direct messages.

thirty seven.

Jada was sweeping her stairs when her phone rang. She threw the broom and ran up the stairs, two by two. She made it to her bedroom door, and looked around to see where the phone was. She smiled in success when she found it lying on the bed.

She quickly picked it up, not even bothering to see who it was. "What's up, baby?"

Justin chuckled,"Hi, you sound out of breath." She laughed,"That's another story for another time. What're you doing?"

"Nothing, just driving in the tour bus."

"Oh, y'all not going to get a drink?"

"No, we're going to get something else," and the phone hung up. Jada furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the phone,"What the hell?"

She tossed the phone mumbling under her breath and looked up,"This nigga outta his mind --- Justin?" There was her boyfriend, leaning against her bedroom doorway. He held his hands out,"Surprise?"

She cheesed and quickly ran over and jumped into his arms. He held her tight and swung her around,"I missed you so much, baby girl." She grinned as they pressed their lips together, staining each other's cheeks with tears.

He finally sat her down and looked at her admiration. "You're even more beautiful than I remembered, if that's even possible," he complimented her.

She blushed,"Boy bye, I got on a scarf and no makeup. I look a hot mess." He quickly shook his head and frowned. "Don't say that. You still look cute, and I don't lie."

I blushed again,"Okay quit making me blush nigga."

He chuckled and took a seat on my bed. "How'd you find out where I lived?"

He shrugged. "I have my ways. Where's your mom?" I sighed,"Honestly, I don't know. Haven't talked to her in months."

"Doesn't she live here?" I shook my head no. "We're not on speaking terms."

"Why? Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head. "No. Not right now."

"Okay. Well, how'd you get this apartment? It's nice."

"Um, a job," I emphasized. His eyes widened,"Why is my girl working?"

"Um cause that's how you make something out of yourself. Atleast this is a start. I just needed a little help with first month's rent and actually getting the place."

"So why didn't you call me? You know, your boyfriend?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips. Jada got distracted and licked her lips. Damn, daddy. I like it when you're mad.

Jada! Stop this is not the time. "Cause I'm an independent woman and I don't want to depend on you for everything."

"But--" Justin shut his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "Y'know what? I'm not gonna start an argument with you over this. Just know if you need any help, ask me. Got it?"

"Got it, thanks baby," I nodded. He stood up. "Alright. Now get the fuck up and get ready. We're going somewhere before we go back to the team."

"Okay," I walked over to my mirror and started to take off my scarf. "Where are we going?"

He chuckled,"You tell me. You're showing me around your city."

I turned and looked at him before starting to laugh,"What? You don't want to see boring ass Cincinnati."

"Come on, you grew up here. Just show me places you know, places where you grew up. I promise I'll do the same when I take you to Canada." I sighed and pulled a pair of Nike sweats over my shorts and put my feet in some timberlands. "Okay, if you want to." I picked up my keys,"Let's go."

***

"This is Northside. My grandma lived in this house since I was one," I smiled at memories of me and my cousins running around the place. "Wow. Does she still live here?" I shook my head no,"She died not too long ago."

"Oh," he said quietly. We drove past the house and I drove down the street until we went to one of the local parks. "This is Chase park, see the school right there," I pointed. "We used to play here all the time. But then grown men started crowding and stuff, gambling in front of us kids," I chuckled and shook my head. Justin just looked down, I could tell that he felt bad for me and this was unbelievable to him. But hey, this is how I lived. I pointed out the gang signs and other pieces of graffiti on the slides and other pieces of park equipment.

I started driving again. "This is my old school, St. John. When I transferred here it probably changed my life. This is the reason I'm alive now," I smiled at the thought. He grinned and kissed my cheek before I continued to drive. "This is the barber shop. My dad got arrested here when I was 2 months old, for drug abuse. He went to prison for 14 years, and I had my first memory of him outside of prison for the first time when I was just entering high school." I started grinning again, ignoring the tears sliding down my face.

He wiped my tears,"If this is too emotional for you, I don't mind leaving." I shook my head,"No. We started this might as well finish."

I continued to drive through neighborhoods I grew up in. I showed him the house I lived in up a hill from Northside. I showed him the house where I watched my mother get abused and choked up by her boyfriend.

Justin got a little emotional, so I thought that was enough of my sob story I called a childhood. Now it was time for the positives.

"This is ole downtown," I parked the car. "Well, the good side." I knew better than to take him to the bad side. He could be killed for his skin color.

"We used to go on field trips to the Reds baseball games, or to the Freedom Center." I said as we held hands.

He looked around in awe. "It looks amazing." I nodded,"Yeah. The Reds were ass though, atleast I thought so." I chuckled. He shook his head as we sat down by the fountain that had beautiful lights shining out from the water.

We sat down and I laid my head on his shoulder as he caressed my hair and held my hand.

"Your city is beautiful," he said.

"Yeah, if you're looking in from the outside."

He placed a soft kiss on my lips. "I love you okay? And I'm proud to say that my girl let the streets make her and not break her."

I blushed and we watched that sunset for a long time. Unbothered by everyone else around us.