⚠️*DISCLAIMER: Just know I did my best and this is in no way, shape or form making fun of any characters in my book. It's meant to be comical and fun. Okay PROCEED ⚠️
"It's Left..." I snapped "...Right. Left...Right". "That's not the way it go" Kelsey differed "It's the other way". My bestie and I were going back and forth in our practice room, about which way the rapper had done it. Slapping my hands to my sides, I looked at her dumbfounded. "That's because it's mirrored see look..." I twisted my body mimicking the same routine we've been trying to get down for the past hour.
"Ooohhh" she gasped "That makes sense". I went to the stereo that sat on top of our entertainment center rewinding the track til I found the part we felt off on.
"In 1, 2,.... Lemme see ya just bounce wit me just bounce with me. Just bounce wit me just bounce wit me come on.." I snapped as me and Kels slid slide to slide four times. Then we crossed our right leg over the left four more times, doing a quarter turn making our necks work as we froze, ending it with two claps. We cheered managing to get the whole routine down.
"Okay let's see if can do the other part".
We got back into position repeating the same steps. This time the door opened revealing a stunned Bash and De pausing halfway getting our Big Willy on. They seen us perform plenty of times so we use to it.
We swayed our arms as effortlessly as Will, doing a mini tootsie roll to the beat. I loved whenever an artist did a dance number in their videos, I use to pray they would play the video again before bed but I caught on fast and would then teach Kels the next day.
"Ya'll still putting on lil shows for your invisible of an audience?" teased Bash, laughing as they both made their way inside. "Yeah but let me pop in your Dangerous album then that'll be anotha story" I went over to our disc changer putting Big Willie Style on pause. "I mean he still jamming but I'm over that" he waved me off "Ain'chu sixteen now?".
"Ain'chu seventeen and still pissin on the toilet seat?" I countered. De and Kels both brought their hands up containing their laughter. "Shall I go on?". Bash flipped me off marching down the hall. De stood there for a minute as I breathe him in. Sportin a blue Naughty by Nature shirt with his navy blue cargoes as those Retro 11's graced his feet perfectly.
Damn he was just so fione. "Ya'll little friends told me to tell ya'll they outside" he pointed back.
I simply nodded looking to Kelsey. "Thanks..." I replied "You ready Kels?". She silently agreed as we made our way towards the door. De stepped to the side granting access. When Kels walked out first I turned to him. "Ya'll coming back out?". De shook his head before answering me. "Me and Bash finna chill here before I go in for work at Foot Locker". If disappointment didn't hit me in the face so quickly.
"Oh okay. See you around". "Aight" he turned around heading into the hallway. I peeped down at his thick calves and shoes that drove me over the edge. Oooweeee
🫣
It was tradition. Kids ages 14 and up could chill by these little green ass boxes. No one knew what they were called but we called it DA SPOT, the exact place my brother and De use to hang when our age, set on the edge of the culdesac.
It was our chill area.
Most of the older kids had their licenses so it was no use in hogging the precious landmark. I had my own little crew round the way. Asses all hot and numb, we squished together like a pack of sardines on the buzzing contraption.
"Princess you playing Hide and Go Get It this year?" Trey, from the AC pointed with his stick Jolly Rancher, the watermelon kind. "Haven't decided" I squinted watching the younger version play as innocent as we once did. We were now responsible for the little ones. In Cedarstone, everybody knew somebody Momma, Daddy, and they nine kids. Here, we were like family and we looked out for one another.
"Well I know I am" he clapped "Last year was fun as hell. I'm ready to grab another handful of ass and titties". "Really Tre?" I scoffed "Be forreal". "Hell I am" he chuckled "My ass leaving with something". We all laughed at his playa of a comment.
Trey was waayy too fly for fifteen. You would've mistaken him for one of the older kids if you didn't know him.
Baby had nice almond brown skin, bright ass smile with his splitter of a gap, hair all curly with the fade underneath plus his voice being slicker than any press curl. Yet he didn't have that hidden nature like De. He kept me guessing whereas Trey made it clear as day he was feeling me but that didn't stop him from looking elsewhere.
