+ ~ * B R I A N N A * ~ +

The basement was in horrible condition. The ceiling leaked, there were paint splatters all over the walls, and a machine in the back of the basement made the most annoying noise. vrrrrmmmm.... clink! vrrrmmm.... clink!

It smelled odd. Straight ahead was a single bed. I sat my things by the bed and plopped onto it. I had to remind myself that this was for Logan's safety... my safety, and Alexis's safety. 

L O G A N 

We went into the home, and it was pretty cool. There was some type of get together, so the house was packed-full of guys. Ghost dapped up almost everyone he saw, giving them  smiles and hollers. The living room had a huge football game playing, with sport-heads yelling or cheering at each touch down. The kitchen was filled with beer and chips, and the smell of barbaque floated throughout the room from the backyard.
"Yo, Lo, your room's up stairs. Check it out, and then come down stairs for a few drinks."
"Aight, will do." I grinned as wreckless guys knocked into me and joked around. I walked up stairs with all my things, and made my way to the first room I saw. The peeked in, and immediately knew I made the wrong turn. Inside were two guys, making out on the bed. My eyes grew wide as I stumbled back. They shot their looks at me, and I swallowed hard. "S-sorry, wrong room."
Their grins slowly grew wider. One of them, a blonde guy, spoke up. "It's not the wrong room if your looking for some fun..." He winked at me. I ignored his comment and hurried out.
I walked next door. This time I made sure to knock. Behind the door I heard quiet sobbing... From a girl . For a second I thought this was a all-guys party or something.

I opened up, and on the bed sat a girl. She covered her face, and cried into her sleeves. I stood at the door silently, confused as to what to do. 
I knocked lightly onto the door. "Um..."
Her head swung up, and she looked over at me. She was African American, with long kinky curly hair. "Are you okay...?" I didn't want to just come out with "This is my room...so can you get out...." I'd be labeled as the biggest asshole in the world. 

She sniffed and covered up with a fake smile. She nodded, as though it would pain her to say something.
"You sure?"
She nodded some more.
"Your positive...?"
She nodded once more.
"Um, are you..."
"No I'm not! Life sucks!" She wailed, throwing her head into her palms once more, with the loudest of cries. I shut the door behind me, to make sure no one came running in here. The girl sounded like she was being attacked.
I sat my things down at the door and sat on the bed within distance to her. I avoided eye contact, and looked at the carpet. The only person I had been good at comforting was Brianna or Alexis. I was completely oblivious and awkward when it came to strangers.
"Well uh, what's wrong?" I asked.
"My stupid boy friend! This stupid place! My stupid life!"
I stood quiet as she sobbed. I reached over and lightly patted her back. "Everythings going to be..."
"He's cheating! I know he is! And he knows he has no time for all that now that we have a child!"
"Cheating? You caught him cheating?"
"I just know he is!"
"How so?"
"Going out late at night - coming home with scratches and scars..."
"And you have a baby together?"
"She's not a baby per-say. She's 1."
"What's her name?"
"Amaya." The girl sniffed, and looked up at me. She seemed to lighten up at the thought of her daughter. [A picture of little Maya is to your right.>>>] As she looked at me, I had a better look at her face. She had medium caramel skin, with sharp, light brown eyes. Her lips were thick, and her skin looked completely natural. It was flawless. Her curly was thick and hung down her back. I could tell she was the innocent type. By the sound of her voice, she didn't seem like the yelling type.
"That's a pretty name." I said, in attempted to lighten her mood up. She sniffed and nodded, with a more believable smile. "Yeah. Her father named her. He said it fitted her perfectly..."
"He seems like a good father."
"Lord knows he is. He provides. He buys her anything she needs and wants. But I can't shake the feeling that he's snooping around."
"Well, have you talked to him about it?"
She shrugged, and hung her eyes low. A small tear slipped down her cheek, to the slit of her mouth. "No, not exactly.."
"Why?"
"It just pains me too much to even bring it up. Look at me - I started crying just at the thought of it.."
There was silence in the room then. A good minute or two.
"Is he downstairs?"
She looked at me, her eyes growing slightly wider than before. "Yes, he is. Why?"
"Because your going to bring him up here, sit him down, and talk to him."
"Here? Right now? I don't think this is the right time - "
"Well the fact that your at a real emotional state says nothing more than 'perfect timing'. Sit tight, I'll go downstairs and get him."
She looked nervous, but didn't deny it. She nodded, and wiped her eyes. I opened the door, then stopped at the threshold. "What's his name? What does he look like?" I asked, so I can be sure not to get the wrong guy.
"Um," She sat up on the bed. "He has blue eyes. Blonde hair. Light skin. Thin, and tall. A bunch of tattoos.."
For a second that sounded like...
"He goes by the name of Ghost."

"Ghost?" 
She sniffed, and nodded. "Yeah, you know him right?"
"Do I know him? Yeah, Im living with him," I included.

She jerked, and tilted her head sideways. "Wait? Your Logan, aren't you?"
"Yeah, Ghost's-"
"Brianna's boyfriend." She finished. She smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Welcome to our home." 
"Woah, small world." I chuckled to myself. "And your name is?"
"Solange. But they just calle Angie." She looked down at my things, then looked at the bed she sat on. "Owh, and this is your room. No wonder why you came wondering in here," She giggled, wiping the last bit of tears from her eyes. 
I smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. It's your hospitality that's keeping me here. I really appreciate letting me stay here."
"No problem Logan."
"Owh, do you still want me to go and get him?"
"Yes please."
"Gotcha."
I walked out the room and closed the door behind me. I went downstairs, and the party was still running wild. It would take a while to find Ghost in this crowd of reckless dudes. I tapped a random stranger on the shoulder and asked, "Yo, you seen Ghost?"
"What?" He asked, yelling over the loud music. 
"I said, HAVE YOU SEEN GHOST!" I yelled. 
"OWH!" He nodded. "OUT BACK, BRAH!"
"GOOD LOOKING OUT!" I Responded.
"ANY TIME, BRAH!" 
The guy looked waisted. And it was just around 4 in the afternoon.

I made my way to the back yard. The smell of the grill grew stronger. God, I was hungry. Out there was a crew guys chilled back, relaxing, and smoking some weed. This was the more calm area of the party. Guys stepped in and out for a quick smoke, or a conversation that didn't include sports and girls. 

Ghost stood at the grill, talking to a guy friend of his. He spotted at me and gestured for me to come over. I walked down the steps and stood by him. 

"How do you like the room?"
I didn't really get to look at it now that he mentioned it. "Um, it's fine." I cleared my throat. "But your girls upstairs. Kinda hurt."
"Ange? Oh, you met her?"
"Yeah. She's a good girl bro." 
"Thanks, is she upstairs now?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, let me check up on her." He patted me on my shoulder as he passed a friend his cup. "Good looking out, Logan."
"Anytime."

~ * A L E X I S * ~