'Dad! Why the hell am I up this early?'� Gina groaned as she sat half-awake groggily staring at her bowl of cheerios.
'Because darling, ya gotta go to school. It's you and your sisters first day and you don't wanna be late. Now don't forget, I'm working late tonight at the restaurant, gotta get the menu layouts to Jeff so he can look over them. What does that mean for you, Gina?'� He said making a cup of coffee to go with a piece of toast dangling out of his mouth.
'That means that I have to take my car and wait for Rhianna after school. Which also means I'm making dinner for her tonight, anything else?'� Gina said looking up at her father. She examined his facial features, he was a well-built man, who stood sturdy like a house of bricks and was around 6'5. He had broad arms and spiked short salt and pepper hair. His eyes were dark nearly black and had a 5 O' clock shadow. He had dark circles around his eyes; those late nights at the restaurant were beginning to catch up with him. He had a twinkle in his eyes all of the time, he always seemed to know more than he let on.
'Very good Gina, also don't forget to drop me off some dinner later on, ok?
'Anything else master?'� Gina said raising her eyebrow.
'Yeah, I love you kiddo and I don't care if you smoke in the house, just so long you don't burn the damn house down.'�
'Yes sir, work hard!'� She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek and with that he waved goodbye and shut the door.
'I need to wake up, but first get Rhianna up.'� Gina though to herself as she walked upstairs and peeked in Rhianna's room.
'Aw, she's adorable when she's sleeping.'� She thought as she leaned over her, getting close to her face.
'Rhianna'�Rhianna'�RHIANNA!'�
Rhianna shot up, 'What the FUCK do you want this early?!'�
'Wake up sunshine, we've got school, so motivate!'�
'Well that's all you had to say, Jesus fucking Christ.'�
'Hey! I don't wanna hear no lip out of you, just get up, I'll be downstairs on the balcony if you need me, get in the shower pretty soon alright?'� Gina went back downstairs and grabbed her pack of cigarettes and went out on the balcony. She lit a cigarette and looked around inhaling the toxins feeling a chill run down her spine.
Rhianna came down the stairs a few minutes later and grabbed a cigarette out of Gina's pack. Gina looked up at her and then back out across the horizon.
'New Orleans looks so different and feels so different from New Your City.'� Gina said inhaling another puff of her cigarette.
Rhianna smiled and replied, 'Yeah I know, do ya wonder what our school is like?'�
'From my guess, not to different from New York, Speaking of which, if anyone gives you any shit, you come find me.'�
'Yes mother.'�
'Oh, shuddup!'� Gina said playfully slapping Rhianna. Gina finished her cigarette and then went upstairs to shower. As she was passing through the kitchen she noticed her bowl of cheerios sitting on the table, beginning to liquefy.
'Oh yeah,'� She thought, 'Today is definitely going to be a lovely day.'� Gina stood in front of the mirror looking at her somewhat blurry reflection, she remembered then she didn't have her contacts in. Her eyes were dark blue and she had defined cheekbones. Her strawberry blonde hair fell down to her shoulders with her dark red roots showing at the top. She had a small line of freckles going across her nose. She opened her mouth and examined her tongue ring. Her body was well defined, her toned stomach peeking from underneath her wife-beater as she stretched.
Gina showered and came back downstairs and Rhianna was sitting on the balcony's edge smoking a cigarette watching the sunrise.
Gina stepped outside and looked at her leaning against the doorway, 'So do you plan on showering today stinky? Don't make me carry you to your bath! Move your lazy ass!'�
Rhianna looked at her and smiled, 'Wanna see a magic trick?'�
Puzzled Gina stepped closer to her and tilted her head, 'I gotta see this, ok so what's the magic trick?'�
Rhianna flicked her cigarette ashes on Gina and then ran inside the house swinging back around the corner laughing, 'POOF you're an ashtray!'�
Gina frowned and turned around wiping the ashes off of her clean clothes, 'If you don't get in the damn shower in the next 30 seconds, you're going to be going POOF right off the balcony of this damn house!'�
Rhianna squealed and ran upstairs and Gina continued to clean herself waiting for Rhianna to finish, she looked out across the horizon and saw the beams of light beginning to shine through the buildings.
Rhianna came back down downstairs after her shower and reached for the cigarettes lighting another one, hanging lazily over the balcony looking out and sighing. Gina stood next to her and patted her back.
'Hey you ready to go?'� Gina said as she put her cigarette out and stepped back into the kitchen to make herself a mug of coffee.
