1 month later...

Cielos POV.

I woke up at 3 am to a loud noise downstairs.

I grabbed the pistol that Nik had gave me before she left and slowly opened the door making sure to not make any noise after taking off the safety

I quietly walked down the stairs and made sure nobody was aware of my presence.

The lights turned on.

Fuck. Who is in my house right now?

Okay fuck it ima step out in one..

Two..

Thr-

"HEY BABY!" my mom yelled.

I jumped back. Fuck. I quickly tucked my strap back in my jeans.

"Ma?" I suddenly felt myself overwhelmed with excitement.

"Hi baby" she smiled.

"Come give me a hug" she said with a warm expression.

I smiled and ran to her. I gave her a long hug and rested my head on her chest.

"I missed you so much ma" I almost started crying.

I looked up and was startled by an older stud looking down at me with dreads.

She had a kind expression on but was tatted up to her neck and was probably standing at 6 feet.

"Who's this?" I asked her.

"Cielo this is Jasmine, Jasmine this is my daughter Cielo" my mom looked happy but her eyes nervous, probably cause she wants us to like each other but who is this woman?

"Call me Mino" she smiled and shook my hand and pulled me into a chest dap.

"Nice to meet you" I said.

"Baby, Minos going to be staying with us from now on" she said.

"Oh okay" I looked at her confused I guess we can talk about it in private.

"We'll talk more tomorrow okay" she kissed my forehead and went up to her room while me and Mino went outside to get the suit cases.

"So how old are you now youngin" she asked me as we walked to my mom's black Benz.

"18" I shrugged.

This woman sketched me out.

"Ya mom told me a lot about you ya know"

Does she have a British accent?

"Are you from the UK?" I asked her.

"Yeah man I am" she laughed.

"How do you know my mom" I asked her.

"I knew ya mom a long time, and I knew ya since you was a little ting, but ya prolly don't remember me" she said.

Huh?

"Yee I remember you when you was a lil one you know ya grown up now tho"

"Yeah" I smiled and rubbed the back of my neck.

A car came speeding down the street with the beams on.

I squinted at the light and my heart dropped when the red car drove into Nik's auntie house.

I grabbed my mom's bag and walked back in the house while Mino was staring at the car curiously.

Nik got out fast and made eye contact with me quickly then walked into her house slamming her door.

Mino followed behind me and locked my mom's Benz.

"Yo friend?" Mino asked.

"Nah not really" I said. I haven't talked to Nik in over a month and I haven't seen her till today either. I wonder if it's a coincidence that she came back the same night my mom did.

She nodded at me.

"Aight you good youngin I got the rest." she put the bags down.

"Okay fasho. Goodnight." I said nodding.

"Night" she looked at me before I walked up the stairs.

What is happening?

I laid down in my bed and put the strap in the dresser before going back to sleep.

The next morning..

I woke up and walked downstairs to my mom cooking some food.

"You hungry? You look like you lost some weight since I seen you" She asked.

I just shrugged my shoulders. I haven't really been eating good lately or taking care of myself.

"Here baby. So I heard you finished school already" she smiled and but her elbows on the counter.

"Yeah I did last month" I said.

"So what you been doing lately?" She asked me.

"I've just been chillen at home taking a break and going to the studio, Jojo been giving me work and stuff too for extra bread" I told her.

"Oh yeah? How she doing" she said.

"She's good" I drank some of my water.

"And Nik" she asked.

I almost choked on my water.

"She's good too" I said. She prolly is shi. I haven't seen her but she always doing something or making some move.

"Mm hmm that's good. You got some mail you know, looks important." She held it up looking at the sender address.

It's my college applications.

"You gon open em?" She asked me.

"I don't know I'm nervous" I shrugged.

"Girl please I know you got in." She laughed and handed me the letters.

I just gulped the eggs down.

Mino came downstairs in an all black Nike tech.

She waved at me and my mom and dipped out the door.

"I'll be back in a lil" she smiled at us.

"Okay be safe boo" my mom said.

"Mom who is that?"

"She's an old friend of mine" she said.

"You make it sound so sus" I cringed cause I knew my mom was bi but damn I never thought I'd see her with a stud.

"Baby don't een worry about it ya muva still got it" she laughed and stuck her tongue out.

Ew. I cringed inside.

"Okay ma but is she staying with us? I thought you said you was on a business trip?" I asked her.

