Lola woke up to a loud bang and sat up abruptly. It had been two days since she had been taken and a day since they had separated her from Haley.
The place she was being kept in was pretty quiet which she was unsure on whether to be calm or more worried.
She hadn't seen anyone since Thomas had drugged them and she was feeling horrible. Her breath tasted horrid and she was cold with a hungry stomach.
The thin blanket they had given her was barely doing her any justice.
She heard a knock on the door, "Yo, you good?"
She didn't reply.
"Are you dressed? Can I come in?" The guy asked sounding agitated.
"Yeah" Lola mumbled loud enough for him to hear.
Dj strode in with several of his men behind him. She stood up and backed up to the wall.
"I just need a picture" he grinned weirdly. "You gon' cooperate?" He asked sticking his hand out.
She was led downstairs into a living room that was clearly not used to chill in. She was sat down onto a chair against one of the pale walls and they gave her a newspaper from today's date. She giggled to herself.
"What's so funny?" One of the guys asked. She looked over at Dj who was smoking and looking out the window.
"I feel like I'm in a movie" she replied holding the newspaper up.
The guy glared at her for a moment then smirked. Before taking his phone out.
"Don't smile" he instructed sitting opposite her.
"And what if I do?"
"Don't start" he said holding his phone out.
She tilted her head and smiled with the newspaper. He sighed and put his phone out.
"James isn't gonna pay Dj up if you're smiling"
"I don't care, imma die anyway"
"What makes you think that?" His tone was soft yet serious.
"I'll stop smiling if you give me food" Lola said ignoring his question.
"Or I can just or you up and put a sock in yo mouth" he said.
"I just want food, that's not drugged"
"You can't make demands, WE kidnapped YOU" he spoke with his eyebrow raised.
"I don't mind the pot noodles again, just don't drug me again please"
He sighed when he realised she wouldn't let up.
"Okay, I'll get you food"
DJ turned around and watched the encounter between the two. She reminded him of Jamal a lot too. She was kind of stubborn but not so much that he wanted to kick her throat.
"Yo, I can try and start crying if you want" Lola suggested.
"I'm good" he chuckled taking a picture.
"Thanks for cooperating Lola" he said before leaving he room.
She put the newspaper down, she knew her name wouldn't be in there. She doubted that they would've involved the police. She wondered how her dad was and whether Jennifer would know that she was missing too.
DJ snapped his fingers and the rest of his men left the room.
He took a seat in front of her on the edge of the coffee table.
"You're very relaxed" he said taking the newspaper from besides her.
She didn't say anything. This guy kind of spooked her out. He was hella fine, but the way he spoke made him seem crazy.
"Oh, What? You don't wanna speak to me? You were fine speaking to Jeremiah though"
"He seems nice"
"Yeah he is" Dj nodded "a little too nice sometimes."
She stared at him.
"You're Jamal's sister" he said grinning.
She didn't react, was that information so important to him.
"You should give me some typa credit, Lo-la" the way he said her name made her feel triggered. "It was hard figuring that out. I mean, you guys don't have similar features. But you do look like your mom. So, I'm assuming you're not Jamie's child"
"No, I'm not" Lola crossed her arms. "And I don't have a mum"
"So I'm guessing you don't like Jaida" he grinned even more.
"Why does this matter to you? Doesn't it mean I'm not valuable. Jamie isn't going to care about me, only Jamal"
DJ stroked the side of her face making her freeze up.
"You need a shower, and a toothbrush"
He stood up and left the room.
Lola stood up and moved towards the window. But before she could pull open the curtains, the door swung open and a large arm grabbed her and yanked her upstairs.
She was dragged into the bathroom which seemed to be the only clean place she had been too. He showed her where the toothbrushes were and towels and locked the door when he left.
They had been smart, the tiny window that was used for ventilation was bares up with steel. So she just cleaned herself up and took a long hot shower, washing her hair too. She had no idea when the next time would be so she savoured every moment.
When she was done she put on underwear she was given and her jeans with a jumper that they had also given her which was way warmer than what she was wearing before.
"I'm done" she knocked on the door.
The large guy that was previously there had left and the guy who had taken her picture was now standing there (Jeremiah).
