The next class day I went to school. It was all business. My math class was a daze and I was pretty sure we had a math exam coming up. I wasn't a hundred percent sure though. I'd have to ask someone from class. 

 "Mi'a. Mi'a." Jasmine hollered as she ran to catch me in the elevator. It was just us.

 "Wassup Jasmine?"

 "I want to apologize for my boyfriend. Here." Jasmine reached a hand out to me. I took the money and counted. It was the three-fifty Mr.Sports Boy owed me. "That should settle things. He said he was meeting up with you later to get the rest of his and the team's essays. That should cover them and you can still take his money and we're cool right?"

 "Yeah, we're cool Jasmine. See you Monday." 

 Jasmine got off on the next stop, "Wait," I called. I held the elevator doors open with a hand. Jasmine turned around to see what I wanted. "Do we have an exam coming up?"

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The clock in psychology placed me under its hypnotic spell. My eyes grew heavy. I rubbed them. My stomach was turning and I felt sick. I could stop it. I should stop it. I had my money and then some. There was no need to involve Trick anymore. 

 OTW.

 I looked at the text message. It was out of my hands now. There was nothing I could do. Trick was already coming. I turned my phone around. I exhaled a shaky breath. "You okay?" Chloé, my not really friend but she sat beside me in psychology class asked. 

 "Yeah, I'm cool." 

 The bell rings and I gather up my items. I pick up my phone and send a text to Trick. It's done. I exit the now near empty class and walk aimlessly to the art and science department. I easily dodge students running to get to their next class. The school's Steak n Shake is filled with people and has a line snaking outside. I stop midway out of the door. The bright blue colors of a poster drawing my attention. It was a poster for the Georgia Aquarium. The tickets were half the price for students. I looked at the bottom of the page and there was the location of where to get the tickets. 

  My phone in my hoodie pocket vibrated. I'm here. The text message showed. I put my phone back in my pocket and began my walk again to the art and science building. It was where the English classes mainly took place. In another life I would be coming here for classes but instead I was pre-nursing. The more realistic path. Whatever that meant these days. I take the stairs to the second floor. There was an elevator but I needed the exercise. I looked further down the hallway not seeing my target. I turned my head at the sound of mindless chatter.

 "Hey. I'm in a rush. I have to go get these papers. I'll catch up later." Mr.Sports Boy said to a teammate. 

 "Hey." I say casually. 

 "Wassup. Do you have the other half of the papers?" He asked all business. His buddy watched the encounter from behind him. 

 "Yup. Have my money?" 

 "Yup. Here." He puts his hand into his pants pocket handing me a wad of twenties. I count them until I reach three-forty. He was missing a ten. "Here's the pie by the way," Mr.Sports Boy turns to the side and retrieves a plastic boy from the chair beside him. 

 I open the bag. The missing ten dollar bill is in there along with a whole apple pie. I take my bag off one strap at a time. I carefully look for the papers and make sure they're all their before handing them to him. He doesn't even count. He just looks at the first page and nods his head. 

 "Aren't you going to make sure they're all there?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. 

 "Nah, I don't have to. I knew you see things my way," He said snugly with a grin and a laugh. His buddy daps him up and they walk away. 

 He says that but I'm the one with the extra cash, pie and power. I had the joker and I chose not to play it. My phone rings and I pick it up. "Hello,"

 "Bruh, I'm here. I don't see you." Trick says angrily into the phone. 

 "Yeah, that's weird. You probably didn't go the right way. It's fine though. I have the money and you'll still receive your cut. I have to go. See you at home."

 I was now at home and catching up on work. I did my English paper on abortions first then moved to my math homework. It was almost nine and Trick would be home soon. Talia was working at her new job, Target. She had just started and already she met a boy. That girl was too pretty for her own good. 

 My phone buzzed and I read the group chat between me and my friends. They were all discussing their Valentine's Day plans. Alex was going to Longhorn with her beau and then back to his place. Jordan's boyfriend was traveling from his university and they were getting a hotel together. They wanted to know what my plans were. I had yet to tell them about Lillian and it wasn't because I was embarrassed about being bisexual. She was in high school. A junior no less. It wasn't illegal but it wasn't ideal either. 

 I'm going with a girl. I got us tickets to the aquarium. I bit the inside of my left cheek eagerly waiting for their reply. 

 Omg, you have a date?

 With a girl?

 What are you doing after the aquarium?

 I didn't have any plans for after the aquarium. I figured I might go to dinner with Lillian but I didn't even know how long she could stay out. The perks of dating a high schooler. Curfew. 

 "So, it all worked out." Trick said entering my bedroom. He threw himself onto my bed and I shook my head. I walked over and gave him fifty dollars. His cut even if he didn't do anything in the end. "I have to say Mi'a. I didn't think you were the type. Writing papers and risking school. Getting in over your head and having money problems. Calling me. It's unlike you, dork."

 "I only did it once. I needed a little extra cash to help Brayden with Amarah. I never did anything like this before. I'm not going to again. It's like you said a bit over my head." I said turning around to face my laptop.

 "Yeah, good. You're too goody good to be doing things like that. You'd  be caught in a heartbeat," Trick replied with a smirk. He ruffled my afro with a hand and I swatted him away.

 I picked up the silver spoon beside my paper plate. I scooped up a little bit of the warm apple pie. It's cinnamony aroma biting at my nose. I hadn't run out of luck just yet.

. . . . . . . . . .

