' 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗡 ' › D. SWING

04.

Relieved, I quickly got up from the bed and started to look in my closet for a pair of pants to put on, "Good. Please be safe. I'm gonna' go over to your house and get money from Dalvin and then I'll swing by K-Ci and JoJo's place. Two hours max. I promise." Easing into my jeans and pulling them over my hips, I zip and button them up.

"Alright. Two hours. I got it", he answered with a long pause in between. "Thank you, Rho. For real. I owe you."

Laughing softly, I shook my head, "Hell yeah, you do. I'll talk to you soon. About to head out."

"Okay. I love you", he said hesitantly.

Grinning like an idiot, I decided to say it back. "I love you, too. Bye, D."

"Bye, Rho."

And with that, the phone called ended. I threw on my shoes and jacket, grabbed the money from my piggy bank, and headed out of my room, down the stairs. "Mom, I'll be back!" Before she could ask any questions, I left out of the front door and jogged a few blocks to get over to the DeGrates' house. After what seemed like forever, I had reached their porch, lazily knocking on the door due to lack of breath and energy I had.

I waited on the porch, panting as I attempted to catch my breath, a bit of sweat trickling down the skin on my forehead. The door opened and there stood the pastor with a wide smile while he held his arms out and walked toward me, "Hey, sweetheart!" He greeted and hugged me warmly, quickly invited me in and closing the door behind us. "What brings you here? I hope it's not Donald because he doesn't live here anymore." I offered him a soft grin, choosing not to ask for details about what happened since it wasn't any of my business.

"No, no. I'm actually here to see Dalvin. Is he in?", I asked while my eyes scanned the foyer and long staircase for any trace of him.

The pastor chuckled and nodded his head, "Of course. He's in his room. Go on up." I smiled and thanked him as I made my way up the stairs to Dalvin's room, which was right across from Donald's at the end of the long and narrow hallway. I could hear music playing on the other side of the door and decided to knock louder than usual so he would actually hear me. The volume of the music was suddenly at a minimum and the door opened, a surprised Dalvin standing in front of me probably wondering what I was doing in his house since Donald and I weren't on good terms the last time he saw me.

"Rhonda? What you doing here?", he asked, his hand rubbing against his bare chest.

Glancing over my shoulder to make sure the pastor wasn't anywhere upstairs, I turned my attention back to him speaking in a whisper, "Can I come in?"

He stared at me for a moment before running his tongue over his lips, "Look, I know I look good right now but damn. Slow ya' roll."

I sucked my teeth and rolled my eyes, pushing my hand against his chest to move him back so that I could walk into the room, "Boy, please. Don't nobody want you, with your little bird chest." He looked down at his chest, frowning slightly before closing the door and turning to face me. "It's Donald. He's stuck in Minneapolis and doesn't have enough to get back here", I started.

"Wait, you heard from Donny?", he asked in a bit of shock. "I been trying to get in contact with him since he left. When was this?"

"Right before I came here", I replied, hoping that he would pause on the questions until I said all that I had to say. But, of course that didn't happen.

He paced around the room, "So he's ok, right? He's comin' back?"

"Not unless you help me get $100", I said.

He stopped pacing, his eyes growing wide as he walked over to where I was standing, "$100? Why the hell does he need that much?"

"Really all he asked for was $40 from you and the guys since I have $160 already but he also needs money for food. Can you help me get the money or not? I have to hurry before my two hours are up", I explained, growing impatient with him. I had already used up thirty minutes and I still had to get to K-Ci and JoJo's house, complete the money order, and get back home before Donald called.

"Yeah, yeah. I think I got some money I can put up. Hold up", he stated while heading over to his dresser, opening the top drawer and digging underneath a pile of folded t-shirts before pulling out a wad of cash, beginning to unravel the bills and count them. Once he was done, he spoke with disappointment. "All I got is $64. This ain't gon' be enough."

"That's fine, Dalvin. I can try to get the rest from the other guys. Can you call them before I walk over there so I can just pick it up and leave?", I asked and he nodded his head, handing me the money and I added it to what was already in my pocket. He picked up the phone that was on his desk and dialed their number before putting his ear to the phone and waiting for them to answer.

"Yo, this is Dalvin. I need a favor", he said to whoever was on the other end. "It's D, man. He needs some money to get back to Charlotte. He's stuck in Minneapolis right now." He paused. "Yeah, we need about $46." Another pause. "Alright, we'll be on our way to get it. Have it ready. We gotta' hurry." He glanced over at me and nodded, letting me know we were all set. I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. Even though we weren't best-friends anymore, I still didn't want anything bad to happen to Donald. I was happy that we were one step closer to getting him back home.

After picking up the money from the Hailey's house with Dalvin, K-Ci and JoJo went with us to Wal-Mart to place the money order under Donald's name. We sent off the $300 and with only ten minutes to spare until he called, we all sprinted back my house since they all wanted to get a chance to talk to him.

Sneaking the guys into the house, we all tip-toed upstairs and I quickly closed my door. We all stood around my bedroom, waiting for the phone to ring. Finally, it did. I picked up the phone, almost yelling into it, "Hello!"

"Hey. Any luck?", he asked in a depressing tone. Before I could answer, my mom picked up the phone.

"Mom, it's for me. I got it", I said, hoping she would hang up and not try to be nosy. I heard a click, not sure if it was Donald or my mother who hung up. "Hello?"

"Yeah", he said.

Dalvin took the phone from me, placing it to his ear, "D. It's Dalvin. Look, we got the money and it's already sent through. Go pick it up, alright? There should be enough money for food, too."

JoJo walked over, soon taking the phone from Dalvin, "You can move in with us if you ain't got a place to stay, man. You know we got you. There's some extra space and I know my mama ain't gon' care."

K-Ci interrupted, "Yeah, and we got all the fine bitches in our neighborhood. Unlimited pussy." They all laughed as I just waved my arms, trying to tell them to keep it down since they weren't even supposed to be in my room let alone talk like that on the house phone. Mom, please don't be listening. I was a nervous as hell. The last thing I needed was trouble at home. School was already stressful enough. They lowered their voices once they remembered they were still in my house, continuing to talk to Donald about the plans they had once he got back and the sleeping arrangements.

"Okay, we'll tell her", JoJo said in response to whatever Donald said to him. "Alright, man. Be safe." He hung up the phone and we all stood staring at him, waiting to know what exactly I was supposed to be told.

"Well? What he say?", Dalvin inquired.

"Yeah. Spit it out, nigga", K-Ci added.

JoJo shrugged his shoulders, "Some sap shit. Talkin' about how he's sorry and that he's thankful for her. Talkin' about how he love her."

K-Ci sucked his teeth with a smile forming along his face, "This nigga just think he's about to get some ass when he gets back." Laughing, he shakes hands with Dalvin who agrees and laughs along with him. JoJo just shakes his head with a wide grin.

Once the laughs die down, Dalvin turns his head over in my direction with a bit of a sentimental look, "But all jokes aside, thanks for what you did for my brother. You could've just hung up on him after what he did and I respect you for not doin' that."

"Me too", JoJo added.

"Me too", K-Ci followed.

I didn't say anything for a while as a smile soon came to surface as I looked at them, "Aw, look at you niggas gettin' soft." I let out a laugh as they all started to deny the idea of them even being slightly sensitive while they laughed along with me and joked with each other. This was the first time we had all gotten along and it was all for the sake of Donald. Once again, he has a way from bringing people together—even when he's not even around.

"Maybe things would be a bit different now."