Gracine is rambling on about boys and the mall while Zeniqua’s mind is zoning out about her father and if he is looking for her. She can see him now sending a mass of his best men on her trail to find out where she went. Going through each state, trying to figure out where she could have gone or hidden until day break. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJrMbnYKMQ
“Zeniqua, did you hear with I said?” Gracine growls as she finds a parking spot close to the entrance of the mall. “Finally. Damn slow pokes.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8KWoliDf3
“No. I am sorry, I was in deep thought.” She apologizes. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8saOsG3IBJ
“I see,” She gets out and so does Zeniqua. “I asked you what did you want to do first? Do you want to shop for clothes or do you want to eat?”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI91N3yM9pM
“I am not hungry so I guess we could shop first.” 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByTHrLhcap
“Great.” Gracine takes Zeniqua by her hand and they enter Charlotte Russe first.470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rAO53YbdX
Zeniqua’s cheeks flushed at the short skirts and cut off shirts all around the store. Her eyes glistened at the variety of high heels and glittery sandals. She’d never been to a store of such girlishness since her father always bought her boy clothes. He always shopped for her as a part of his controlling ways and to make sure she didn’t get hit on. But, even in baggy jeans and shirts, Zeniqua was still beautiful. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGjJtI4jOU
“What are you grounded for, Gacine?” She has never really known Gracine to get into any trouble when they were little.470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56DEWJ1N4o
“I snuck out to a party. When I didn’t come back,” she sighs and fingers through some shirts. “My mom and Neari started a search party and called the police.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHfcTpUUgU
Zeniqua’s mouth falls open and she stops looking through the jeans. “Are you serious?”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFF55IcDWi
“As a heart attack, girl. They searched everywhere for my silly ass.” She purses her lips together. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgpzxrCLDP
“Where were you?” She starts back looking through the jeans and pulls three pairs out and put them across her arm. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13B8TVPeUd
“I was next door.” She burst out laughing. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lji7qWwDc
Zeniqua snickers, “A party at the next door neighbor’s house?”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFMf4c6eNl
“This boy that I had a major crush on was there and I figured it was my chance to tell him I liked him.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43stkvvAid
“Did you?”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVovxUnaMO
“Hell naw. I saw him kissing on three girls throughout the party. But, I didn’t leave just because of that.” She puts a shirt across her arm and continues looking. “I had a great time. I smoked a little weed. I had some drink called ‘Adios Mutherfuker’.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfK1RqgOG2
Zeniqua laughs, “there is a drink called that?”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RM7pEDfAW
“Yeah. It was good. I was drunk and some boy tried to come onto me. I two pieced him, he fell to the ground crying and screaming, but no one flinched.” She shrugs her shoulders. “Maybe if there is another one I can find, you can come with me. But, they get pretty wild.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPHdKvGSiW
“I don’t know about that. Remember I am trying to keep a low profile.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQhQ6Anmw4
“Keeping a low profile doesn’t mean you have to be boring, Zeni.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNfhjqhsCD
“You are crazy, Gracine. Crazier than I remember.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTlbOtHrJd
“Girl, I know. But, I couldn’t let him touch on me. I ain’t like that.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGL4Gc0nuj
Zeniqua smiles. They pay for their things and move to the next store, J. Crew. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7bDwhZXCk
Zeniqua is feeling as though she is in heaven with all the shopping they are doing. Zeniqua was barely let out of the house, only to go to school when her father found out she’d been talking to a few boys. What was she supposed to do? There were boys everywhere. In her classes, up the street, down the street, around the corners. But told Zeniqua that any one of them could be his rivals’ sons and he couldn’t take the chance of her getting hurt because of them. She wasn’t sure if that were true but she understood what her crazed father was saying.
“Come on, Zeni. Pick out some clothes. I got money for days.” Gracine secretly reaches into her purse, Zeniqua peeks and sees a wad of 100 dollar bills. Her hues widen and she stands up. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDyW0Vs7OV
“Alright then.” She and Gracine begin to go through shorts, shirts, dresses, skirts, and shoes until their arms were full. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqhHdanOAq
Walking out with bags, they make their way to the food court and plop down with an exhausted sigh. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPpCAN9wXP
“This day is so awesome,” Zeniqua smiles. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSR0VULb9sh
“Girl, we are just getting started.” Gracine picks through her bags to observe all she has. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYESiRSrrG
“How did you get all that money?” Zeniqua whispers. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWtRJJrVTa
Gracine scoots over to Zeniqua and whispers, “I sell a little stuff on the side.” She nods.
“Stuff like what?” She tilts her head. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pcpl1QYA2
“Loud, bars, molly, X, and PCP. Sometimes PCP. But, I make a killing with just those.” 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDG5l1hXt9
“So, you're a drug deale-,” 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡac2xvAFYnH
“Correction. Drug rehab. It sounds more sophisticated.” She scoots to her side of the booth.470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08clDn4qRC
“Drug rehab.”470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrow2p2hxw
She nods, “I can get you in. If you want, but then you really have to keep a low profile. Because you can't go announcing that you have drugs. That's how you get robbed.” She schools Zeniqua.470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqYMe94pW1
“Who do you sell to?” Zeniqua finds herself fascinated with with the life her deceased mother first lived before she met her dreadful father. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtgiT5vOH2
“Anyone who wants some and can pay. If they can't pay, they don't get anything. And I make that real clear.” The sneer on her face sent a cold chill down Zeniqua’s spine. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIubZLfd5W
“Oh,” Zeniqua sits up straight. “I mean if it's not too much trouble. “ 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeU0ZuhTGqJ
“Great. I will talk to Avery about it tomorrow. In the meantime, we should shop more and get food.” 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86h9pn13Yq
After a long day of shopping, Zeniqua was happy to be in the room her aunt made up for her. Just as she got a shower and is about to snuggle down in her bed, she hears a commotion at the front door. Hey room door is closed. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK6plZe1Dm
“I know she is here, Taiquana.” The male voice booms. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiGNpNf2ur
“She is not here, Caleb. Now get outta here!” She hears her auntie yelling. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCBNJ6JkjX
Zeniqua silently gets out of her bed and creeps to her door. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgc4o2n2cZ
“She is here! This is the only place she would go.” the voice is her father's. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMsYDxrE9Z
Hey heart drops to her stomach and her breath catches in her throat. How'd he find me? She steps back from the door at the slight jingle. “Zeniqua! Get your ass out here. “ 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHYGvEaqna
No, no. I can't go back. He'll kill me for sure. Zeniqua opens her window and climbs out. She shivers at the cold sensation under her feet. Wet grass. Shit.
The door violently swings open and Zeniqua once again takes off running into the dead of night. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqVYcKy3LJ
“I told you, she wasn't here.” Taiquana smirks. 470Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8H2mr7Ek4
