Me: You got that. I already handled it.
My Lola B: Naw, don’t switch up because you got caught up.
Me: I ain’t get caught doing shit.
Me: You over there talking big shit, but if I FaceTime yo’ scary ass ain’t gon’ pick up. How tf you throwin’ yo weight around and I can’t even see my woman when I want to. What part of the game is that?
Her ass took a moment to respond, which didn’t surprise me.
My Lola B: You can FaceTime me while you tell that bitch to lose your number and that my pussy is your favorite meal.
Me: I’ll do that shit right now, but only if I get to tell Nauri that his baby sister is my personal Twinkie.
My Lola B: Fuck you. That’s the reason I’m fucked up now. I’m going to bed. You better have your ass in this house at a decent time or my relationship status will be changed first thing in the morning. Baby girl will have a new step-daddy by brunch time.
Me: Yeah, okay. And somebody’s momma gon’ be crying by noon. I’m on whatever you on.
My Lola B: Go home, Roger!
Me: Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’ll be home soon.
My Lola B: You bet not come home smelling like Dove or Irish Springs or ima wear yo’ ass out.
Me: Imagine that.
Me: Don’t worry. I’ma come home with my balls sweatin’ just for you. Might even drop ’em on ya’ forehead.
My Lola B: Yeah, play with me if you want. Goodnight.
Me: I love yo’ mean ass.
My Lola B: I love you too.
After I finished texting Lyric, I placed my phone back in my pocket. Then something dawned on me as I thought about the picture she sent me. Shifting in my seat, I glanced aroundthe room to see who could have sent her the photo. It didn’t take long for me to find my answer when my eyes landed on her hoe-ass friend, Valor. I couldn’t tell you what it was about her, but she rubbed me the wrong way from the moment Lyric introduced us.
She looked at me the same way most bitches did, like she wanted to fuck. I tried to warn Lyric on several occasions that she was shady, and she didn’t give off good vibes, but she thought I was being a hater and trying to control her. I left it alone after a while because some lessons had to be learned through experience.
Lyric wanted to believe her friend had her best interest at heart, and I could see right through her bullshit. Rather than argue with her, I just prepared myself to be there when she finally saw her true colors.
Nauri and Logic were having the time of their lives while I wanted nothing more than to be at home, cuddled up with my family. We might have been similar in age, but my mindset had begun to shift. Fucking bitches and spending money were no longer interesting to me. The more I learned from Gunna, the more I saw myself elevating. I wanted to sit with the elite and glean from their life experiences. I wanted to lie up in bed with my wife, checking on all of our stocks and investments before we started our day.
We were touching more money than any of us could have ever imagined, but I wanted more. My desire was to expand and grow to the point where my children’s children would never have to worry about a single thing in life. The kind of wealth where we had a family compound, and everyone lived in nice mansions with multiple foreign cars and private jets. Generational wealth on a whole other scale. I wanted it all, and I was gonna have it by any means.
“Alright, y’all. Since you loved the last unboxing video I did, I decided to do another. Now, I have a mix of designer bags that I got from my man and a few from some black-owned businesses.” I held up the boxes in front of the new camera my man purchased for me.
Once Essex saw I was taking my content creation seriously, he made sure I had all of the top-quality tools to make my videos pop. I appreciated the fact that he supported me, even though he didn’t completely understand what I was doing.
We went shopping yesterday, and he bought me all kinds of new gifts. A part of me wondered if it was to make up for some bullshit he was doing behind my back, but I tried my best not to allow my negative thoughts to get the best of me. We were in a good place, and I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with him each day.
I spent the next hour recording my new pieces and telling everyone where they could shop to get the pieces from the black-owned businesses I collaborated with. It still felt surreal to have brands pay me to promote their products. I never realized howlucrative this business was until I got my feet wet. I brought in no less than ten thousand a month and had made up to thirty thousand in a good month, not including my commission on certain products. Up-and-coming designers were sending me clothes almost daily, because they knew if I posted myself wearing them, people would rush to buy them.
I never saw myself as an influencer, and it was crazy to see the way people reacted to me. There were plenty of times when I posted links to an outfit or piece of jewelry, and the company would reach out to me, crying and thanking me for their website selling out. While I appreciated that so many people liked me and admired my style, there were also some negative aspects that came with it.
A lot of women couldn’t stand me. They either hated me because of Essex or because they thought I was stuck-up and spoiled. I couldn’t deny the spoiled part, because my man and brother had me rotten, but I was one of the friendliest people around. I never gatekept anything because I wanted every woman to feel like the best version of herself. Still, the bitches hated my guts. Rather than let it get to me, I simply continued to live my life. I would never please everyone, and quite frankly, it wasn’t my job.
My phone chimed, alerting me to a FaceTime call. I smiled the moment my brother’s face appeared on the screen. The feeling of seeing him free was indescribable.
“Good morning, baby girl. What you got going on today?”