"I know this is my year" Jazz from AE cheered "Finally get to play in the big leagues Nannie ain't stoppin me this time". Jazz tried to sneak out last year, she thought it'd be easy since she lived with her grandmother but she and the ladies from church stayed an hour late for Bible study.
"Well at least you don't have a brother who's over the shit" I muffled.
I was the first to turn sixteen out of our group, but because Bash was my sibling I couldn't play in the Raindeer game. Him and De were the Kings of Hide and Go Get It and wouldn't want me getting felt up on. "Honestly if it were me I'd still go" chimed Ashley from AB "You sixteen. He can't tell you what to do anymore. You watch yourself now".
"You right but if he tells my mom I won't live long enough to see the next one" I huffed. "Damn I'm sorry baby" frowned Trey, giving me a bite of his Jolly Rancher "Ain' this his last year though?".
"Man hell yeah!" jumped Jacobi. His husty body jolted "Now we get all the fine ass ones to ourselves". Everyone fought not to tell Cobi the only thing he'd attract was flies, man was musty as hell smelling like the inside of Wendy's but we loved him. "All I know is Devantè playing one last time and I'm praying he comes for me" cheesed Jazz, a pretty umber skinned chick with braces, and hair surrounded in beads, she put you in the mind of Venus and Serena.
"For the love of-that nigha don't want yo tin can looking' ass" scoffed Kalvin "He likes REAL women".
"Shut up Kal I am real" she popped him upside his head. "Ayo mami chill, you messin' up the waves I'm forming". Kalvin took off his red durag revealing his sheen of a deep ripple fade. Pulling a brush from his blue jean shorts, he smooth and packed it back down before placing it back on like a work of art.
"Man everybody know you's a mutt" grunted Jacobi "You ain't gotta show off yo pea head ass waves". Kalvin from AD, mother was black and his daddy Puerto Rican but he was still black in our eyes, he talked the talk and walked the walk so we still treated him the same.
"Fuck you you tub of Lard" he roasted "Ring yo ass out, it'll pour bacon grease". Trey, being the leader rolled his eyes staying on the subject. "She ain't got a chance no way" he smacked pulling more of the wrapper back "Heard he after Connie from my complex. Big bro gonna end up tapping that. Watch what I say".
"Yo Connie stay in the AC?!" Kalvin pointed "Dog you lucky. She fione as hell".
"Lucky?! Tuh" he chortled "She can't even come outside most times. If she does, it has to be on the bottom steps. Her Momma one of them Jamaicans, does my sister's hair. Everybody made hissy face. "Damn she down baaaddd" said Ashley, who was lighter complexed and lips red from the lollipop she was sucking. She participated last year and let's say, a blow pop wasn't the only thing she was blowing.
"If I was her. I'd definitely sneak out for Devantè fine ass" spoke Jazz "I'd risk that ass whooping".
Jazz was just as crazy about De as I, she and Ash may as well switch complexes. At first I use to get a kick out of her flirting with De because he actually entertained it. One time, while playing hopscotch, she waved to him and he smiled from afar saying THERE GO MY BABY he winked, and she was high off life.
Couldn't tell her nothing after that.
"Welp guess it's back to me. Ahhh I can see it now Me with De".
"And what titties TinTin?" joked Jacobi. The fellas laughed as the girls looked down to Jazz's B cups. She adjusted her baby tee before covering her chest. I didn't blame her, my chest was no better, all I had were these hamhock thighs that Trey would accidentally touched ever now and again.
Personally, I think he's just as bad as my brother.
"Okay what if you're caught and don't want the guy?" Kels asked. "Kelsey why ask knowin you ain' going?" Ash smacked. My best friend, maneuvered her side bang as she sat unresponsive. She was the only teen in the group who was scared shitless of going. Everyone pointed fun but I respected it.
"That's a damn good question" Kal spoke. All eyes then landed on me, being that Bash was my brother. "Hell don't look at me" I scoffed "I don't just ASK my brother about these things ya know".