"Hello, Jeremiah" She said.
"How'd you know my name?" He asked.
"Your boss told me" she said.
He handed her a bag. "There's more clothes in there for you."
"How long am I staying here?" She asked again. He shrugged and walked her to her room.
"Wait!" She said before he locked the room. "Where's Haley?"
"Who's that?" Jeremiah asked.
***
Haley sat in the back of a van shivering. They had given her the blanket she had before, but outside in the van it was way colder than in the house.
She had been blindfolded and placed in the back with Loco and Levi.
After telling him that Shamika was there too, he had chuckled and left her there crying despite not touching a hair on her head. She couldn't handle everything that was going on.
She said nothing as the Van kept rolling.
"I didn't drug you by he way" Levi said.
"I never asked" Haley mumbled.
Loco snickered. "Pretty boy doesn't like it when people are mad at him"
Haley shut her eyes and prayed silently.
"I left to grab something for Dj when I was making them and I think he slipped something in to move you guys easily"
"To be honest, I wouldn't have fought you guys" Haley said lazily.
Clearly unsatisfied with her reaction, Levi stopped talking. After 20 minutes, the van stopped and she heard the driver door open. A second or so later the back door on the van opened and Loco hopped out. Levi grabbed Haley's arms, which were tied up, and led her out of the van.
It was bright outside and Haley began squinting in the light. She recognised the area a little and felt her back being pushed into another house.
"Don't even think about it" Loco said as she resisted slightly.
As soon as she walked in, a horrible smell of weed and sweat hit her nose.
She recognised a few of the girls stacking cash up in their underwear that used to go to her school. They looked at her then went back to work.
She was shoved into the kitchen which smelt better but only because the back door was open. She could see and hear a bunch of niggas cackling in the back.
"You're going home" Levi whispered into her ear, "so don't do nothing stupid. These guys will use any reason to shoot yo ass"
She didn't have time to respond as she was dragged by someone else to another smaller room where she was sat down on the worn out couch. She was untied and locked in the room for about five minutes until one of He girls came in. She was now fully clothed and she held a bottle of juice and crisps.
"You're probably hungry" she offered. "I'm gonna go home anyways"
"Thank you" Haley said taking it politely.
"Look, I don't know why you're here. But if you get out, don't mention me or the girls please. They're not holding a gun to our head and we're getting good money. They're just not very good people"
Haley nodded.
"Do you know the white guy?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, Levi. What about him?"
"Do you trust him?"
"I don't know, he's always nice to me but that doesn't mean much in this world does it?"
Haley just nodded her head.
"They're letting you go, right?"
"Yeah, so he says" Haley said.
She took out a receipt and a pen from her backpack then scribbled down some digits and handed it to her.
"I'm Aniyah, if things go bad call me. I know some people who can help"
"Thank you" Haley said stuffing it into her bra. She left quickly and Haley ate quietly by herself.
The door swung open and DJ stood there looking at the two of them. He clicked and pointed behind himself making Aniyah hurry out of the room.
Behind him stood Chris, he had a bruise on his face and a cut on his upper cheek.
"Go on then" DJ said. "Apparently you're not family. And this is a family matter" DJ stated as Haley hurried out of the room into Chris' arms.
"Are you okay?" Chris asked as she cried.
***
SATURDAY 22nd DECEMBER
It was getting closer to Christmas and Lucas was feeling more frustrated, angry and anxious. He would constantly call Jaida and not receive anything back despite the hundreds of voicemails he had left for her and James.
He was about to head out when to ask some corner boys for any information. He grabbed his car keys and swung the door open and found Luke and Michael standing there about to knock on the door.
"Hey Mr Brown" Luke said.
"What do you boys want? I'm busy" he said shutting the door behind him and heading towards his car.
"We wanna help" Michael started.
"Find Lola" Luke said.
"Good, you can help by telling me who her kidnappers are and where they hang" Lucas said unlocking his car.
"It's not that simple" Luke said standing in front of him. "He's not from here, so my dad doesn't even know where his places are in town"
"So what were you planning to do?" Lucas asked impatiently.
"There's someone looking for Shamika, maybe me too, so I can't be out so much. But we think we know where his niece lives. So we could start with her"
"I'm not about hurting family. We'll end up as bad as them" Lucas said uncomfortably.
