𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑

𝟢𝟪 | 𝖢𝖫𝖮𝖲𝖤𝖱

CIARA ARMANI LOVE | CICI

   "YOU come in here every morning with Starbucks. When imma get mines?" Lance, the schools security guard asks as CiCi made her way through the metal detector, beeping following her due to her diamond studs.

"I'll bring you some McDonald's tomorrow. Whatchu want? A McGribble?"

"That'll be greatly appreciated. Thank you."

"No problem." She smiled. CiCi had grown familiar with the dark-skin man. He had been here since her freshman year and never failed to make her feel comfortable. He was one of the few adults she liked at this school so getting him a $5 meal wasn't nothing to her.

CiCi didn't have a first period so she sat in the library to eat her cheese danish and croissant, having a strawberry refresher as her beverage. As she got up to throw away her trash she spotted Sage in the corner of the library. He was slouched in the chair with his hands stuffed in his Essentials jacket, his eyes closed as a pair of Beats suffocated his ears. She debated on going to speak to him or not before just saying fuck it and walking towards him.

She tapped his shoulder causing him to open one eye before clearing his throat and sitting up. He hooked the Beats around his neck, looking up at her in confusion.

"Just wanted to say hey." She chuckled, knowing how it felt to be woken up out of your sleep so suddenly.

"Wassup, you just got here?" He asked as he looked at the half empty drink in her hand.

"Yeah like twenty minutes ago. Why are you sleep in a library?"

"Same reason why anybody would be sleep in a library." He shrugged. He wasn't about to tell her him and his daddy was beefing again and he was living out of his car for right now. He certainly wasn't going to tell her that he showered at Jaz's house, a close "friend" of his.

"I know I don't have stupid written on my forehead." CiCi slanted her lips as she took a seat next to him. "Why are you really sleep here Sage?"

"Listen shorty, you cool and all but youn know me. Worrying about me and what I got going on shouldn't be on your mind." His defensive tone caused CiCi to frown but she wasn't about to let him shut down, especially when she was willing to listen.

"If you think I'm going to judge you, I'm not. I don't have a reason too. You bottling up all your emotions isn't good though Sage."

He took initiative of her words, allowing himself to dwell on his life. She was right whether he wanted to admit it or not. It was the way she approached the situation so calmly and with authority. Her persona was something he couldn't understand but he knew she was a good person with great intentions.

"No judging?" He rose an eyebrow, willing to express himself.

"No judging."

"My pops and I been tight since I was born, ain't never had no fights or none. Until I turned sixteen and he just started acting crazy out of no where. The shit we usually did, he wasn't with it no more." Sage started.

"I don't know how it happened but we ended up squaring up and he got me a couple times but I think when he seen I wasn't finna let him bitch me, he got more angry. Pulled out a knife and sliced me right here—" He muttered, lifting up his jacket to show the visible scar leading from his left rib to his belly button.

"You don't have to keep going if you don't want to." CiCi pouted, sensing his uncomfortableness.

"Nah, it's cool, I need to get this shit off my chest anyway." He shrugged, clearing his throat before continuing.