'Yeah, whenever you're ready, I'm just finishing this cigarette and having a good long think, which isn't even that good for my small brain.'�
'That's my girl, now let's get out of here, we've still gotta get scheduled.'� With that they grabbed their back packs and Gina grabbed her coffee and keys, heading out the door to the garage. They went into the garage and opened the door; the sun now shining on Gina's rebuilt black 1970 Chevrolet Camaro and right next to it was a cherry apple red 1968 Cutlass. Greg had rebuilt these cars for Rhianna and Gina, the Cutlass was waiting for Rhianna when she got her license. They got in the car and Gina revved the engine and squealed her tires out of the driveway.
They arrived at the new school a few minutes later. The school sounded of car stereos and the chatter of a busy school. The windows were barred, and some people watched as Gina parked. They got out the car stepping on her cigarette with her boots. Rhianna took of her sunglasses and flicked her cigarette across the parking lot, looking at each other and taking a big sigh.
'Ready?'� Gina said anxiously.
'Hell no, are you!?'�
'Does it sound like I'm ready in any way?'�
'Not really'�
'Quick learner, Einstein.'�
'Shut up ass bag.'�
'At least I have an ass.'�
'Love you too sis.'� Rhianna said keeping up with Gina as they stepped towards the metal detectors. The police searched them and then cleared them to enter. They walked down the hall to the Guidance office and they felt the piercing looks as they made their way down the hall.
They registered for classes and then the bell screamed for first period. 'Remember what I said alright? Meet me at the car after school. Later!'� Gina commanded as she walked away, Rhianna just crossed her arms and sighed walking away, going there separate ways.
Gina went her first room, taking a deep breath and walked in sitting down in the back. A girl approached her. She had blonde hair with black undertones, and she had bright blue eyes that could pierce the souls of anyone. She was taller than Gina, and had a plaid skirt with a purposely torn shirt on with a fishnet top underneath; black nail polish covered her long nails. She looked at Gina and said, 'Uh, excuse me, this is my seat, move it.'�
Gina scoffed, 'Where's your name?'�
'What are you talking about?'�
'I don't see your name on here'�
'No, you probably wouldn't, we're not in elementary school, but it is assigned.'� She said confidently with a small smirk. 'You're new aren't ya?'�
'What was your first clue?'� She laughed at Gina's remark and proceeded to ask,
'What's your name?'�
'Gina'�
'Pleasure to meet you, I'm Krystal, but it doesn't change that you're in my seat.'� Gina blushed and quickly got up.
Krystal smiled and pointed to the seat next to her, 'That one is open if you want it.'�
'Thanks, I'm just really nervous, I'm from New York and this is just so strange.'�
'What is? The people or New Orleans in general?'�
'Both, from the way people talk to the building structures. I dunno it's just really confusing.'�
'You'll get used to it, I promise. Hey, Whatcha doing for lunch?'�
'I have no damn clue.'� Gina said chuckling.
Krystal smiled, 'Well meet me in the parking lot; we'll go for a drive. Hey wait, aren't you the girl that drove up in that classic today?'�
'Yeah that's me, and yeah I'm all for it, who's car are we taking?'�
'Yours, hey listen do you'�'� before Krystal could get the rest of the sentence out the teacher came in and made sure everyone had their attention on him. The day was starting out right for Gina and it went fast to lunch. She went outside and looked around for Krystal and saw her hanging around outside the doors waiting for her.
'Hey chick, what's good?'� Krystal said pushing herself off the pillar walking next to Gina, moving towards the car.
'I dunno, what's good? Pizza is good.'� Gina said chuckling at what Krystal had said. Krystal raised her eyebrow at Gina and just shook her head smiling.
'GINA! Don't you dare leave yet!'� A voice called from behind, Gina and Krystal turned around and saw Rhianna sprinting towards them.
Krystal leaned over and asked in Gina's ear, 'Who the hell is that shrimp?'�
'The pipsqueak would be my sister, Rhianna. She's cool so no worries.'� Rhianna approached the car and looked Krystal up and down then turned back to Gina, 'You mind giving me a couple of cigarettes? I don't have any dad didn't buy me a pack last night and I'm really in need of one. School has been hell.'� Gina nodded and reached into her car and pulled out her pack of cigarettes handing Gina two, 'Make 'em last 'cause I'm going to lunch with Krystal, don't get caught, that's the last thing we need is a ticket.'�
'Yeah, yeah when was the last time I got caught? Isn't that your specialty?'�
'Shut up and get out of here, we gotta go.'� Gina said opening her car door; Rhianna turned around and walked away giving a wave in Gina's direction as she walked down the street.