"I was, I was traveling the world on business which is why I was gone so long, I'm a nurse but I do other things too. I've been providing for us a long time and I can't do that with a nurses salary cielo. Everything you need to know will come in due time but just trust Mino, she knew you a long time and will protect us." She smiled.

"Okay ma I trust you" I said.

"Good, now open these damn letters girl" she said looking at them.

I laughed and opened the first one.

Berkeley School of Music: Accepted

My mouth dropped. I looked at my mama and she smiled.

"See I knew you got in baby" she play hit me on my shoulder.

I opened the other ones, a school in LA and one in Florida but the school of music has always been my dream. I can't believe I got in.

"I am so proud of you for holding up, I can't believe you're all grown up now" she kissed my head.

I missed her so bad.

"So do you know where you want to go?" She asked me.

"I wanna go to the music school in sac" I said looking at the letter.

"You know Minos little sister stays in the bay" she said. "She'd be a good contact for you to have but you know I can't leave my baby, I was thinking of selling the house anyway" she said.

"S- sell the house?" I looked up at her.

"Yeah this is not a good environment, I didn't go on my business trip to come back broke you know yo mother right here made it big" she winked at me.

I laughed. But damn.. sell our house?

We haven't been here that long and I've moved around a lot so I don't know why I feel so starched to this place. My heart hurts when I think about leaving here. I have so many memories here.

Even though I distanced from my friends and Nik I'll still miss them. But aye .. I guess all chapters have to end right?

Right. It's better not to dwell on the past or on what could've happened. Plus I don't think things will ever go back to normal. Nyahs part of the gang now and Nik... I don't even know what to do about Nik.

But her going that long without talking to me really showed me that she doesn't need me or need to be around me. Why would I miss someone who doesn't care about me?

It's just so weird.

I looked out of our front window and her car was no longer there.

Sigh.

I can't believe things can just end so easily after one mistake. We both fucked up but the damage is done now.

"Alright ma ima head to Jojo's studio" I waved at her on my way out.

"You want a ride?" She asked me.

"Nah it's okay" I wanted to walk and think. I find taking the bus peaceful.

I grabbed my bag.

"Okay be safe" she said as I walked out the door.

I was almost at my stop when I seen Nyahs car screech past me and come to a fast stop.

"Yo C'lo" she yelled over her music.

There was two men in her seats with all black on, one of em had a ski on.

"The block been hot lately so watch yo self Ight, you got that strap Nik gave you?" She asked.

"Yeah I got it" I said.

"Aight, be safe out here aight tell yo mom too, I peeped her whip in the y'all driveway, I heard they been robbing n*ggas in our hood so just call me if you see anybody tryna get active, I'll pull up" she said.

I noticed her new neck tat, she look more street every time I see her now.

"Ight be safe Nyah" she chuckled.

"You be safe, you the one that's gon make it out so keep yo head straight and forward" she nodded.

"Hmm" I nodded back and she bumped her chest twice and gave me the peace sign.

It's crazy how you see the ones you grew up with turn into ruthless soldiers. I guess yo environment really does make you.

I got to the stop and the bus pulled up immediately after.

I got on and sat in the back next to an old lady since it was a cool lil minute of a bus ride.

I put my earphones and bumped some new shit I been listening to.

I felt eyes on me and I looked to my side and saw the old lady looking at me.

"You seem troubled child" she said.

"I'm okay ma'am" I smiled respectfully.

"You have a light inside you, I can see it. Make sure you choose wisely" she said as we approached the next stop.

She got up and nodded at me. "Remember who you are" she smiled.

Who is this lady.

I smiled back but it quickly faded when she got off the bus. Weird vibes.

I finally got to my stop and walked up to Jojos new studio in a nicer part of LA. Her old one was in the hood but this one is so much nicer. It's worth the trip.

"Wassup Cielo" Jojo came up to me and dapped me up.

"I ain't seen you in a lil bit, how you been?" She said.

"Shittt good" I smiled. What about you?"

"You know me just been workin, my girl been trippin on me cause I been having late sessions lately I guess my name getting around out here cause I been having some big artists in. Ima have you pull up soon to meet em, I got some foos from the bay comin in next week." She said.

"That's fyeee" I said, thinking about how living in the bay would be.

I wanna get out of LA so bad.

"What's the vibe today?" She asked.

"Ion kno.. I really wanna make some deep shit that stands out on some club shit" I said.

"I been listening to a lot of this type of music" I searched up alternative and showed her what I meant.

"Okay okay I see. You feeling different" she chuckled.

"Yeah.. I am"