crossfire ↬ rihanna & aaliyah

cinco

working for x was trifling to say the least. make no mistake robyn wasn't any trick, but as the time expired she considered the difference. she would meet expensive men and get them into some el chapo types of moves. x put her on to the cartel shit in all honesty - she was only into cracking cards and simple scamming - he saw so much rawness in her and put her own. she was never submissive, but she was genuine and she played her role. she was dangerous, he knew that and for the most part it works. she gets the job done and gets spoiled nicely, but the game was far to ugly for a woman that she was becoming.

when she arrived to florida all that time ago for a fresh start, she was free of the trenches, but she had not met the american dream. her folks didn't know about her being a dancer for little over 2 year. they also didn't know everything about x or the life she'd lived since 16. she'd send money; even visit every blue moon - she was too prideful, but this fast life wasn't forever.

after that night with aaliyah she'd laid up in her penthouse staring at her reflection peering up from the ceiling – mind elsewhere. a shot glass of dusse rested against her cheek while several blue faces covered her satin sheets. her home was slightly messy from her dressing/undressing between the after parties she'd been attending. for the first time in a while she was free for the rest of the evening. she could still hear the lively city from her king bed and huffed.

she smirked up at her mirror before moving into a sitting position and pouring another shot. she threw the shot back before deciding to roll another joint. nights like this she'd think of her friends back home. after a long shift and being off for the night the group would get into all kinds of shit. they were hustling hoodrats til the end.

she chuckled at the thought as she tucked the paper before licking and sealing the jay. this was the perfect way to bring in her birthday.
she had been fully grown before she was 16 and that was only a few years prior. sometimes she was sure she missed those days, but did anything really change? she was no longer some little hood rat, but a real life thug? she blew out the indica into air and giggled to herself at the thought. so what if she stayed true to herself? she was authentic and that was rare. she moved her rolling tray carefully onto her bedside table before moving towards her stereo.

the city never slept, but with spring around the corner people tended to linger during the midnight hour. she ashes her spiff and hit it again.

the sound of got to give it up by marvin gaye had her shimming around her bedroom. as she enjoyed her blunt and bottle she couldn't help, but think about aaliyah. she'd been drumming along to the song in her beat up wrangler with the wind blew hair in her face. she'd been recalling several details from all those nights ago unintentionally. she'd know all the old jams most of the night which surprised robyn. she wasn't what she'd expected at all. during the transition of music, once it fell silent for a moment – she slipped back into her pile of money. she'd take her last drag before unscrewing the cap and facing the bottle as i'd rather be with you by bootsy collins started.

she nodded her head along the feeling of loneliness overcame her. she stared up at the mirror taking in the scene below. so much money, but it came and went. what did it matter that she was getting paid? she had no family or friends only partners in business. power meant nothing to her. her parents raised her in love; something she longed for. the weight of the world was on her shoulders all she wanted was somebody to be gentle with. the meaning of life is all about the love you give. this world wasn't so loving or open to love, but that didn't mean it didn't exist.

just like that she was thinking about aaliyah again. her smile the first night after keeping her outside her room all evening. the genuine shock she had when she'd approached her in the nightclub. her sultry voice. her entirely.