"Oh I know" snapped Jazz "It happened to this girl from the AF, uh uh Ghenè. She declined ole boy but still had to make out with him just to make it fair". OOOoohhhhss scattered across the group. This is great, if De does deny me, he'd still have to kiss me. It's a win win.
"...I think I'ma join this year". The crew turned to me in shock.
"Yo you going against big bro?" spoke a stunned Jacobi "How you gon manage to do dat?". "Shit I just won't get caught" I answered. "I mean sounds good and all but don't forget De's his best friend" mentioned Kels, not blowing my cover like a real friend. "Now you'll have to outrun two of them" added Jazz.
"Then Princess...you's in danger girl" Ashley quoted making us laugh. "I just need to think two steps ahead that's all".
"How you gonna do that Princess?" Kalvin chimed in. I took a deep breath pondering my thoughts in hands. "When there's a will there's a way" I quoted my brother.
The rest of the conversation consisted of what to expect out of the game and who we wanted but when it got to me, I said no one in particular knowing I wanted De to find me but I still didn't know if he liked me, liked me.
🫣
Later that night, Bash decided to stay over De's this time and I was hella salty but at least I had Kelsey to kick it with.
We sat in Bash's room like always when he wasn't here. His secrets were in every crevice of this space. I found out my brother turned a man when I seen the box of condoms stashed away in his drawer two years prior. My dumb ass thought they were balloons but, I wasn't stupid enough to open one.
Til this day, Bash still doesn't know I camp out in the closet and listen in on their sexcapades. This would be the last hooray before they went off to college. Bet they were going to the same one, I swear they're conjoined at the hips.
"How you think the first time will feel?" Kelsey asked swaying in his desk chair analyzing his cd collection. Laid out on his quilted gray comforter, I stared at De's Freshmen picture in our Bobcat yearbook.
He was so freakin cute in his Karl Kani polo, I remember him being the only kid in his grade with pierced ears. I was there when Mikey did em. Sadly his ears got infected, and his nurse of a mother took him to the hospital. She switched his cubic zirconium out for a couple of real ones. She was a G for that. He got his seconds at the actual mall thank heavens.
Then there was my big headed brother in his red Ralph, he told De they had to be fly for freshmen year and succeed. I can't tell you how many times me and momma had to tell them nappy headed hoes he wasn't home.
Bash was red like me. Everyone thought our cocoa bean of a mother either adopted us or we were mixed but our family photos revealed we just inherited that color from our grandparents on our fathers' side. He left our mother when we were four and five. Said he couldn't take care of two children at the moment knowing he just wanted his freedom.
She still had to hear from him due to putting his ass on the child support, like the boss she was. She always stressed for me to stay independent and for Bash to wrap it up, to which he honored.
"Hmmm I don't know" I hummed "The movies make it look all romantic so I'm assuming good". Kelsey grew from a scared little girl to the teen with caution. Once I introduced her to THE CLOSET, she was scared of every damn thing...even seeing it. "What if...it won't fit?" she scrunched her face. I shook my head, here she go. "Girl we push out babies...it's gonna fit".
"Aren't you the least bit scared Princess I mean..." she paused "A lot of things can go wrong here". "Kels you're really overthinking it" I huffed "You don't HAVE to have sex playing Hide and Go Get It".
"Yeah but it's still considered sex...kinda" she reminded "Not your hands but oral transaction and all that". I scrunched my face. "You trying to give head Kels?". "Oh hecckk no" she displayed disgust "I'm not putting anything in my mouth that smells like sweat and onions". "You sure you not trying to give Jacobi some sloppy toppy?" I teased. "Ewww" Kels playfully swatted me as she too landed on the bed.
"I'm bored now" I sighed "I miss my boo being here". "Hey remember when they use to turn off all the lights scaring the crap out of us?". "Man I would kill to have those memories back.." I whined
"He was so much fun way back when".
Devantè was like another object in the apartment because he was ALWAYS here but when he and Kelsey spent the night it was a blast. They chased us around like monsters, let us stay up to watch movies, and even played silly little games making up songs or pretending to be celebrities.
