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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLl1njZshM
“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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oUVlM5NGe
“No. I am sorry, I was in deep thought.” She apologizes. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui7rpZ0Gyb
“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?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBduVEStp2
“I am not hungry so I guess we could shop first.” 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz1fmyXfoK
“Great.” Gracine takes Zeniqua by her hand and they enter Charlotte Russe first.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn1NyqhzF6
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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaBjnrimdE
“What are you grounded for, Gacine?” She has never really known Gracine to get into any trouble when they were little.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0szeNdViJ6
“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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhGNRHMvSR
Zeniqua’s mouth falls open and she stops looking through the jeans. “Are you serious?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbs24Bd4oQ
“As a heart attack, girl. They searched everywhere for my silly ass.” She purses her lips together. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP6f1CX3My
“Where were you?” She starts back looking through the jeans and pulls three pairs out and put them across her arm. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVobIQa7ZjQ
“I was next door.” She burst out laughing. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWexACMm1v
Zeniqua snickers, “A party at the next door neighbor’s house?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWWx8R6fEk
“This boy that I had a major crush on was there and I figured it was my chance to tell him I liked him.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnzFhrTvs1
“Did you?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiztkWBr3bU
“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’.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnraLe9eKys
Zeniqua laughs, “there is a drink called that?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkDRQtKEtF
“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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYcyCp7NkP
“I don’t know about that. Remember I am trying to keep a low profile.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfRMzYZizl
“Keeping a low profile doesn’t mean you have to be boring, Zeni.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQG0D0w1QH
“You are crazy, Gracine. Crazier than I remember.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfajYyGO32t
“Girl, I know. But, I couldn’t let him touch on me. I ain’t like that.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhrjABtqvF
Zeniqua smiles. They pay for their things and move to the next store, J. Crew. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVgqhMbmcc
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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5Lc4BHTjE
“Alright then.” She and Gracine begin to go through shorts, shirts, dresses, skirts, and shoes until their arms were full. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xfZVOtNfp
Walking out with bags, they make their way to the food court and plop down with an exhausted sigh. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUwYDirJC0
“This day is so awesome,” Zeniqua smiles. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1jUeaI8dS
“Girl, we are just getting started.” Gracine picks through her bags to observe all she has. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADaWc3tNud
“How did you get all that money?” Zeniqua whispers. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdsVDA6oqo
Gracine scoots over to Zeniqua and whispers, “I sell a little stuff on the side.” She nods.
“Stuff like what?” She tilts her head. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfV7K8tBVS
“Loud, bars, molly, X, and PCP. Sometimes PCP. But, I make a killing with just those.” 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS728HLjvHi
“So, you're a drug deale-,” 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcx3LbN8Zo1
“Correction. Drug rehab. It sounds more sophisticated.” She scoots to her side of the booth.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcy128srn6H
“Drug rehab.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzFflg1SzO
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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkUtvmyZKd
“Who do you sell to?” Zeniqua finds herself fascinated with with the life her deceased mother first lived before she met her dreadful father. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvbTP1RYOY
“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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5CXNErRIr
“Oh,” Zeniqua sits up straight. “I mean if it's not too much trouble. “ 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKBGzE5pTI
“Great. I will talk to Avery about it tomorrow. In the meantime, we should shop more and get food.” 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQKINuw8iE
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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmvEK9rd32
“I know she is here, Taiquana.” The male voice booms. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMx1HWja2oN
“She is not here, Caleb. Now get outta here!” She hears her auntie yelling. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCiarMqGrv
Zeniqua silently gets out of her bed and creeps to her door. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8D84DQjQSG
“She is here! This is the only place she would go.” the voice is her father's. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDOyn556G7
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. “ 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0my47IRv8
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. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbK9Sz7M2y
“I told you, she wasn't here.” Taiquana smirks. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWA1XqrxjvI
