Opening my eyes I immediately closed them back. Between the bright ass sunlight and this pounding sensation from my head I felt like I was dying.

Rolling over I felt this weird feeling in my stomach and quickly got out the bed. Looking around I noticed an adjoining bathroom and ran inside.

After what felt like forever, I had stopped puking my guts up. Extending my arm and flushing the toilet I just sat there on the floor spitting in the toilet trying to get the nasty taste out my mouth. Wiping my mouth with my hand I stood up and started panicking once I realized I wasn't in a hotel bathroom but in someone's actual bathroom.

Panicking I looked down and noticed I was in a mans t shirt. Waking back to the room I began looking around for my clothes. I had no idea where the fuck I was and I did not want to be here when whoever came back.

"The fuck." I mumbled once I couldn't find my clothes. Sitting on the side of the bed I placed my head in my lap trying my hardest to remember the events from last night.

"Bet you won't drink anymore." I heard causing me to jump looking up.

"Kross?" I questioned pinning my eyebrows together confused as to how I ended up with him out of all people.

"Get up and take a shower. Kim brought you some clothes she downstairs waiting for you." He said then disappeared.

Picking up the bag he dropped by the door I opened it up and inside was black leggings and long sleeve black shirt with some black and white Chanel sneakers.

Making my way to the bathroom I turned the shower on. Stepping in the hot water immediately touched my skin. Pulling my hair up into a messy bun. I grabbed the the dove soap and began washing my body.

I honestly don't know how I ended up with Kross let alone in his bed. I just hope I didn't make a fool of myself last night. Turning the water off I quickly wrapped myself in the towel drying myself off.

Grabbing the lotion off the counter I walked back in the bedroom. Dropping the towel I quickly lotion my body and put on the bra and panties that was in the bag. Taking my hair out the bun I just left it down since I had recently got a silk press and it was still straight.

___________________

"Em Beeezzzzzyyy!" Bash loud ass shouted as I reached the last step. Awkwardly waving at everyone I sat down on the couch.

"Hi guys." I said as Kim, Bash and Bag all looked at me.

"Hi guys nothing, why the fuck Kross calling me 8 in the morning telling me my little sister at his place drunk? You ain't even say you was coming to New York and I spoke to you yesterday morning!" My older sister Kim yelled.

"How did I even get here?" I asked ignoring her question causing Bag and Brash to laugh.

"Em, drinking to the point she doesn't remember? That's a first." Bash said as I stuck the middle finger up at him.

"East probably drugged her ass." Bag joined in laughing as I rolled my eyes.

"East brought you here. This his apartment he said he bumped into you last night at the club drunk and crying. You told him you didn't want to go home." Kim said sitting down next to me as I nodded my head and bits of last night started rushing to my head.

"Emerald!" I heard with snapping causing me to look up.

"I said are you going to tell us what your doing here? And why you didn't tell your sister you were coming ?" Kim asked as I looked down and started fiddling my thumbs.

Clearing my throat I shrugged my shoulders. "He cheated." I said not looking up but I felt Kim wrap her arms around me pulling me into a hug.

"Stop I'm okay." I said pulling away from her. I was not the affectionate type at all. Hell the only time I cried was if I was drunk. And even that was rare because I wasn't much of a drinker.

"Damn sis you sure you good?" Bash asked and I nodded my head finally looking up at them. "Yup." I said tilting my head back trying to hold the tears in.

"Mom and dad know your in the city?" Kim asked as I shook my head no.

"They soon find out though. I'm staying here. Atlanta was cool but this is where home is and I just need to be around some love." I spoke.

"So you two, got your shit together or ya still playing with each other?" I asked changing the topic pointing towards Kim and Bag.

"Same shit just a different day." Bash said laughing as I chuckled. "Fuck ya." They said in unison.

Bag and Kim have had the on and off relationship for the longest. Kim wanted him out the streets because she know what it's like first hand to not have her biological parents in her life because of the streets. She didn't want that for their 8 year old daughter Noel. But bag isn't ready to fully leave the street.

"Awwww." I said causing both me and Bash to laugh as the elevator dinged.

Coming out the elevator it was East followed by Chanel. I was kind of shock and confused on why he was with Chanel. Me and her were far from friends. She never liked me.

