😗sorry for any mistakes

Friday

"Ray pleaseee, I'on have 1st lunch" Maddison whined as she and Sarai packed up their things because the end of the day announcements was on.

"I can but how Ima get it to you? You have 3rd lunch, and I will be in class by then" Sarai chuckled, organizing her colored pencils. She internally cringed when her black colored pencil was beside her yellow colored pencil. She hated when her things were the right way or organized the way she liked them to be.

Maddison groaned, "I'm fed up! I be so hungry"

Sarai did feel bad for other people that didn't have their first lunch because they missed out. It was first come, first served. She wasn't allowed to hold plates for people in other lunches because it caused conflict.

But some kids did skip class to come to her lunch but that was on them and not her.

"Just come to the cafeteria when we transition to the next period. If your class is close" Sarai shrugged, making sure all her supplies were neat before putting them in her book bag, in order.

"Why you playin', my class on the one thousand hallway so I have to pass the cafeteria anyways" Maddison smirked, still back down in her seat. "What days do you do it?" Maddison asked, looking down at her phone.

"Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Only if I come to school tho" Sarai replied as she texted Rell back about where they were going after school. She had to pick up her brother from campus kids at his school and they usually go get something to eat afterward.

"Bet. Come next week, I want my plate girl" Maddison smiled, making Sarai laugh.

The dismissal bell rings, making Sarai get up from her seat. She hugged Maddison bye since she had dance practice today. The band wasn't going to the game today for some odd reason. But they all still had to practice instead.

She followed behind the people walking out the door after telling her teacher bye with a smile.

As she was walking down the hall, trying not to bump into anyone. It was always so crowded or people would just be standing around. This was one of the reasons she hated how populated her school was.

Too many kids for her liking.

In the midst of her walking, her body was almost knocked to the ground but was caught when she felt large and strong hands grab her waist. "Watch where you goin' " The girl that almost knocked her over—Asia, spat.

"You bumped into her. Watch whea' you goin' " Semaj, who had caught her and saw with his own eyes Asia purposefully pushed Sarai over when he was coming down the stairs.

Sarai shook her head, moving Semaj's hands from her waist since he had a tight grip on her. She knew he was about to spazz out on Asia. "She can speak for herself nigga. God gave her a mouth" Asia snapped, only confusing Sarai about why she was being so hostile.

"Bi— Semaj let's go" Sarai mumbled and shook her head. She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the situation before he hurt Asia's feelings or even physically.

"Scary ass bitch" Asia grumbled, walking in the other direction but Sarai just ignored her. She kept walking with Semaj's hand towards the student parking lot.

Sarai knew Asia was all bark and no bite. She's been picking on Sarai since elementary school, it wasn't anything new to her. She was one of those people that didn't like Sarai because she never entertained her foolishness or kissed her ass.

"Hell nah. Khiouri say sumthin'. Don't let her jus' call you out yo' name" Semaj stopped and pulled her back from walking.

Sarai sighed "Semaj it's not that serious. I kno' I'll beat her ass, you know I will too. She jus' want a reaction like always and I'm not about to give it to her" She frowned.

Was Sarai quiet and didn't defend herself verbally, yes but when it came to physically. She knew she would dog-walk Asia and anyone else that touched her. But fighting and arguing were so unnecessary to her and a waste of energy.

She only ever got in a few fights, one of them being Asia back in 6th grade. She tried to spit on Sarai over a pencil that was Sarai's pencil in the first place. Next thing you knew, Sarai was beating Asia ass with a hardback math textbook.

Her parents didn't play that at all and taught her how to fight even her Uncle. Everyone always assumes since she doesn't say much that she can't fight. And they always labeled her as scary because she didn't argue back. She knew nobody was about it because all they did was talk.

Sarai didn't do all that talking that's why it's so easy for her to ignore them. Her mom taught her that fighting was throwing hands, if they are just talking and not throwing hands then they don't want to fight.

They are the scary ones in reality.

Semaj sucked his teeth and began walking again. She sighed, following behind him, trying to catch up because of how fast he was walking.

