Bread: A Hood Love Story

Michael (VI)

          I drove back down the road to Nelson's house with Q and Bishop in the backseat. Bishop's crazy ass was clowning about how fine he thought Nelson's cousin was going to be. I swear this nigga's a trip, and then some.

          "Ay Mike you think she fine? I ain't got to waste time at the party if there's a girl ready and waiting at his crib." He licks his lips and he and Q high five each other while I shake my head at him.

          "Shut your nasty ass up, Bishop! She probably looks like Nelson, I don't know. Besides, why do that right in his house? That's foul, for real." He just shrugs in response.

          They clown for a while, and I pull into Nelson's driveway, already seeing his door open. The three of us get out and make our way down the sidewalk and walk inside since Nelson left his door unlocked for us.

          Nelson turns around from sitting on the couch when he hears us come in.

          "What's good y'all?" He nods at us.

          We all nod back and take a seat around the living room, while Bishop looks all around him.

          "So where's this cousin of yours at, Nelson?"

          He points back to the kitchen. "Oh she's back -"

          "Hey Nelson! How many people are coming -" The girl that walks in from the kitchen pauses in shock when she sees us, and all three of our jaws drop.

          She looked nothing like Nelson, that's for sure. She was tall, mid-length black wavy hair, chocolate brown skin, and striking violet eyes. She wore a flowy yellow tank with light jeans and flip flops on. There were even dimples in her cheeks. A nigga would damn near nut just at the sight of her.

          I locked eyes with her, and I could see a sparkle of innocence in them. I felt entranced by her eyes the most, and she made me feel shy all of a sudden. Ain't no girl made me feel like this ever. I don't think I like it.

          Females couldn't be trusted. I'd learned that much through experience.

          Nelson just smirks, amused by our expressions, and gets up to stand by her.

          "Guys, this is my cousin Gabrielle. Gabs, these are my boys, Q, Bishop, and Michael."

          His cousin starts fidgeting, nervous at all the eyes on her, and blushes. "You can just call me Gabi..." she says in a soft voice.

          Q's the first to speak, surprisingly. "Well Gabi, you want to get in on this game?"

          She smiles and nods at him, showing off the deep dimples in her cheeks. They were cute on her.

          'Cute? The fuck? Since when do I think things are cute...?'

          I turn to look at Q. "Ay man, you sure her prissy ass even know how to play?"

          Next to me on the couch, Bishop puts his hand on my shoulder. "Man, chill. What's wrong with you?"

          I shrug him off and look right at Gabi, who looks down at the floor.

          "Well hell let's get the game started." I say, getting up to hook the playstation up. Q and Bishop get up and start setting up the controllers, while Nelson goes back in the kitchen.

          "Ay I'll get next round, I got to check something."

          I nod at him, then look back over at Gabi, who was helping Q set up the controllers and talking with Bishop. I couldn't lie to myself; she was gorgeous. But having her here was making me feel some type of way. I haven't felt this way before, and honestly it scared me. I just wanted her to leave.

          "So Gabi," Bishop asks, "You know how to play Resistance?"

          She shakes her head. "Not really. I could learn how -"

          "Of course she doesn't." I tell him. I turn to look over at Gabi. "Why are you even here?"

          "Well...I -" I didn't let her finish.

          "We ain't got time to be babysitting your ass you know."

          She starts to tear up, and I could tell it was making her nervous. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to -"

          "Can't be alone in your big house and cushy life in West L.A? Got to have Nelson do everything for you? Pathetic."

          I know I was being an ass, but I couldn't stop. I wanted her to leave so I could get a grasp on my emotions again.

          The pressure got too much for her, and she storms out of the house. The look in her eyes was full of hurt, and it made me feel no better than the dirt under my shoes.

          I heard a cabinet in the kitchen slam, and I turned and saw Nelson looking angrier than I've ever seen him in all the years I've known him. His glare was literally burning through me, as if to try and see what in the hell I was thinking. Damn, I don't even know what I was thinking. If looks could kill...

          "What in the FUCK is wrong with you, Michael?!" he yells, calling me by my whole name. I know he's pissed now.

          "Ay man, who made the snacks?!" Bishop yells from the kitchen. When did he leave? Fat ass...

          "Gabi did." Nelson answers, not taking his eyes off me. "Being the person she is, she wanted to make food for y'all. I told her she ain't have to, but she wanted to make a good impression."

          Nelson then goes back into the kitchen. I hear a thud, then Bishop yelling.

          "Ay Nelson the fuck you throw 'em away for?!"

          "Blame Mike's ungrateful ass, y'all niggas ain't deserve it anyways."

          If I didn't feel bad before, I really felt like shit now...

          Nelson comes back out and gets in my face. "Michael you my boy and all, but I will NOT let you treat Gabi like some dog shit under your shoe. She ain't never hurt nobody, and I'm not about to let anybody hurt her ever again!"

          I got confused. 'What does he mean by again...?'

          But Nelson continued. "You better go get her and apologize NOW, or I won't hesitate to rip you a new one! Got it?!"

          It's dead silent as we all look on in shock. Nelson's never blown up like that, let alone at one of us.

          He looks all around at us. "The fuck y'all looking at?!" he says, then turns to look at me.

          "GO!"

          I nod, then get up to go look for Gabi. I don't take my car; she couldn't have gotten that far. I start walking down the block and start my search.

          I feel like the biggest douche in the world right now, going off like that when Gabi didn't even do anything to me. She seems nice enough. Fine, too. She the type I would want as my girl, but I doubt she'd want to talk to me after I said all that to her. I can't trust no girl anyways. No female is worth all that drama. But I couldn't help the butterflies in my stomach at the thought.

          'Could she be my girl...?'

          ...

          Nahh...