🎶your face is all that I see. I've given you everything. baby, love me lights out🎶
-Beyoncé
Naija's Journal,
December 23rd,
I never really knew what it feels like to be "in love." But I think I know now.
Love, Naija R.
_______________
19 year olds King and Michael came shuffling into the barbershop in a fit of low laughter. Snow trailed from behind them, melting onto the tiled floors. The day was cold and the sky was bright and white.
"Aye, aye!" Kenny, their barber, waved his hand in the air, catching their attention. "Wass with all the noise 'n shit? What I tell y'all bout comin' in doin' that shit? I got customers!" He fussed as Michael kissed his teeth, brushing off his jacket a bit.
"There was a fight over on Main St." King pointed behind him with his thumb. "We was jus' in the crowd watchin' before police came."
"We went runnin'." Michael added on to the story. "Niggas brought out guns jus' for a fight."
King dug into his pocket for a $50 and gripped it. "Weak as shit." He shook his head as they leaned against the wall by the door as Kenny listened with an amused smile from the distance. "Wass weak?"
Michael kissed his teeth. "How they always gotta bring out a weapon when iss clearly a fist fight. It ain't that hard to pop a few hits. Go 1-2-3 and you done." He punched his fists in the air in demonstration
"Right." King nodded. "But we ran as soon as police came we ain't got time for that shit. Wassup Rich?" They dapped Richie up who sat in the chair beside Kenny, getting his sides shaved a bit.
"Y'all needa stay outta that shit." Kenny shook his head. "Streets ain't safe for allat."
"Uh huh." King hummed, giving Kenny the $50 he took out his pocket previously.
Kenny eyed him and stood straight, dusting off the empty chair he stood in front of. "You really here for a cut or for a place to hide? I know y'all's games."
Michael laughed dryly. "He here for a cut Ken doll." He licked his lips. "The fight ain't involve us no worries."
"I know you ain't call me Ken doll-"
"Jus' a lil fade." King said, making himself comfortable onto the cushioned leather chair.
Luckily there weren't too many customers and were all mutual friends of Kenny's. So it wasn't all embarrassing that two teenagers talking about guns and violence suddenly barged in-
"Who was out there fightin'?" Richie asked with furrowed brows. "They still there?"
Michael shook his head. "Nigga i'on know. We ain't stay long enough to see. Pretty sure it was Stoke's people though. They full a shit."
"Shit when I get my damn hands on him-" Richie attempted to get out his chair but his barber stopped him as well as Kenny's voice. "Nah sit back down boy and finish wit' your cut. Ain't no way imma let y'all run freely anyhow 'round my shop."
Richie sat back with a grouchy look as Michael laughed again from where he was standing. "Ken you on the worst side of town. Shootings happen here almost weekly."
Kenny rolled his eyes as he began to give King his fade. "'N thass why I got my eyes on y'all. Iss bad enough here. Lost a lotta people down here. I'd hate to see y'all in the fire too."
Michael and King exchanged looks and began to laugh again, dapping each other up in the process. "You worried bout us?" Michael pouted playfully. "You ain't gon' catch me in no shit unless they front me first. You know I ain't one to start shit."
"Right." King shrugged. "But if Mike got into it wit' somebody on the streets imma have to lose my lingo 'n rile shit up too. Thass my brother."
Kenny chuckled lightly. "Y'all really care bout each other huh? Ride or die type shit?"
Michael nodded. "Right."
"What bout me?" Richie asked, pretending to be hurt. "Would y'all jump into a fight for me?"
"You on ya own."
"Mike you here for a touch up too or you just gon' stand there?" Kenny asked, peering up at him as he shook his head no. "Nah I'm good. I look good right? Fuck I need a touch up fo?" He smiled cockily.
"Uh huh."
Omniscient-
Christmas was getting closer and closer. Everyone was in the spirit despite the tension in the air regarding King. He still didn't turn up after days but the spirit was in the air and people refused to let it disappear within them.
"You lyin'." Michael straight faced his girlfriend who insisted on making him breakfast. She was trying her best to make the best French toast in the world. She didn't almost burn down the house this time: progress. "You sayin' you ain't received a Christmas present since you was like 11?"
