STCunningham - September 2007

Sabien, Sr. is 51, Tomika is 51, Rashid is 18, Marchon is 16, Sabien "SayJ" Jr. is 8, Scot is 3.

When Rashid wasn't playing his precious video games...

He was making damn sure he finished his car up before school started. This was his Senior Year and he couldn't wait to pull up in front of Simmington Hills' College Preparatory School (CPS) to show off his pretty ride. "I'll take the long way around, take Magnolia to Pine and make that right onto Cedar. All the kids'll see me coming!" He boasted to Marchon. Rashid had put his heart into getting this car to look and sound exactly like he wanted her to - LOUD.


His Dad finished the engine. The chrome looked like a mirror when he was done with it. All Rashid had to do was finish up the body work. It was all completed by nightfall Saturday night. Right on schedule.

He could hardly sleep that night. On Sunday morning, his parents were waiting for the new addition to the family to arrive from SimCity Orphanage.

Rashid woke up early to drive his car down to SimCity's AutoBody shop, to install a car alarm. Once home, he kept looking out the window at her. He had chores to do...hated that. He had a 3-paged paper to finish writing for school...hated that. But he got it all done. He finished up in time to meet his new little brother, Scot.

By late afternoon, he asked his parents if he and Marchon could take a group of their friends over to Pine St. Bowling n' Rolling.

"Marchon, did you get all the bugs collected for your Fall school project?" Tomika asked.

"Yeah, I got 17 of them." Marchon loved to go above and beyond his required assignments. (He was only supposed to collect 15.) Because he was at the top of class, he was the 1st and only Junior at CPS to find out he could graduate early if he wanted to.

"Rashid, did you finish your paper?" Tomika never let one brother slide, without asking the other.

"Yes, I did. You wanna read it?" Rashid stated smartly. He didn't know how good it was, but he finished it. He'd kept his grades up. In fact, he was doing slightly better than Marchon right now, with his A+. Marchon only had an A. Mrs. Wise had named him Most Improved at the end of summer school, not Marchon.

*Truth is, Rashid is not learning anything. He's just going through the motions. He's on the same skill level as his nine year old brother, SayJ, right now.*

"Don't you get smart with me, young man. I hope you know you're not gonna be driving that car to school. You can drive it on the weekends and run errands during the week, but it's not for you to be driving to school and showing off." Tomika didn't want Rashid making any bad decisions, or having to hear that he lost track of time, when he should've been coming straight home from school. They've both got teen jobs now. Marchon is helping his Dad in Politics, and Rashid got a job with SimMaxis, a gaming company in SimCity.

"Damn." Rashid mumbled under his breath and quickly left the room. What more could he do to prove himself around here? They think just because he wants to play games all the time, that he's not good enough.

Feeling his oldest son's disappointment, Sabien rushed in to change the subject. "Who's all going?"

"Ohh, just Elmer and Erline, Sierra, Keva, and Tyisha." Marchon said. It was a pleasant Sunday evening, so Sabien and Tomika didn't have any problems with it, as long as he and Marchon were home at a decent hour to get rested up for the 1st day of school on Monday. Marchon promised they wouldn't be out too late.

When they drove up, the place looked deserted. Maybe everyone was getting ready for school and the beginning of the work week..? No problem for Rashid, he could park his car anywhere he wanted for the best view. So he left her right on the street.

They piled out of the funky green car, and it looked as though Erline Valdes and Tyisha Masters, Rashid's two girlfriends, were gonna start some drama right there.

"You better step back off of me." Tyisha said through clenched teeth; looking at Erline from head to toe.

"What'choo gon' do? Nothing. That's what I thought." Erline spewed back.

If Erline's eyes were weapons, Tyisha better watch out. Erline was throwing daggers at Tyisha. While Rashid was checking out Sierra Spencer. *rolls eyes* Sierra, on the other hand, only has eyes for Elmer Valdes, Erline's twin brother.

Before they could even get inside, Tyisha was just waiting for an opportunity to show everyone that SHE in fact, was Rashid's girlfriend. They had been BFF's since they were kids. Come on now...everybody knew that. And she was trying to set it in stone. Why the hell hadn't he taken care of this...this ugly,fat,NOBODY- once and for all? She didn't want to have to do it for him.

"Quit playin, Marchon!" Tyisha yelled out. "Rashid, come here!" She looked out her peripheral vision to see Erline standing there. If only Marchon would stop playing, this could be her moment.

Erline wasn't letting anything slip. She was watching Tyisha like a hawk. She knew that she and Rashid had fell in love during summer school. He wanted her, not Tyisha. No way was she allowing those two any 'private time'.

Tyisha got tired of waiting and being ignored, basically. She was much too cool for this. She went inside, confident that Rashid would follow.

But, Rashid didn't follow her. Instead, Erline took full advantage of the situation and showed him some love, while Marchon looked on in half-admiration, half-pity for his brother. This chick has some luggage.

