gone. - DISCONTINUED.

{19}

Four months had passed since the initiation of Rayna, and we've stacked up about double the amount of money we usually get from selling. Unfortunately, it was getting towards Christmas time, and business began to slow down. Not only did snow storms and blizzard complicate things, but druggies were spending what little money they had on gifts rather than drugs and sorting out how they were gonna get their families through.

During the time, the money wasn't the only thing that grew. My clothes started getting tighter on me and my belly began growing a bump. I wasn't really expecting much out of it, and I had to keep borrowing clothes from Brittany or Lani to try and cover it up. I stopped helping sling around three months ago, and instead have to sit in either the lobby of the buildings we went to or inside of the car. Sometimes I'd be the only one left alone at home, leaving me with nothing to do. Some nights I didn't mind it, I mean for the most part I like some peace and quiet and solidity. It was nice having a large apartment complex to myself. But other nights, I'd be so lonesome and long for some type of company, even from people I didn't even like being around. But I had to get used to it, for the sake of the next five months of my life.

Now it was five days before Christmas, and it was honestly awkward. My household used to be covered in Christmas decorations, serving eggnog and sugar cookies and hanging stockings and ornaments. Here, it took us 2 weeks to even put a tree up, let alone decorate it. It was just a regular old holiday, and according to Yazmin and Laylani, they'd only exchange one or two gifts before going back to their usual schedules. "Not even holiday dinners?" I made a face, watching as she was making the sandwich for me. "Nope. Them niggas never gave a fuck about a holiday. Only reason why is cause Christmas was like a, once in a lifetime thing for them. And we all get stuff as it is, so it ain't gon' be no Christmas like you see in the films." She finished my sandwich, sliding the place towards me before grabbing the carton of eggnog out the fridge, filling her glass halfway with it and adding hennessy it in. "Cheers." She clicked her glass and my plate together, taking a few large gulps from it. "As for business?" I took a bite, leaning against the counter. "Once New Year's hits, every drug on request for Eve parties." She cracked a grin, walking into the main room. I eased down onto the couch with her, already halfway finished with the sandwich. "Now that's something I'm not sure I wanna stick around for." I squinted. "Bad enough how the usual parties are."

She simply laughed at me, flicking through the channels. "Yeah. Well. All I'm sayin' is try not to get your hopes up when all you get this year is a bib set." She shrugged and I frowned some, eating silently in thought while she changed the channel to a movie that was halfway over. Towards the end, she had tapped out on the couch, and I was nodding off myself. I left my plate on the table, using the arm of the couch for support as I got up, hiding a burp as I walked down the hall to his room. I knocked on the door softly, seeing it cracked open and he looked back at me briefly, waving me in. I walked inside, sitting on the bed quietly and laying back against the pillows, listening to his conversation. He was talking business out of state, something about a shipment being lost and a transaction getting fucked over. I listened to him raise his voice for a while, dozing off a few times and waking up as he ended the conversation, tossing the phone across the room into the arm chair. "Why you up?" He asked, leaning back against my legs and I shrugged. "I was actually asleep half the time I was in here." I mumbled sleepily, rubbing at my eyes and covering up a yawn. "Figures. You ate right?" He glanced up at me and I nodded, sitting up. "Lani fed me and went to sleep." I leaned forward slightly, stretching my back.

"Do you know what it is?" He rose his eyebrow, referring to my swollen stomach and I laughed quietly, nodding. "I'm not telling you though." He made a face. "Why not?" He turned on his side and I shrugged. "Because I want you to be surprised. And you need practice." I cursed slightly, feeling hiccups coming on. "What do you mean practice?" He questioned, a curious look on his face. "You know what I mean." I said simply, laying back against the pillows again. "Since your Christmas is free." I tried dozing off as he sucked his teeth. "You still trip off that Christmas shit?" He shook his head, more so telling me rather than asking me. I squinted, making a face to imply that I wasn't up for discussing this topic. "What does that have to do with anything?" I asked sharply, crossing my arm over my stomach slightly. He simply shook his head, ignoring me and looking at his phone. I scoffed in disgust, sitting up and swinging my legs over the bed. He snapped his head up, glaring at me some. "Where the fuck you goin'?" He demanded and I brushed him off, getting off the bed. "I have a room, I'm gonna sleep in it." I answered simply, trying to hide the small waddle I was starting to get as I walked towards the door. He laughed menacingly, causing only for me to get even more annoyed. "Aw, I guess you're all mad now? Santa doesn't go for the naughty people, remember?" He sneered, sizing me up slightly. "Too late for that then."

I stopped in the doorway, whirling around to glare at him. "Funny considering it's your fault." He furrowed his brows, leaning up off the bed to sit up straighter. "Fuck you mean by that? Coulda walked your ass to rich mommy's doorstep and begged to be Rapunzel again." He spat at me as I crossed my arms, balling my fists slightly. "Oh, right though, she threw your ass out for being on some hoe shit, now look who's pregnant." I couldn't hold in my anger any more, and the second he finished his statement with a sly smirk, I brought my hand up to his face, slapping him hard enough across the face that the sting from it hurt my hand. He clenched his jaw, keeping his head turned as I felt around for the door handle, swinging it open. "Again...who's fault is that?" I asked in a quiet, shaky tone. "The one who had no protection or the one stupid enough to forget what a Magnum was?" I slowly backed out the room, not waiting for an answer cause I could feel how angry he was. Not even annoyed, but Cheyenne angry. "Don't be involved then." I blurted out, shutting the door quickly once I was out of the room and speed walking down the hall to my room, shutting the door and locking it while keeping my back to the door for a second, calming myself down and ignoring the pain in my hand.