She laughed lightly and waited by the stove, frying the sausage. "Mmh." She hummed. "I never really cared about it though." She denied it, but he saw the sadness behind her eyes when saying it.
"Nah." He shook his head. "You care. You spoiled as fuck so I know you did. The crazy thing is imma end up spoilin' you anyway."
She narrowed her eyes at him and began shaking her head, waving the spatula in her hand side to side. "You don't have to get me anything. You've done enough for me."
She didn't even realize he was standing from his seat, previously sitting at the dinner table watching her from a distance as Bear ate from his bowls. "Shut up." He lowly said, lightly holding her jaw in between his index and thumb leaning in for a kiss.
"I'on know what the fuck "enough" is." He air quoted. "You deserve a present, jit." He scoffed before returning back to his spot after leaving her bewildered by how close he got to her. It's too early to be developing those butterflies of her.
She's never really experienced the Christmas joyride in a while. It was like any other day for her. Watching Christmas movies, listening to music, drinking hot chocolate, opening gifts in the morning—she has yet to live through it again.
She smiled widely, completely forgetting about the sausage frying on the stove behind her and the French toast. "Jit, the sausage."
"Shit!" She whispered turning back around to finish cooking. But it didn't stop her from smiling for the rest of the morning.
Eventually she was done with breakfast and it was good. She nearly watched him finish his plate, excited at the fact that he liked it. She's not a big cook but he is, so she was definitely interested.
He told her to stop staring at him while he ate as it made him uncomfortable but she didn't listen-
"Rate it." She said as he stood up, putting the dishes away. "1-10."
He lifted Bear up in his arms, running his hands through his fur. "5."
She gasped and he laughed at her expression. "I'm playin'. I give you a 9 ight? It was good. You proud now?"
She nodded her head with a smile. "Yes."
This morning went by quickly. For once Michael had the day to himself with not much plans. He's been a bit solemn but things were working out just fine. She noticed his phone buzzed almost minute by minute—which could either be good or bad-
But luckily Naija was able to get out the house for some time instead of being cooped up all day. Yisel had picked up her and Ameera to go shopping—more specifically, Christmas shopping.
"What do boys like? What's the perfect gift to get them?" Naija wondered out loud, trailing her fingers across the shelves as they were at a random store in the mall.
Yisel chuckled lightly with a few clothes draped over her arm. "You shoppin' for Mike?" She shook her head and hissed. "That nigga is picky as hell."
Ameera laughed aloud obnoxiously. "I remember when Bianca tried to get him somethin' for his birthday a few years back. It took her weeks to find somethin' he'd like."
All of this information wasn't really helping as Naija let out a nervous laugh. "Then he wouldn't like anything I have in mind." She muttered.
Yisel scoffed, pulling out a small pink dress for toddlers—for her baby sis Carmella. "Girl when it comes to you he'a like anything you got to offer. Trust me. He really cares about you." She assured her. Naija smiled lightly and felt herself beginning to turn red just by that statement.
"All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey began playing in the speakers of the store and they began humming.
"Then 'Meera help me." Naija nearly whined, getting Ameera's attention who got distracted by some phone cases. "I know nothin' bout what niggas like!" She exclaimed.
Yisel laughed loudly, causing stares to land on them. "So you tellin' me you'n got a boy in mind right now? Don't lie." She lowered her eyes as Ameera looked around innocently.
"You mean Wolf?" She questioned and acted shy. "Girl he lives in ATL. How the fuck imma see him for Christmas in time? And don't act like you'n got a boy in mind too."
"Nelly?" Yisel squeaked. "If we were really together I'd get him a book or a calculator. He'd like that."
They laughed shortly and continued walking across the store, exiting it after buying their stuff and entering another store.
Ameera and Yisel had their hands filled with bags but Naija's still remained empty. She's an over thinker and doing things for the people she really cares about—she wants perfection. "Naija we ain't leavin' this mall 'til yo ass buy somethin'. Come the fuck on." Ameera scolded her.
"I'm brainstorming." She made excuses. "I'm thinking of what to get y'all and Michael. It takes work. I want it to be special. And what do you guys think Bianca would like? I feel bad she wasn't able to come with us today."
