A King Meets His Queen

Part 2

King

Tired and hungry, but I'm blessed to have awoken this morning, so I thank god. I look at the alarm clock that read 5:45 am, I get up and make my way to the bathroom. I brush my teeth, wash my face and brush my hair into a neat ponyatil. I always say I'm going to cut my hair, but I doubt it. Even though my long hair gets on my nerve, I feel like thats what makes me, ME. I go back into the room amd put on my construction clothes and timbs. I get my book bag and coat and quietly place it on the couch. I go into the kitchen and make me a bowl of cereal and eat it on the couch. As I'm finishing up my cereal I hear my brother's trifling ass girlfriend Chanele come out the room.

" Oh my god, I thought someone was in the house" She said

I look at her in disgust. She makes me want to slap her.

" yeah" i said " the only person in here is me. Go back to sleep" I say dryly.

She walks over to me, openly her robe to give me a better view of what she claims i'm missing.

" King why do you hate me so much? " She asks " I didn't do anything to you. As a matter of fact you should show me some more respect since I let you live in my house anyway"

" I looked at her like she was crazy and stood up causing her to jump.

" you know what chanele, if you wanna kick me out go ahead. Do you. You know why I don't respect you. So cut the bullshit. You know if this was a year and a half ago, I would have slapped you and gave no fucks. But to avoid going back in time, I'm just going to head to work now. "

And just like that, I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door leaving her looking hurt.

***

" That's some nice painting you got there kid" I turn to see my boss standing there eating his pasta early in the morning

" Ha, Thanks boss" I said My boss is this short, fat, Italian man. When I first started working for him, I didn't like him. But over the last year, He has taught me some valuable life lessons. I owe him. 

" You know kid, I don't even know why you woking here. You know your ass should be somewhere painting the world or something. It's like you doubt yourself all the time. I know you been through a lot in your life but that doesn't mean you don't deserve happiness. If you wanna be happy in life, you gotta do what makes you happy." 

I just look at him knowing he's right

" ehh, and while you're at it kid, get a girlfriend. You always look lonely. " He says as he leaves the room

A Girlfriend. I think to myself. I haven't had a girlfriend in a while. I don't even think about having one. I shrug the thought of it and look at the clock. 8:23am. 6 more hours to go and I'm out this bitch.

***

As I walk to my building, I see some old high school friends I played ball with. HIgh School. Those were my wild days. I shake my head at the thought and approach my old friends.

" AYO KINGGGGG!! Where you been at bruh? one of them says to me

" Every time niggas be looking for you, you be dodging us. Boy what up" Says another

I give them all fives and tell them I just been working lately. We all stand in front of the building and catch up on the good times. Then one of them brings up the basketball tournnament at the cookout this saturday. The tournament is always the highlight of the summer time. There's food, games, girls, trophies. 

" Yo King, ball with us this saturday bro"

" Nah man, I have work, I can't"

" Yo shut that shit up. You ballin on my team this saturday. Ima sign you up. That's final"

We all laugh and walk in the building. I haven't played basketball since high school and I was pretty good back then. I'm not so sure about now, but hey I have a good feeling about saturday and I'm excited. It won't hurt to have fun just one time now.