𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

𝐙𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
☔︎︎
𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

I held Moe against my chest as I watched the teens run up and down the court. It was the beginning of practice so they were warming up getting ready for the frills I was going to give them, as much I needed to put him down so I could do my tasks faster, I didn't want to.

Today was the first time I dealt with a autistic meltdown on my own. It happened this morning while I was getting him ready for school. It saddened me to see him so overwhelmed in his emotions.

The tears, loud cries, watching him throw himself on the floor, hitting himself, it all made me sad. I helped him in the best way I could which helped him calm down in about ten minutes. Afterwards, I decided to not take him to school and allow him to stay with me. Zinnia also agreed that it'd be better for him to stay home.

I kissed his temple a couple times while looking at him. He held a neutral face, his eyes moved with the team letting me know his attention was on them running. "Da loves you okay?" I spoke using the fatherly term he called me by.

Very rarely did Moriah call me 'daddy' or even Zinnia 'mommy', if he did it was most likely him begging or him wanting more attention that was being given.

I felt him nod against my chest "luh' you,"

"You wanna sit down on the bleachers for a second or be held?" He hugged against me tighter silently telling me he did not want to be put down. "Okay."

I walked towards the control panel that was near the exit, opened it and stuck my key in to let down the hoops "Back up!" I yelled before turning the key allowing for them to come down slowly.

After doing so I walked back over to them seeing them all standing spread out. "Ight so first I want to congratulate y'all on the first win of this year, you all worked as a team and won. Two a lot of y'all on this team are about to graduate high school, in this weeks coming up games and a couple more after that there will be colleges attending the games to watch y'all play,"

"What colleges?" Tyrell asked, looking up at me as he tied his shoes.

"Uhh," I dragged, flipping through a couple pages on my clipboard till I found the sticky note I had. "Coppin State, Towson, Bowie State, St.Johns , and a couple more."

"Damn, that's a lot."

"I applied to Towson,"

I looked at Ali and smiled "Thats good man, play hard in the games. But today I want y'all to figure out what you think you need to work on the most, get in groups with people who need to work on the same or something close and work on them together. Give each other tips and tricks to help. I want all of you to impress the coaches."

"What if you're not about to graduate?" A player asked

"Still do it. I want all of you to improve in anyway you can." I looked at him and said.

"But what if you feel like you don't need to work on anything?" DJ asked, making me look at him.

Half the team smacked their lips at the question.

I sighed, tucking the clipboard under my arm "There's always something that can be improved. Even your favorite NBA player has something they could work on, no one is perfect."

"DJ always gotta add an unwanted input on something."

"For real, like nigga you is not LeBron. Like coach said, even they have something they need to work on."

"Did anyone ask y'all thou-" DJ turned around looking at them

"Here y'all go. About to make us have to run a lap." Taylor sighed. He was the maturest player I had on the team.

He was right, they were gonna have to run a lap. "Go ahead and run it. Just one, I wasn't gonna have y'all do anything extra running today."

"Broo." "See this what y'all just need to shut up sometimes." I overheard the grumbles as they began to run.

I lifted Moriah in the air still holding him. "You get a lil heavy after a while." I chuckled.

He cracked a smile while looking down at me, I smiled back happily, that was the first time he smiled at me with his teeth today. I was glad that made him feel better.

"You wanna go to the candy store later?" He nodded excitedly "Okay. You can't tell momma though,"

"Okay."

-

"Which one?" I asked Moriah as he looked at the gummy candy that sat in the bins.

"What is this?" He asked looking back at me with his finger pointing to the Coke bottle gummies.

"It's flavored like Coca-Cola."

He looked at me with a slightly confused face, I wasn't surprised that he didn't know what it was being that Zinnia didn't drink a lot of carbonated drinks.

"'Ion think you'll like it Pooh. How about this one?" I moved over to the cherry ones.

"Okay."

With that I grabbed the scooper, opened the top,  and then  grabbed half a scoop of the candy.

We'd been to Amy's Sweet Shop a multiple times before, so it was easy to remember which candy he liked. I had already filled the bag with his typical picks, but I was letting him pick new ones to try.

Zinnia didn't necessarily love the fact that we stopped in here almost everytime we came to the mall, but I didn't see the problem. Moriah got hyper a couple times, though I thought it was normal.

"I done!" He announced while looking up at me.

"Alright."  I tied up the bag then grabbing his small hand and walked towards the counter.