Yisel stopped walking. "Wait...you plannin' on gettin' us stuff too?"
Naija paused as she looked through some clothing by the racks. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I? It's what friends do right?"
Ameera smiled excitedly. "Ouuu gimme a hint!" She nearly pleaded. "Gimme the first letter of what you gettin'."
Naija laughed and pushed her away. "No and I'm not getting it today while you guys can see. I have to come back tomorrow. I shoulda done this earlier but I have a procrastination problem."
Yisel laughed. "Me and you both." She held up a mug with snowflakes decorated on it. "What y'all think Uly would like? Imma get him a mug."
"Girl don't get that poor boy a mug. He'a disown you." Ameera laughed. "But shit, I could cop this for my mama."
"Nai you like mugs? I'a get you one then." She joked. Yisel, Bianca and Ameera went Christmas shopping weeks ago and already got stuff for Naija, but are back for just a few more things.
Naija groaned lighlty, lazily brushing her fingers over a few more things on the shelves. "I never knew finding gifts for people was this hard. I never even really liked people until now."
"You could get me a new phone." Ameera smiled, holding her's up. "Jus' a suggestion though."
"No."
"I would get somethin' for my mama but she'd just toss it away or some shit. Uly's the same damn way sometimes. My only gift-worthy family member is my lil sis I swear." Yisel shook her head. "Imma get Uly an ugly sweater. His ass ugly. Iss what he deserves."
Naija laughed lighlty, remembering how her father had gotten her one when she was about 8. It was pretty big for her and she could fit into it up until she was a preteen. She still has it.
Finally they entered the last store for the day. All hopelessness turned into light as soon as Naija laid eyes on something in particular that she thought Michael would like. She smiled, hovering over the glass so close—her breath could fog it up. Her eyes nearly shined. "Perfect."
༒
"Bye!" She waved to them as she was halfway into the house with some shopping bags dangled over her finger tips. They waved back and sped off into the streets as she closed the door behind her and kicked her shoes off to the corner.
Bear came running towards her, circling and sniffing at her as she laughed in return. He's nosy, so he tried sticking his head in the bags in her hand and she lifted it up higher so he couldn't reach as he began to bark. "Shhhh!" She shushed him. "I don't want him to see this yet." She lowly said, referring to Michael.
She looked around for somewhere to put the gift and realized...they never put up a tree. She narrowed her eyes and just put it behind the couch for some time.
"Bear why don't we have a tree?" She asked him and picked him up before walking down the hallway towards the bedroom where Michael was.
He was casually lying on the bed, shirt off and stripped into basketball shorts. One arm was behind his head and the other propped up to his side holding his phone as he absentmindedly swiped through various apps. He glanced at her and smirked. "Where the hell you been? Gone for like 3 hours."
She let Bear go and began changing out of her clothes to more comfortable ones all while he relentlessly watched. "The mall." She vaguely said, leaving out as much as she could. "I just bought some clothes...for myself." She smiled sheepishly and he shook his head. "Uh huh."
"Why don't we have a tree?" She redirected her question to him and he looked up from his phone and cocked a brow. "As in the ones from outside? I'm sure they fine out in nature where they belong jit."
She laughed at him and threw a shirt at him as it landed on his face—which he didn't attempt to remove right away and just laid there. "I mean a Christmas tree."
He threw the shirt back at her but she caught it, making him kiss his teeth. "I damn near never set it up. Iss in the garage 'n iss been there for a while."
"Can we set it up?! Please?" She begged with a hopeful smile, taking off her jeans to replace it with her usual biker shorts.
He lazily sat up with a grunt and waved her off. "Nah but we can set up a movie in here." He suggested. "You wit' ya clothes off too. You know what I'm sayin'?"
She straight faced him and proceeded to put on a baggy punk rock graphic t-shirt. "Why are you avoiding the question?" She inquired, joining him on the bed as he laughed dryly-
"'Cause iss too late. You shoulda talked about puttin' up a tree weeks ago jit. Iss in 2 days. Ain't no point."
