[𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍]

"𝑺𝑶 𝑯𝑶𝑾 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑺𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑶𝑳?" 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐃

over the phone.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed. Diane, Ezra, and Paris weren't home yet. "It was good."

"Well, that's good. You like it there? Are you getting along with Ezra's daughters?"

"Not really. And only one of them is living here, the other one is at boarding school. I'm not getting along with the oldest."

"Oh, damn, what happened?" My dad started laughing a little. "You've only been there for two days, how're you already fighting with her?"

"Arguing, I'm arguing with her. Fighting sounds physical, and I don't hit women, or in this case, girls."

"You're right. So what have you two been arguing about?"

"She just says a lot of slick shit. I feel kind she has an attitude, too. I don't know what her problem is with me."

"London, don't even entertain that. If she says something rude to you, just ignore her."

"Easier said than done"

Cosmo came into my room while I talked to my father about some other things. He laid down on his back and yawned. I scratched his stomach with my free hand.

When my dad had to go I started on my homework. Cosmo rested on my bed while I did. Diane and Ezra came in eventually, I told them Paris had gone to a coffee shop with her friends.

Up until six something I spent my time doing my homework or playing with Cosmo. I heard Diane and Ezra's voices downstairs. I tried to ignore it. But I could tell by her tone that Diane was angry about something.

I then heard footsteps. I was already able to make out the footsteps coming up the stairs. Diane was coming up.

She knocked and opened my door. "Hey, have you heard from Paris? She's not answering her phone."

"Nope, sorry."

She sighed and left.

The front door downstairs opened an hour later. I could hear Ezra's voice booming through the house, he was berating Paris for being out late.

"I was just at the coffee shop."

"For six hours. That's completely ridiculous!"

"You act like I was out all night or something."

"Paris, going to the coffee shop after school is fine. But I expect you to be home by five," Ezra finally said calmly.

"Okay, then, it won't happen again."

As Paris came up the stairs, Cosmo jumped off my lap and ran out of my room.

For the rest of the week, Paris and I didn't speak to one another. I let her go in the bathroom first and I allowed her to play her music as loud as she wanted in the car, but there was no talking to her.

[𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒]

"𝐏, 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓

boy?" Shannon asked me in Biology.

"No, we haven't even spoken to each other since last Monday."

While we were talking I noticed London rummaging through his bag as he was walking in.

"London has a gun!" I yelled and covered my mouth to hide my snickering.

"P, you are so wrong for that." Shannon shook her head in disappointment.

I mean I was just teasing. It wasn't that serious. I was just joking.

Ms. Noreen stood up and approached London who glared at me by one of the tables in the front row. She took him out into the hallway and was out there for a while. More students were coming in, curious about why Ms. Noreen and London were in the hallway.

"Stupid, goofy, mean bitch," Shannon muttered her insults to me so only I could hear.

"You know it was funny."

"No, it wasn't. That was hella wrong. He's probably in trouble now. You know that was mean."

"Okay, but that's how our friendship works; you're the sometimes nice one that humbles me, and I'm the sometimes mean one."

I leaned my head on her shoulder, she nudged her shoulder childishly to push my head off.

"What happened?" Joanna Leigh asked, pointing her thumb towards the door. "Why is she checking London's bag?"

"He has a weapon in there," I said with a smile.

"Wait, for real?" Joanna's jaw dropped.

"JoJo, don't let her gas you like that. London doesn't have a weapon, Paris is just childish," Shannon said calmly.

Soon when the whole class was here Ms. Noreen and London came back in. London went to his table where a girl Kristen was. She missed a whole week of school. I think she was sick or something.

"Oh, welcome back, Kristen." Ms. Noreen said and then looked at me. "Paris, step out into the hallway please."