Chapter 11

“Okay, okay” Lux giggled as she pried her lips away from Sasha’s, “I have to go, my brother is waiting for me”

Sasha frowned, but knew that she had to get going too. It was after school and since practice was over about twenty minutes ago, her parents would be expecting her. However it seemed as though her and Lux had only grown closer since their study session on Monday, a different type of closer that Sasha wasn’t used to but liked a lot. Only three days had passed, and in that time Sasha went from only ever having one kiss to becoming a master at sneaking to make out.

“Fine, go” Sasha smirked.

“Don’t forget to bring your stuff to school tomorrow” Lux said reminding her of their sleepover.

“I’m not” Sasha assured her.

“Okay, call you later”

The two met lips once more, and Sasha only wanted to keep it up. However she didn’t want to hold up Lux, who in a few seconds was rushing down the hall to catch her ride.

“Yo ass was about to get left” her brother spat as she finally approached the car.

“Shut up, and why is he in the front?” Lux raised her brow at Lucious’s friend Don in the front seat.

“Cause children sit in the back” Don smirked.

“Well in that case get back there” she smirked back, standing in front of the passenger side door.

“Lux get yo ass in the back so we can go, I already been waiting like a fucking half” Lucious said quickly getting irritated with his sister.

Lux rolled her eyes, but didn’t hesitate to hop in the back seat any longer. Don turned to the back seat and stuck his tongue out at her, and she gave him the middle finger which was her favorite response.
Lucious pulled off, finally making his way to the next destination. While Lux thought she was going straight home, she should’ve known that her brother would have a million and one stops on the way.

“How was practice?” Lucious asked, looking at her through the rear view mirror.

Lux shrugged, “It was okay”

“What made you wanna join the cheerleading team anyway? I thought you hated school shit like that”

Lux wouldn’t admit that she had joined just to do a favor for her crush, so she summed it up by saying she wanted to try something new. And after a few days of being on the team, Lux also didn’t want to admit that she actually began to like it. Not the workout part, or the catty girls part, but for once she felt like a real high school student. Usually she would be skipping and barely making it by in her classes, only to go smoke in the park or even roam around the mall until it was over.

She hated school, and her at home situation only made it worse. But at Fels, things were totally the opposite. She finished all of her homework on time, never missed a class and had after school activities to take part in. Not to mention Sasha, her first High School sweetheart that she had been sneaking to pucker lips with in the hallways.

The experience was all new to her, but after her first month into the senior year she was looking forward to the rest of it.

“I can’t see yo little mean ass as a cheerleader” Don shook his head, “What, it’s a little nigga on the basketball team you tryna get close to?”

Lucious sucked his teeth, “Nigga maybe my sister wanna be productive. She been doing good” he said smiling proudly, “Getting her shit done”

Lux smiled bashfully, because it was nice that someone noticed.

Don gave her a knowing look, and her smile quickly faded. She knew the real reason he was curious about what she had going on was because he liked her, and always expressed it whenever her big brother wasn’t around.

“I’m about to drop something off, I’ll be back”

Lucious said, pulling up into the housing projects down the street. He hopped out, and Lux was irritated that he left the two alone.

“You can lie to your brother but you ain’t gotta lie to me” Don said looking at her through the mirror, watching as she applied her second coating of lipgloss, “Who is he?”

“As if I owe you an explanation” she scoffed, “You ain’t my daddy”

“I was that one time” he shrugged, “When was it…last summer?”

“Mhh don’t remember” Lux said nonchalantly, making him crease his brows.

Lux definitely remembered, although she tried to catch a quick case of amnesia. She regretted ever giving Don the time of day, but it was during a rough time in her life and he was the only one she could lean on, he made sure of that.
The two had a few hook ups behind her brother’s back, and while Don wanted it to last forever, as always Lux was done with him in only a few weeks. Ever since, he had been trying to reignite the flame that had fanned out long ago.

“It’s cool, whoever he is he won’t be around long” Don glanced back at her, “Ain’t that right”

“Wrong, they will be around for a long time” she smiled arrogantly.

