7%

168 6 8
                                    

January 2009

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

January 2009

I'm currently walking home with Jahseh.

He claims his Uncle has a surprise waiting for him when he gets home.

Sometimes, Cleopatra can't always watch Jahseh, so she has her brother come over and watch him. Or he has babysitters or goes to some of her friend's houses.

"What do you think he's getting you?" I ask.

"I don't know, but I hope it's something cool. Especially since I'm eleven now—"

I groan. His birthday was three days ago, and that's all he won't stop talking about. "I'll be eleven in two months too, you know," I scoff. "Just because you're a few months older—"

"A month and sixteen days," he corrects.

"Doesn't make you any better. You're still shorter than me, so until you grow, I don't wanna hear anything."

He laughs, "okay, Charisma. Watch by the time I'm twelve I'll be your height or taller."

"I'm being so serious, you can talk yo stuff when you can look me and my eyes without being on your tippy toes."

He laughs again before unlocking his house door, we see his uncle's car in the driveway, so we know he's home.

"Aye, Unc? Where you at, gang?" He calls out.

There's no response in return. We share a look.

"You sure he's here?" He asks me.

I furrow my eyebrows, "why are you asking me, bruh? How would I know?"

He nods as if I have a point.

"Unc?" He calls out again.

No answer.

"Maybe he's taking a nap right now," Jahseh says looking at me.

"Maybe," I say in agreement.

"Let's make us a snack, if he isn't up by then, I'll go see if he's still sleeping."

"I can make a better peanut butter and jelly sandwich than you," I say with a grin. He smiles back as if he accepts the challenge.

We race to the kitchen and make each other a PB&J sandwich.

"Ew, why do you use so much peanut butter?" I ask scrunching my face.

"What? There's never too much peanut butter." He proceeds to lick the butter knife that's covered with peanut butter and smacks his lips in approval.

"Ew."

We trade each other's sandwiches and take a bite. "Where's the jelly on this?" I ask struggling to chew the rest of the thickly peanut-butter spread sandwich.

"It's there, but where yo peanut butter at?"

"I said peanut butter and jelly, meaning both sides would have an equal amount spread onto it. If you wanted a peanut butter sandwich with a side of jelly, you could've made that yourself."

MAKEOUTHILLWhere stories live. Discover now