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I

"I got it, I got it, I'm good." He growled shaking his head as he snatched his hands from mine standing to his feet.

Expecting him to walk away, I was surprised to see as he just stood there staring down at his shoes.

Following his eyes, I noticed that the shoes were now even more ruined than before as the entire toe tip and vamp of the shoe had peeled off, the midsole was no longer present.

"Hey..." I said softly.

Twisting his lips to the side, his eyes soon reconnected with mine.

"Come on. Please just take the shoes. It's getting colder outside, and now your right shoe is just about completely ruined. Just take them."

"I ain't no charity case. What you getting out of this anyway? Scholarships? School benefits? Props for helping out the lil poor boy? Let me tell you something, I ain't poor and we ain't struggling. I'm just a nigga willing to make sacrifices even if that mean my shoes can talk." He snapped.

Sighing deeply, I tried to ease my anxiety all the while hoping to help him understand that I wasn't out to get him or make him look bad.

Because I wasn't.

"I know you're not a charity case. Out of the kindness of my heart, I just wanted to gift you with something that I thought you might need or want. I'm not out to get you and I'm sorry if I made you feel like that, but I don't care how stubborn you want to be. You're going to put these on because I will not let you walk around with shoes that are clearly hazardous to your own safety. Now come on before one of these tactless pricks hit one of us with a ball." I demanded as I grabbed ahold of his hand pulling him towards the exit of the gym.

I honestly wasn't expecting him to actually follow. I figured he would have snatched his hand back by now and walked away from me.

But he didn't.

I know my response was a bit harsh but I just needed him to understand.

Just as we were about to push through the double doors, a hand grabbed at my arm from the opposite side of him.

Snapping my head around, I turned to see that it was one of my associates, Destiny.

My project partner.

"What?" I shook my head.

"Uh, what are you doing?" She fake smiled taking a quick glance at the boy that I was with, reminding me that I never got his name.

"What do you mean what am I doing?"

"I mean, with him..." She said lowly hinting her head in his direction.

"Helping him out. He's my friend." I babbled.

I could see from the corner of my eye that his once look of uncertainty had changed to confusion once those words had escaped my lips.

"Your friend, wait— what? How? Why? He... he looks... unsanitary and he has a stench." She attempted to whisper the last part.

Now I understood his guard.

Furrowing my eyebrows I snatched my arm from hers.

"The only thing dirty around here is your panties, and the only thing that stinks is your attitude— and your breath." I blinked crinkling my nose. "We're having a drive as senior volunteer work for our portfolio tomorrow, you should come. There'll be plenty oral hygienic products there for you to get that corrected."

Giving her no time to respond, I pivoted my feet turning towards the exit as I once again grabbed his hand leading him out the gym double doors.

I'll definitely be finishing the project alone.