i ain't never looking for no handouts

Stephanie: made sure to clean up her room and change her sheets before Vince came over. She left the front porch light on as he had asked but nervous butterflies filled her stomach as she looked at herself in her floor length mirror. She finished touching up her make up before she smoothed her hands over the short jean skirt and crop top she had put on before heading downstairs just as there was a loud knock on the door. She felt rather self conscious in her outfit, one her father would have shamed her over and her mother would have had a heart attack seeing her daughter in, but some part of her did feel sexy and confident after her texts with Tori and Vince. She needed to branch out and maybe she was going about it wrong by sleeping with a guy she barely knew the name of who had just gotten out of jail but right now Stephanie wanted to do as she pleased and not be controlled. Which just happened to be taking up Vince’s offer. Stephanie swung the door open and pinned her lower lip between her teeth as she looked Vince over, he wasn’t bad looking at all. “You going to come in or you trying to put a show on for the whole neighborhood?” She tried to tease but it felt awkward so instead she moved aside so the boy, no, man, could come in. “So, uh, should we just get to it or do you want something to drink?”

vanessa: they had me blindfolded and dropped me at the downtown park. all i remember is the name marcus.

vince: okay. cool.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, “Good thing I’m not like most girls. Besides, chase waters it down and takes longer for you to get drunk.” Taking another pull, she looked through the cabinets for a cup, then pouring some for Vince. She handed it over, nodding for him to drink before sitting opposite him. “Why you looking at me like that?” Vanessa asked, a slight smirk crossing her face. There was no negative connotation to her sentence, but she had to admit she did like the way he looked at her lately. 

Vince simply nodded at Vanessa’s words, not sure if this was a side effect of everything that had gone down today, or a new hobby she’d taken up. Either way, he figured it was none of his business to inquire any more about her drinking habits. He took a couple gulps of his own, falling back against the sofa cushions of the apartment. “Shit, you know why” he replied, mirroring her smirk. He handed the bottle back, taking one of her sandy locks and twirling the ends  between his two fingers. “You know why I couldn’t leave your little ass in jail?”

vanessa: you already know what happened so i don't have to talk about it. i don't want to talk about. i don't wanna talk about what they did, okay?

Steph: Well I can be full of surprises when I want to be.

Steph: Yep, my parents are off a church couples retreat for the entire week.

vince: church girl, huh? i can dig it. i like em sweet

drew: i've got enough shit to deal with right now. but i'll hit you up soon.

vanessa: i don't know what you heard happened, but whatever it is didn't happen. i just was laying low for a little. wasn't kidnapped or whatever grace told people.

Steph: If you’re implying what I think you are I am flatter but I shouldn’t.

[Five Minutes Later]

Steph: You know what, if you’re still offering then I’d like to see what else you can do. ;)

vince: and here i was thinking you didn't have it in you

drew: of course it is bc no one in your gang can fight on their own.

vanessa: nothing happened.

vince: you're lying

drew: oh yeah cause four on one is fair.

drew: count on it. isn't it a little late for that?

vince: that's the game. if you want fair join the girl scouts

Steph: Oh wow. I'm sorry to hear that.

Steph: You sure know how to make a girl blush.

vince: it's cool

drew: oh gotcha. must have been too busy dropping the soap.

drew: see i would but someone doesn't know how to fight one on one.

vince: you talk alotta shit for someone that got their ass whooped

vince: what the fuck happened to you?

She followed him inside in silence, not knowing how he was gonna react now that they were there. Vanessa half expected him to call her brothers to come get her so he wouldn’t have to deal with this. "Who said I wanted chase?” she spoke with a small smile, the first time she smiled in the past few hours. Vanessa grabbed the bottle from his hand, immediately moving to go upstairs towards Vince’s room. The last thing she needed was someone who knew her to swing by and see her drinking on Vince’s couch. She plopped down on the bed, screwing off the bottle and taking a long pull. The liquid burned going down, but it did relax her almost immediately. “You’re not gonna make me drink alone, are you?”

“Just saying I know how you girls do, say you want shots and then scrunch up your face and shit when it hits your throat” he quipped, followed by a low chuckle. Vince plunked himself down on the couch. All he did today was make a few drop offs and get her from the police station, but somehow he felt exhausted. The smallest of smirks appeared on his dark features at Vanessa’s last comment, prompting him to glance over at her. “Shit, pour me up then” he responded, eyeing the way her hands gripped the neck of the bottle. He could think of something else he’d like her to get her hands around but perhaps that could hold off until later.

Steph: So why hadn’t I seen you around earlier in the school year? Did you just transfer here?

vince: nah i was doing time.