Chapter 6
NEW BEGINNINGS WITH MY FRIEND
Pretti walked through the motel’s parking lot with a huge smile on her face.
She couldn’t believe she landed a job as a barber at the local barbershop.
They doubted her at first because she was a young woman still in cosmetology school.
Once she showed the owner her work, he agreed to hire her, but she had to stay in school and show proof as soon as she was done.
She and Dexz received their high school diplomas a week before their birthday. Now all she needed was her cosmetology license. They skipped graduation and prom because they had too much going on to do what all the seniors did. Everything was about survival, so they put all senior activities aside.
She ran up the stairs and raced to the room Dexz rented out the night before with his girlfriend.
She didn’t care if they were still asleep; she had good news.
She knocked, and within a couple of minutes, he opened the door.
She laid eyes on his bare, tattooed chest and abs.
Dexz was chocolate and looked good enough to eat as he stood in front of her in his gray sweatpants.
She could see his slight erection, and it had her curious.
She was still a virgin, but she knew she always wanted to know what her best friend felt like inside of her.
“What’s up, Pretti? Why you bangin’ on my door so early?” he asked groggily.
“I got a job down at the barbershop! Can you believe they hired me, and I’ma girl? I’ll be the only female barber working in there too!” She laughed.
“That’s what’s up, ma. I was asleep, but I’m kind of glad you woke me up. I want to show you something, so meet me in the parking lot in ten minutes.”
Pretti went to her room, changed out of her heels, and slid on a fresh pair of Nikes Dexz got her a few days before their birthday.
After touching up her curly ponytail and using the restroom, she went and met Dexz out in the parking lot.
As she was walking, she saw him standing in front of a blacked-out Track Hawk Jeep.
It was brand new and sitting on black rims. She smiled and quickly walked over to him.
“Bestie! Whose car you done stole, boy? Do you even have a license?” she asked excitedly.
“Yup, I got my license in our PO Box a few days ago, and I just copped this yesterday. It’s legit too; everything is in my name.”
Pretti nodded her head. “That’s what's up.”
“Let’s go for a ride and get some food.”
Dexz pulled out of the parking lot, blasting his brand-new sound system.
It was raining, so he had the windows up, and the heater kept them warm.
He got on the freeway and headed towards the Hollywood area.
Pretti thought the car was the surprise, but that was only half.
He exited the freeway and headed up Sunset Boulevard.
They ended up in front of a brownstone apartment building.
It was made of brick and looked kind of old. He killed his engine.
“Get out, we’re going inside.”
Pretti grabbed her purse and got out. She looked up at the building and assumed they were just visiting someone.
When they walked in, the lobby looked nothing like the outside.
A brick wall looked like the outside, but the lobby’s décor was modern: freshly painted white walls, plants in each corner, and brand-new mailboxes.
Dexz walked them over to the elevators and pressed the up button.
As they waited, Pretti finally asked where they were.
“I’ll tell you when we get upstairs.”
When they reached the door, he pulled out a key ring with two keys. She felt butterflies as he unlocked the door. She knew what was going on, and it made her excited.
“This is our spot, ma. It’s a two-bedroom, two-bathroom brownstone loft. I picked this style because a nigga is homesick for New York. This is how most of our homes look, but this is modern.”
They walked in, and he closed the door.
“Wow, Dexz, really?” She was speechless as they walked into the huge living room.
“Yes, really. I probably won’t be here like that during the day or have niggas slide through, so you can decorate how you want.
You got your own room and bathroom inside.
It’s already equipped with a stack washer/dryer, fridge, and stove.
” He walked her over to the kitchen. It was small, but nice, and everything was new stainless steel.
They walked around the house checking out everything.
He took the front room so he could be closer to the door just in case someone ever tried to break in, and Pretti took the back room with the balcony.
Both rooms had connected bathrooms, and a spare restroom sat near the living room.
Pretti couldn’t wait to move in, although her job was now further away.
He promised to take her back and forth to work since he'd be in the area every day.
“Thank you for everything, and you are a true friend. Every time I think I need to find me some new people to be around, I realize I have you.” She hugged him, and he hugged her back. He really liked their friendship. Pretti was the realist person on his team, and she felt the same way.
“I feel the same way…” he responded calmly.
Within a week, they moved into their new apartment. He gave her enough money to deck out their whole apartment, and she had it furnished completely in a month. She ordered beds, couches, tables, and everything else to plush out their place.
Once she decked the house out, she noticed Kayla was around more than Dexz.
She was living there while her man was running the streets, and Pretti was at work and school.
She wasn’t feeling it, but she let it ride for the sake of Dexz.
Pretti figured he trusted her if he left her around all their stuff, but she kept a lock on her room once she saw how much time she spent there alone.