Marchon couldn't really understand why Rashid was turning his back on a smart, beautiful girl like Tyisha. Their fathers are best friends, and Tyisha is like family! The only explanation Marchon could think of was that Erline is easy. You know the kind of girl that gives it up to whoever wants it. That was Erline. She always seemed so desperate to have a boyfriend.

Rumors were swirling around school last summer, that she had slept with Ray Wilsonoff, who's twice her age!

Whatever the case, it wasn't his problem. Marchon was wondering when he'd hear from his own girlfriend, Mary Snowden, of Riverdale. He'd emailed her almost 3 weeks ago, with no response.

Marchon quickly moved out the way when he saw Tyisha coming down the steps.

Erline knew exactly what she was doing and was milking the moment for all it was worth.

Marchon took the opportunity to say 'Hi' to Sierra Spencer, only to find Elmer coming to watch his every move. What's with these Valdes', anyway?

"Oh, it's like THAT, Rashid?!" Tyisha shouted. "You gon' stand up here and disrespect me, like THAT?!!"

"You ain't nothin' but a HO, and SHE ain't nothing but a SLUT! Ya'll deserve each other!"

Erline couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She showed her who Rashid liked the best.

"And this is for lying to me and your so-called, 'Uncle 'Cam'!"

"I HATE'choo!" Tyisha spit through clenched teeth, and ran inside.

"I hate'choo, too!" Rashid grimaced.

No sooner had the words came off their lips, they were both regretting it, but Tyisha was too angry to take it back. Rashid, on the otherhand, quickly ran after her.

"Isha, I'm sooo sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean to hurt you at all." Rashid was pleading with her because he never meant to cause a scene on his 1st night out with his car. And mainly because she was family to him. But, that was mostly it...she felt too much like family. He digs the hell outta her, she's fine, she's smart, but she's too close. If that makes any sense.

"I don't want to talk to you right now, Rashid. You didn't even give me a chance. What was all that at my house the other week? Just a game?!  You playin' with me and my Dad like that?! You know he gon' hurt you." Tyisha cried.

"All I can say is I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well 'sorry' didn't make you humiliate me just now." And with that, she walked away.

Meanwhile, Marchon was trying to get to know Sierra better, but for what? He's got a beautiful girlfriend. And even though she lives all the way in Riverdale, maybe he needs to send her something, to show her that he really cares about her. Sierra and Elmer like each other, anyway. He's gonna leave that alone. He's not blind to the hurt his brother has caused tonight. Something inside him, would like to take Sierra out on a date, though.

Rashid was feeling the effects of what he'd just done, and he wasn't too sure about it. Have I done the right thing? He kept thinking about it over and over.

He was ready to go home. He turned around to tell everybody they were leaving. Tyisha looked at him as if she didn't know who he was; as if she couldn't believe this was it.

Sierra caught Marchon's eye, but it didn't mean nothing to him. He was on his way home to tighten things up with his boo.

Damn, this did not go down right. I'm young, I just wanna have some fun. Everybody planning my wedding already, what if it's not what I want? Rashid let his thoughts consume him on his way to the car.

Marchon took care of business as soon as he got in the house. He sent Mary another email with this picture attached.



If this doesn't pull Mary out of her books, nothing will. He laid back in his bed, dreaming of Spring 2008 Prom, when he would finally see her face-to-face.

Rashid dreamed about the real reason he broke things off with Tyisha, and he couldn't wait.

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He didn't have to work the next night. It was the perfect situation. The parents were gone, and Marchon was chomping at the bit to get on the computer to see if Mary had emailed him back. :P

"Hold up, Chon! This ain't gonna take but a minute!" *kill me now*

Just like he knew she would be, Erline was on her way over. Rashid rushed upstairs to brush his teeth.

Marchon was yelling something in the bathroom downstairs...Rashid could barely hear what he was saying, sounded like, "I'm the MAN!! Who's the Man?! I AM!!"

Little did Rashid know that Mary had said some things to Marchon that was totally unexpected; it made Marchon even more excited about Prom, if that was possible.

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Ooh, that girl know she can twist those curvy hips of hers. Rashid thought to himself as Erline sashayed her way up to him.

Is somebody eager or what? Erline could feel that Rashid was already willing and able. They walked, half ran, up to house.

"Is your Mom home?"

"Nahh, neither one of 'em is home."

Rashid did the unthinkable, and led Erline to his parents' bedroom.

The deed was done now. Rashid must lie in the bed he's made...He just better make sure he has the Butler wash those sheets before Mom and Dad get home! Geeez.

---
This is my self-Sim's family, and I usually take my time with them; taking a gazzillion pictures. Rashid is really killing me. You know how you want your Sims to do something, but they have an entirely different idea in mind? I want him to be with Tyisha so bad. I've been planning this since he was an infant. *shrugs* We'll see how it works out.