Jordan POV

"So what's your game plan man?" Taj asked him. "After school and graduation. You're still trying to become an influencer?"

"Trying? Boy I am!" Jordan boasted proudly. "Have you seen my followings lately? I'm about to hit official on TikTok, and then start getting those checks. YouTube as well."

"Oh, well, that's what's up!" Taj gave him a fist bump "Lil bro, you're really doing it."

"I have to stay on that grind. I don't have a family with money to fall back on."

"Understood, more than you know."

Taj told him about his upbringing and it was similar to his. Growing up poor, younger siblings, and a crowded run-down house in the worst neighborhood. Making it out and attending college meant a lot. There was no looking back for him.

And he would not go back to dealing drugs.

Just like he studied for his classes, he studied all his social media platforms and how to engage with his followers. The best way he saw to do it was to have his followers work for him. If they sent out his posts, liked them, and shared them, others would see his content and retweet, like, and share.

Also, putting out the best content in a timely manner. So it was constant work, always something to do.

His third goal, respond to his fanbase. They liked to be seen. Interact with them. If he asked them what type of content they wanted to see, he had to reply and try most of them. By doing all those things, he had reached where he was now.

Just needed the money to roll in. He was not trying to get rich, but he knew other social media influencers that never worked a real job, did not have a college degree, or were even in high school were making good money.

With plenty of viral videos already, he needed something to go triple viral.

"Frat, you want to do a challenge with me?"

"I don't dance," Taj said.

He chuckled at him. "Good. We'll use your nondancing and make a hit. My peeps want more content with my frat brothers, and since you are the only one here right now, let's do this. They've already seen my bro Manny a dozen times, come on, don't be shy."

"Man, what do I look like making a fool of myself? What if when I get a job after I graduate, they see it and say, hell no, we can't hire that idiot."

He laughed at his frat brother. "What type of job will take a dancing video seriously? Bro, see, that's why I can't work for the man. Just one little minute video, just one."

"Hell no!"

"Tell you what, if it blows up, and I get paid, I'll give you a cut. I owe you anyway."

"I said you didn't have to pay that back."

"Well, consider it free money."

Taj considered it for a moment. "Look, I need to go see my girl right now, not messing around with you."

He had to figure out a way to convince him. He knew Taj was not loaded, he struggled with having money as well. No parents to depend on if he needed extra cash.  But he also knew Taj did not care about money. He needed to offer him more.

"I'll clean the frat house for two weeks."

"Make it four and you have a deal."

Why did he say that? It was like he was back on line when he and Manny had to make their beds like they were slaves. He wasn't complaining about doing their chores, at least they did not make them do crazy things or pass wood.

Jordan found a good song for them to make a dance to and he taught it to Taj, filming all of it. He could edit some of it and use it if needed. After two hours of working with Taj, the most dance-less man he knew, he had enough footage to use.

No, Taj never learned the dance...but that was the point he wanted.

"So you're willing to embarrass your frat brother for likes. A'ight, I see how it is."

"You're a gold mind. Nice looking dude, the ladies love to see it."

Taj gave him a playful push. "So, you used me for my looks. Damn! Neo has no shame."

"Not a one. Now go see your girl, let me do what I do on this, and when you come back tonight, I'll let you see what I have before I post it."

"How do you know I'm coming back tonight? I'm going to see my girl, maybe I'm staying over tonight."

"Yeah, okay." He already knew the situation with his frat brother and his girlfriend, Faye. She had a whole kid, he was not sleeping over with her daughter in the house. Poor dude. He could tell they never smashed.

Then again, he and Marketta never smashed either, but that did not make their relationship less real. As much as he cared for Marketta, he still was not ready to take their relationship there. Sex was fine. Sex was good. But it was not all he needed. He liked where things were.

As he edited the video, he called her because he was thinking of her.

"Hey babe."

"How's it going there? Finding stuff to do?"

"No...well, yeah, work. My content creation. It's so cold here and dead...no one around or anything, so I stay my Black ass in the house and work. Manny said he was bored and he was coming back a few days early so he could crash here. What have you and Laila been up to?"

"Lots of family stuff. Never a boring day here in my house."

"Good for you."

"Laila's been here, she hasn't seen Manny all break. He could come over and hang out, but he hasn't."

He did not want to know why his friend had not gone to visit his girlfriend. He was going to stay out of that before he incriminated himself.

"Babe, I have your Christmas gift here for you when you get back."

"Same. I mean, I have it here, you'll get it when I get back."

"Okay, I need to go and finish this video. Talk to you later."

He had not been doing anything over break but making more videos and talking to Marketta about ten times a day. He had it bad for her. She was everything to him and he wanted to let her know. He hoped his gift to her would say as much.

He loved her.

A/N: Let's see if Jordan is a man of his word because Jordan has changed for the worst sense pledging.