She noticed how Kayla didn’t say much to her and gave her dirty looks when they crossed paths.
She also noticed she only gave her dirty looks when Dexz was around.
She knew those dirty looks would eventually turn into more, and she was prepared for what Kayla threw at her…
$$$$$
Pretti was in her kitchen, preparing to cook dinner for herself.
Dexz had been gone, and Kayla was around, but she only cooked for herself.
As she cut onions, Kayla walked into the kitchen and stood next to her, watching her work.
Pretti knew she was standing there, but she figured she could start the conversation since Kayla approached her.
“Why you be actin’ like you haven’t noticed I’ve been staying here for the last two weeks?” Kayla asked with an attitude.
“Because last I checked, this was my house, and you are Dexten’s girl. Why should I care if you’ve been here or not?”
“You love him, don’t you?” Kayla smirked cockily.
Kayla had been there for a couple of weeks, and she watched their every move.
She watched how they interacted and always noticed how Pretti beamed when Dexz came home.
Whenever he came around, he would go into Pretti’s room and close the door behind him.
Kayla always wondered if Pretti was really a virgin.
She wondered what they would be talking about or doing because Dexz wouldn’t say anything when he came out of her room.
Their bond irritated Kayla, and she didn’t understand why everything had to be so private and separate.
Pretti dropped her knife and faced Kayla. “Of course, I love him. He’s my friend and has been here for me for years. So yes, I do.”
“Don’t play stupid with me, little girl.
I know you crushin’ on my man, so whatever games y’all playin’, y’all need to let it go because he’s mine.
I’ve been with him since he was fifteen years old, and I’ve done everything for him.
He’s not going anywhere because I take care of him like his mother used to do. ” She crossed her arms.
Pretti laughed. “Really? Well, that’s good for you that you were fucking on a minor and washing his dirty drawers.
I’ve been his friend for just the same amount of time as you’ve been with him…
He was fifteen, right? Dexz doesn’t want to be with me anyway, and I know that for a fact.
But trust me, if he wanted to be with me right now, you definitely wouldn’t have to be stepping to me to find out. ” Pretti smirked.
“So, what you tryna say, lil girl? You saying my nigga gon’ leave me for you? I highly doubt that. You’re a fucking virgin, and Dexten loves sex. You don’t have anything to offer him.”
“Yeah, keep dreaming, old lady. I advise you to go back into your nigga’s room and wait on him. Whatever animosity you got about our relationship as homies, you take it up with him.” She picked up her knife and continued chopping her onions.
“Whatever. You cute, but you ain’t slick. Stop actin’ like my nigga ain’t got a girl.”
“Bye, Kayla.” Pretti dismissed her. She was making her angry, and she couldn’t wait to tell Dexten about his girlfriend. She was out of line, and she wanted her checked.
Kayla walked off and went to Dexten’s room.
$$$$$
Later that night, Dexten crept in around midnight.
The house was dark, but he saw that Pretti’s room door was cracked, and her TV was glowing.
The door to his room was closed, so he passed it up.
He knocked once, then pushed it open. He saw Pretti snuggled in her huge white comforter.
She was wide awake, flipping through her Firestick for an independent movie.
“Hey. I thought you probably wouldn’t be home until tomorrow. I made pork chops and fried rice. It’s some left in the fridge.” She sat up in bed.
He slid out his Nikes and lay across her comfortable bed. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a knot of cash.
“Here goes the money to pay the rent and bills. I threw in a little extra for you too.” He tossed it on the bed.
“Thank you. I don’t work tomorrow, so I’ll run errands.”
“What’s been going on around here? I’m sorry I had to have you take an Uber today. You know I be busy.” He pulled his blunt from his ear, and she passed him a lighter.
“It’s okay… Now that you’ve shown me how to shoot a gun, you need to teach me to drive.”
“I got you.”
“Ya girl stepped to me in the kitchen earlier. She thinks we’re fucking around.” She smirked.
“Oh, word?” He took a long pull from his blunt.
“Yup. I told her to take her insecurities up with you, but you need to check her. Kayla approaching me in my own home is unacceptable. I know she suckin’ your dick, but she ain’t payin’ no bills.” She rolled her eyes.
He chuckled. “You want her to leave?”
“She ain’t gotta leave. She just needs to stay out my way.” Pretti took the blunt from Dexz’s lips and hit it.
“Say less…”
After that night, Kayla never stepped to Pretti again. She even started coming over less and only being around when Dexz was there. She didn’t care if Kayla was mad as long as she wasn’t stepping to her about her relationship with Dexz.
As time passed, Pretti had no more feelings for Dexz. She was too focused on getting money and continuing to live as a single young woman.