"It's never too late." She fired back with satisfied eyes. "You're gonna help me put it up whether you like it or not."
He jerked his head back and stared at her from the corner of her eyes as she stared ahead. "Who you talkin' to like that?"
"You!" She exclaimed back and he stared at her playfully in disgust like she was a fly. "Disrespectful as fuck."
Beyond his knowledge, she wanted her first Christmas with him to be special. Her treat. She had been thinking about what Yisel said from earlier for a while now:
"Girl when it comes to you he'a like anything you got to offer. Trust me. He really cares about you."
It really opened her eyes and almost caught her off guard to hear from someone else how much he cares about her. Nobody has cared this much about her since her late father. It's overwhelming, but the feelings inside her dictate every action she makes towards him.
From the moment they met, she hadn't even realized or fully grasped just how much he really cares about her:
"I may be a street nigga but I'm a respectful one—at times. Bein' caught lackin' would make me look like a bitch, but fo me to leave a woman out by herself wit' nowhere to go is even more lackin'. I ain't bouta leave you out there by yaself, ma. You got me fucked up."
Just sitting next to him now after reminiscing on the past, gave her these new feelings of butterflies. It's different than before. She doesn't feel the same feelings from before they started dating. It's a stronger feeling now—that she can't fully explain.
Bear had hopped onto the bed as Michael had been talking, but her thoughts drowned him out. She watched as fingers grazed through Bear's fur, and the butterflies in her stomach erupted yet again uncontrollably. Soon she would explode if she didn't admit-
"I love you."
It was like the room stopped and the atmosphere changed. Even Bear stopped his movements.
Dramatically, she slapped her hand over her mouth and looked away, feeling herself grow as red as an apple. He turned his head towards her slowly and and his smile dropped just a tad.
"Whachu say?" He asked, raising his brows. She refused to look at him. "Nothing!"
He then smirked and turned her face towards him like always, gripping gently at her jaw. "Repeat that, Naija."
He was staring her so deeply into the eyes she could've sworn he could see through her soul. "I....love you." The newfound butterflies in her stomach finally calmed down and she almost felt at peace—as if something was weighing her down. "A lot."
He was silent for a few more seconds before just chuckling lightly. A look of relief flashed over his face. "You been scared to tell me that?" He inquired.
She laughed at herself and nodded. "Mmh. I didn't know if you..." she didn't have to finish before he caught her drift. He began shaking his head. "Why wouldn't I feel the same, Naija?"
Each time he actually says her name, it's always gently and airy. It could put her at peace anytime. She just shrugged lightly and gazed her eyes away. "I don't know."
It's not like she's insecure, but she's never known what "in love" felt like. "I ain't got no crush on you, i'on like you or no shit like that. I love you jit." He scoffed and shook his head with a full on smile. "You know better than that."
She gazed back into his eyes and smiled. Almost the widest she's ever smiled in ages.
She didn't just love him just because, but because of everything he's ever done for her. He's the first one in like a decade to ever care this much about her. That's why she has to cherish every moment starting now.
"Scaredy cat ass." He shook his head at her and kissed her, ending it with 2 pecks before letting her go.
He was feeling a bit down all day about certain things, but this really cheered him up.
Before they said anything more, the doorbell rang twice...then a third time....then a fourth.
"The fuck?" Michael muttered, standing up from the bed and he motioned for Naija to stay where she was. She was going to anyway. She had gotten too comfortable on the bed to move from it.
He peeked outside first and kissed his teeth as Bear followed him close by and he opened the door, revealing Richie and 2 other guys behind him holding guns securely in their hands. "The fuck y'all breakin' my bell for?" Michael questioned. "'N when you get outta jail?"
They invited themselves in tensely, and it was obvious the vibes were off. "Where the fuck King at? Where that nigga at?" Richie demanded, looking around the house, peeking behind the couch, kitchen, etc.
Michael furrowed his brows. "Why?" He questioned. It was a sudden question, and a mutual one at that. "Who tryna find out?"
Richie turned around, pure anger written all over his face as he put down his gun and crossed his arms.
Naija heard the commotion and was now in the hallway, peeking behind the wall with Bear by her feet. She could be nosy...at times. She heard every word being said.
