Rose - Colored Boy by Paramore "Cause I just killed off what was left of the optimist in me, but hearts are breaking, and wars are raging on; And I have taken my glasses off, you got me nervous; I'm right at the end of my rope, a half empty girl"

"Jefe, where you been at?" Jay swirled in his chair and laughed when he saw his right hand hitman. The man was covered in tattoos and always wore several chains, his outfit wouldn't be complete without them.

His name was Marcus Carthey but he went by Key Glock and if you asked him if he ever saw himself working with a teenager from the Upper East Side two years ago, he'd laugh in your face. Key Glock was a small town plug in Long Island until he met Jay and then he was elevated after he handled a man for him. He never discerned the gravity of a bad temper and money combination until he met the kid.

Key Glock (@keyglock on IG) the rapper as

With Jay being a loyal customer for his product and rendering more customers, Key's business grew and it helped him make some real moves. No one was as good as East though and at first he didn't care because as long as he was out his mother's crib not surviving anymore, he was more than content. But Jay fed it to him that if you don't beat 'em you join 'em, them being the East org. And Marcus most definitely wasn't joining them.

Both men had a mutual disdain for East, but after the party and the realization that Sage chose East over him that had to be the final straw. He couldn't form a complete empire without the perfect queen and another man in the way.

"I've been chillin.' I just called to see about the situation with the East operation." Jay questioned. He convinced Marcus to send one of his boys to work on the inside to gather information.

"Man, he got mad shit on 'em that we could use. I hope they ain't been suspicious, Ion think so though." Marcus shrugged sitting on the armrest next to him. "Boss, what you wanna do?"

Jay clasped his hands together on the desk. He already had an idea about what he wanted to do but he had to come up with something solid for everything to go smoothly.

"We gotta know how these niggas move over there. Gotta see if he move on schedule or randomly," He muttered. He peered at his phone and saw that he received a text from one of his friends about the kickback he was throwing again.

"And what about shordy?" Key queried, waiting for him to answer.

"Ahh, my baby? We keepin' tabs on her too." And Key knew exactly what he was supposed to do at that.

***

"I appreciate your support so much, Mrs. Paisley." Sage exclaimed. She was currently on the phone working out a few details about her art in the art gallery Ella's mother owned.

"No really, you're super talented and it was time for you to showcase more of your work. It's truly been my pleasure, darling!" Mrs. Paisley chirped.

"Well I'm currently over at yours with Ella. I'll talk to you later!" She replied peering over at her best friend who was glued to the clothes piled on her bed.

"Alrighty, call me if you have any questions or concerns," that was the last thing that Sage heard before the beep from the phone line ending sounded.

Ella recognized her best friend's talent and was fortunate enough to have the artist hippie mother with the connections and resources. In fact, her family's legacy is a line of talented artist in some form, whether it's sculpting or water painting someone knew it and made bank off of it.

Sage graciously took the offer when an excited Ella proposed the idea to her with her mother one day. Ever since that day, she's been working hard to set up the grand opening for her section of work. She was so into photography because she always loved the idea of capturing a moment and learning a piece of someone's story.

"Ugh, I don't know what to wear," Ella groaned as she shifted through the clothes on her bed.

"You're freaking out for no reason. Whatever you decide I know you'll look fine as fuck!" Sage reassured and plopped on the armchair in Ella's room.

Ella sighed and dropped an article of clothing back on the corner of the bed. She looked over at her best friend, "This ain't about me though. How are you feeling?" She crawled onto her bed waiting for Sage to express herself.

"Hey, you're just as important to this process too. As for how I'm feeling? Truthfully I'm anxious as fuck. Especially because my asshole of a dad would freak the fuck out if he found out what I was doing." Sage said honestly. She pouted at the thought of a very angry version of her dad. He felt like she was only good enough for academia and things that he deemed respectable.

"You are so beyond what your father says about you. He's so wrong for making you feel like this, but I'm so glad you're taking your talents to the next step." Ella assured her. She beckoned for Sage to come over for a hug and that's just what Sage did.

"I love you, my Queen." Sage said before pulling away. "Always been there for me. Since day one"

"Exactly and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. You deserve this." And little did Ella know, she needed to hear that more than anything.

"But what's up with you?" Sage asked her. She feels like her hectic life eats up their conversation and she doesn't really feel like she asks Ella enough.

"Honestly...I feel like I don't know what the fuck we're doing. Me and Aubrey I mean. Makes me feel stupid." She was alluding to her fling with Aubrey that left her confused. He says he likes her and she feels it too but they haven't done anything about it. She's so sick and tired of finding herself in these 'situationships' where the guy claims to like her but not enough to take it to that next level.

"Hey, first off, we're only 17! We have our whole life to find someone that appreciates us so get outta that defeated mindset," Sage commanded as she rubbed Ella's back. "Secondly, I think you deserve the whole world and more and if anyone can't recognize that then they don't need to be in your life."

"You're right," Ella murmured before taking a deep sigh.

"I know. But maybe you should distance yourself to see where he stands." She suggested. She knew how boys work, they recognize the good they have when you're gone.

"Maybe...I think he might be fucking with some other bitch." Ella admitted bitterly. She always had a feeling that could be why but she didn't have any confirmation.

"Oh yeah, you definitely need to drop him if he's still fucking with some bitch at this point." Sage continued to soothe her as they made sense of it all.

"It's so hard, I'm in too deep and honestly, I know he is too." Ella pulled a face at the though of cutting him off.

"Look, whatever you decide to do, I'm here for you, Lala." Sage replied softly, giving her the very first nickname she ever called Ella. Ella giggled and playfully pushed Sage.

"You can be here for me if you drop that Lala shit."And with that the two best friends comforted each other for the rest of the night. Boy free for the first time in a while.