"Will this be all for-"

"Ice cream! Solly, ice cream!" He chirped excitedly, tapping my shoulder.

"My bad." I apologized to the employee then put my attention on Moe "You want ice cream?"

"Yess."

I slightly tilted my head thinking about it. I was about to buy a bag full of candy plus it was cold outside...but then again who would I be to tell my son no? He deserved it.

"Can I get a kid sized scoop of Vanilla?"

"Sure thing sir. Would you like any mix ins? We have fruit, cookies, chocolates, candies, and four different sprinkles."

I looked at the toppings seeing if they had anything he liked. Frosted animal crackers. My face slightly turned up as I thought about the cookie, I found them gross but Moriah ate them often "Frosted animal crackers and regular sprinkles on top."

"Okay. Anything for you?"

I shook my head "Nah, that's all. "

Zinnia is gonna be on my ass.

-

I leaned against the sink watching as Zinnia braided Moes hair back on his scalp trying to pick up how she did it. "You see? It's not hard, bae."

"Looks like it." I grumbled back in response.

"Just try one, you should be doing his whole head by yourself, since I ran around with a hyper little boy by myself...while you slept."

I looked at her to see if she was being for real "For how long? Like ten minutes 'cause he came and laid down with me." I defended myself. It was true Moriah came and the room and jumped on the bed before he tired himself out and joined in for the nap.

"If you say so,"

We traded places. I grabbed the hair, placed a part in the front, and split that into three. I tried to remember the next step but it wasn't coming to me so I froze. "I forgot,"

"Pull the third strand under the middle," she instructed and I did as told "Then pull the first over the middle...then the third over the middle and keep going. Don't forget to add hair as you go."

I kept repeating the instructions over and over again in my head, until I was finished. "It's cool?"

"You want me to make you feel great or be honest."

I smacked my lips "You do me so dirty."

"I don't! You did good for your first time, I'm sure the next time it'll look really close to mine, you catch on easily. "

"So it's 'ight?"

"Yes. Good enough that I'm not going to redo it." She said grabbing the brush to pull the back up into a ponytail.

I creeped behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. "You look cute when you mad,"

She looked at me through the mirror then resumed doing his hair. "Can we get a seafood boil? That'll make me happy."

I chuckled "You know just what to say, huh?

"What do you mean?"

"You threw that lil' that'll make me happy in there cause you know I'll do anything to keep you happy."

"Oh.." she snickered "I was only thinking that a little bit. But can we get it, please?"

I sighed, I really didn't like seafood boils because of how messy they were but if that's what she wanted I was gonna get it. "Yea." I stood off of her about to leave the bathroom so I could get my shoes.

"Purr," she smiled widely. "Thank you baby. Extra spicy please."

"Moe gotta eat it,"

She slowly turned to look at me. "I thought y'all were gonna share?"

"He gon' eat off both, you know it."

"Right. Medium is good." She decided and I nodded.

"Gimme a kiss," I stepped closer to her.

𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧
☔︎︎
𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝
(Teeno)

Next morning

"It's nice over here, pretty quiet and shit." I told Rania as we walked down the street.

"Yea, I noticed that."

"I mean in the summer it's gonna be kids outside but that's everywhere you go."

"Right. I don't mind that. I just don't want people to fight in the streets nonstop."

I laughed a little "I get what you're saying."

"I hate all this snow though," She said irritatedly, crunching a piece with her foot.

I looked at the snow on the ground. It snowed a little last night but it wasn't a lot. "Little ass amount of snow. Wait till a snowstorm hit for real."

"Shut up! I'm not used to snow and I hope we don't get a big storm." She shook her head.

I didn't reply because I didn't wanna give her hopes up. I slowed down as we approached the bakery she wanted to try, once close enough I pulled the door open "Here it is."

She walked in ahead of me pulling off her hood. I looked up to see her hair was down and curly. "It smells good in here." She smiled, running her hands over her hair "Oh- I don't wear my hijab all the time." She said probably noticing the confused look on my face

Ohh

"Oh okay."

I allowed for her to trail in front of me as I followed behind.

"Good morning! How can I help you two." The white elderly woman beamed with a bright smile.

"Good Morning, um this is my first time here, what's your most popular item?"

"Oh, well welcome in sweetheart what were you looking to get? I'll tell you the top popular item in that Category or in any one. "

"Donut?"

"Our most ordered donut would probably be original glazed but I personally like the chocolate frosted or Boston cream."

