Page 8 of Still Yours

“They left me for some cult when I was eight years old, and I’ve been in the system since then. I’ve only been with Rhonda for two years now, but I tell people she is my mom. I really hate telling my story, so I leave it at that with the public.” She hit the blunt and let smoke flow through her nose like a pro.

“So, you know what it feels like to be alone…”

“Yes, I’ve known for a long time, but I try not to let it get to me. I’ve lived a good life so far and avoided a lot of bad situations, so that’s why I always walk around smiling. I’m not homeless, Rhonda doesn’t treat me that bad, and I make a little money doing hair. That’s how I’m able to keep myself up. I won’t let loneliness take over my young life, and you shouldn’t either.”

“I’ve never been alone before. I’ve always had my parents and friends in New York. I don’t have shit out here in Cali but a pocket full of dope sacks and some cigarettes. I can’t live like this, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.” He dropped his head.

Pretti could see he was heartbroken, so she reached over and laced her fingers through his. She didn’t want anybody close to her feeling alone, so she was going to be there for him.

“Well, you have me, Dexz, believe it or not. I want to be there for you, so if you ever feel like you have nobody, you have me.” She smiled.

Dexz looked down at her hand cuffed into his. Her hands were soft and freshly manicured. From what Pretti told him, she had a rough life but tried to glamour it up with what she had. Dexz didn’t see anything wrong with that because she was doing a good job.

Every time he laid eyes on her, she reminded him of an angel or a girl he would see in his dreams. She was soft-spoken and feminine like no female he’d ever met. He was scared to get close to her intimately. He felt like she was out of his league and too much for him while he was struggling on his own as a teenager. She was a virgin, and he was into older women who could help him, but after talking to her, he wanted her close to his heart. Just not as his girlfriend.

“I’ve never had a heart-to-heart with a girl before. We can’t be together, but if you could be my best friend, I’d like that.” He shot her a sly grin.

Pretti smiled back. She had a huge crush on Dexz and wanted to be his girlfriend, but hearing he needed her as a best friend made her feel good.

“Of course, Dexz, I’ll be your best friend.”

“Pretti! Get your little fast ass in the house. He just lost his mama; he don’t want your little annoying ass back here messing with him. Go in the house and start dinner and take off that tight ass bodysuit; you ain’t grown!” Rhonda shouted from the side of the house.

“It’s okay, Rhonda. She’s cool. She’s my friend.” He stood up from the ground.

“Yeah, okay. Her little ass is a virgin, so stay away from her, Dexten. Y’all will be living in the same house, but you won’t be fucking. Better act like siblings. Because if I catch y’all having sex in my house, I’m beating both of y’all.”

Pretti stood to leave.

“I’ll see you later, Dexz.” She walked off, not looking at Dexz or Rhonda.

“Well, I guess I owe you something. Let’s walk to the back,” Dexz said, knowing what Rhonda really came on the side of the house for.

Dexz walked her to the back and gave her the twenty thousand in cash that his mother left for Rhonda. Dexz never thought he’d give her that much money, but he did. He had no choice.

“You can move in whenever you’re ready. I have a vacant room for you.” Rhonda walked out of the shed and headed home.

After that day, Dexz moved in with Rhonda. Although he had a roof over his head, he fell back into the streets, selling drugs. He made sure he went to school because Pretti was always on his back about graduating. The two of them started spending all their time together and promised to help each other make it out of their situations.

He promised he would help her open a barbershop when they turned eighteen, and she would help him get through high school and college. Dexz didn’t want to sell dope forever, but he knew his drug slanging was going to pay off for him and Pretti in the future.

Chapter 4

GROWN UP: ONE YEAR LATER…

“Make sure you cut the hair on my face real low this time. You always forget,” Dexten said as he eyed Pretti while she was lining up his forehead. She didn’t say a word as the clippers took over. She loved the sound of clippers; it was so soothing to her.

“Did you hear what I said, Pretti?”

“Hold still, Dexz, and stop talking,” Pretti said sternly.

Dexz smirked and then closed his eyes. He knew she hated when he talked while she was cutting his hair, but she never listened to him when she had those clippers in her hand. She was always trying a new haircut on him. He always liked the haircuts she gave him, but she never did his sideburns and face the way he wanted. Dexz decided to let her work her magic, so he did as he was told.

Five minutes later, Pretti turned off her clippers, tapped Dexz, and then handed him the mirror. He checked out his crispy line, like always, but frowned when he saw Pretti hadn't touched up his sideburns and face like he asked.

“You didn’t get my face like I told you, woman…”

“I know I didn’t. I think you look hot with hair on your face, so let it grow out. It makes you look grown, and since you will be eighteen soon, it would be a good look,” Pretti said as she swept up the hair off the floor. He knew she still had a crush on him, but he never fed into it.