She grabbed his arm, pulling him to the side in the corner where nobody was. "What's wrong? You kno' I'on do that arguin' stuff so why are you mad?" She asked while he looked around.

"And I'on like dat shit. You'n let nobody call you out yo' name Sarai" He shook his head. "Okay but she all bark, she ain' about none of the stuff she talks. You kno' that." She reasoned with him only for him to roll his eyes.

"Why are you really mad? Cus me not sayin' nothing isn't the reason" She tilted her head to the side. "She only doin' allat' cause her friend mad I'on want her '' He grumbled, and snatched away from her hold.

Sarai shook her head. She didn't understand why she was being picked on over a boy when she didn't do anything. Liberty would always point and whisper with her friends when she saw Sarai.

It was so weird.

"What else are you mad about?" She mumbled. He looked down at her after avoiding looking at her like he's been doing since Monday when the boys found out about her thinking of UCLA.

JB and Rell apologized for how they reacted and explained how they were just upset and hurt. One they thought she had been planning on leaving and not telling them. Which wasn't true and she explained that to him.

They understood now and were going to be supportive of whatever decision she makes.

Now Semaj... It was like a distance between the two now. He still talked to her, but they both could tell it was a change in their friendship. Sarai knew he wanted to speak about how he felt but just chose not to.

"Nothin'. Let's go, they waitin' on us" He mumbled, walking past her.

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"BITCH MOVE! Yall ass stay cheatin' on my mama" One of the boys on the basketball court complained. Sarai watched Semaj and a few of his teammates argue before they started running up and down the court again.

Sarai sat at the bottom of the bleachers, chuckling at them. She thought it was funny how aggressive they were being. She knew they couldn't wait for basketball season to start in November.

"Angel, gimme $5" Ka'jai demanded, coming back from the park he was playing at with a few of his friends.

Sarai scrunched up her face and looked around to see who he was talking to. Ka'jai sighed, throwing his head back in frustration "Can I have $5?" He questioned.

She rolled her eyes, going into the wristlet that she had. "For what tho?" She asked, pulling out folded up the money she had. She barely likes carrying cash but her dad always told her to carry $40 in cash.

"The icey lady here. You want one?" He asked, taking the money when she handed it to her. "No, but you think she has snacks?" She asked. The icey lady was the woman who lived in the neighborhood of the park. She always came down and sold different types of Italian ice.

Sometimes she had chips and drinks too but it really depended on what day you caught her on.

Ka'jai shrugged, not really knowing the answer to that. She went inside her wallet, giving him a 20-dollar bill and taking her 5-dollar bill back. "If she has snacks, get me some hot fires and three Powerade for me, Maj and Rell please," She said.

"I want my change back too" She added. Ka'jai blankly looked at her "No" He replied before walking away. She swore that Ka'jai didn't like her. He was always so mean to her.

"Okay Veah, what you want me ta' do man?" Sarai looked over seeing Kentrell still fussing on the phone but now coming back to the bleachers. She shook her head, she would have hung up the phone because it was so pointless in her opinion.

"Aight, fuck off my phone den" Rell snapped, sitting next to Sarai. Sarai's eyes widened and she looked at Rell like he was crazy. He never talked to Neveah like that so she was shocked.

His light tone skin had turned red now, his leg bounced up and down. "This shit is so stupid" He grumbled, powering his phone off. "What happened now?" Sarai asked since he's been telling her about their argument since yesterday.

To her, they were in the argument stage of their relationship, something they never had.

"I swear she jus' pickin' a fight to pick a fight. I'on if she wants ta' break up' cause that's what it sounds like" He shook his head, his leg still bouncing up and down rapidly as he tried to calm himself down.

"What is she sayin'?"

"How I don't make time for her and shit and how when we are on the phone I'm on the game or smokin'. But I mean shit, sometimes I jus' wanna vibe and sit in silence. I be tired from work, I barely get time off and shit now." He vented.

Rell worked at the FedEx warehouse, he did as many hours as he could while trying to juggle in senior year and taking care of his sick grandmother. She understood him being tired and stressed but she also understood where Neveah was coming from too.

