chapter 32

Riani Nalani Brown | Riri

"I just don't see how my brother could lie like that to me." I rant to Kam as we were in the air bnb that she rented for the party and was getting ready. Amir and Isaiah were downstairs still getting things set up and thank gosh Kiari knew not to come.

"Well Riani..not all drug dealers are bad and I've told you this before." Kam said.

"It's not even about that. It's just the fact that he knew he almost died from that and the whole time HE was one. Like before and after him getting laced like what the fuck. Have me having this deep hatred for dealers for what at this point. And then on top of that, Kiari lied to me to about it like we're supposed to be friends, THAN kiari and my brother knew each other from drugs. And you know how I know this? My brother told me..not him but my brother." I rolled my eyes.

"You have a point though..like we all knew except you and he didn't tell you was wrong. I didn't tell you because it wasn't my place to but Kiari should have. And he definitely shouldn't have yelled it at you like that." She said making me nod.

"I don't even care anymore. I'm getting drunk tonight and forgetting him." I spray myself with my perfume then looked in the mirror.

I had on an angel costume. It was a white thin strapped mini dress, silver glitter heels, the wings, and the halo on my head.

____

Kiari POV.

I sat outside the party in my car as i debated if I should go in or not.

I wasn't even dressed in a costume for this shit but I was really trying to talk to Riani. Reece said wait but I been waiting for a week now and I got more irritated and irritated each day not seeing her, hearing her, or touching her.

I put my blunt out then opened my car door to go inside.

As I stepped in, I put my black hood over my head than walked further in the house and loud music from bossman was playing as people was dancing on each other drinking and a whole lot of other shit.

I know if I see Riani dancing on anyone it's gone be a real prob-

"Yoo Kiari, where your costume. Walking in here wearing all black like the feds." He shook his head making me look over him and my face twisted.

"Man Isaiah what the fuck are you wearing." I said as he had on some jeans, no shirt, a thin white button up shirt that was unbuttoned and he just had kiss prints of red on his face, down his body and stopped by his jeans.

"You really can't tell what am I?" Isaiah mouth hung open.

"I don't think anyone can." Amari mumbled. I looked at him and he had on all black to and just some devil horns on his head.

"Your half done ass costume, fuck up." Isaiah mugged Amari.

"Y'all seen Riani?" I asked, pouring a shot.

"Yeah we seen ha ass." Isaiah said.

"She was with a nigga tho so..." Amari trailed off and I immediately walked away to find her.

Now she just doing too fucking much.

As I looked around, I finally saw her on a wall as some nigga was wayyy to fucking close to her face with a hand above her.

"Back the hell up." I pulled him back, irritation shown all over my face.

"Kiari what the hell?" She rolled her eyes and tried to walk away but I pulled her ass to.

"I'm tryna talk to you bra."

"And I don't want to talk. You and my brother pissed me off." She yanked her arm from my hold.

"Can you just give me 5 minutes to explain? You're not even trying to hear me out or anything." I looked at her and her hazel eyes looked into mines for a moment before sighing.

"You got 3 minutes Kiari so hurry." She said so i motioned for her to follow me.

We went upstairs where it was less crowded and I opened a few doors before finding an empty one and we walked in.

"I really don't see what's to explain." She mumbled as I shut the door.

I turned and she was standing against the wall like she wanted to be anywhere but here. She looked good though in her costume. A short dress that hugged her curves and she had long extensions in her hair, probably a leave out since the top part looked natural and it was bone straight with the halo sitting perfectly on her head.

"I really didn't mean to yell it out like that to you and for lying to you about it but I just don't think me telling you, it would have turned out any better because either way you would get mad and I just didn't want to lose you." I said honestly.

"It would though because when I was telling you the full story, you could have been honest with me but instead you waited two months and probably still wouldn't have told me if I hadn't found that money and confronted you." She shrugged.

"You right, I wasn't going to tell you because I wasn't planning on doing it my whole life Riani. Once I get drafted then I'm done with it."

"Why are you doing it? I just don't understand. You're risking your entire life behind bars and I really care for you Kiari but you weren't thinking straight. Say if you don't get drafted, You're going to continue to do it and if you got caught by the police then what? You want to be with me and if we were to get together I already told you that If I'm in a relationship with a person, I'm thinking about our future and you likely will be caught by than and I would know so that's putting me at risk as well." She said and I nodded because she did already tell me allat before.

