Ms. Cherry was ready—Tony had already warned her Tracy was a little rough around the edges—but nothing prepared her for the girl who walked into the boutique beside him.
Pretty. Sweet-faced. Hazel eyes.
And poor.
Her clothes looked like she'd borrowed them from a boy twice her size, rolled in the backyard, and prayed nobody noticed. Every thread on her screamed struggle.
But Ms. Cherry saw something else too—innocence. Potential. A softness Tony rarely brought around.
"Tony, love… who is this gem?" she asked, eyes sparkling.
"Hello, ma'am," Tracy said politely. "My name is Tracy."
"Oh, I'm Ms. Cherry, baby," she smiled, instantly charmed.
But her smile faltered when she looked Tracy up and down. "Honey… before you start working here, we gotta get you into some proper clothes."
"I… I don't have any money," Tracy whispered, eyes glassy.
Ms. Cherry touched her shoulder. "Don't you worry, baby. Ms. Cherry got you."
Tony stepped in. "Don't worry about Ms. Cherry. I'm paying."
He slapped his credit card onto the counter and walked out like it was nothing.
Tracy's stomach twisted. "I don't… I don't think I can. What am I supposed to tell my mom?"
Ms. Cherry waved it off. "Tell her it's part of your uniform. The store gives an allowance to new employees so they can buy items we sell."
Tracy blinked. "Really?"
"Mmhmm. And when people see you in our clothes, they gonna come shopping. You'll be good for business."
For the first time, Tracy lit up. She looked around the store like it was a dream.
She picked out simple, cute, inexpensive pieces—her version of "safe."
But when Tony walked back in and saw her choices?
He frowned so hard the air shifted.
"Put all that back," he said. "Try again."
He started grabbing outfits—expensive skirts, fitted tops, a pants set that made Tracy's face turn tomato-red. Every time he held something up, she shook her head like her life depended on it.
Ms. Cherry laughed. "Lord have mercy, y'all gon' fight in my store."
Eventually, Tony won.
Tracy walked out with two expensive outfits—a skirt set and a sleek pants suit. Even then, she begged Ms. Cherry to change the tags so her mother wouldn't know how much they cost.
Ms. Cherry agreed with a smile.
Then Tony pulled her aside. "Look baby, I bought you something."
"What?" Tracy asked.
He handed her a small pink cellphone.
Tracy recoiled. "I—I can't take that. My mom will kill me."
Tony leaned in, smiling like he already won. "She doesn't have to see it. Keep it on vibrate so she don't hear it ring. Now I can reach you whenever I want."
Tracy swallowed. Hard.
But she put it in her bag.
When Tracy got home, her mother was glowing.
"You made friends today?" she asked proudly. "Look at you, baby!"
"How'd you pay for all those clothes?"
"I got a job," Tracy explained quickly. "She said I needed a uniform and told me to pick a few things."
Her mother nodded, relieved. "That's wonderful. Oh! Did I tell you? Pru got a car and an apartment. I think she's moving in with someone."
Tracy faked surprise, though her stomach twisted.
"What about Violetta?" Tracy asked.
"Oh, Pru said she'll pick her up after school from now on."
Tracy nodded and went to her room to do homework.
Her pink phone buzzed.
She snatched it up fast. "Hello?"
"Hey baby," Tony said. "What you doing tonight? I wanna see you."
"I can't leave the house after nine," she whispered.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it."
He hung up.
Tracy waited.
And waited.
And fell asleep.
At 12:00, the phone rang. She missed it.
She woke up at 1:30, panicked, and called back.
Tony answered yelling.
"Didn't I tell you stay up?! I wanted to see you!"
"I—"
"Come outside."
Tracy froze.
Then slowly climbed out her bedroom window.
Tony's truck sat under the streetlight.
"Get in. We don't have much time."
Tracy wore her brother's shirt and a pair of old boxers, confused and half-asleep.
"How long have you been outside my house?"
"Half an hour. Now come on."
By the time they reached his place, Tracy was knocked out. Tony carried her inside like she weighed nothing and laid her in his bed.
She curled into him naturally.
Warm. Soft. Oblivious.
Tony closed his eyes, fighting an urge he knew was dangerous.
He kept his hands to himself. Barely.
At 5:30, he shook her awake gently.
"Trace. Wake up, baby. I gotta take you home."
She sat up, dazed. "Where am I?"
"My place. Come on."
He drove her back and watched her climb through her window.
"One more thing," he whispered loudly. "Wear the skirt today."
Tracy nodded sleepily.
She barely slept two hours, but Tony's bed felt like heaven compared to hers. She woke up, curled her hair, put on the skirt set, the new shoes, a little makeup her mother applied proudly.
For the first time in her life, she felt… pretty.
When she stepped outside, Pru—not Tony—waited in the new car.
"Get in," Pru said. "You look good, kid."
"You like your apartment?" Tracy asked.
"Girl, it's laid out! And this job ain't bad either. I see he starting to lace you up too."
Her phone rang.
"Hello? Who is this? Bitch—I told you stop calling!"
Tracy stared.
"Was that—?"
"One of Tony's old girlfriends," Pru smirked. "Apparently this used to be her car. Not my problem."
She sped off, talking nonstop, happier than Tracy had ever seen her.
At school, heads turned.
Guys stared.
"Damn, baby, what's your name?" a boy asked.
Tracy recognized him—he had no idea who she was.
Before she could respond, Booter walked up and threw an arm over her shoulder.
"Back off, nigga. This Tony's girl."
Silence hit the hallway like a slap.
The boy backed away.
Teachers double-took. Girls whispered. Tracy—shy, quiet Tracy—suddenly wasn't invisible.
At lunch, she tried sneaking to her usual corner table, but Booter grabbed her arm and brought her to his table.
"Y'all, this Tracy. Show her love."
Some kids remembered her. Most didn't.
Didn't matter.
She was Tony's girl now.
And that changed everything.
She met Alexis—Booter's girlfriend—who talked nonstop until Tracy relaxed. She even gave Tracy her number.
By the end of the day, Tracy was exhausted.
She liked Booter—but Lord, that boy was a lot.
As she walked toward the school exit, still in her skirt and heels, still trying to understand this new life…
She got the strangest feeling.
Something was changing.
Fast.
And Tracy wasn't sure if it was for better—or for much, much worse.