shampoo bottle as a microphone, I broke it down. The girl spoke to my soul. I danced around, singing as loud as I could while I washed my hair and body.
“I bought a crib just for the closet.”
By the time Ariana and I were wrapping up our number one hit, my shower was over.
“That’s right, girl, one day I’m going to want it and get it too,” I laughed, drying myself off. Thinking about how much money I’d be making once I was a registered nurse.
I went about my normal morning routine, deciding to dress in some skinny jeans with holes in them and a white cotton t-shirt I tucked into the side of my pants. Giving me that comfortable put together look I always wore. I’d be hanging with Little Miss most of the day, so being comfy was key.
I left my hair to dry naturally curly and just sprayed some product in it to control the frizz, or else I’d end up looking like a French poodle.
There wasn’t much I did to my face, except add a little concealer under my eyes and some mascara to my lashes to appear more awake. At the last minute I decided to apply a bit of blush and gloss on my lips, and I was out the door with a bagel in one hand and a coffee in the other.
Making sure to grab an extra bagel for Little Man who I knew would be waiting outside his door for his breakfast. We’d made it a habit of walking to the bus stop together, his for school and mine for wherever I was headed that day. Public transportation was a way of life for me. I didn’t own a car, I couldn’t afford one.
Today, it was the Pierces.
My first day of working for them.
“Hey, baby,” Curtis greeted, leaning against his door with his arms folded over his chest. The same shit-eating smirk appearing on his face.
I rolled my eyes, ignoring him. “Curtis, did you study for your math test?”
“Ugh, why you always gotta start the mornins’ off with askin’ me ’bout school?”
“Because someone has to,” I reminded, handing him his bagel.
“Did you use the cream cheese I like?”
I arched an eyebrow, waiting.
“I mean, thank you.”
“Yes. I used the cream cheese you like.” Nodding to the stairs in front of us, I ruffled his dreads. “Come on or you’re going to be late.”
“Camila, I don’t wanna go to school,” he whined as we made our way down the stairs.
This was the biggest problem in our neighborhood. Parents making babies when they had no right to. They could barely take care of themselves, let alone the kids they were popping out left and right. Not giving them any encouragement to want to do something better with their lives.
“Then who’s going to take care of me when I’m old if you don’t get an education?”
“There are other ways of makin’ money other than school, Camila.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah. Andre says I could join his crew—”
“Curtis! How many times have I told you to stay away from Andre? You know he’s up to no good. You want to end up in juvie like he has dozens of times?”
He bowed his head. “No, ma’am.”
“Oh, now I’m ‘ma’am’?”
“I don’t like it when my girl’s mad at me.”
“Curtis, I’m not your girl.”
“Right.” Thinking about it for a second, he looked up at me with a toothy grin. Adamantly responding, “You’re my woman.”
Trying to hide back a laugh, I choked on my coffee instead.
This kid…
“I’ll tell you what … you go to school all week without complaining about it, and I’ll take you out for your favorite ice cream this weekend.”
If there was one thing I learned about kids throughout the years, it was if all else failed…
Bribe them.
“Throw in a cream soda and a cookie, and you got yourself a deal,” he negotiated, stopping in front of his school bus.
“Alright, Little Man, you drive a hard bargain, but you got yourself a deal.” I extended out my fist. “Knuckles.”
“Knuckles,” he repeated, bumping his fist into mine.
“Be good in school, okay? And really try on your math test, don’t just fill in the questions with random answers.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He smiled, stepping onto the bus.
I waited until his bus driver drove away before walking a couple streets over to my stop. I needed to make sure he didn’t play hooky once he couldn’t see me anymore.
“Hey, Camila,” Deborah, the driver announced as I stepped on. “Start that new job today?”