"We've not got time, what if they hurt Lola" Michael said.
"You think I don't care?" Lucas said scrunching his eyebrows.
"We're not gonna hurt anyone" Luke said before Lucas could get more heated.
"Fine, what's her address?" Lucas asked taking his phone out and clicking on his maps.
"245 Freewidge Drive" Michael said. They slid into the back of Lucas' car and he followed the directions from his phone.
They parked at an apartment complex and Lucas hopped out first. "Let me do the talking please" he said as they followed him up a set of stairs to the door with numbers 245 hanging onto the centre of the door.
Lucas knocked 3 times and the door swung open with a lot of force.
"Y'all don't see the sign!" A little woman answered with cornrows on her hand and a track hanging out the back. "We don't want whatever your selling, even if it's Jesus"
She was a bout to slam the door shut, but Lucas took his foot out.
"There's no sign" Lucas said.
"And we're looking for Kamila" Luke said.
"What she done now" The woman turned around and called out for Kamila.
"I'm coming ma' chill out" They heard a softer voice reply. She came into the corridor and spotted the three guys standing at the door.
"Who are you guys?" Kamila asked approaching them, she had braids tied up in a large bun at the top of her head and wore grey joggers with a loose shirt.
"My name's Lucas and we think you could help me find out where my daughter is"
"What?"
"You're DJ's niece right?" Michael asked slightly impatiently. She stood at the door with a confused expression.
She sighed and crossed her arms "He looks out for me like a brother, but he ain't my uncle. I knew his niece, she was my best friend and got shot. So he made me family. Why do you guys think I can help?"
"We need a way to find my daughter" Lucas said.
"Y'all wanna come in" Kamila suggested "Going against DJ shouldn't be spoken about so freely"
She led her into a crowded living room where the little woman was getting her hair done. Some kids were playing on the floor and older kids watching tv and arguing.
"Ma' I'm taking them into my room, they need help with a DJ situation" she said.
"You think imma let you take three men into yo room by ya self" she said snapping her head up. The person doing her hair sighed. "Go into the kitchen"
"But m-"
"I said the kitchen"
Kamila lead them into a tiny kitchen with plates overcrowding the sink.
"You can see why I didn't wanna come in here" she said tidying up the cereal bowls and the crumbs.
"I don't understand, why do you wanna help us if DJ treats you like a little sister."
"He's weird" Kamilla said. "He gives me nice stuff but I don't need it really, I just wanna get out of this are and make a better life for myself. I can help you guys though. So who's the girl?"
"Lola" Michael said. Lucas took out a picture of Lola and showed her.
"I haven't seen her before" Kamilla shook her head. "Does she sell dope?"
"No, she's not involved with them" Luke said. "She was taken because my dad has to pay him up."
"Shit, I do know you" Kamila grinned. "They're looking for you too you know. You're dad is hella mean if he hasn't paid up yet. Everyone knows he has the money. And Dj has your brother too, Jamal right?"
Luke looked down. "He's stubborn"
"What do you want me to help you with?" Kamila asked.
***
Lola sat in a room staring at Jermiah as he pulled a mean glare.
"Just stop it"
"Are you serious?" He sighed.
"You're really bad at this"
"It was Ice Cube" Jeremiah said.
Lola laughed "oh, I see it now"
They were in her room playing charades and eating candy. He had been able to get her a thicker blanket since it was freezing in the house and even got her the two pillows they were sitting on.
"Tell me more about your family, it sounds like a lot of drama."
"It was, but it's calmed down a bit now."
"How is it being the only girl. I've got brothers and sisters so I've got the both of best worlds.
"I've got my cousin Mika" Lola said. "I used to hate her, but she's like a sister now"
"Are you guys the same age?"
"Yeah, she's like a month older than me. Her mum treated us like twins when we were younger, before the drugs started again"
"Is she close to her parents?"
"Her dad, like me I guess. But that's probably because her mom is still in rehab. I think, though to be honest she's been there a while."
Jeremiah got a notification and stood up. "I gotta go, Levi is outside if you wanna talk to someone."
