to be content

06

August White

"I'm so fucking nervous! What if I don't pass or worse, what if I fail?!" I stressed pacing back and forth in the living room waiting for the grades of finals to be shown. A Friday afternoon shouldn't be spent freaking out over grades but it was the determining factor whether or not I would be out with the crew or in with the dew.

"Auggie please calm down, we're sure you did great!"

"But we don't know that, do we Eva?"

"Alright not too much on mine!" Riley cradled Evas head laughing

"I'm sorry it's just that I've been having so much fun with you guys but I gotta keep my grades up!"

"And you will, just relax. Here, come take a sip of this." Brazen opened his arms motioning for me to come to him.

"Baby booze isn't the solution to real life issues ok, you guys will be fine if shit hits the fan, me not so much." I give him a couple pecks and sit with Novah at the kitchen island and Eva who stands in front of the both of us "Which by the way what do your families do? Because everyone in this room owns at least one item worth my whole closet and it's not me being jealous or nosey but damn none of you seem worried about anything"

I looked around the room and everyone shifted their eyes anywhere but me, "Well my family work in import exports and so that's why I wanted to go into law and our families kind of revolve in the same business circles." Evangeline started off explaining.

"Mines is in accounting so most ask for help with the numbers from our family" Novah went on.

"Great so you guys all basically have a cushion to fall on" I acknowledged.

"Well Brazen has the ultimate pillow if that's the case"

"What Brazen's some rich guy with a rich life and a horribly rich family" I joked laughing but no one laughed with me.

"Have you ever heard about Hade incorporations?" Luca implored.

"Of course I have, who hasn't? They're constantly being tied to some shady shit." I answered, refreshing my computer tabs waiting on the grades to come up. "Isn't the owner facing some murder charges too granted I don't really pay attention but still, their family has got to be sick!"

" Then grab me some robitussin." Brazen murmured.

"I'm sorry what?"

"That's my family." he conceded

I looked up from my computer "Murder charges?"

"Ok so I think we're gonna go grab us all a bite to eat!", each of the crew left one by one with their shoes in hand.

"Brazen I don't like this, you mean to tell me the shady corporation is your family."

"Yea but it wasn't like what they display alright were different!"

"Different? Different? What is different about your whole family business being tied with The Mob?! Look I can't talk about this right now I can't focus on this I just"

"No, we're gonna discuss this now." He got up, shutting my laptop and spinning me around to face him. Both of us were leaning on a countertop.

"I'm gonna be honest and I just hope I won't have to bury my girlfriend for attempting to speak up for whatevers fucking right. I- We are The Mob. That is my family business along with the corporation but yea."

"Ok first of all let's not get too hasty. I never agreed to be your girlfriend and after this should I? What am I supposed to do with this information?"

"You are supposed to take it with a grain of salt especially when that's my family and it's not me having to be the capo of it all."

"Ok fine you do illegal things, murder people, extort who fucking knows who or what but me, where do I fit in with all this? Matter of fact, where do they all fit in with this?"

"You fit in being someone I think I really fucking life and want to be with. As for your friends, tell me what the fuck she meant by 'import export', be so fucking serious with me!"

"So while I'm busting my ass to get a degree to be better for my family, you are all bathing in money and in college for what, a good time?"

"We're in college because just like you we got to get education too, The Mob can't run on dummies. Also not thinking about the fact that i've gotta get married soon or be close to it and now i'm worried the girl i wanted is questioning our relationship over some small details."

"Small details? The Mob is not a small detail, marriage is not a small detail."

A sound went off in the background alerting me grades were put in "Hold on just ugh" I looked at the five midterm exams A, A, B, A, C. Fuck a C is not horrible but damn what happened!

"Can you give me a second of your attention Aug please, I am always there for you and maybe I had a hiccup but I am almost the model boyfriend and I just need you to hear me out." he pleadingly sighed.

"Yes, I'm sorry, you've got me full attention now."

"My family is the mob yes and it is way deeper than you'd know but as far as I know my only responsibility is to find a wife right now because I'm not the oldest and I found the lady I just have to see about what she thinks and if she'd even consider it."

I couldn't find the words but I didn't need to see as our friends plowed through the door with Olive Garden. "We're baaack!"

"Great, I'm so hungry too." I walked past Brazen who looked conflicted.

"We got your favorite, shrimp alfredo with the shrimp seared for longer", Novah sung, taking the bowl out of the bag and passing it to me.

"Thank you so much, I got my grades back and did good for everything except chem. I passed the exam but I can't let my grade drop in there or I'll lose my scholarship!"

"Well I hate to parade on your successes and failures but, I did get all A's on my exams so I think i'm way far superior to everyone in the room!" Luca announced.

"Keep on and I'll knock you down a few pegs, Blossom could use a trim around the edges." Riley sang.

"Oh you're evil, don't go anywhere near her!"