 Valentine's Day. A day of love. A day of romance. An overrated day above all. It was tomorrow and I told Lillian I'd meet her at her house at one pm. A little bit down the street from her house to be exact. A part of me said who gives a care if her parents found out another part of me said I'd like their money and wanted to keep my job. If they found out I was dating their daughter they not only fire me but would tell SitForMe. I'd lose everything. I thought about my pink book and 'special' clients well not everything, 

 "We're so glad you're here. Me and the missus needed a night out. Pizza is over there. Help yourself. Fruit water in the fridge. Layla can play in the living room and this room over here. She likes playing the Wii." Mr.Strange said, showing me around on the first floor. This was my first time coming here and the pay was pretty good. The house was amazing and I couldn't wait to relax on the reclining couch. 

 A little, purple dog appeared from up the stairs, "You dyed your dog." I said in disbelief. The things people do. I petted the dog on the head and followed the man upstairs.

 "My girlfriend did. This is Layla's room. She goes to sleep in here. Here is her sound machine and you can turn the TV on and a fire will appear. It helps her sleep. Then there's her vibrating bear that you can place beside her and that'll help put her to sleep." 

 Sure, got a lot of things to put this kid to sleep. Not that I'm complaining. "Hi, I'm Mi'a." I introduced myself to the girlfriend when we came back downstairs again. She was beautiful with tanned skin and long, black hair. Layla, who was her complexion, stood beside her mother, I presumed. 

 "Hi, nice to meet you. This is Layla. Honey are you ready?" She asked her boyfriend. Mr.Strange was a skinny man with Reese cup brown skin. He nodded his head and went to see if there Uber was outside. 

 "Are you two married?" I asked as the mom applied some eyeliner.

 "No, but we've been together for six years. We didn't see the need for a paper. Is that weird?" She asked me.

 "Not at all. Weddings are too much to me but to each their own. Beautiful home by the way." 

 "Thank you-"

 "The Uber is here. If you need anything don't hesitate to call. Layla's bedtime is at nine. Have a good night." Mr.Strange said as he opened the door for his girlfriend. 

 Layla went to the window and watched her parents leave. She then ran and she ran and she ran. I followed her as she dashed from one side of the room to the next. I scratched the back of my neck. Is this what four-year-olds were doing for fun nowadays? Well, if it's what she wants to do.

 "I want to dance. Watch me." Layla said. I followed her to the living room and she picked up an iPad. She chose some song and started to dance. She was actually pretty good. Her little body moving with the beat of the music. Her arms zigging and zagging. She lifted her leg into the air and brought it down with a grace that she had not shown when she was running back and forth. 

 I watched her dance for another five minutes before we decided to eat some dinner. We sat at the table and both ate pizza and juice pouches. We chatted about nothing important and she didn't talk more than she had to. A stark contrast from my chatty four-year-old niece. Layla and I watched Netflix and played the Wii switching between the two. She was unlike any four-year-old I've ever met. Bossy, smart and a bit extra but sweet. We were playing word cookies and she found words I deeply wonder if she knew the meaning of them.

 When it was half an hour before bed, I told her so. "No, I'm not tired." Layla whined. 

 "Well it's almost bedtime. You want to be good for your parents right?"

 "I don't care. I'm not going to bed." She insisted. 

 I licked my lips and rolled my eyes, "Now who's in charge? I am."

 "So, you can't control my mind." Layla demanded. 

 It was so random all I could do was drop my jaw. What kind of four-year-old? Did she even know what a mind was? "Perhaps,  but I can do this." I picked her up. My arms wrap around her stomach. I climbed the stairs and brought her into the restroom to brush her teeth. I saw a family portrait and inquired about the people in it as a distraction.

 Layla told me they were her sisters. They were all light skinned like Layla and she told me they lived elsewhere in Georgia with their mama. I see dad had a type, light-skinned. To each their own. Layla climbed into her bed as I did her bedtime routine. Sound machine, fake fire, and vibrator teddy bear. You would think with all these things she'd just fall asleep. Aghhh! Wrong. It's because she didn't fall asleep for another hour that she had all these things. 

 When Layla had finally drifted off into dreamland, I sneaked back downstairs. The dog was sleeping peacefully in his doggy bed. I turnt the lights off and plopped myself on the couch. A lot of the families I babysat for had several things in common-money, a nice house, busy schedules, not enough "good" food but the worst thing was they all kept the lights on. Every single light in a house would be on. I get it your light bill is not a concern but my migraines are and three lights on in the kitchen, living room and dining room is a bit excessive. So when I turned the lights off and it was dark and quiet, I was in heaven. 

 I sat on the couch and pressed a button. My chair reclined so that I sat further back. This was the life. This was the life that I wanted minus the bright lights and dyed dog. I'd hope mine would be a little differently though. I wouldn't have more rooms than I'd know what to do with. I wouldn't stick my nose up and pretend I was better than anyone. I'd have a girlfriend, someone who adored me and who got me. I wanted to adopt a boy because I wouldn't know how to raise a daughter. Hair? Makeup? Periods? No, thanks. I'm enough. I'd have a big dog and a little dog. A fridge that was never empty and enough money that I'd never have to worry again. 

 It was different not by much but a little babysitting for white and black people. When I babysat for white people having the kind of life I wanted seemed unachievable. As if I was missing something. When I babysat for black people I felt that it was possible. That if they could do it so could I. So could I.

 Ringggg! Ringgg! I picked up my phone wondering who was calling me this late. Mr.Anderson? "Hello?"

 "Mi'a, hi. Sorry for the late call. Are you busy?" Mr.Anderson asked politely. I liked Mr.Anderson. He was alright. I could tell he loved his kids and wife. It was why I was so confused Lillian didn't return the feelings.

 "No, what can I do for you?"

 "Well, tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I wanted to surprise my wife with a date night. Are you available tomorrow four to eleven? I can pay you cash- say two-hundred?"

 Cash was nice, I wouldn't have to pay SitForMe a fee and could spend the night with Lillian after I put the kids to sleep. I smiled into the phone, "That's fine. See you then."