90s Love

Chapter 2

"Yeah."

"She's really nice," I told him, approaching my brown and beige house. "This is where I'm at. Thanks for walking with me."

"It's all good. Tell your brother I said happy birthday."

I looked in the direction of where we just came, noticing how long of a way we were from where I first bumped into him. "You really gonna walk all the way back?"

"Nah, I'm gonna stop by, see my Grandma."

"That's nice." I managed to smile. "Thanks again."

"No problem, have a nice night."

"You too." And I just walked along the grass, opening the screen door followed by the front door, getting inside. "Mama, I got all the stuff!"

"Bring it in here, you're gonna help me and Kelly cook."

I groaned as I walked to the kitchen. "Mama."

"Wash your hands and help us."

Setting the bags down on the counter, I followed orders and helped my sister and mother in the kitchen. Having family dinners on birthdays was our 'thing'. Since both my parents worked crazy hours, it was only fair that all six of us were able to sit down and have a meal together on our birthdays, and every time Kelly and Rashad made their way back home from college.

Kelly was the oldest, she officially moved out in September, after landing her first full-time business job. She graduated from college at the end of the last school year and managed to save up enough for an apartment near her job. Rashad was in his junior year of college, only 30 minutes away, with a good basketball scholarship.

And then, there was Calvin and me. And I, of course, was the always and forever, official lil baby.

"How's school going, Nae?" Shad asked as we all sat around the table.

"It's going good," I responded.

"How are the grades?" Dad asked next.

"Good," I assured them. "The only bad grade I might have is in history," I admitted hesitantly.

"Why?" Mama asked.

"Mrs. Pate quit," Calvin informed. "She's had substitutes all week."

"We don't do anything in there," I added.

"Well, that's not good. Y'all should be learning." Ma insisted as she took a sip of her water.

"I think Mr. Garrison's gonna be our teacher for the rest of the year," that was the latest I heard from around the school. "So, I think it'll be okay."

"That's all that's been going on around here?" Kelly asked unimpressed. "Doesn't sound too bad."

Calvin and I just exchanged looks. There was a crazy fight in the lunchroom over some stealing that went down on Jones Street. But of course, we weren't gonna talk about that in front of our parents.

"It's alright." Calvin shrugged.

"Yeah." I agreed. "But what about you guys?" I looked between my older siblings before my eyes settled on Rashad. "You get a girlfriend yet?" 

"Oh my god, Janae." He groaned with a smile.

"Did you?!" I asked, instantly getting excited.

"No. Pipe down."

"What's wrong with you that you can't get a girl?" I asked, making Kelly and Dad instantly crack a laugh.

"Alright, you little brat. Ain't nothing wrong with me. I'm desirable." Rashad retorted, instantly making Mama smile with amusement. "Let me give you the low down on college."

"Oh, gosh." Kelly smiled.

The smile on my face couldn't be hidden, seeing how much I enjoyed the stories Shad and Kelly had to share about their adult lives.

It was always a good time when all four of us were under the same roof.

🖤

I sat on the floor of my room while Kelly sat on my bed, helping me undo my braids after dinner.  Shad and Calvin were playing video games in Calvin's room while our parents watched the news in the living room.

The two of us sat listening to the songs on the radio, keeping busy with my hair.

"I'll take you Saturday to get it done." She told me. "Then we can go to the mall 'cause I need a couple things. You need anything?"

"No," I replied, looking to my closet full of clothes. "I'm okay."

"What's going on?" She shook my shoulder softly, taking notice of my quietness. "You okay?"

"Why do you think stuff's so bad around here?" I wondered curiously.

"Cause we don't know no better," Kelly replied as she continued with my hair. "But you do. You're smart, Janae."

That comment made me think about how Quincy had said the same thing when he walked me home.

What'd they see in me that made me so different?

"All you gotta do is keep doing what you're supposed to do. Don't go boy crazy like I did. And be in the house when Mama and Daddy tell you to be, and you'll be fine. Trouble's easy to find, especially if you go looking for it."

Kelly and I were six years apart, so it was easy for her to get on the big sister, second mother, type of role. She was always throwing me these gems of wisdom, and I appreciated them. It was easy to get lost in everything crazy that was going on but looking at Shad and Kelly, who made it out and were doing big things. It gave me hope.

Made it all a little less scary.

"Now go wash your hair. I'm tryna be out of here in two hours, and you can't get these cornrows on your own." Kelly just started to clean up the hair that was around us while I pushed myself to stand, grabbing my towel and making my way to the bathroom.

My thoughts consumed me as I lathered shampoo through my kinky hair, thinking of the different possibilities of my future.

They always said being smart could take you far, but I didn't feel like I was smart enough to beat all the odds, at least not yet.