𝟏. (𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭) 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭
"𝐘𝐞𝐚. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭, 𝐈 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬."
◈
"Hello, welcome to the voicemail box of... aye wassup it's Kori, please leave a message after the beep—"
Zamir hangs up, frowning. He had called Kori twice in a row now and he hasn't answered yet; that never happens. Even when Kori is sleeping, he'll usually wake up and answer the phone with his deep, drowsy morning voice.
"The fuck?" He asks himself.
Zamir
yo are u alr?
read at 7:16pm
Zamir
oh so u ignoring me now?
read at 7:17pm
Zamir
bet.
read at 7:17pm
JJ🧡 is typing...
JJ🧡 is typing...
JJ🧡
Cici had my phone sorry
Zamir
so u lyin to a nigga now?
JJ🧡
I'm serious
Zamir
answer my facetime, fr😑
Zamir calls again and this time, it's answered on the second ring. Kori's face fills the screen and he sees that the room around him is a bright red; he must have his LED lights on. He's lying on his bed, shirt off and all. He scoffs, "Cici ain't nowhere near you, nigga."
"Bro, I'm not lying," his voice goes high-pitched and that's exactly how Zamir knows he's doing the exact opposite of what he's saying. He's known this boy since the second grade, he knows all of his tells by now.
"JJ, stop playing wit me."
"Mir, can you just listen? She was using my phone to text her friends because mom—"
"Mane, shut the fuck up before I choke you again."
Kori goes silent over the phone. Zamir can see his reaction perfectly; an ajar mouth from shock, wide eyes, body completely still. Seeing it makes something warm curl in his stomach. He feels... satisfied. "See, now your ass quiet." Zamir laughs, leaning back against his headboard.
"Shut up," Kori whispers, glancing away from the camera.
"Whatchu looking at? I'm right here." Kori makes an odd sound, like a shaky exhale, or a whimper, then turns his head back to the screen. Zamir smirks and forces his voice as deep as it can go, "Good boy."
"Yo!"
Zamir snickers, "I'm just playin with yo ass, chill out."
"That's not— that's sum gay shit, bro. You know I don't play that."
He rolls his eyes, "Yeah, I know nigga. That's only CiCi. She's bi, right?"
"Yea. She told me she has a crush on this girl in her third period. Can you believe that? The first day and she already likin somebody."
"You sound like an overprotective ass daddy."
"I don't. I just- I dunno, I feel like it's too soon."
"I mean, she's fifteen. It's bound to happen, guy or girl. To be honest, it's better she like a girl because if they have sex, she won't get pregnant—"
"Ugh. Don't even make me think about that."
"She ain't gonna stay a virgin forever, might as well face it now."
"The only thing she finna face is these fists if she has sex with a nigga."
"So, if it's a girl, then it's okay?"
Kori wastes no time. "I'll beat both they ass," Zamir bursts out laughing, clutching his stomach. "The fuck." Kori says, rolling his eyes.
"You different!"
"And what, nigga? And what?"
Zamir laughs for a whole another minute before finally calming down. "Yo," he says, wiping a tear from his eye, "I needed that." Another chuckle bursts from him and he clutches his stomach, wincing. On the other side of the screen, Kori laughs with him, one of his hands twirling a strand of hair around his finger.
"Am I picking you up tomorrow, Mir?"
"Uh, yea. I only took the bus yesterday for the nastalgia."
"The what?"
"The nastalgia."
"...you mean nostalgia?"
"Oh."
Kori snorts, "Wow, bro."
"Shut up."
"Okay, Mr.I-passed-all-my-classes-last-year."
"At least I didn't fail general music."
"Man, when are you going to let that shit go?"
"Never."
"Joy," Kori says dryly.
Zamir rolls his eyes, "Anyways, back to what I was saying, you can pick me up if you want. I know that your knee bothers you though."
"I always want to."
"Hm?"
"I mean- my mornings are better with you in the car, so I like picking you up."
"..."
"Awww," Zamir coos. "I love you too bro,"
The camera shifts upward, Kori's face disappearing. "This is why I can't get soft with you. You do shit like this." His friends voice sounded oddly... pouty. Realization strikes him seconds later.
"JJ, are you blushing?"
"WHaT—"
Kori's voice cracks at the worst —or best— time possible and Zamir belly-laughs, bending at the waist. "Holy shit, oh my god," he huffs out between chuckles, "Your voice still cracks?!"
"No! I just- you caught me off guard, goddamn,"
"Sure bro, sure. Whatever you say,"
"Not everyone can be Mr.X like you nigga, chill out."
"My voice ain't that deep,"
"Shiiiiiiit. Bro, you sound like the terminator when you answer the phone, stop playing."
Zamir rolls his eyes, "Yeah, aight. You said your next therapy session is Thursday?"
"Yeah."
"What time?"
"5."
"Afternoon or—"
"Who the fuck is going to therapy at five in the morning?"
"It was a joke, chill."
Kori laughs, "Yeah, okay."
They lapse into a comfortable silence after that. Zamir starts to watch All American on Netflix and on the other side, Kori entertains himself by going on Wordle. Every once in a while, Zamir will smack his lips and go on a short two minute rant with Kori "uh-huh"-ing; out of frustration, Kori will ask him what word would have the letter combination he currently has. Hours pass in the blink of an eye and what seems like in no time at all, Zamir's phone buzzes with the 20% remaining notification. Yawning, Zamir grabs his phone, rolls over, and attaches it to the charger.
"Imma catch you later JJ, night,"
Kori's screen changes from Paused to his face, "Aight bro. Goodnight."
"Mm, have fun with your classes—"
"FUCK!"
Zamir jumps, then laughs it off, "Broke your streak?"
"Huh? No, I'm still at 56 on Wordle but- anyways, I just remembered I have homework bro."
"Oh shit," Zamir winces, "On the first day?"
"Yeah, Mrs.Karhson trippin."
"Damn, that sucks."
"Yea. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭, I guess."
And if that isn't the truest statement Zamir's heard all year, he doesn't know what is.
ᴀɢᴀᴘᴇ ♡