Things Fall Apart

2 . BUTTERFLIES

July 25th, 2000

"Goin' crazy, but I'll be your friend, baby
Take what I can, baby"

"You was on the phone with your little boyfriend?"

Stephanie slinked into the the spare bedroom in their grandmother's home, smirking sneakily as Naomi rolled her eyes and tossed the house phone to other side of the bed. Chris had called her at least four times since she got to New York, and naturally her big cousin was becoming interested in who the boy on the other end of the phone was.

In the six weeks between school ending and Naomi leaving for New York, she and Chris kept their promise to spend more time together. She'd been to his house twice, he came to hers once, and they'd ridden their bikes together from one end of town to the other.

By the time the day before her flight came around, he was begging her to stay.

Every time they saw each other he liked her more and more. He was bursting at the seams with thoughts and feelings that he couldn't share with anyone. It was his first time feeling the wrenching in the pit of his stomach and that let him know something was special about her.

And she was oblivious.

Naomi took everything he said and did as an act of friendship. They'd known each other since they were four years old, so she thought nothing of their closeness. Call it naivety or innocence, but she had no idea.

She gave him her grandmothers house phone number and told him he could call to talk to her whenever he was bored. He wanted to call her from the second he opened his eyes in the morning. Every morning.

"My friend." She emphasized, laughing lightly. "Mind your business."

"You are my business, you my little cousin." Stephanie got comfortable on the bed, laying on her stomach and shooting a knowing look to Naomi. "And that nigga is not ya friend. He like you. He keep calling every day."

"Not every day."

"Might as well be. You still a little ass kid so you can't tell yet but bitch I know. And you like him too."

"Little kid? Stephanie you're only four years older than me." Naomi rolled her eyes and waved her off. "Chris is just my friend. I knew him since we were really little and he don't like me. Plus I think my friend Skye likes him."

"They go out?"

"No."

"Then who cares who she likes? Look Nae, ain't no nigga gonna be calling you all the time for nothing. That boy wants to-"

"What are you girls in here talking about?"

Carmen, their grandmother, strolled into the room in a floor length, royal blue kimono robe with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nothing." Stephanie quickly answered, turning to face Carmen with an innocent smile.

"You're off the phone with your friend nena?" She questioned in her thick Dominican accent as she smoothed Naomi's hair back lovingly, casually ignoring Stephanie's lie. Carmen was more than familiar with her oldest granddaughters antics.

"Yes grandma."

"Finally." Stephanie smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder mischievously. Naomi shot her a look, signaling for her to not make any jokes. She didn't think about it until she heard it out loud...but she started to wonder if Steph was right at all...about anything she was saying.

---

The sun had set over the city but the light, summer air was still warm against the skin. The smell of barbecue was still lingering in the air and the sound of people talking and arguing could be heard for blocks. Young girls roamed the streets and young boys trailed behind them, looking for trouble. Somewhere in the distance there was music playing from a loud speaker, providing background music to everyone enjoying the last bit of the summer night.