"Emerald! hey hun how did you sleep? When East said you were staying I just had to make sure we had some clean sheets for you." She said giggling as I looked from her to Kim who purposely turned her head away from me.

"Oh you not mad about the baby anymore?" Bash asked as she got quiet.

"That's not what's important right now." She quickly said focusing her attention back at me.

"Now that your all awake I'm sure you want to go so bye." She said.

"Did this bitch just kick her out?" Kim asked taking the words out my mouth.

"Yes, yes she did!" Bash said instigating the situation.

"I'll beat this bitch ass!" Kim said as Bag held her down.

"Nah it's cool, where's my stuff?" I asked as East came downstairs with my red Hermès bag and the grey duffle bag that held my dirty clothes.

"Thank you." I said snatching my stuff staring at East as he nodded his head. Breaking eye contact I following behind Kim.

"I'll talk to you later East." Bag said as we got on the elevator.

"What the fuck was that about?" I asked as Kim looked every where but me.

"Kimberly Simone Johnson ." I said, saying her full name. "Damn you really pulled the full government card." Bag said laughing but I ain't find shit funny.

"Start talking. When the fuck did that happen?" I asked referring to East and Chanel.

"A couple months ago. I don't think it's a real relationship. They just fuck. " She said shrugging her shoulders as I nodded my head.

I was kind of shocked that he was with her. It was no secret Chanel is the biggest hoe from Harlem. She had fucked any nigga with a couple bands in his account and it's been that way since high school.

Now East is no saint. He definitely fucked anything with a vagina but knowing Chanel's background I would think he was smart enough to not involve himself with her.

"E I'm sorry I ain't tell you. Shit slipped my mind." Kim said as I waved her off.

East and I situation was a difficult one. Everyone knew we liked each other but he was a hoe. No simpler way to put it. Plus he was heavy in the street. I was not about to let that grown ass man break my little heart. So we remained friends. So fast forward to me graduating high school and going to college. I meet Meek bum ass and get into a relationship with him.

I decided to move and go to college in Atlanta because that's were Meek lived. My last night here in New York my family threw me a surprise going away party. Let's just say I enjoyed myself a lot and gave East my virginity. He begged me not to go to Atlanta and be with Meek. You think I listened? Nope my dumb ass still left and moved to Atlanta. To make matters worst I ended up pregnant. No I didn't get an abortion. Lost the baby. No one and I mean absolutely no one knows.

So I had no right to be mad at him and Chanel. I picked another nigga over him. Heck I don't even think I was mad. Just surprised and caught off guard a little disgusted.

"Can we go shopping? I need to go shopping. I didn't bring anything." I said looking at Kim as she just looked at me.

"Emerald you sure you okay?" He asked and I nodded my head yes.

"I'll be okay." I spoke. One thing about me. It was hard for me to speak on my feelings. I rather deal with my shit by myself.

Feeling my phone buzz it was an income call from my mom. Answering the phone I placed it on speaker phone.

"Emerald, what are you doing?" She asked as I closed my eyes. "On my way to the mall." I said as she got quiet.

"Well when we're you going to let me know your in New York?" She asked.

"Whenever I get home." I said with an attitude as she got quiet. "Well okay bye." Not responding I hung up.

"I don't understand why ya still beefing?" Kim asked as I just ignored her.

It was no secret me and my mom had a bad relationship. She was a terrible mother. Point blank period. No sugar coating anything.

Growing up her and my father weren't together. She was his side chick. So she chased him city to city while my grandmother raised me. And if she wasn't chasing my father around she was out partying, or on vacation with her friends.

It wasn't until my father finally divorced his wife and married my mother she started to come around. But by that time I was already 18 on my way to Atlanta. She missed so many important things in my life all for her selfishness.

Now don't get me wrong I don't have a good relationship with my dad either for how he dealt with my mother and my brother's mother. But I could at least say he tried when it came to me. When he could he came to my volleyball games, my cheerleading tournaments. It was always my dad never my mom.

"How long you plan on staying with them?" Kim asked.

"Not long. I can not be around that lady. I might hurt her." I told her truthfully. The way my mom got under my skin was just something different.

___________________

Chanel Christina Iman ( twenty three)