"Okay I-"

I stopped listening to the conversation as my phone went off in my pocket. I grabbed it looking over my notifications.

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼 ⛹🏽‍♂️❤️

I forgot my backpack at home. Can you get it for me? Or at least my binder and computer? I got a test to take today and I need the notes

This nigga

Your whole backpack?
I'm out right now. Where Ma?

Yea, C'Xenna was rushing me
She at work

When's the test?

The class start at 11

Ight. You need anything else?

"T,"  I looked up feeling a nudge on my shoulder, "You gonna order?"

"My bad. You can just give me whatever she got." I replied

"Ok so that's two glazed, four chocolate frosted, and two chocolate almond milks?"

"Yes." She nodded reaching for her purse.

"I got it," I spoke while reaching in my pocket for my wallet.

"Your total is $8.45."

I pulled out Nine dollars and then looked at Rania "That's all you wanted?"

"Mhm."

She gave the change and I dropped it in the donation box. "Ight,"

We moved over to let the people behind us order while waiting for the donuts. "You okay?"  She asked in a soft voice.

"Yea I'm good, why you say that?"

Your face looked complex while you were looking at your phone. N-not to be nosy or anything I just picked up on it,"

"Oh, yea I'm good my brother just needs me to pick something up for him." I explained and her face went back to its regular state.

"That makes sense. After this you could go if you need to. We can just explore another day."

"Nah it's cool, you can come with me, if you want."

She looked at me making eye contact "You not gon try and kidnap me are you?"

I assumed she was joking so I just laughed "I would never."

-

Hours had past and we now sat in the car telling each other about ourselves.

"But you remember them right?" She asked, talking about my parents.

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, taking a deep breath "Yea, I do. My mom was really nice and took me everywhere with her, while my dad was more hard on me— he was nice as well but always told me to do my chores and shit like that."

She giggled while looking as me "That's cute,"

"What about you? You close with your parents?" I asked

"Mine are the opposite. My dad is chill and let's me do whatever while my mom is so stern on me." She expressed

"She probably just wants the best for you."

"I get that but she pretty much forced me to go to college. I didn't even know if I wanted to go, but it really wasn't a choice. A lot of things I did in life I didn't have a choice. And while I'm appreciative, I feel like I would've been a totally different person if I made my own  decisions." Rania spoke, her voice full of relief. Almost like it was a weight off her shoulders.

"Do you like who you came out to be? Are you genuinely happy with where you are in life?"

"Eh, I'm happy that I'm successful but my self happiness..I don't know. Which is one of the reasons I was ready to leave Arizona; this is like a fresh start at adulthood."

"Self happiness is very important. Always put your feelings above others. Use this fresh start how you want to."

"Wow I needed to hear that. Thank you Teeno'"

"You can call me Terrence." I told her not feeling the need to have her keep calling me Teeno.

"That's your real name?" Raina asked with a higher pitched voice.

"Yea."

She sat back in the seat going quiet. It was silent for a good minute before she spoke lowly and said "I'm cold,"

"My bad." I said pressing the start button to my truck. The heat came through instantly but just in case I reached up and turned the heated seats on. "You uh, you finish unpacking all your stuff?"

"Yes, finally, I did. It's still a little plain but I ordered some decor and I know it'll be cute in about a month."

I smiled hearing her talk about an accomplishment that made her happy. "That's what up. I'm moving soon too. I just can't decide if I wanna purchase a house or stay in an apartment."

She turned to me quickly, grabbing all of my attention. "You're moving?!"

"Yea, you thought I lived in that motel? Nahh."

"I didn't." She laughed softly "But I can help you or at least go with you when you look to see if you're getting a bang for your buck."

"Oh really?"

"Yea, I'm a realtor remember?"

Oh yea "Awe shit that's right!"

"How are you gonna be my friend and not listen to me? Told this man I was a realtor the first time we hung out!"

I felt bad so I dropped my head down. "My bad, I'm sorry, I forget. A lot be on my mind."

"It's okay. But if you want I will help you."

"Shit I'm trying to move as soon as possible so.." I trailed off

"Look for places tonight." She told me while pulling out her phone.

"What you doin'?"

"Looking around for nice apartments."

Yea, we'll be good friends.

. . .

This chapters okay 🥲

Moe had a meltdown today but Zymeir handled it and decided the best way to make sure he stay safe it to keep Moe with him🥺

How do y'all feel about Teenos and Rania's friend ship?

The advice he gave her?

Vote and comment!❤️