Don just turned back into his seat and Lux hoped that was him getting a clue. She didn’t understand why he continued to to harass her, when he was definitely a cutie with his brown skin and nappy top, and she was witness to it first hand that girls liked him. Not her, but others.

The two sat in silence except for the radio playing lowly in the background, and Lux redirected her attention to her brother. She watched as he delivered a book bag to a young boy, and she had to readjust her eyes to make sure she was seeing who she thought she was. She smirked slyly, next pulling her phone out and snapping a picture before her brother separated and began to make his way back to the car.

“How long have you known him?” Lux asked as soon as Lucious slid back into the car.

He pulled out of his parking spot and looked back at her, “Who?”

“The guy you were just with”

“Isn’t that my business, sit yo ass back”

Lux should’ve known that would be his response, since he never talked about anything drug related around her even though she wasn’t a child and had eyes for herself. She rolled her eyes and sat back, however she was happy to have snapped her proof.
For the rest of the ride she just kept her head in her phone, and couldn’t help but smile at the messages from Sasha. The two went back and forth talking about their sleepover the next day, and Lux couldn’t wait to go home to prepare for that.

Her grandmother’s house was definitely nowhere nice at Sasha’s, but she knew a little tidying up would at least make it presentable. And although she definitely had a few other things on her mind, she wanted it to be a true slumber party. Late night movies, snacks, hair braiding, you name it.

She was also grateful that Friday nights were her Grandmother’s bingo nights so she wouldn’t be home the first half of the night to embarrass her.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Lucious mumbled the moment he pulled up to his Grandmother’s and spotted his mother on the porch smoking a cigarette.

Lux wondered the same thing, and even after more than a month of not seeing her mom she wasn’t fazed at all. The three of them climbed out of the car, and Lux trailed behind as she wanted to be the last to greet her or not at all for that matter.

“Damn, my own kids aren’t excited to see me?” Yolanda snarled, one leg over the other as she plucked the ashes.

“Our fault, we didn’t recognize you. Yolanda right?” Lucious asked.

He stretched his cheek cleverly, and Yolanda just glared at him because she should’ve known her oldest would give her trouble.

“Boy, you got your father’s mouth. Be careful before I pop you in it” she warned him, making him laugh.

“I don’t know that nigga, and I barely know yo ass. So pop me and get popped back”

The two battled looks, and Lux decided to just break the tension because the two could go on all day.

“Can we just go in the house?” She asked, attempting to push him along.

He slit his eyes, however knew his sister was right. He had a strong disdain for his mother and never failed to let her know that, and while today would be no different he decided to just move along.

Seeing her daughter, Yolanda smiled at how beautiful and well taken care of that she looked, even though she didn’t have any role in that.

“Hey my baby, you get prettier and prettier every day” she smiled, and Lux grimaced at some of her rotten teeth.

She loved her mom, but it was clear that she didn’t love herself. Her blonde extensions were stiff as they hung over her weak shoulders, and she wore a striped summer dress that looked like it needed a good wash, and a pair of china slippers from the hair store.
Yolanda had always been slim, but now she was borderline anorexic and all her curves her body once adorned were now gone. She didn’t know at what point that her mother lost herself, because she had always been wild. However the last few years were the worst, and Yoland’s current state was proof of that.

“Hey…mom” Lux smiled uneasily, “What are you doing here?”

“A girl can’t come see her family?” She asked, not feeling the love at all, “And I’m here to stay, my things are in the living room”

Lux scrunched her brows, and noted that this was the worst time for her mother to decide to show up. Sasha would be there in twenty four hours, and Yolanda definitely wasn’t a sight she wanted her to see. Sure, Sasha’s parents were strict but hers was a drug addict. Not exactly the same thing.

Instead of continuing her conversation with her mother she headed into the home, and it seemed as though Lucious had already beat her to the chase.

“She can’t stay here around my little sisters, GG. Tell her ass go back to where she came from” he spat as the two went back and forth in the kitchen.

Don sat in the living room, and Lux headed straight past him to go put in her two cents. She spotted her little sister Luna sitting in the dining room, and pinched her cheek whilst walking pass.

