Orphanage

21

Rayan.

I laid in bed staring at the ceiling, Zonnique broke up with me. Why? I don't know, because of Cassie? That's crazy, she doesn't even know Cassie and I bet if she met her she'll love her. I haven't talked to Cassie since the whole library situation, I sat up. I'm so sick of being here, I need to leave. I'm going to be 20 soon, I need to find something to do with my life. I put on my black sweatpants and my black jacket and left out the room. Craig was in the living room talking to a man in a suit, I went by them.

"Sup Craig." I nodded.

He looked at me. "Hello fellow man that I stay at this wonderful orphanage with." He fake smiled.

I chuckled, "Who's this?"

"Myke Kallman." The guy said. "Manager of Atlantic Records."

"Oh I'm sorry bro, good luck." I told Craig.

I walked out and went in the library, I got a laptop and went up to the counter.

"Mrs.Cooler can I rent this laptop please." I said.

She looked at me. "Your the young man who disrespected me."

"Sorry about that, I really am." I apologized.

She sighed. "Name?"

"Rayan Lopez."

"Date if birth?"

"January 6th." I said.

"Today's date is August 12th , you have to return this by August 18th."

I nodded. "Will do, bye Mrs.Cooler."

I walked out the library and put the laptop in a bookbag. I swung the bag over my back and figured I'd go to Starbucks for coffee and apply for the colleges. I walked to Starbucks and sat in a booth.

"Hello I'm Heather, how may I assist you?" The older woman smiled.

"Hello Heather, I'll have a iced mocha." I said.

She nodded. "Coming right up."

I signed into the laptop and sent a resume in to both colleges for me and Cassandra, hopefully I get a call back in less than 5 days.

Zonnique.

Finally back in California. I threw my bags on my floor and took off my shoes. "Codi !" I yelled. Codi ran into my room and instabtly jumped on top of me. "Hey boy'" I smiled.

I grabbed my phone and dialed the number for UCLA.

"UCLA main office, how may I assist you?"

"Hi yes, I'm Zonnique Pullins I got called I for a meeting."

"Say your last name again honey."

"Pullins."

"Zonnique?"

"Yes. I just said that."

"I apologize, you have an meeting tomorrow at 12."

"Okay thank you."

I hung up and jumped up in down, I'm going to college! Hopefully- I don't know yet.

I took a shower and put on something a little more comfortable. Grey sweats, white beater, and my raggedy Uggs. I put a bonnet on my head and went downstairs.

"Maria I'm starving! What's for dinner?" I asked.

She looked at me. "pollo frito y sandía He oído que la gente de color a encantar!" She laughed.

"I don't know what you said but it sounds good." I laughed.

15 minutes later

The 3 of us scattered around the dinner table, waiting for Maria to make our plates.

"So, did you call that college Zo?" Bre asked.

I nodded. "Yeah I have a meeting tomorrow at 12." I smiled.

"We have to go to the studio at 10, remember." Bee said.

I smacked my teeth. "Crap, Well I'll go but I'll have to leave super early, then I'll come back."

Bee shrugged. "If it's okay with Mr.Iovine it's okay with me."

Maria came to the table. "aquí está tu cena de mis amigos!" She put plates on the table.

"Maria what the hell is this!" Bre yelled. She was furious, and I was to.

On the plate was fried chicken, watermelon, and cornbread. With kool aid in a plastic cup.

"This is such a racist meal." I whispered.

Bee sighed. "María no puede darnos la comida como ésta, que es racista eres racista?"

Maria gasped. "oh no pensé que las chicas le gustaría este!"

"así que no nos gusta esto y nos sentimos ofendidos gracias Maria." Bee looked at us. "Do you girls just wanna go to Chipotle?"

Zonnique. (the next day)

I woke up to Codi barking. I groaned and got out of bed slowly, I looked at the time on the clock. 8:15 AM. I went in the bathroom to go pee and put on my slippers. I put Codi on his leash and went downstairs. I saw Maria sitting in the den watching tv, when she saw me she jumped up.

"Lo siento mucho por la cena Estrella por favor, perdóname." She pleaded.

I looked at her. "I know perdóname means forgive me so, I forgive you." I shrugged .

I opened the door and walked Codi up the street two times and went back into the house. I took off the leash and fed Codi, after that I went to my room. I looked at my fish tank, it really needs to be cleaned. I fed the fishes and took a shower. I put on my red Adidas pants with white stripes, white crop top, and white Nike hightops. I looked in the mirror, my hair was all over the place. I'm going to get it done soon, I put it in a ponytail for now and went downstairs.

I looked on the table and saw breakfast which contained croissants, waffles, cranberry juice, French toast, and some sausages. Bre and Bee came down the stairs and made their plates.

"Goodmorning guys." Bre said drowning her waffles with syrup.

"Morning." We said.

Bee turned on the news, they were talking about the missing Malaysian plane. That's so weird to me, how could a plane go missing?

"I can't believe this." Bee scoffed. "How does a plane longer than 30 feet go missing?"

