Black Jack

7. One Red Rose 🥀

He pulls his phone and opens it, then holds it out for me to take.

"Go ahead and put your number in my phone," Ronzé suggested, handing it to me.

I nod, typing in my number, "Here you go."

He smirks, continuing to drive. Aaronzé looked as if he wanted to say something, but instead settled for silence, turning the volume up on the radio.

We rode through town for about fifteen minutes. It should've taken twenty-something but the way he drives he managed to shave off enough for us to get there in a decent amount of time.

Once parked, I got out and made my way to
The karate studio. But Terrence was already outside, throwing a fit. A literal fit. Mr. Yen was standing outside with him, along with two other kids.

"Terrence-" I put some pep in my step to reach him quicker, "What's wrong? Is everything ok—"

He had tears springing down his face, "Mae!" Terrence clung to my waist tightly, "Don't make me go back!"

I looked to Mr. Yen, who gave me an apologetic look, "If you'll just give me one moment while I walk the last bunch of kids to their parents and I'll be right with you."

I nod.

"What's going on Trey?"

He pulls back a bit, his cheeks are tear-stained, "I.. I don't wanna talk about it. I wanna go home. I don't wanna do Karate ever again."

I brush a loose dread behind his ear and wipe his tears away with my thumb, "Are you sure?"

He nods and sniffles, "I don't wanna come back ever. I don't."

"Okay, I understand that," I say, "But can you tell me why? Maybe help me understand? Did something happen in class?"

He nods.

"Did somebody bother you?"

He nods.

"One of the kids were picking on him Ms. Bella.." Mr. Yen walks back up.

I sigh, shaking my head. I should have known. Nothing could ever make him hate Karate, but he's sensitive to other peoples' words.

"I sat them in time out for it, but Terrence has been unable to calm down. Has he been taking his medicine?"

"Ah... No... We'd run out but I just picked up another prescription," I sighed, "We were—"

Terrence pushed away from me, "No No No! I don't wanna take medicine! I'm FINE!"

Aaronzé raised an eyebrow.

"Terrence, calm down..." I reached my hand out, but he flinched from it and gripped his hair, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Mr. Yen rubbed his face, "Ahh... Trey, maybe it's better that you listen to your-"

"SHUT UP!" Terrence started crying, "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"

"Trey," I say to him calmly, "It's okay to be overwhelmed, we aren't trying to make you do something you don't want to do.."

"I DONT WANNA TAKE IT!"

Aaronzé moves in front of Terrence, then knelt to speak to him. He was gentle in his next movements. He kept his distance while still being somewhat close to my brother.

"You don't want to take your medicine?" Ronzé asks him.

Terrence shook his head eagerly, "I hate taking medicine I hate it!"

"Alright, well... Can we try to calm ourselves—and we'll see about getting those nasty things thrown away," He assured, "Can you do this exercise with me?"

Terrence was still breathing heavily, but the tight grip on his hair loosened. He started to nod.

"Good.. Do what I do, okay?" Aaronzé smiles, "Breathe in..."

Terrence breathes in.

"Breathe out.." And my brother breathes out slowly.

Aaronzé has him repeat those two steps repeatedly. The both of them perform that same exercise until Terrence stops shaking and his breathing evens out.

"Better?"

Terrence nods. His eyes dried, dreads hanging past his shoulders in a loose bun from all the hair pulling.

"Good... That's good. Are you ready to go home?"

Once again, my little brother nods. Mr. Yen and I  just stare at each other in amazement.

Me : 😑 You seeing this bruh?

Mr. Yen : Fuck little boi, Y you no do this more often 🌚

Aaronzé and I walk Terrence back to his car. I wave goodbye to Mr. Yen as we get in. I'm still surprised that Terrence even let Aaronzé talk to him.

Then again, is there anybody he can't talk to?

Once everyone is in the car, I hand Trey his sour punch straws, "I picked these up for you at the store, I figured you'd like them."

He takes them in his hands and opens them swiftly, the sound of plastic coming apart loudly, "Thank you Mae."

"So what happened?" I asked, "Are you ready to tell me now?"

I was still trying to figure out what could make Terrence cry like that. I mean sure he's only eight and he's cry over anything, but Terrence hates crying. At least, crying like that.

"Gary Gardener said I'm a weirdo because I don't have a dad anymore," He mumbled, "He said he heard mom talking to Sensei about it.."

My eyes widened. That little sh—t said huh?

Aaronzé furrows his brows, "And why don't you have a dad anymore?"

Crap, "Terrence-"

"Because he hurt Mae and Mommy so we left him in Montana," Terrence huffed, "I hate him."

Aaronzé, out of all the things you could have asked him, why did you have to ask him that?

I try very hard to keep my eyes directed at the road, despite how badly I wanted to see Ronzé's face. I could practically feel his anger.

He sighs deeply.

Trey sniffles again, trying to keep the boogers in his nose, "Do you have a Dad... Um.. I don't know your name."

"My name is Aaronzé," He says, "And no.. I don't have a Dad."

"Did your dad hurt you and your mom?"

Now I look over. His grip is tight on the steering wheel, knuckles nearly white. His jaw is a little tense as he speaks, "No.. I loved my Dad, but he's dead now."

"Oh.. I'm sorry," My brother apologizes.

Aaronzé sighs, "It's fine little man."

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