Black Rose (Book 1)

Chapter 17: Nothing is Something

"Who else? Dave."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm not comfortable with you hanging out with someone you've had sex with."

"So that's why you walked your ass right in here? You were trying to catch me and him doing something we weren't supposed to be doing. That was years ago and it only happened once, Trey."

"Once is enough for it to happen again."

"I'm not going to stop being his friend just because you want me to. He's my best friend and I've known him since middle school. Way longer than you. He's the reason you know me and we're together quite frankly. Or have you forgotten?"

"I remember. He said the same thing to me. Sometimes I think you and Dave are the same person the way y'all talk. It doesn't mean I'm comfortable with you twos friendship. So you're not going to stop hanging out with him?"

"No, Tremaine!"

"Well I'm out then." He grabbed his keys leaving. I sighed sitting on the couch. Him leaving means he was really mad. For the last month Trey and I had slept in the same bed every night. I got used to it and now he left.

Dave

After I left Bernice's I went to my mother's. When I got there she was watching tv still in her work uniform. "Where have you been?" She said as soon as I stepped in.

"With a friend then I went to Bernice's for dinner."

"A friend? I guess I'm not priority anymore. You were gone a month and didn't come here first. I might've been at work, but your ass should've been here waiting on me to get home!"

"Sorry, ma. Quit being dramatic!" I said chuckling then hugging her. I sat on the chair across from her.

"Now that you're back, you gonna visit Bully?"

"Yeah" I said deeply sighing. A week after I left Bully went on trial for the gun charge and was found guilty. He got 3 years, which was more than what I thought he was going to get. They didn't have any evidence it was his, so I was thinking 2 years tops. I cried when I found out Bully got locked. He didn't deserve this. Now he's at Riker's Island serving his time and they're trying to find me a manager I'm comfortable with. If it's not Bully I don't want 'em.

"I also talked to your Aunt Michelle and she told me you haven't really been by there since Malik died. Your cousins and Malik's baby mother said the same thing. I noticed you barely go to Queensbridge now."

"Too hard." I said scratching my head.

"Dave, I know it's hard. It's only been 4 months now since Malik died and 6 months since your Aunt Kaye died, but don't you think you should check on them. Especially Malik's son, Malachi. Before I couldn't even keep you in Harlem. You would do whatever you had to do to let me let you go over there. Just go over and check on everybody."

I nodded my head. I hadn't been to Queensbridge since I did that interview with Karen Civil and even then I avoided going to visit any of them. She was right. I really need to check on my cousins, after all their mom died. I also needed to check on my god-son, Malachi.

The next morning

I took what my mom said into consideration and decided to go to Queensbridge. I went to see my cousins first and it felt weird being in my aunt's house when she isn't there.

My Aunt Kaye was just like my mom. Kind, loving, and hilarious. If I wasn't at Malik's I was here. Even after I came back to New York after being in Bmore I stayed with her until I got my own place because I didn't want to go back and stay under my mother. My aunt was just as supportive as my mother. She let me set a studio up in her basement and my second mixtape was even recorded there. Then in June she died after having a heart attack out of nowhere. That shit hurt because nobody was expecting that. Apparently she had been having health problems, but didn't tell anybody. I just wish I could hug her again.