“Last time I checked, this is my house and that is my daughter” GG flagged her grandson, “She ain’t no harm to those girls”

“You can’t be serious GG, look at her. Would Jesus approve?” He raised his brows, trying to get holy on her, “Be like Jesus”

“Boy, don’t try to preach to me about Jesus” GG pointed her spatula to him, “Jesus forgives his kids, who am I to not do the same”

“Okay never mind than, don’t be like Jesus” Lucious shrugged and Lux laughed.

The two turned to her and didn’t even know that she was watching their conversation.

“Back me up here Lux” Lucious said shaking his head.

“Well, I mean he’s right GG” Lux exhaled, knowing it was the truth no matter how fucked up it was, “Plus, theres no space. I have the basement, Lucious sleeps in the second room with Luna, and the third room is covered in Pop pop’s things and we all know you aren’t getting rid of that”

After her husband’s passing, GG refused to get rid of anything that reminded her of him. Clothes, shoes, pictures and down to newspapers he used to read in the morning but never trashed. Lux thought it was unhealthy, however she didn’t want to tell her grandmother how to grieve.

“Well she’ll sleep in your room on that blow up mattress I got in the closet until I get that room organized” GG said pointing to Lux.

“Ohhhh no” Lux threw up her hands, “You’re not dumping this on me. I’m a teenage girl, I need my privacy”

“Ain’t no such thing as privacy until your grown” GG assured her.

Lucious and Lux just gave each other a knowing look, however Lux felt the worst out of the two. At least Lucious didn’t have to be there unless he wanted to be whereas Lux had to be there.

Lux was definitely pissed as she stormed out, slamming the basement door to put an emphasis on how mad she was. She laid back onto her bed, just staring at the ceiling. For once she had a space to herself and she knew her mother would ruin that. Hearing her door open, she rolled her eyes because she wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone.

“You could at least knock first” Lux said seeing Lucious as he strolled down half the steps and then took a seat on them.

“Look, I know you’re mad but don’t worry. I’ma get us out of here” he promised her.

“I know, you always say that” she shrugged, twisting her mouth.

“For real this time” Lucious gave her a look, “I got the bread, me and Don are looking for a place right now and I’m making sure to look for a three bedroom so you can come”

“Really?” Lux asked with hopeful eyes.

While she definitely didn’t want to live with Don, living with her brother would be way better than staying at GG’s.

“Really” he smirked, “Just try to get through these next few weeks and I got you”

Lux nodded, and Lucious raised up to leave back out. Lux plopped her head back onto her pillow, and hoped this time Lucious was serious.

She also began to think about her sleepover and how now that was totally ruined. She was now no longer excited for that, so instead of getting prepared she just began her homework and enjoyed her last few moments of peace; Because after today, that would definitely be gone.

        “What do you mean canceled?” Sasha questioned Lux as the two walked towards the cafeteria.

It was Friday, and after a whole night of overthinking about the sleepover, now Lux was telling Sasha that it was canceled. Surprisingly Lux had made it to school early, giving the two time to stop in the cafe for breakfast before class. The pair swiped their ID’s, continuing to go back and forth about the current situation at hand.

“I mean, we can’t have it at my house” Lux shook her head, “My mom is there. My GG is one thing, but my mom“

“Have you met my parents?” Lux chuckled, “No one is worst than them”

“Trust me…she is” Lux assured Sasha as they began to look through the breakfast options.

“Fine” Sasha shrugged, “We’ll have it at my house I guess”

“Party at Sasha’s house, is that what I’m hearing?”

The girls rolled their eyes at Zay, as he was always coming out of nowhere.

“Nah, that ain’t what you hearing. Get them ears checked boo” Lux snickered, grabbing two breakfast sandwiches for her and Sasha. Sasha picked up two orange juices and they continued to move forward in line.

“Why not? It’s Friday. We can…you know” Zay whispered trying to be conspicuous, putting his fingers to his lips to signal smoking.

While Sasha knew she would never be able to do something like that at her house, she could admit she did like taking part in the smoking session. She hadn’t smoked since, but she could remember the light headiness that she actually enjoyed.

