Rayquan was getting on my last damn nerves. The smell of loud suffocated me as I woke up out of my sleep. This nigga and his friends are hotboxing AGAIN? I thought to myself, snatching the covers off my bare legs and making my way to the bathroom.

"Aye, y'all niggas gotta go." I say with attitude, pushing the bathroom door open, finding Rayquan, Carl, and Derrick in the bathroom puffing away.

"Yo ass always tripping. This my house and my niggas staying right here!" Rayquan barks at me. "And why the hell you coming out here in ya' panties like this?! Take yo stupid ass back to bed."

I slam the door closed behind me, rushing back to the bedroom, annoyed. If I had enough money, I'd leave this nigga TODAY. But I was broke as hell with barely a job.

Plopping down onto the bed, I yank my phone off the charger and check my messages. It was Laura, my best friend, who was the only person who had texted me.

Laura: Hey girl, wanna hit up the mall today?

I rolled my eyes. Not that Laura was annoying or anything, I just didn't have any money. Our shopping trips went a little something like her rushing into the designer department stores, swiping her moms credit card on anything she wanted. Meanwhile, I'm shoving uncensored bras, panties, and socks in my clothes and purse while she isn't looking. I'd try to only steal what I absolutely needed but I think we all know how that goes.

Before answering, I quickly got up and headed over to the dingy plastic drawers Rayquan had set aside for the pathetic little pieces of shit clothing I had left my name and huffed.

Indeed, I was in need of some new shit. Some cute, new shit. Summer was a week away and I my bodies curves were craving some nice hoe dresses.

Karma: Yes!!! I'll meet you there in an hour.

After texting Laura my response, I pick out my outfit for the mall. I thrown on fitted skinny jeans that has my booty poking, a white v-neck body suit, and my newly boosted Tory Burch sandals. I slick my hair back into a low bun with a middle part. I set up my Burberry tote bag with cardboard and foil before heading out.

When I meet up with Laura, she's wearing a yellow sundress and a big beach hat.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," I squeak, running over to her. "I knowwwwww, you've got to come to my house this weekend for my family's barbecue. Mom always asks about you." Laura tells me, locking our hands together as we begin our stroll through the mall.

"That stupid diner keeps me busy right along with dealing with Rayquan." I confess to Laura, who looks at me and frowns.

"Girl, I just don't know how you do it. You should've never gave that clown your number at the party. Now, look at you." Laura shakes her head.

They say you shouldn't rush things with people but I'm the total opposite. Coming from a background like mine, the fast life and taking up every opportunity was all I knew.

When I met Rayquan at a party a few months back, he was 25 and was all about the streets, but everything about him was sexy. His country accent, the muscles that developed from him being in jail, and the tattoos that covered his toned chest.

Rayquan was selling drugs, toting guns, and he drove a 2017 BMW 6 Series; or so I thought. We dated for a week and next thing I know, I'm done sleeping at the YMCA and sleeping with him every night.

But two months ago, he got busted for the eighth time and put it all to rest. He stopped paying for everything extra, leaving me with nothing but a roof over my head and occasionally he'd pay for my hair or nails. He even gained a bunch of weight.

I can't leave. I really wanted to say that out loud but I knew Laura would never understand. She was rich and I was poor. Even working over forty hours a week at a diner did nothing for me, especially since I vowed to never spend a penny of my paychecks. This was in attempt to save for my first apartment.

While Laura kept the sales people on their toes with helping her, I swiped clothes left and right until my back was stuffed and I was leaving the mall walking funny from everything I had shoved in my clothes.

Back home, I found Rayquan knocked out sleep on the bed in nothing but boxers and a wife beater. Such a bum. I can't believe he was the first guy I gave my pussy to.

I quietly dumped out the juicy designer shit I'd gotten from the mall and hid it in a black garbage bag and pushed it to the back of the closet, admiring the other three I had in there with it.

My phone vibrated from my back pocket. It was Laura again.

Laura: don't forget the barbecue this weekend at my house.

I smiled. Laura was a breath of fresh air. Even though her life reminded me of what I didn't have, it also reminded me of what I wanted to have. And I was going to get it by any means necessary.

I just had to move past Rayquans loser ass first.