'Yeah she's real cool, what a dweeb.'� Krystal said throwing herself into the car shutting the door.
'Well she's blood there's not a damn thing I can do about it.'� Gina said as she lit a cigarette squealing the car into reverse switching the gears and revving her engine as she pulled out of the school parking lot. Gina looked over and saw Krystal holding onto the door for support, 'What you scared of my driving?'�
'Just a wee bit since ya'll just burned rubber back there; surprised the cops ain't out for you yet.'�
'Sorry, I'll be more careful, so what was it you wanted to ask me earlier?'� Gina said as she blew the smoke out of her open window, letting the air hit her face in gusts.
'Oh yeah I kinda forgot about that. Was wondering if ya'll smoked?'�
'Well that's kinda obvious isn't it? I'm holding a cigarette in my hand.'�
'Nah, that ain't what I meant, c'mon use some of your New York street smarts, you'll get what I mean.'� Gina thought for a second, her face contorted into concentration as she turned down the street heading for her house. It clicked and she looked over at Krystal smiling.
'Yeah but I bet your shit ain't no good compared to New York's.'� Krystal laughed and raised her eyebrow letting her hair flow freely through the air the undertones of her hair being shown.
'Nah I doubt that, ya'll shit processed, this is 100 percent homegrown, but if ya'll brought some down with ya I'd be happy to find out.'�
'Might be processed, but it's potent as fuck, but yeah I got some at my house, I'd be more than happy to prove it to you that mine is better than yours.'� Gina said turning into her driveway revving the engine pulling into the garage. Krystal smiled and grabbed her purse following Gina upstairs into their house.
Gina took Krystal into her room, reaching into one of the boxes pulling out a small wooden box. Krystal peered over Gina's shoulder as she opened it pulling out a small zip-lock bag full of bright green buds of Marijuana.
Krystal's jaw dropped, 'Ya'll gotta be fucking kidding me, that's the greenest shit I've ever seen, what did they do? Soak it in markers?'�
'Nope, it's just the way we do things back in New York, so you think yours can beat mine?'�
'Starting to get ready to eat my words, but let's see what you got.'�
Gina smirked and pulled out her rainbow glass pipe. The colors started as a black and became white at the end, with every color imaginable in-between. Gina tightly packed a green bud into the pipe, pressing down making sure that none had gone to waste handing Krystal the pipe. 'Southern ladies first.'�
Krystal smiled and mumbled something underneath her breath flicking her lighter breathing in the noxious smoke of the Marijuana. She quickly pulled her lips away, going into a coughing fit. 'GOD DAMN! What the fuck is that!?'�
Gina simply smiled, 'Only New York's finest bud.'� They sat together in her room smoking the pipe both of their thoughts being lifted to a higher level. They had finished what was in the pipe and Krystal fell over on Gina's bed laughing hysterically. Gina just grinned at her eyes even a brighter blue now, as her eyes became glassed over and red from the marijuana.
They were giggling as they stumbled their way back to Gina's car. They both lit up cigarettes as Gina put it into reverse and pulled out of the driveway, clutching it into first gear and peeling to the stop sign. Krystal squealed with delight as she took another drag of her cigarette, as this continued the whole way back to school.
'Oh man, ya'll sure know how to grow that shit, I dun think Imma be able to stand up.'� Gina just smiled and laughed throwing her cigarette out the car window approaching the school parking lot.
They crawled their way out of the car stumbling into school. Rhianna approached them and stopped dead glaring at Gina. She looked into Gina's hazy eyes and knew what had happened at lunch. 'She's fucking high again!'� Rhianna thought to herself feeling her blood begin to boil.
She felt her face tighten and her fists clench. She decided against telling her to get her head out of a dark orifice and quickly moved past her. 'Didn't she learn anything after all the shit mom put us through?'� Rhianna felt her eyes well up with tears, beginning to sting she dug her nails into her palms, causing the feeling of crying to wash away and be replaced by a piercing pain.
Gina didn't even notice that Rhianna was upset, standing stupidly with Krystal inside the commons waiting for the bell to ring when she saw her.
She walked calmly through the doors, with an aura of confidence about her, her strides smooth, as if she was gliding across the floor. Gina's gaze was a fixated on her. She watched her as the girl's arms cradled the books like a small child, her hair moving freely as she walked, the dark hair lingering just beneath her shoulders.

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