"His bitch ass shot one of my homies a few blocks away this mornin'!" Richie nearly raised his voice. "Shot in the damn head!" He looked away and peeked over Michael's shoulder. "So where he at? His bitch ass hidin' somewhere here? 'Cause he dead."
"What?" Michael jerked his head back, clearly confused. "How the fuck you know it was him?"
Richie kissed his teeth. "I got witnesses. It was a whole confrontation'n there was at least 5 people there watchin'. They all said it was King's ass."
"'N so whachu plannin' on doin'?" Michael raised a brow. "Huh?"
Richie laughed, but not one of humor. It sounded menacing. "We killin' his ass fuck you mean?"
Michael scoffed and stepped up to Richie, catching his attention as he attempted to snoop around the house again, lifting his gun up. "I thought we was homies, nigga! What the fuck-"
Richie kissed his teeth once more and shoved him lighlty. "I thought we was homies too whachu mean?! Iss King's ass that got the problem ain't it? He started this shit and I'm endin' it."
"Look I get where you comin' from," Michael started. "but I ain't bouta let y'all hunt him down, man. 'N he ain't here so stop all that bullshit. 'N stop wavin' that gun anyhow. My girl's in the back so watch that shit."
"So where he at? Y'all close as hell so I'm sure you know where the fuck that bitch ass is hidin'."
Michael shrugged and sighed. "If I knew where he was I still wouldn't tell you, Rich."
It's best to keep Richie as a friend, rather than an enemy. He's not exactly someone anybody would want to mess with. He's like the Suge Knight of Detroit.
Richie stared at him with eyes of fire. "So we playin' games now?" He asked. "You protectin' that nigga after what the fuck he did?"
"I'on support what King did bro." Michael shook his head. "But we wasn't there. Shit, yo homie coulda tried to kill King first fa all we know."
"Nah there were witnesses. Ain't no back and forth that bitch ass up 'n shot him. When I see him iss on site."
"Rich," Michael's eyes darkened. "I'm warnin' you now."
Richie surrender his hands up, still gripping his gun "This ain't my doin' Mike. Y'all my niggas but King started this shit. Tell yo mans to get his damn shit together and this wouldn't have to happen."
"Lay the fuck off him fa now. I'll handle him."
"Nah I'll handle him. Chose the wrong day to mess wit' me. I get outta jail for the hundredth time 'n this the first thing that goes down?" He asked and scoffed. "Y'all asked for it."
Michael watched as they left with not much more being said. They left such a tense feeling in the air that it was so hard to ignore.
He locked the door and exhaled, looking up at the ceiling briefly before moving his head back towards the hallway. "Come out, jit." He said.
He didn't even have to look and see that she had been standing there the whole time. He sensed her and Bear's presence with ease.
She stepped out and cleared her throat as Bear, who was cowering, trailed behind her. "You heard me?" She asked lowly.
He shook his head. "Nah. But I knew you nosy as fuck. You heard allat right?" He asked and she nodded. He just laughed dryly and shook his head with another sigh. "You see the shit I gotta put up wit'?"
"Do you really think King would-"
"I'on know what the fuck he capable of at this point. Shit's fucked up 'n I'm bein' dragged into everything."
He only kept his patience with Richie because they're usually cool with each other. If anyone else barged into his house with guns things would've gone south.
He looked down at Bear, noticing he's been cowering the entire time and he picked him up. "Wassup Bear?" His voice softened. "You scared easily as fuck. I'm sorry for the scare." He kissed him lighlty before setting him down.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Naija asked and he looked at her and cracked a smile. "You'n gotta worry bout me. I'm straight. Shit's jus' crazy." She watched as he slipped on some shoes and grabbed his jacket off of the couch.
"But next time stay far as hell away. I know you saw 'em guns in they hands, Naija. You notorious for runnin' into the fire wit' them things." He scolded her and she nodded her head. "Sorry."
"You comin' with? I'm droppin' by my Maw's." He casually said, bringing out his car keys and she smiled but then remembered something-
"I would but I was gonna watch something on Netflix with 'Meera and Yisel in a few."
