiving a few days ago my mind has been all over the place. Ermias has been on my mind heavy so much that I feel bad for Damien because when I'm supposed to be spending time with him I'm thinking about Ermias. It's bad enough he's always gone on business. Now when he's here my mind is elsewhere.
                          
On top of that I have yet to hear back about the TV show I auditioned for. My life was just a big fucking mess right now and I was over it.
                          
Thank god Cleo had some down time today and asked if I wanted to go shopping. I was waking up after a nap because LA traffic be slow as hell, when I looked out the window and saw where we were.
                          
"Oh hell nah!" I screeched sitting up in my seat.
                          
"Girl what's wrong witchu!?" Cleo questioned as she pulled into a parking spot.
                          
"When you asked me if I wanted to go shopping I thought you meant The Grove or Rodeo not the Slauson super mall." I said looking at her sideways.
                          
" Well bitch you thought wrong! Fuck I look like on rodeo. I ain't got horses in the back nor do I live on Old town road! And two I ain't got rodeo money. I'm fucking a nigga that sells chicken."
                          
When she shaded the fuck out of Jodie I couldn't help but to let out a hearty laugh.
                          
"Don't do best friend, and what you mean you don't have money, I thought you were getting paid good with your desk job?" I asked in confusion.
                          
"It does if it was just me. But with my moms in and out of jail I gotta take care of Chelsea and Corey. Shit is hard out here for a pimp. Sometimes I just wish this music shit would pop, then shit would be so different."
                          
Cleo's mom was a heavy drug user and would often do illegal things to get money to fund her habit which often landed her jail. Now Cleo is left to care for her five year old sister and fifteen year old brother. Their dad was killed in Afghanistan years ago so she's all they have. And like me she has big dreams of making it big as a singer. But when life hits that dream gets further and further away from reality.
                          
"It'll get better soon sis,  I promise."
                          
"I hope so." She nodded and that was the end of that conversation.
                          
*******
                          
We had been walking around for a couple of minutes just looking and people watching. There was no way I was buying any form of clothing here.
                          
"Ooh! This Champion fit is cute ain't it Boogie?" Cleo  asked looking at the mannequin.
                          
"Champion!? More like runner up. It's cute but that shit gone have you itching days after you buy it." I scoffed.
                          
"Eh! You right let's keep walking." She said wrapping her arm with mine as we kept on going. We then walked past a custom T-shirt shop. It's a shame how many RIP shirts were on display as if that's the only thing people need a custom shirt for.
                          
"Ah Damn that's Langston!" Cleo said pointing towards one of the T-shirts.
                          
"You mean Langston from Mrs. Dubois history class?"
                          
"Yup! That's the one. You know he banged with the Eight Trays, homie had just did a ten year bid when one of his own niggas blasted'em at his own birthday party over some beef they had about a card game they had weeks before he got locked up."
                          
Hearing about one of my former classmates tragic demise nearly brought tears to my eyes. It seemed like every week somebody was getting killed. This was exactly why I left the hood. And it's also why I fear for the men in my life.