Mikah & Hakim (✅)

Chapter Four

"Mikah, you know somebody that I don't? Wow, you're movin' up in the world!" Nicky looks genuinely impressed after Cedrick announces my supposed knowledge of him which sends me spiraling into a world of icy whirlpools. I've never seen this boy in my life! Well, I'm about sixty percent sure I haven't!

You're just about observant as a retarded ostrich with its head buried in the sand.

Ostriches don't even do that, but yes. He's not wrong.

I guess my inner freakout has bled through to my face because both Cedrick and Nicky are staring at me with widened gazes of their own.

"Cedrick!" Mr. Steve's booming voice swooshes over to us. When I say swoosh, I mean that quite literally. Mr. Steve is a very tall and muscular dark-skinned man in his fifties, but definitely doesn't look that old. When I first came here I was expecting a big bellied old man that most likely came from Italian descent. I didn't mean that in a racist sort of way, I swear!

Nah, everyone's a little bit racist.

It came as sort of a shock to me to be introduced to someone I was totally not expecting, but Mr. Steve is one of the few people that I enjoy being around. All of the kids here in Black Hollow see Mr. Steve as our grandfather and it really helped Hendrick and I to adjust since we had to leave ours behind in the city.

"Cedrick, I'm glad to see ya!" the usually cheerful man laughs heartily and slaps the kid firmly on the back.

"Hey, Grandpa! Yeah, I just arrived a few hours ago and dropped my stuff off with Grandma. She said you'd probably be here," Cedrick smiles softly, but I notice that it didn't reach his eyes.

What a minute... Grandpa?

"I was telling Mikah here just the other day that you'd be movin' in with your old Pops!" the old man grins and reaches over to ruffle my hair.

By this point I feel like a complete idiot. I do recall Mr. Steve mentioning that his grandson was coming to town, but he never told me his name. Besides, when I pictured his grandson, I thought he would be-

"But you're not black!" I blurt out and watch in horror as every head in the café turns in my direction, even Hendrick and Kirby who had just come from outside.

You fucking moron. You can't just say that! Now people really will think the crazy white kid is a racist.

I was pretty sure my heart had stopped when Mr. Steve's deafening laughter jump starts it again. I swear, that man has a healthy set of lungs.

"Oh, Mikah, my boy! We get that all the time! Remember, son! Blood doesn't matter! Cedrick is as much my grandson as all of you! Cedrick just has a legally binding contract!" he winks, patting both Cedrick and I on the back. "Okay, you guys take care of him! Back to work!"

With a loud clap of his hands, we watch as he makes his way back into the kitchen to do what Mr. Steve does best. How that man runs this place by himself is beyond me.

Says the one who can't even go into a public restroom by himself.

"I-I-I'm so sorry about that!" I immediately splutter and bow my head so fast that I bash it on the table.

Oh, god. Just kill us now.

I'm sure Cedrick is now regretting not choosing the goth kids when my brother and Kirby come to my rescue.

"Yo, new kid! Scooch, scooch!" Kirby giggles and I feel a tender hand on my scalp.

"Mikah, are you dead...?" Hendy whispers in my ear.