He cocked a brow. "They comin' over?"
"No on FaceTime." She shoved him softly and he scoffed. "Why the fuck- you know what I'on care. Jus' take care of yaself ight?"
She nodded and lifted herself up on her tippy-toes to be kissed before he left. Although he seemed pretty normal, she knew this whole situation with King was slowly getting to him. It made her worry and wonder if he's really as fine as he says he is...
He stopped by Walmart as always and got his grandma groceries before heading to her house, smoking a blunt. The sky was turning a pretty yellow and time was passing.
He didn't plan on calling up Uly unless he really had to but certainly, news about the shooting on Main St. started going around on the radio and various news channels. It was typical news around here but this time it was different for certain people.
He got out the car and rung the doorbell many times, knowing just how to annoy her as she opened it with a sour look to her face. "Ring my bell like that one more time." She threatened.
He smiled and kissed her on the cheek before letting himself in. "You love me anyway." He went straight for the kitchen. "I gotchu groceries. I know iss a desert in here."
She shook her head, locking the door. "You actin' like I'm ancient 'n I can't get my own groceries." She fussed, returning to her spot on the couch where she watched various films.
He scoffed. "I mean back in your days-"
"Back in my days what?" She raised a brow
"Wit' like Dinosaurs 'n Moses." He said and she laughed a threatening one-
"You lucky I'm too lazy to come beat ya ass." She said and he laughed in return, finishing up with putting the groceries away.
He walked back to the living room where she was. "So what been happenin' lately?" She asked. "You been good?"
He shrugged his shoulders and blew air from puffed cheeks and laughed dryly. "Nothin'. Shit been good in the hood."
She narrowed her eyes at his delayed answer. "Is there somethin' I'on know?"
He jerked his head back and shook his head. "Nah Maw. I'm ight." He assured her and checked his phone for the time. "Imma head out. Make sure you eatin' right or imma keep comin' back here bringin' groceries."
She nodded her head sarcastically as he said his goodbyes and checked his phone once more after feeling a buzz, seeing a text from Ulysses:
Ulyssessessses: bro wtf is rich on ?🤨
Ulyssessessses: nigga confronted me jus now and raided my crib
Ulyssessessses: talkin bout some "war" like wtf I'm tryna eat my sandwich
He shook his head and texted back as he got back into his car and began to drive-
:nigga did the same to me
:I ain't try to get involved or they gon come fa me too but idgaf
:and don't do nun yet ight ?
He was now in his driveway, putting out his blunt before going inside but paused in his tracks as soon as he heard screaming from the other side of the street.
He looks back and sees Tyson, the annoying 11 year old boy, pointing a gun at 2 other boys who were running away in pure terror. He was yelling things in the process.
"What the fuck?" He cursed to himself before crossing the street, not even looking side to side for any passing cars-
"Aye, Aye!" He caught Tyson's attention as he turned around and lowered the gun at the sight of him. "What the fuck you doin' wit that?" He scolded, attempting to snatch it out his hands but missed.
"Nothin'. Go away." Tyson muttered, beginning to walk away and smuggle it in his pants but was snatched up by his arm. "I ain't playin' wichu today Ty." Michael gritted. "What the fuck you doin' wit' that? You outta ya mind?"
"All y'all go around carryin' it so why can't I?" He stubbornly replied with a smug look as Michael let him go and held out his hand. "Give it to me."
Tyson stared him down for a while before slapping it in his hands with a groan. "Fine."
Michael managed to smuggle it away without anyone seeing it and looked around the area again before sitting down on the curb of the street, motioning for him to do the same and sit down as well. Tyson kissed his teeth and followed instructions.
"Now imma ask yo lil ass again. Why the fuck you goin' around holdin' this shit? You know how old you is?"
"Nothin' you needa know." He looked away and had his fist on his cheek as his eyes lowered.
"You want me to tell ya mama? Get you into trouble? 'Cause i will."
"Man my mama don't even pay attention to me so she won't even care. Nobody ever pays attention to me anyway. So who cares?"
Right away Michael knew where this stemmed from. "So thass it huh?" He asked. "You get into all this damn trouble to get attention?"