Bre bit a sausage. "I think the pilot had something to do with it, he was Chinese."

I laughed. "What does him being Chinese have something to do with it?"

"The terrorist were Indian, this could be like 9-11 all over again." Bre explained. "Besides, they couldn't even track this plane and it's been missing for more than 10 days."

I nodded. "That's true, hopefully it gets found."

-studio-

Mr.Cameron began to ask us questions about our personal life, he said it'll help for our next song. I don't understand why but Mr.Iovine says that he knows best.

"Let's start with you Miss Beauty." Mr.Cameron smiled. "What's going on?"

Bee shrugged. "I'm seeing someone."

"What else?" He asked.

"My birthday passed a couple weeks ago, I been through a bad breakup, and I miss Atlanta and my friends." She explained.

He nodded. "Go ahead Star."

"I may be going to college." I said. "Also, I'm going to try and find a vet place to volunteer again, and I'm single."

He looked at me and Bee. "What about you Bre?"

"Uh, let's see. I met a nice guy in New York , nothing serious though I'm still going through my past relationship, and also I -"

"Stop!" He yelled.

We all looked at him. "Is there a problem Jasper?" Mr.Iovine asked.

"No Jimmy of course not." He replied. "I got it, you all hate your exes right?"

"I wouldn't say hate." Bee started.

Bre scoffed. "Yes."

I shrugged. "I'm highly upset with him, but I don't hate him."

"Did these guys break up with you girl?" He asked.

"Yes." Bee whined.

"He cheated so I did the break up." Bre said.

"Same with me." I replied.

He snapped his fingers. "This song will be about boys! How they are and how they hurt you in one way."

"So it's, a diss song?" Bre asked.

"No I wouldn't call it that, tell me how you feel about these guys." He said.

"I'll bring you girls done coffee, I'll be back." Mr.Iovine smiled.

"I feel like he had a winner." I said.

"Yeah, and I feel like now that he left me, he's a loser." Bre agreed.

Mr. Cameron smiled. "I love you girls."

I quickly changed into a nice dress that tugged my curves tightly, it was a royal blue dress with black heels. My hair was straight and my makeup was beautiful. I turned the key into the ignition of my blue Bentley. Incredimazable began to fill the air, were on the radio? Incredimazable is on the radio? I smiled and laughed happily, were on the radio! I began to make a i********: video.

"On my way to my meeting with UCLA and I hear this on the radio!" I yelled. I turned up the radio and began singing along. "I love all of my fans!"

I pulled up at UCLA, it was huge and adventurous. I just wanted to explore it all, unfortunately I couldn't because I haven't got accepted yet. I went in the main office.

"Hi I'm Zonnique Pullins." I said.

"Sign here." The lady spoke.

I signed my name and have the clipboard back to her.

"The second door on the right." She said.

I started to walk that direction. I knocked on the door and a older man opened it.

"Zonnique Pullins." I said.

He nodded. "Ah , come in Miss. Pullins."

I walked and sat in a chair.

"I'm Mr.Strauss , the owner of UCLA for more than twenty years!" He smiled.

"Good for you." I laughed.

He sat down behind his desk. "I have a few questions, shall you answer them?"

I nodded. "If it gets in into this college of course."

"Tell me about yourself."

"Okay." I started. "I consider myself as a independent young lady, I adore pets and music. I wish to be famous someday, I'm actually working on that now but I want a degree first." I laughed. "I'm responsible and take my education seriously, I'm also a hard worker."

He nodded. "Next question. Why are you interested in UCLA?"

"I feel like, this is the college for me. It's a college for people with arts - my art is music. Also, you guys have plenty of offers. It's also close to my home." I explained.

"Home? This is a university. If you attend here you get a dorm." He said.

"I looked in the UCLA rule book Mr. Strauss, I read all 6,000 ruled and I didn't see one that said you had to have a dorm in order to attend." I smiled.

"Smart girl."

"I know."

He asked me about 10 more questions then said he'll send a letter out to my house. After the meeting I grabbed some Chinese food and headed back to the studio. So far Bre and Bee's verses were done. The only things we need now is my verse and the chorus.

Rayan.

I sat on the living room couch, watching Ridiculousness. I bit into my granola bar and drank my soda.

"Rayan?"

I looked up and saw Mrs. Pruitt.

"Oh wassup Mrs.Pruitt ." I said sitting up .

"We need to talk." She said sitting beside me.

I looked confused. "Wassup?"

"Your almost 20 years old Rayan." She sighed. "It's about time you leave Morris."

" I know Mrs. Pruitt I've been searching for colleges and apartments." I whined. "I just need to stay here until I get the money to pay off my college -"

"Rayan do you know that this isn't a shelter? We bring kids in at 18 to help them be on their own. Morris is for teenagers who doesn't have anyone so we bring them in and help them know what life actually is." She explained.

"I know, I know but -"

"You gotta be out of here by next week Rayan." She got up. "Goodbye."