While Zay and Lux continued to go back and forth like always, Sasha suddenly remembered that her parents weren’t going to be at home that night. After weeks of fighting, Joseph decided to treat his wife to a night in the Poconos, and Quan was baby sitting her younger brothers while she stayed at Lux’s. And while her brothers usually would hold something over her head, she finally had something up her sleeve to bargain with.

“We can have it” Sasha blurted out.

Lux and Zay looked back at her, and Lux squinted her eyes at Sasha.

“Have what?” She raised her brow.

“The party” Sasha shrugged, as they sat down at the table full of people, mainly Zay’s friends and a few girls from the cheer team.

“Hold up, party at Sasha’s house?” B exclaimed, “Damn Sasha, I ain’t take you for the turn up type”

“Oh you ain’t know?” Lux said sarcastically and Sasha nervously laughed.

She knew she was playing with fire, however she figured the hell with it. She told herself she would have an unforgettable senior year, and a party just happened to fit in that category of ‘unforgettable’.

“Cool cool, what time should everybody slide?” Zay asked, taking a seat as well.

“And it’s at your house?” One of the cheerleaders Jaz asked, smizing at Sasha.

The back of Sasha’s neck was sweating, but she still managed to get the words out.

“I don’t know, say nine?” She glanced over at Lux, who at this point was done, “And yeah, it’s at my house. 504 Robbins st.”

“This shit about to be lit” Zay exclaimed giving his friends some dap.

“We’ll be there” Jaz smirked, her eyes eating up Sasha.

Lux definitely caught the exchange, and was growing annoyed by the minute.

“Come on Sash, let’s go” She turned her feet around the seat and pulled herself out of the table.

“Right now?” Sasha asked, looking up from the table.
Lux gave her a knowing look, and Sasha knew she’d better come before she have to hear it later on. Sasha wondered was that how it felt to be in a relationship, because she always saw her parents do the same thing.

“Alright, well see ya’ll later” Sasha said waving before she caught up with Lux.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, grabbing her hand, “I thought you would be happy to have a party”

“Sasha, me and you both know you just promised them a damn lie” Lux rolled her eyes, “Your parents barely let me over, now you’re having a party”

“That’s the thing, my parents are going to be in the Poconos” Sasha explained, smiling as if she had it all figured out, “So, we’re cool”

“But, you also have four brothers, two who manipulate you and turn yo ass into cinderella” Lux chuckled.

“Not this time” Sasha smiled deviously and Lux searched her face for clues.

“You know something”

“I do..well I think I do. I saw him coming out of those project houses, and I don’t know who he could possibly know over there” Sasha led on.

“I think I do” Lux said, snatching her hand away and quickly digging into her bag for her phone. She pulled up the picture app, next scrolling to the one she took the day before.

“Yeah, that’s him” Sasha nodded, “How do you know him?”

“He’s my brother…but that doesn’t matter. I know how we’re going to get Quan to stay quiet about your little party”

“Our party” Sasha winked, “We’re going to have fun and I’ve never done anything like this before so it’d be nice for your support”

Sasha poked her lip out and Lux mugged her as always.

“Fine” She smiled, “Our party. But if you get in trouble and I can’t see you anymore don’t be mad”

Sasha smirked, and after checking her surroundings to make sure no one was around, she placed her arm over Lux’s shoulders. Lux looked up, as Sasha had at least two inches on her, only to meet Sasha’s lips.

Lux could feel butterflies dancing in her stomach, and she wished Sasha was confident enough to be herself in front of others. But Lux knew Sasha would never reveal the fact that she liked girls, and not because she was ashamed but more so because she was so inexperienced in the dating world. Still, she enjoyed their private moments where Sasha would put her nerves aside and lay one on her.

“Save that for later” Lux smiled, placing one last kiss on Sasha’s face, next playfully turning it away.

The two entered class, a little on the early side as only a few people were there. They took their seats in the back, and all Sasha could think about the sleepover that quickly turned into a party. She hoped that not too many would hear about it, however knowing Zay’s mouth, this would definitely be a party that was unforgettable.