Chapter 1
"Thank you" Monique smiled as the last costumer left the store.
"Alright," Her manager said coming from around the corner, "Go ahead and close up."
"K" She nodded walking over to the door. Suddenly it opened, "Sorry, we're closed"
"Damn" He said. He was tall with blond hair parted exactly down the middle. Monique smiled to herself as he looked pissed, "Can I just get something really quick...please"
"Oh alright" she sighed walking back over to the cash register.
A minute later he came back with a baby-doll T-shirt that had the sign of a virgo on it.
"For your girlfriend?" She asked ringing it up.
"Yea, she spilt something on hers and she made me come in here and get a new one"
"Oh" She laughed lightly, "Your total is $21.19"
He handed her his charge card with his ID.
"Alright, thanks" she said after she slid it.
He looked surprised while taking it back
"What?" she asked as his receipt printed
"Nothing."
"Alright," she said tearing it off, "Have a nice night"
"Thanks" he said grabbing his bag and walking out.
Monique finally got the store closed and walked out to her old 1978 beetle. She hated that car more than she hated her life but it was all she could afford. She got in the drivers seat and tried to start it, "Dammit" she muttered at herself and she tried again, "Please" she begged.
"Need some help?" A raspy voice asked
"Oh my god" she said jumping, "you scared me half to death."
"Sorry" he grinned.
"No, I'm ok" she said trying to start it again.
"You need a ride? Me and my friend would be happy to give you one"
"naw, i'm used to it. My car does this when people are around" she laughed lightly.
"Alright" he nodded walking back over to the black mercedes that was parked a couple spaces away in the vacent lot.
After about ten more minutes of trying, she decided to let him give her a ride home.
"Excuse me" she said tapping on his window
"Yes?"
"Ok, if you're still willing, I do need a ride"
"ok" He said getting out and letting her in the passenger side, "I'm just waiting on my friends to get out of the store" he said pointing to the jewlery store
"Ok" she nodded, "This is a nice ride" she said looking around it.
"Thanks" he said
"So, what's your name?" She asked
"Alex, but you can call me AJ if ya want"
"Ok Alex, I'm Monique."
"Pretty name for a pretty girl" he flirted
She blushed, "So how old are you?"
"I'm 22"
"Yea? I'm 19" She said
"Still live with your parents?"
"No, I've been on my own since I was 15"
"15?" He said, "Why?"
"Different reasons" she shrugged
AJ sensed it wasn't something to push so he thought of something else to say, "So where do you live?"
Monique froze as she rememberd he was taking her home, "Oh you know, it's kinda out of the way, I mean I can walk, or get a cab"
"Nonesense, you don't know which way I'm going"
"Well, which way are you going?"
"Asked you first"
She paused
"Do you have a crazy man or something?"
She shook her head no while making up an excuse
"What's wrong then?"
"I live off of Broadway" she muttered
"ok" AJ nodded. He knew that Broadway was in a bad part of town.
"You're not scared to bring your car over there"
"Naw" he laughed as he saw Nick and a girl walking over
"Hey, that's they guy from the store" She said
Nick opened the backseat, "Hi" he smiled at her before looking at AJ
"Oh, we're gonna take her home cause her car broke down" AJ explained
"Ok" Nick nodded
Monique gave AJ directions to her house. She kept looking at him to see if he looked disgusted
"This it?" He asked pulling up to an apartment building
"Yea" she said, "Thank you so much" She said getting out. She handed him a ten, "That's for gas"
"It's cool" he said handing it back to her, knowing that it was probably her last ten
"You sure?"
"Yea" he nodded, getting out also, "Mind if I walk you up?"
"Go ahead" she sighed
They walked up the stairs to her door. She almost had it unlocked before the next door neighbor came out.
"Mo," she sighed, "I've been waiting" She said handing Monique a little girl.
"Thanks Donna" Monique smiled, "I'm off tommorow"
"Ok, night girl" The girl said walking back.
AJ raised an eyebrow, "She your's?"
Monique nodded while opening her door, "Alright Alex, thank you"
"Do you think I could get a cup of coffee. It's late and I think I'm gonna fall asleep"
"It's only 10:45" she said letting him in. She had a clean apartment with little furnature. She tried her best to keep it looking presentable.
"I've been up all day"
"k" she said putting her daughter on the couch
"What's your name?" the little girl asked
"AJ" He smiled down at her.
"I'm Sarah"
"Yea? how old are you Sarah?"
"I'm four" She smiled proudly holding up four fingers
"You're sure smart" AJ said
Monique watched from the kitchen as AJ interacted with her daughter. She poured his coffee and handed it to him.
"Thanks" He said standing up
"You can keep the cup" she said
"Do you mind if I give you a call?"
"You want my number?" She smiled
"Yea" he nodded
"Ok" she said writing it down.
"Ok, I'll call ok?"
"Ok" She nodded watching him walk out.
~*~*~*~
"Took you long enough" Nick mutered as AJ got in the drivers seat.
"I got her number" He smiled driving off
"AJ?" Deena said from the backseat, "Don't you think that you two are on different standards?"
AJ rolled his eyes, "I like her"
"But you like everyone" she argued
"I don't like you" he smiled at her
"Only cause we grew up together" She laughed
"Her daughter is so cute. Her name is Sarah and she's four"
"How old is monique?" Nick asked
"19"
"AJ, she had her when she was 15!" Nick exclaimed
"Great to know you can count Nicky" AJ said rolling his eyes
"Do whatever you want" Nick said sitting back.
~*~*~*~
"Did you like Mommy's friend?" Monique asked sitting next to her daughter
"Yea mommy, is he gonna be my daddy?"
"No sweetie" she said shaking her head, "You ready for bed?"
"I can sleep in your bed?" She asked looking in her mom's eyes
"Sure honny" Monique said picking her up and taking her to her room, "Did you have fun with Donna?"
"She took me to eat mommy"
"Yea? where?"
"Ummm, the big M"
"McDonalds?"
"Yah, and I got to play too"
"That's good baby" she said. She got Sarah changed and they both layed down.
"Night mommy"
"Good night Sarah" She said kissing her on her head