Below The Belt

Round 29

DeAndre's POV

Let anybody tell you one thing about me, and I guarantee you they could all agree that I'm not really the brightest nigga. Even Antwon can tell you. His favorite phrase is literally Stop thinking, that's my job.

But since Christmas I've really had to do some thinking. Tyreek's birthday is approaching fast as fuck and I really want to do something special for him because he deserves that shit.

The dilemma is that I'm a fucking dumbass and I don't know how to plan shit. I always let Antwon plan his own parties, I don't celebrate my own birthday, and I didn't like anyone else enough to celebrate their birth until I met Tyreek. So safe to say I'm at a bit of a loss.

"What does he like other than boxing?" Antwon asked me as he stared down at his phone. We were currently sitting side by side on the floor in Tyreek's living room, searching for ideas for his birthday while he was at the gym.

"Me, you... Think that's 'bout it, really." I answered, shrugging my shoulders when Antwon turned to glare at me. "All he ever talks about is boxing and us. And it feels wack to take him to see a boxing match when that's his actual life."

Antwon grumbled under his breath as he started scrolling through his phone again, and I sighed and went searching through mine.

I want his birthday to be special, but how?

"We can just have a house party?" Antwon suggested after some silence. "Since everything he likes is pretty much just his family, we can just invite everyone— even Mrs. Nixon and Miracle, and we can tell everyone to bring a personal gift for him. I think he'd like that."

I nodded my head as he spoke. It was a good idea. Tyreek liked more private events than anything... But it still didn't feel like enough on my end. "That's cool, but I still feel like I gotta do more for him."

Antwon let out a laugh and shook his head. "Y'all aren't married, dad. Relax. He'll enjoy it as long as you're just there."

...

"Should I propose to him?" I asked like the idiot I am.

Antwon immediately straight faced me. "No. No you should not propose."

"Why not?"

Again, his face remained straight as he let out a tired sigh. "Dad you haven't even known each other for a year yet."

"And?" I asked, ignoring the way he rolled his eyes at me. "Lesbians be moving in and getting married by month four."

"... Are you a lesbian, father?" Antwon asked with an exasperated voice. I opened my mouth to speak, and he immediately cut me off. "Please stop talking. Look at your phone— Look. Bright colors." He started tapping my phone to make me look at it, making me laugh at his antics.

I get on his nerves so bad, and imma keep on doing it too.

"Anyway, I ain't gon' propose to him... I just want to do somethin' more for him. Somethin' that says I love you and sorry for kinda being a dumbass for the majority of our relationship." I leaned backwards until I was laying on my back on the floor and sighed. "I want something that shows him I love him and that I'm grateful for him and shit. Ion wanna get him no necklace or nothin' corny like that though."

Antwon fell silent while I talked, but he was typing on his phone the entire time. After a few minutes, he spoke up again. "Get him some custom grills made, buy him a few other gifts, then give them to him somewhere meaningful before his party starts." He turned his phone around to show me a familiar name on a website— The place Tyreek gets his grills from, I think... How the hell does this kid know so much all the time? "They have an email and number you can contact to discuss custom designs."