"I didn't really have a choice though Riani."

"What you mean you didn't have a choice? Everyone has a choice." She said.

"I mean I did but I didn't. I didn't grow up into money like you Riani so it's not like I had the easiest childhood." I rolled my eyes because now I was starting to get irritated.

"I didn't even mean it like that Kiari. If you want to explain then please do because now you're getting mad at me."

Flashback. 7 years ago.

Walking out of the back building of mcdonalds with the heavy trash bag in my hand as I went to the trash can.

I hate this job. They over work me and pay me 9 dollars an hour and for what? Nobody does nothing but me.

As I rounded the back and threw the trash bag in the trash can, I heard loud trap music playing and smelt smoke making me peak around the corner and I saw a group of older guys maybe twenty, sitting on the top of the cars, smoking, kissing girls and just doing dumb stuff.

My mom told me to not get into it with guys like that so as I tried to back away but I accidentally stepped on a piece of plastic which made a loud sound. Shoot.

They immediately turned their heads to me. "What you fucking creeping at us for? You the opps?" One immediately stood up and started to walk towards me but some lightskin dude held him back.

"Come on, he looks fifteen at most and he obviously works here from his uniform. What's your name?" The lightskin one walks towards me. They all looked older but he didn't look too old, probably like sixteen.

"Kiari." I quietly said.

"Sweet. I'm Vaugh. You work here don't you." He asked and I nodded.

"I used to work at this bitch too. But I got my money up now. you gotta be broke as hell to work here." He said making them laugh and I pursed my lips.

"I'm helping my mom. She's struggling right now." I said.

"Damn that's tuff. Would if I can help you out? Have your mom back on her feet and you with any shoe you could ever want." He said making my face light up.

"Forreal? You can help me?" I asked and he nodded and then took me to the trunk of his car where I instantly recognized lots of drugs.

"Sell drugs with us and you'll have everything." He handed me one and I studied it which was coke.

"I-I can't. My mom said that was bad and my dad went to jail for it." I immediately put it down.

"Your mom won't know. But if you want to help your mom then you'll do it right?" He said and I took a moment before nodding. My mom really needed the money. She's falling behind in bills and if I have money then my little sister can finally have stuff. She can get the new shoes she's been wanting.

"How much you be getting?" I asked and he grinned.

"Man...I'm talking thousands per week." He said.

"What?" I widened my eyes.

"Mhm. Yall think he good enough for it? He seem smart." He asked everyone and they nodded.

"Alright then, you're in. Smoke this." Vaugh handed me a blunt and I shook my head.

"I've never did that before." I said and he smacked his lips.

"Come on, I'll show you what life is now. Get you high, have money, and even get you bitches to fuck." He handed me the blunt again and I finally took it.

He then took out a thing of gasoline, matches and a lighter.

"Blow this bitch up if you really want it. They did us dirty so now we gotta take there shit down." He motions to the mcdonalds building.

I looked around and they were all staring at me like they were testing me. One was even clocking his gun back like he was ready to blow my brains if I didn't do it.

I stared at the gasoline before taking it.

Present.

And that's when I finished explaining to her on how it all started. And even told her now that I'm so deep in it, it's gone be hard to get out. I have to find a way to completely get my way out of it without none of it coming to bite back at me when and if I do go to the nba.

"Oh gosh kiari..I didn't know you had it that bad. And T-that's how you met Vaugh?" She asked and I nodded.

"He's evil as fuck for introducing you to stuff like that and making you do that." She said.

"I know. He introduced and made me do a whole lot of things that I've never done and that no fourteen year old child should have done. But it's the past now and all I can do is move on from it." I shook my head.

"But Riani, i promise im sorry for lying to you and i swear im trying to get out of it and I'm going to try even harder to get out of it but please can you forgive me? I miss you. Like real bad." I said and she bit her lip before smiling.

"Alright..I do miss you too if I'm being honest." She said making me chuckle and then she hugs me.

I wrap my arms around her, really missing her touch. "I get a kiss?" I grinned and she laughed and then nodded so I connected my lips with hers, making sure my kiss shows just how much I missed her.

"I literally can't find Riani anywhere, Riani are you in her-" a voice trailed off and I turned seeing Kam standing there with her eyes widened and the door open.