"She jus' misses you maybe Rell. She just wants a little attention, I understand you are tired and stuff but with a long distance, you jus' have to tell her. You have to communicate that and if you feel like you can't fit her into your busy life then maybe y'all should break up. Just try again when we go to college since she's going to NCAT" She advised.

Sarai wasn't the best at giving relationship advice but the only option she could think of was them calling quits for now. The whole arguing over him not making time for her and neither one of them doing anything to create a solution was honestly draining.

"That's jus' my opinion, don't listen to me. Do what you feel is right for y'all relationship because it's only y'all two in the relationship." She added, not wanting to be the blame for anything that goes wrong.

"Ima go call her back" He mumbled, standing up from his spot. She nodded then looked over to her left seeing Ka'jai and a darkskin girl maybe his age, with her natural hair in a slick back bun. Sarai looked at her in awe at how beautiful she was, she had big almond eyes and thick full lips.

"She didn't have the yellow Powerade so I got pink" Ka'jai spoke once making it over to his sister. "Thank you boogie. You can keep the change, I was jus' playin' " She chuckled when he tried to hand her the 10-dollar bill.

"Thank you" He smiled, putting the money in his pocket. "This is my best friend Baylee. Remember I called her off your Ipad when mine was broken?" He questioned, digging his hands into her hot fries bag.

She mugged him and rolled her eyes at him not asking "No I don't remember but you are so beautiful. I'm Sarai" She smiled at Baylee who shyly waved at her. She reminded Sarai of her younger self and how shy she was and rocked side to side with her hands behind her back.

"Thank you" She mumbled.

"She is shy." Ka'jai shrugged. "What time are we leaving?" He asked, sharing his Italian ice with Baylee.

"In a little while." She replied, opening her Powerade. He nodded before him and Baylee ran out towards the playground.

"Nigga I said time out! Shit, lemme catch my breath of sumthin'! " Semaj fussed, making his way over to where Sarai was sitting. "Dumbasses get on my nerves" He grumbled, reaching over Sarai to grab his hand towel.

Not even seeing Sarai physically stuck staring at him. The sweat dripped all down his body and muscles. The sun was beaming right down on him, making his dark soft skin glow more than before. He didn't have on his durag so his deep waves that he works to perfection were out.

"Fuck you starin' at weirdo" He spoke, mugging her.

She broke out her trace and frowned at what he just called her. "W-why would you call me that?" She asked, feeling triggered. She used to get bullied with that word all the time growing up.

He knew that.

He chuckled, leaning down to grab his phone "It was jus' a joke Sarai. Don't do too much" He shook his head.

"But you—Never mind" She tried to shake off the feeling of tears burning her eyes. "I got you this Powerade and the other one is for Rell. Me and Boogie are about to leave" She handed him the two blue Powerade.

"Sarai it was jus' a joke. Stop bein' so sensitive and toughen up" He groaned in frustration.

Sarai looked down at the ground. She was very sensitive, everyone that knew her knows that. That's who Sarai is. People talked about her for being sensitive but she never thought she would hear him talk about her since how gentle he always is with her.

Sarai stood up, wiping the tears that slipped "And you needa stop bein' such a butthole. If you're still mad, say that but don't say hurt stuff you kno' will get to me because of it." She pushed him and grabbed her thing.

"Sa— Fuck you Semaj." She pushed him again when he tried to stop her from leaving.

She knew Rell could ride home with him so she wasn't worried about that as she made her way to the playground to get Ka'jai.

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Saturday

"W-wait. We got the job?" Sarai accidentally cut Ariyah off from speaking as she was showing her and Carmen how to work the register.

Ariyah softly laughed "Yeah. Girl, this interview would've been over if y'all hadn't. Y'all two are the only ones comin' in here to not act a plum fool" She chuckled, continuing to show them how to clock in.

Carmen and Sarai both silently squealed in excitement. They didn't think they would get the job because Ariyah said she wasn't hiring people that could only work until August. To know they both got the same job and that pays $20 an hour.

They were excited.

