"Q, can I talk to you?" Ximora spoke as she walked to the parking lot.

He nodded and stepped to the side with her "Umm I wanna sell" she mumbled.

He looked at her and started laughing "Nahhh"

"Q.. I really need the money" she told him.

"You serious? You like a good kid" he said causing her to nod.

He thought about it then nodded "Ight you gotta be on the block tonight to talk to my boss"

"What time?" She asked as he started walking away.

"Tonight"

Q was just someone she grew up with, and she knew he'd been in the streets so he was the first person she had to talk to.

She rolled her eyes and walked over to Brooklyn's car.

____________

"Ximora no, you're smart as hell you've got full ride scholarships" Brooklyn frowned.

Ximora shook her head "I have to. So will you watch KJ and take me tonight?"

Brooklyn sighed "I guessss. "

The two sat in Brooklyn's room as she looked for an apartment.

"You know my mama would definitely offer if we had space" Brooklyn said.

Ximora nodded understanding Brooklyn's own living situation.

"Okay this one is $750 and they'll take my voucher" Ximora said.

Brooklyn looked at it and nodded "It's closer to the school too"

Soon, it was 10:15 and time for Ximora to go.

"Mmm you sure?" Brooklyn asked as they pulled up. Ximora nodded seeing Q sitting on a porch.

"Ight text me when you ready" she said as Ximora got out the car.

"You late, come on" she followed him further down the street where crackheads roamed.

She stood next to him as he made transactions until a red car drove towards them, it's lights were shining in her face the whole time.

"That's him, lemme talk to him" Q told her, she nodded and leaned against a wall as she waited.

Before she could react she was being dragged to the car.

"Fuck is you doing?" Draco questioned mugging the side of her face since she refused to look at him.

"Don't worry about it" she said.

He scrunched up his face "Nah, I'm taking you home"

She stopped him "If you won't let me... I'll go to someone else"

Ximora watched as his hand twitched then his jaw clenched.

"Where KJ?" He asked starting the car.

"With my friend.." she mumbled.

He nodded "Gimme her address we going to get her"

"No, let me out." She huffed.

"Ximora don't play wimme" he said.

"Nigga no let me out" Ximora said.

He took a breath then pulled off.

"Draco.." she let out.

He pulled over and tossed a bag in her lap "You need to have 650 when I come back and I'm taking 20 percent"

She just looked at him. "Ain this what you wanted to do?"

"Yes.." she answered.

"Ight get out then, I got other things to handle" he told her.

Once she got out his car, he sped off.

An hour had passed, and she had already made more than half of what she needed.

"Wassup shawt" someone called causing her to look up and nod.

"Hello" she answered stiffly.

"What you acting all stuck up for? Witcho sexy ass" The man smirked making Ximora feel even more uncomfortable.

Before she could respond he had her pinned to the wall.

"Who you work for?" He asked.

"No habla ingles" she replied.

He chuckled and put a gun to her temple.

"Who you working for?" He repeated.

She knew it was stupid, but she stayed silent, causing him to pistol whip her.

He lifted his hand to hit her again but was stopped midair when a shot rang out.

"Go get in the car" Draco said as she stared at the body on the ground.

She stood there frozen until he spoke again "Ximora go to the car!"

_____________

"Imma go get her" he said pulling up to Brooklyn's house.

Soon he came down the driveway with a sleeping KJ in his arms and strapped her into the backseat

"Lemme see" he said turning her face to look at her bruised eye.

He shook his head and pulled off into the street.

Ximora's heart sunk seeing her and KJ's things outside as they pulled up to her apartment.

"Mr. Fredericks" she called hopping out the car.

The landlord turned to her and shook his head.

"I told you I just needed a few more days and you said that was fine" she said.

"Ximora I'm sorry but I have someone moving in tomorrow, they already paid" he told her.

She huffed then snatched the little bit of things they had, off the ground.

"Mora get in the car, I got it" Draco said.

Embarrassed that he saw everything, she got in the car and faced the window.

Once he got in the car they started driving until he pulled up to an upscale apartment complex.

"Come" he said grabbing their stuff, she got KJ and quickly followed behind him.

"This only a two bedroom, y'all don't mind sharing a room together?" He asked setting their stuff down as Ximora laid KJ down.

Ximora quickly shook her head "No, thank you so much. I've been looking at apartments so we should be out soon"

"Y'all straight" he told her.

"Ion want you out on the streets" he said going into his freezer for an ice pack.

"I'm just trying to make money" she explained.

He nodded "Why you ain just tell me?"

"Draco I appreciate everything but we just met you, I cannot depend on you" she said.

"I understand that, but I wanna help" he got back up and pulled a duffel bag out.

He placed the bag and a money counter in front of her.

"Count this for me" he told her, she nodded and started working.

__________

An hour passed and she had counted $5,000.

"Ight now you gotta log allat, then this is yours. You get 10-15 percent" he said handing her $500.