American Dream | NBANARDO

four.

☆ KENTRELL ☆

"You off next Thursday, Trell?" 

Being in Horace's office didn't feel foreign anymore as the two had eased into another friendship. Kentrell working meant he had less free time on his hands to cause trouble between them and they both had gained new interests and stories to share. 

His heart beat in a familar rhythm he'd felt years ago and Kentrell shoved the feeling away, the space they were in was too perfect to ruin. 

"I mean, I can take off, why."

"I'm taking the kids on a trip to the zoo, and I was wondering if you wanted to help with chaperoning?" Horace asked, stacking permission slips on his desk, Kentrell's eyes lighting up at the idea.

"I don't mind, I ain't been to the zoo with Kay Kay in a hot minute." He spoke giddily, bouncing from side to side.

"Now, you do know you can't just focus on yo child when going on a field trip."

"I ain't dumb, Nardo." Kentrell replied sucking his teeth, "Kay Kay easy how hard could the rest of them lil niggas be."

********

"Aye! Londyn I told you that the next time you put yo head between them rails it was gone get stuck!" Kentrell yelled, jogging to help pull her out. He with another parent, gently turned Londyn's head at an angle and freed her.

He'd been assigned to help out Kaydence's group, being a second pair of eyes and hands for her counselor What's-her-face. Whenever Ms. girl was preoccupied, Kentrell would step in as a  second authority.

They caught back up with the group as they walked down the trail to a new exhibit. Kentrell found a place near the middle walking next to a sweet boy, whose nose was twitching. 

"Bless you-" Kentrell could barely get his words out, watching as the boy sneezed one hundred percent in his hands.

"Mr. Gaulden." His face scrunched up in pure disgust as the kid then drew green snot out his nose and further from his face.

"You ain't got no tissue on you, buddy?"

"I was wondering if you did." He reached for Kentrell, who backed up, almost knocking another child over behind him.

"Hey, back the fu-freak up, bruh." He said catching his mouth, his stomach churning at all the boogers.

"You funny, Mr. Gaulden."

"Yeah, He hee ha ha." He laughed sarcastically, turning his head his face queasy, "Let's get you some napkins."

Walking out of the bathroom, he sent the now clean little boy and his friend to look at the bears with the rest of his group. All these little bodies to be responsible for made him wonder how the hell anybody had more then one child.

As Kentrell gazed across the zoo in his thoughts, his eyes met with someone unexpected his first instinct to blurt his name good and loud.

"Ty?"

His former best friend turned his head and the began to walk towards Kentrell with them meeting in the middle uncomfortably.

"Hey, Trell."They hugged awkwardly, Tyquian rubbing his sweaty hands on his clothes. "I ain't know-"

"Don't even hit me with a lie, bruh."

"You right." He sounded so guilty and Kentrell didn't want the awkwardness to continue on. His younger self couldn't take it especially with how close they used to be.