Sarai quit working at Walmart maybe a week ago because of the new management. He wasn't as understanding when it came to her anxiety and tried to force Sarai into situations that caused her to have an Anxiety attack. Carmen quit yesterday after her shift because they started to cut her hours.

They were glad they had a backup job. A better job that gave great benefits, paid better, and somewhere they hang out a lot.

"Umm y'all start on Tuesday since me and my assistant will both be here. I'll also get y'all the clock-in codes. Your first week will be training and you do get paid for that. Y'all already kno' we're closed every Sunday and Monday" Ari spoke, looking down at a sheet of paper.

"Do y'all kno' how to cook or bake?" She looked up, looking between the two. Carmen twisted her lips to the side "I microwave everything" She said.

Ari started laughing "Cool, stay away from my oven miss girl" She joked making them laugh.

"I kno' how to cook, but I haven't mastered my desert skills" Sarai light shrugged.

Ari smiled "I can help you if you want. Maybe teach you a few skills of mine" She said. Sarai smiled and nodded "Yes, I'll love that" She replied.

"Okay, we can start after your training. I'll be the ones training y'all, I like my business to run a certain way. But I feel like y'all will fit in well with everyone else and Lucky" She smiled, walking towards the back where they just came from.

"Lucky? I didn't kno' you had kids" Carmen said.

"Oh girl no. Me kids? Tuh I'll be damned. Lucky is my son but he's a dog— Kai!" Ari mugged her husband who was sitting in her rolling chair behind her desk.

Sarai and Carmen jumped when they saw him. They thought it was the three of them in the shop. They didn't even hear anybody come in.

Kai looked up from his phone and matched the same mug on his wife's face. "You takin' too long. It doesn't take this long ta' do interviews Amoura" He complained. Ari rolled her eyes, walking inside her office fully and Carmen and Sarai followed behind.

Sarai was still a little scared. He came out of nowhere and she's never seen him in person. Only over Instagram and boy was he fine.

"You don't understand the word divorce?"

"You don't understand the words I'll kill you?"

Carmen lowly laughed at them as she and Sarai sat on the couches they sat on before. Sarai's eyes widened, at his words. He looked like he'll do it too which scared her even more. He was handsome but so scary. She didn't get that vibe off of Instagram.

Ari sucked her teeth "Get out of my seat boy! Acting like you don't have any home training" She playfully rolled her eyes at him. He started smiling "You be takin' too long knowin' I can't breathe without you" He smirked, standing up from the seat.

"Wait, you hired them already? I ain' be ta' be unprofessional like that" He chuckled, leaning back on the bookcase.

"I would have screamed. But yes I did. That's Carmen but she goes by Lee and that's Sarai wit' an I not a Y. She goes by Ray." She smiled.

Kai furrowed his eyebrow "Why you have to tell me that?"

"That's how she introduced herself!" Ari laughed, making his bust out laughing. Sarai shyly put her head down. That is how she always introduces herself, she used to tell people her full name until her parents told her to stop when she got in 3rd grade.

"Damn, ain' no excuse for someone to mess up her name. You needa start doin' that" He teased.

Ari chuckled, playfully rolling her eyes "Shut up boy. Anyways, this is my Husband Makai, but y'all can call him Kai. You might see much of him but not too much" Ari spoke.

Kai mugged her and mushed her head "What if I wanted them to call me Mr.Knight?"

Ari slapped his hand away "Boy you ain' that special! Now bye, I'll see you when I get home" She straight-faced him and pointed to the door.

Kai slowly nodded before leaning down to her ear. Ari's eyes widened and her cheeks started to heat up. Kai kissed her cheek. "I'll see you lata' wifey." He smirked and then left the office.

"Anyways" Ari chuckled, clapping her hands together. "As y'all can see, we do like to have fun around here and play maybe a little too much. But I like it that way, I don't want y'all to feel like you have to walk on eggshells around me. I am your boss but it's okay to have fun too." She explained, Carmen and Sarai nodded understanding.

"Any questions before I let y'all go enjoy the rest of y'all Saturday"

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