Baton Rouge.

Another epilogue.

Jionni by this time, was 22. Out of his mothers house by the age of 19, he worked at a call center by day.

But by night, in a secluded trap house, he did as he did since he was abandoned by his mother.

Dealt drugs.

Alongside Djuan, he and Jionni made well-over their average paycheck. The police never suspected the boys. With the old heads in the neighborhood providing the work, the two stayed out of the eyes of officers. Two young men who stayed out of trouble were unlikely suspects, minus a few brushes. (Such as petty theft of car parts.)

On this day, the cousins were in a suburban neighborhood, not too far away from Jionni's old neighborhood. After selling two small baggies, Jionni and Djuan spent the extra money they had on food.

"Man I aint been ta' Fridays in forever." Jionni laughed, easing into his booth.

"Me either. This shit better be good." Djuan groaned, looking at the menu. "Cause you picked this shit out."

"Whatever nigga."

Tapping his fingers on the desk, Jionni thought about his mother.

"You hear anything from ya' moms yet?" Jionni asked.

"They aint reached out to us since we left high school, Ji. Fuck them. We got this shit anyway." Djuan said.

"Mm."

"Yo moms call you?"

"A month ago. Askin' for money. Ion' eem know where she is."

Wiggling in his chair, Jionni fixed his shirt and headed to the bathroom.

"Aye when da' waitress get here let her know that I wanna Strawberry slush." Jionni said, walking away.

"Gotchu."

Using the bathroom, Jionni gazed down at his diamond watch. He was able to afford everything he hadn't had before. A bed. Different clothes. With his previous experience, he'd become a lot more wiser with his money. He became smarter. His voice became deeper. His shoulders, more broad.

But he still had that heavy Louisianan accent.

After washing his hands, he received a phone call.

"Ay baby."

The girl he met at a bar a month after high school ended. A girl named Kat. They'd been on-and-off for years, but always came back to one another.

"I made it to Miami." Kat cheered.

"Have fun with ya' girls. Lemme' know when you get to ya' hotel."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Walking back to his booth, both Jionni and Djuan noticed something out of the window.

"GodDAMN!" Both said at the same time. "Who is that!?"

A girl with long nails and short hair stood outside of a car, fixing herself in her passenger side window. She wore high-waisted jeans, a heart necklace and a plain short sleeved red shirt.

"Aye, she look like Megan Good. She came in on the passenger side so you know she got a friend." Djuan said, both squinting their eyes. "I call dibs on Megan, though."

"Nigga I saw her first, you betta' get the fuck on." Jionni scoffed.

"Are you guys ready to order?" The waitress asked, holding her notebook.

"Give us 5 minutes, we gotta few friends das' comin' with us." Jionni said, easing out of the booth.

"Nigga don't you got a girlfriend?" Djuan laughed.

"Please fool she in Miami n' plus we gone break up tomorrow. You know us." Jionni laughed, stepping out the door.

"Invite her friend!"

Stepping out in the darkness, Jionni approached the woman by taking her hand.

"Aye girl." Jionni smirked, checking her out. "What you got good for tonight?"

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The girl laughed.

"Nah but we can change dat' real quick." Jionni smiled, rubbing her arm. "I'm Jionni."

"Well I think i'm gonna pass Ji-"

The girl paused, squinting her eyes at him.

"Sexy name, aint it?" Jionni winked.

"Jionni?" The girl laughed.

"Yeah baby."

"You don't recognize me?"

Jionni squinted his eyes at her, shaking her head.

"Nah but you could be the woman i'm tryna marry!"

"It's Melissa stupid!"

Jionni's heart stopped. Taking a second look at her, he unknowingly fell attracted to her again. With her small amount of makeup, he didn't recognize the adult woman that stood in front of him. She was far from the checkered skirt plain faced girl that was at Baton Rouge high. She resembled an ameteur model. Her nails, purse, and demeanor changed from plain Jane to a self-made woman.

"I didn't know you still stayed here!" Melissa squealed, hugging him. "I've been visiting my parents here for years and never saw you!"

"Ya' parents. How could I uh, forget 'em?"

It was as if Jionni had saw a ghost. His face grew pale. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, unable to give her full eye contact out of nervousness.

"Babe, I can't find it." A man said, stepping out of the car. "We're just gonna have to use my credit card for now."

A dark skinned man, who was the same height as Jionni, stepped out of the drivers side. Melissa giggled, taking a card out of her purse.

"Ray, I told you a thousand times that it's in my purse." Melissa laughed.

Caught off guard by the man, Melissa introduced him.

"Babe this is Jionni, the old boyfriend that I told you about that my parents hated when I was in high school?"  She laughed. 

"Hands off my girl."

"Huh?" Jionni said.

"Just fuckin' with you, bro. Nice to meet you." Ray laughed, shaking his hand. "I'm Ray."

"Jionni. Aye uh, i'ma get out of y'all hair. I'ma go back inside." Jionni said. "It was nice seein' you, Lissa."

Walking back into the restaurant, Jionni sat back in the booth. He said nothing.

"Jionni?"

"Jionni?"

"JI!!" Djuan yelled.

"Yeah?"

"What she say?" Djuan laughed, picking with his drink.

"Nothin'. She got a man." Jionni said, brushing it off.

"Shoulda' known. She too fine fa' all that single shit." Djuan laughed.

Whenever he got the moment, Jionni would casually gaze at the couple that were seated in the lower corner of the restaurant. Melissa didn't look his way once. It wasn't on purpose, but she was all about her man of 2 years. She loved Ray with a passion. She was seen kissing him twice, sharing his drink and laughing uncontrollably at his jokes. Eventually, the couple left and went elsewhere. That's when Jionni realized

"Lissa." He thought. "I aint ever gone see her again..."

I KNOW I'M GONNA PISS OFF BATON ROUGE READERS WITH THIS ONE CAUSE I HAVE NO PLOT AND WANTED TO TEASE YOU GUYS. ENJOY LOL