•͟U͟N͟D͟E͟R͟S͟T͟A͟N͟D͟ ͟c͟a͟r͟t͟i͟u͟z͟i͟•͟

XVII

"You boutta say somethin' or some shit?" Rakim asked still laughing at the situation which wasn't even really that funny from an outside lens. I quickly regained myself, sat up, and said in a hushed, content manner: "Yes, I would like to ask the question, if at all possible, why I was abandoned by you two track runners within the City of Atlanta last night? Like, could I get an answer for that or something?"

Rakim and Miles started to exchange concerned looks with one another, and I noticed, making sure they knew I did too. "Is there something that I'm not aware of?" The concerned glanced continued. My eyes darted back and forth between them, eager for an answer. Sheyaa and Monty were sitting upon the sidelines, spectating what was about to unfold. Rakim finally spoke up.

"Yo Symere, chile; we was just joking. We were just gonna do a quick loop around to Midtown, just long enough to scare you, but when we were on our way back, Miles saw that you were already headed home on snap map." I processed the information I had just been given in a timely manner. "Mhm." I scoffed.

"Well damn," Sheyaa announced, "kina' dick move Rakim, ya know wha' I'm sayin'?" Rakim rolled his eyes, and proceeded to apologize to me. I reluctantly accepted his apology, because even though he sorta abandoned me, he was still the Rakim who was there for me during ALL of my dark times.

"So how'd you get back?" Miles asked. "I called up Jordan's ass and he brought me back home." Rocky's face perked up at hearing this, which was kind of weird. "Oh, so y'all are chill now or something?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Ion know, he did apologize though."

"That's at least one step in the right direction." Miles reasoned. "Right direction towards what?" I thought to myself. Anyways, we continued to have conversations throughout lunch, as I cuddled up next to Monty.

During class after lunch, I really didn't want to pay attention, and was browsing Snapchat the entire time. I noticed that Monty sent me a snap, which I opened almost immediately. He had reached number one on my best friend list, which made me happy. I opened it to see a mirror photo Monty took in the bathroom down the hall that was distinct for having one of the stall doors removed. I responded with a snap of me smiling, with the caption "omw".

I excused myself from the lecture being given, and rushed down the hall, and entered the bathroom to see Montero's sexy ass leaned against the wall. He looked up from his phone when he heard me enter and smiled his bright, big smile. I exchanged the same back to him, and ran over into his arms, where I pinned him against the wall just like I did yesterday.

I made out with him, giving him tongue and rubbing up and down his toned body. He was really jumpy, which I took notice to. When I first noticed, I thought it was just because he was really sensitive like myself, but then it got to be a bit much. "Yo why you squirming all over the place, bae?" He looked into my eyes, and said, "Sorry, you just keep touching me in ways that make me jump." I laughed, and jokingly did it again, as he dodged me.

"But for real," Montero stated, "I need to ask you a question." I stopped, and looked up to him. "What is it?" I asked.

"Are you going to that big-ass party up in Marietta after the homecoming game Friday?" he asked. I had remembered hearing about the party from Sheyaa, who was making our entire group go. It seemed pretty fun, and it being the same night as that of a football game, meant that if I went to both, it was gonna be a wild night.

"Yeah, why?" I responded. Montero got a certain look that was difficult to describe. Like his face seemed and looked happy, but his eyes darted down to look towards the floor. I took it as him being sad or upset about something. "Hey, Monty, is everything okay?" I asked, concerned.

His eyes looked back up towards my face. "Yeah, sorry it's nothing," he replied, happier, "I'm going also." I blushed, "You better be going to the game too."

"If you're going, I'm definitely going." he said, as he razed me in my sides, making me laugh. I looked down at my watch, and noticed the the time had moved by quickly. We had spent ten fucking minutes making out, and class was gonna dismiss in the next five minutes.

"Ah shit," I exclaimed, "we gotta go. Class change is boutta start." Monty looked down towards his watch, and started to put his sweatshirt back on, starting to leave. "Hey, I'll see you later though." I told him.

Monty smiled, and bent down to give me one last kiss, which I gratefully returned. After that, he fled the bathroom in a hurry. I, stayed a little while longer in order to make sure that my dreads were looking alright. They had been irritating me all day, and I felt like something might've been wrong with them. After determining that the ideas I had about my dreads were indeed all in my imagination, I continued on my way back to class.

For some reason, there were loud creaks and bangs throughout the school during that time, especially around where I was, but this wasn't uncommon. Lithia Springs High School was built back in the 1950's once the suburbs became more established. Back then, South Cobb was a really nice place to live, where the houses were nice, and everyone had good paying jobs. But then, in the 1970's, after the City of Atlanta became integrated, South Cobb started to become known for other things instead of how nice it was through various population trends.

It was then around the 90's when shit started getting bad, and Lithia Springs became the school to get junk, high and pregnant. It has been just as bad, if not worse since. The ancient strip malls where the small businesses once owned, were now where the gangs hung out, and houses where happy, middle-class families once lived were now shelter for traps and crackhouse whores. The infrastructure within the school didn't hold up either. Through the fucked up manner of the school system, since our school didn't have "decent standardized test scores", we got less funding than that of the schools with good scores (i.e the rich schools). That meant that our school always looked like a mess, and the creaking wasn't worrying to me anymore, but more or less just a second nature sound. Worrying about it wouldn't do me any good.

But, I was worried about my relationship with Jordan, funny enough. He had stayed in my mind all day for no particular reason, and had this huge feeling of guilt directed towards him. "Did I do something wrong? Maybe. But what could've I done wrong? Ghosted him, and cut him out of your life. But he was homophobic, and hated me because of who I liked, right? You don't know that, Symere." I debated with myself internally.

"Maybe I was too hard on him? That could be possible. But how am I supposed to make things better? What if he doesn't like me now? Symere, you don't know that for certain, so there's no point in not trying to figure out."

Damn, maybe I was too harsh on Jordan. I mean, he did say that he didn't mean it, and I know damn well that I still think he's cute as fuck. But Montero loves me, and I love him too, how am I supposed to deal with that? Fuck, why does this have to be so complicated?