"Nami... Namiii... Nautica Amarie!", yelled my Granny Harriet ( I call her GiGi ).
"Yes ma'am," I yell from upstairs in my room
" Can you drive Normi and Naomi to school, I'm not feeling too well."
" Sure GiGi," I say as I come down the steps. " What's wrong?"
" Oh nothing too major sweetie. Just getting over that cold that's all. Plus I have some business to take care of in a minute."
" Okay. What business do you have to take care of Gi?"
"It's nothing baby.. Just take you sisters to school, and I'll talk to you about it another time."
"Okay Gi," I say as I kiss her on her forehead, " Nor! Omi! Come on or y'all gonna be more late than you already are!"
"Girl here we come dang," Naomi said from the bathroom.
" Watch it Omi! Your birthday can be cancelled as quickly as it got planned!"
"Yes ma'am," Naomi said as they both came from the bathroom.
GiGi turns around to look at all of us with a strange, yet warming look on her face. She said her usual " I love yous" and "See you laters", but something felt very off about her whole demeanor. "Maybe it's me", I thought" Yea... I'm just tripping."
On the ride to dropping Naomi and Normi off, they just began to ramble about their Sweet 16th birthday, which is in two weeks. I tried to tune them out as much as I could, not in a malicious way, but as a result of worrying. I've become the main breadwinner in the family, so I was responsible for their party, and by it being two of them that meant double everything, and they want a car. They are spoiled, "understanding" brats. I've, for as long as I can remember, gave them everything they wanted and more, so they expect that at all times, but at the same time, they understand that because GiGi has gotten old, she can't help me provide for them as much as she used to.
" So Nami.. can you take us to the mall so we can finally get our birthday outfits?", said Normi with a sad puppy dog face.
" I don't know No-No.. I might be going to work a little early."
"Well.. can you give us some money and we can catch a ride there."
"Yes No-No I'll cashapp it to you later on."
"Okay," they both said with a smile.
We pulled up to the school, and I dropped them off and as soon as I pulled off my gas light came on.
"Fuck," I said to myself annoyed.
I absolutely hate stopping by Crenshaw High, but I guess I don't have a choice.
I pull up to the nearest gas station, and as I pull up next to a pump I look and see all of the little way-a-be gangbangers all around the gas station and all cars crowded around the whole thing.
"Ugh", I say to myself as I roll my eyes, " Let's get this over with."
As I turn off my car and get out I feel instantly all eyes on me. Not on no cocky shit, but I'm a bad bitch. I'm brownskin, about 5'3, small waist and a lil booty, not a lot though.
I get to the door and a tall hispanic dude opens the store's door
"Here you go miss lady," he says with a grin
I nod and say thank you . I approach the counter and attempt to put $25 on my pump, but they said the pump is occupied. I stare at her confused, but look out the window and see someone by my car pumping gas. I rushed outside to see who this mystery person was.
"Um.. excuse me," I say as I tap their shoulder.
The person turns around and my heart drops to my ass and my mouth drops to the ground. It was Jaheim. Jaheim was my very first crush. I met him when I first moved to LA, but we lost touch over the years.
"C'mon now you think I'm let my lil boo pay AND pump her own gas," he said with the biggest, prettiest smile.
"JAH!" I screamed jumping into his arms giving him the biggest hug ever.
Hugging him felt like such a relief. It's been so long since I've seen a true friend who hasn't been run off by Dion.
" Nautie," he said, hugging me back, " How you been boo?"
"Good," I say looking at him up and down, " I see you've been doing good yourself."
" Ah you know , you know," he says as he starts smiling and giggling. "How has the fam been? I aint seen y'all since graduation."
"Yea cause you went off to San Diego and shit.. Naw everybody's cool for real for real."
"You sure," he says with a look of concern on his face.
"Yeah I'm sure... why do you say that?"
" Because everybody else might be cool," he says as he touches my bruised lip, " but are you."
I move my hair in front of my face, " Yeah.. just a little altercation from the club that's all."
"Club.." he says as he takes the gas pump out of my car. " Nautie.. I know you are still not working at that damn dump."
"Well that dump is paying my bills and keeping me afloat," I said as I proceeded to get into my car.
"Yea, but for how long? I mean c'mon Nautie you smart as hell boo. You got a FULL ride scholarship to UCLA for crying out loud. You need to get out of there before that altercation shit becomes a regular.. If it already hasn't."
" No Jah," I say as I open my door to my car and sit down, "It hasn't... but I gotta go. I have to get to work, I can't be late."
"Damn girl how many hustles you got," he said chuckling.
"Surprisingly only two, " I said sighing.
He gave me a hug and walked away from my car, but then as I was just about to pull off he came back to my window.
" Damn ma you was gone leave me out here again with no way to contact you huh."
" You didn't ask," I laughed.
I put my number in his phone and as I gave it back, he grabbed my hand and subliminally put something in it, held it and said..
" You know Nautie.. You are too cute to still be stripping. You've been doing that since our senior year. We gotta change that boo." He lets my hand go and walks off.
I opened my hand and inside it was a wab or money, neatly rolled up with a rubber band around it. I was completely shocked, so I just pulled off.
After my shift, I went home and counted the money. $1,500. All sorts of things started running through my head.
" What does he want?" "Did he mean to give me this much?" "I have to give this back."
With so much on my mind, I called off for the night from the club, because I had to meet up with Jah to really get to the bottom of his motives,or to give him the money back if he mistakenly gave me too much.
I lay my head back on my bed as my mind continues to race a million miles a minute , when my thoughts were disturbed by a loud vibration From phone . I look at it and I see and "Dion🙄.." goes across the screen.
