𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙜 𝙇𝙪𝙫

New Orleans, 9:00 AM. "Hurry up and grab the clothes!" Nikki's voice buzzed through my Bluetooth, a familiar urgency in her tone. I was driving to my mother's house, the last stop before fully settling into my new apartment. Today marked a big step—my official move, a declaration of my 18-year-old independence.

I'd hired movers for the big stuff, leaving me to handle the smaller, more personal items. My new place was a modern dream, perfectly situated near my job and a few schools, though college wasn't on my immediate radar. With three businesses bringing in a million a year, I was already living my own version of success. I chose an apartment over a house deliberately, wanting to fully embrace the challenge of doing everything on my own.

Arriving at my mother's, I headed straight for my old room. As I cleared out my closet, my hand brushed against a small, forgotten box. Inside were old photographs, snapshots of me and my father. A pang of familiar sadness hit me; he'd passed away from gang violence when I was just a kid. I grabbed the box, along with the rest of my things, and made my way back to the car. The 20-minute drive felt longer than usual, my mind drifting between the past and the exciting new chapter ahead. When I finally pulled up to my new building, Nikki and Drea were already there, waiting. They weren't alone; Jahvi, D'artigan, and some other guy I'd never seen before were with them. He was… fine.