Ramona Park Legend

33

"Thanks," he said looking a little shocked. I nodded my head about to walk away but he stopped me by calling my name again. "You know this doesn't have to be awkward, right? We used to be friends...since middle school. Now we can barely hold a conversation. It shouldn't be that way."

"It is what it is, Marcel. As much as I would want our friendship to go back to the way it used to be it's different now."

"Why? Because we slept together and had a kid? Look, I know you feel like I hurt you and I apologize for that. That was never my intention. Some things happen and you can't take them back. At the end of the day you were my friend. Things should've been made clear from the beginning. I just feel like if we plan on raising a child it's gotta be better than this. At least the communication."

I sighed saying, "You're right. I apologize too. I made a lot of stupid, childish, petty decisions out of what was once hurt. Friends?"

"Friends," he said laughing then bumping my fist. "Even though you changed on a nigga," he said playfully rolling his eyes as we walked out of the building.

"Who me?! Or you? I have not changed!" I said catching an attitude.

"You haven't? Since when did you start wearing heels?" He asked looking me up and down sideways.

"Since I became a grown woman," I said flipping my hair over my shoulder. "Don't get it twisted though. I'll still break out a fresh pair of Cortez's and a Dodgers hat on my hood shit!" I said as we both laughed. "I'm still, Charaya, the girl next door and from around the way," we both said in unison.

"You used to wear that damn line out. We get it, you from the hood."

"I know you're not talking. Lil Pack from Flirts," I said as his whole face changed probably remembering the old days.

"Aw, naw. Now you're taking it back too far. Those little middle school clicks was poppin' though. We used to get active on AIM. Fuck you mean?!" He said as I laughed.

"I don't even remember my AIM name I had so many," I said shaking my head.

"LickMySneaks or some stupid shit. Then it was BarisWifey, little sprung ass!" He said as I tried to hide the embarrassment.

"Can we talk about the fact you had 2 sidekicks. One for the data and one for the minutes just so you could talk to hood rats."

"Hood rats? When did I ever mess with hood rats? I've always had exquisite taste in women."

"Doneisha from the east side. I remember you were on house arrest, but you were determined to go see her. We made it half way then your ankle monitor started going off like crazy," I said laughing.

"Okay, she might've been scandalous but she was fine. That's all that mattered. I did some stupid shit when I was younger."

"Yeah and you always dragged me or Jabari into it."

"Well shit, I wasn't trying to be third wheeling y'all all the time. Y'all met because of me, but somehow I became the third wheel. How the fuck does that work?" I shrugged then he said, "You think Jabari would be mad at us?"

"About?" I asked raising my eyebrow.

"For everything."