"What about Jamal, and Haley? can't I see them?"
Jeremiah cringed a little, the cries from the basement made him want to help, but if he got caught, he'd be in the basement.
"I'll see you later."
Jeremiah left the room and Levi stood up abruptly making him nearly knock over the plastic chair he sat on.
"Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she's good, keep an eye on her"
Levi nodded.
Jeremiah grabbed his jacket that hung over the banister in the corridor and headed down the stairs and saw Loco coming up from the basement.
"Where you headed? Still looking for that Mika girl?"
Jeremiah nodded.
"Why, we already have two people?"
"She's a liability, plus, if it involves more of Lola's family Jaida is bound to make James pay up because they're innocent."
"Smart" Loco said. "So why haven't you told DJ" he asked wiping blood off his hands.
"I don't know how he'd act. You know he's unpredictable"
Loco dapped him up before Jeremiah left. He jumped into his car and headed to a nice block of apartment where he found out Mika's dad lived after talking to Lola.
He knocked on the door and the door opened revealing a boy who looked about 10. Jeremiah bent down to his level. "Hey little man, is your dad home?"
"I'm here" a deep voice said. Uncle T stood behind Theo. "Go back inside" he told Theo. Theo left them at the door.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm Jeremiah" he stuck his hand out and Uncle T shook it. "I'm looking for Mika"
"Why?" Uncle T pulled back and crossed his arms defensively. The note she left on the table said she was safe and he knew it had something to do with Lola's disappearance, yet there was only so much that Lucas could tell him.
"I can't find her and Lola, and the last time I saw them they said they were gonna meet me at Milkshakes for a day out. I've been calling but they haven't replied. And it's been two days now"
Uncle T relaxed a little. "Come in, I need to make phone call."
He led him into the living room where Theo was playing a video game on the television. Uncle T stepped aside and made a phone call to Michael and watched Jeremiah and Theo from afar.
"Hey Uncle T" Michael answered.
"Hey Michael, can you send me that boy's number that Mika is staying with"
" Thomas?"
"If that's his name"
Jeremiah watched Theo as he played. "Do you know where your sister is?" he asked.
"Why do you wanna know?" Theo asked side eyeing him. "You jealous?"
"Of what?"
"She's with Thomas, he's cool. Cooler than Jared, probably cooler than you"
"You don't even know me" Jeremiah chuckled.
"It doesn't matter Thomas is cool because he actually likes me, do you know Jamal. He's cool too, he gave me his chain" Theo cheesed.
Jeremiah just chuckled.
"Thanks Michael" Uncle T said when he got a ping from his phone showing the number Michael sent.
"No problem Uncle T, why do you need the number?"
"I just wanna talk to her."
"Don't talk for too long, we don't know if they're listening in on us, you more specifically."
"They're not that smart"he chuckled. Michael laughed a little too.
"Just don't give the number out so freely. We think that someone's looking for her"
Uncle T nodded "Bye Michael" he ended the call and turned to face Jeremiah and Theo who were talking quietly.
"Who did you say you were again?"
"Jeremiah" Jeremiah said standing up, Theo spotted the gun in his pants and paused his game before leaving the living room.
"Shamika hasn't mentioned you before"
"We go to school together"
"What grade are you in?"
"You seem really suspicious of me sir, who were you on the phone with."
"Lola's boyfriend" Uncle T crossed his arms. Jeremiah sighed, of all the names in her friendship group he remembered, he didn't know Lola's boyfriend.
"Do you know him?" Uncle T asked.
"No, he... doesn't like me" Jeremiah stuttered.
"i'll tell Mika you were here when she get back" Uncle T said. "she lost her phone and is staying with someone"
Jeremiah pulled out his gun "You know what 'Uncle T' I need you to pick up the phone and make her come here. I'm tired of these games. And I know you know more than you're letting off, call her little boyfriend Thomas, and tell them it's an emergency. If you tell her anymore then I'll shoot you right now"
// Not got much to say today so...
Who do you think needs to do more to help Lola and Jamal?
Do you know all the new character's names?
Which new character do you want see more of (Aniyah, Kamilla, Loco, Levi, Jeremiah)?
I'll be trying to post a characters page
Vote and Comment.
Byeee