"No....I do it 'cause I wanna." He denied. "Plus y'all go 'round holdin' guns too. You, my older brother—everybody."
"Quit comparin' yaself to me, Ty." Michael kissed his teeth. "You a lil ass kid. My problems ain't close to yours."
"So why y'all need guns to make it all better?" He inquired like a professor. "My teachers always told us to look up to our elders. Thass what I'm doin'. I'on look up to my mama 'cause she always drunk on the couch and she never even look my way no more. I'on even go to school no more. I don't care anymore." He muttered and kicked a rock that was by his foot.
His words really made Michael think. The streets can be deadly, but its even deadlier for the kids. Conflicts around here never get resolved because kids grow up to be just like the thugs that currently walk the streets.
Nobody's setting a good influence on the young people.
"Sometimes I wish I had a real dad to see what it would be like. I feel like I got nobody sometimes. I jus' want someone to notice me." He muttered again and Michael cracked a smile. "So you do want attention."
Tyson paused, realizing he admitted it and kissed his teeth, humphing. "No I don't."
"It ain't a crime to want some attention, Ty. You know I got yo back."
"No you don't." He side eyed him. "You always tellin' me to go away when I try to steal your stuff."
"Listen to your statement, then tell me wass wrong wit' what you jus' said."
"...whatever." He managed to crack a smile as well.
"I know somebody like you my guy." Michael looked into the distance. "Somebody exactly like you. Doin' the most jus' to be noticed by others 'n shit."
Tyson looked up. "Who?"
"Myself." Michael shrugged. "'N King. You know King right?"
He nodded.
"We did the most lame ass shit growin' up—'n lookin' back I regret some of it. But you'n needa take this road jus' to be like others or to be noticed. You wanna be better than that. You know what I'm sayin'?"
He thought for a second and sighed. "Like gettin' good grades 'n finishing school?"
"I meant stop bein' a damn pest but that works too." He nodded. "I know I ain't the best influence 'round here but I want you to be a better one than me, ight?"
"Better than you?" Tyson's eyes shimmered. It sounded like a competition and he was all up for it. "Tell me what I can do to be better than yo ass!"
"Ight first off you too young to be cursin', sit down. And second, I wanna make a deal whichu."
"Tell me!"
"If you can stay outta trouble, get good grades, and be the bigger person I'a buy you somethin' and I won't tell nobody you was walkin' 'round here wit' a damn gun."
"You'd buy me anything?" He clarified. "And lemme come play wit' your dog?!"
Michael shook his head with a tight smile. "Anything. Ight? Thass a deal?"
"Deal." Tyson held out his hand so they could shake on it and smiled widely. It felt good to make someone else's day.
"But I still wanna know where the fuck you got this." Michael raised a brow. "It ain't appear outta thin air."
He looked down ashamed. "My dumb brother had it in his closet. I took it last night.."
"This ain't a toy, Ty. You coulda hurt yaself 'n somebody else."
He crossed his arms stubbornly. "Don't lecture me again."
"I'm jus' tellin' ya dumb ass, ight?"
"Okay."
"Ight. Stay outta trouble nigga." Michael called out to him as he ran straight to his house to finish the piles of homework sitting on his desk. "I gotchu!"
He walked back across the street and finally entered the house seeing Naija still watching Netflix like she said. She looked up and smiled as Bear jumped off the couch and circled his feet.
"You still watchin' that shit?" He asked and she laughed lightly, asking for a kiss before he could disappear to his room.
From his conversation with Tyson it left him in a good mood—a mood to do things he normally wouldn't want to do. "You still wanna put up that tree?" He asked
She gasped and paused the show. "Really?" She asked and he laughed by how her entire demeanor just changed again. "We can? Together right?"
"Nah by myself."
She nearly hopped off the couch and went straight for the garage to get it—even though he knew she couldn't lift the box by herself.
Even though it was hard to put a smile on his own face today, it still felt good to put a smile on others'.
It's the real Christmas spirit....kinda.
______
A/n: the way I have the next 2 chapters planned out cuz usually I don't plan these chapters out before writing-😀
nvm
imma go back to doing absolutely ✨nothing✨
🧍🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️