I was Janet and of course Bash was Michael. Whenever he used his high voice grabbing his crotch, I fell out laughing and so did everyone else. Man I really miss that.
"I bet if you were in the dark with De now. You'd be all over him" she teased "Girrrllll" I purred "I'd be all like...OOOHHH DE YOUR HANDS FEEL SO GOOD ON ME. YES TOUCH IT RIGHT THERE RIGHT THERE YES BABY LIKE THAT".
"Oh you so nassttyyy". She squealed "You sound just like them women on those sex hotline commercials. You always been good at changing your voice". I sat up in the bed as Kels jumped up beside me. "What child what?!". I looked over her way with a smirk on my face. "You wanna have some fun tonight?". Kels quirk a brow but I knew she was already game.
Kels and I sat in the dark giggling and shushing each other. After many failed attempts of dialing and hanging up, I summoned up the courage to dial Devantè's number and used *68 to block mine.
The receiver picked up. "Degrate residence" his low voice ease through. I held the phone silently squealing as Kels shook me. "Hello. Anyone dere?". I took a few breaths before speaking, me and Kelsey practiced the voice over and over again so I could sound as authentic as possible.
"Is..." I cleared my throat "Is mi speakin wi'D'vantay?" I lowly aired. I heard silence through the phone "Yeah dis him. Who dis?" he questioned. So far so good.
"Can'tell you..." I seductively whispered then held my mouth surprised that I actually sounded this grown. "Do I know you?" he proceeded to question. "Ahh Maybe..." I teased "Mi'wanta kno you tho".
"How you get my number?" he sounded more intrigued, okay so this was working. "No' Matta.." I exhaled "Jus kno me'thinks you socci and so's ya lips". I pulled the phone away as my jaw dropped, that was the first time I ever said that to him, not to mention I was butchering this Jamaican accent.
Kelsey pulled the phone back to my ear waving me to go on. He chuckled and I knew he was wetting them up. "Mm really?"
"Reale..." I replied "Mi'thinks bout'em all de tyme".
"Aye hold up a sec". The was a long pause over the phone then a couple of shuffles. I think he was taking the phone to his room. Me and Kels lightly squealed hitting each other.
"Yo you dere?" He tempted larynx drew out. "Yah. Mi'ere". "...Watchu doing right now?" he asked. I bit my lip feeling like he was actually talking to me. "...Jus layin ere, n me bed" I sweetly replied.
"You alone?" he asked again. I looked at Kels as she hiked her shoulder, I mean technically I was alone.
"Yah..." I lied "Wa' tabout you?". He chuckled. "Yeah...I'm alone". I shook my head. Damn he sounded good. "Watchu got on?". I looked down at my tomboyish of an attire, a tank and Joe boxers but I needed to spice it up a bit.
"..Just mi t-shirt and..pantees". "No bra?" he aired. I snickered. "No..bra". De breaths were heavy, shuffling the phone around once more. "Why don't you let me come over there so I can put these lips to work?". I almost dropped the phone dazed as hell but Kelsey snapped me into reality. "Mi..mi'can't..." I shuddered.
"Why..." he aired. "Cause..." my voice was getting shaky.
"Cuz whaaa..". Ooo I was about to hang up this phone.
He was sucking me right into my own trap, I don't even think I have it in me to proceed. "Because I-" I looked to Kels who was wailing her arms like THINK OF SOMETHIN BITCH. I'M JUST HERE FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. "Um. Because..." I paused "Because mi shy's yah...". Another paused formed between us, he was gonna figure it out and I was gonna have to deal with the consequences.
"I ain finna do nuffin.." he cooed "I just wanna see you...". I tightly clutched the phone, eyes pressed wishing he could see me forreal.
Wishing I didn't have to share this apartment with Bash just so he could come over and do the things he wanted to. "Wa'we dew afta?" I asked. "What would you want me to do?" he countered. Now was my moment to shine, I had to put on my big girl TUESDAY panties on and get into character.
"Mi wan yah ta..." I tighten my eyes visualizing a scenario. "Touch me...". "Touch on you how..".
"Like ya wan'it" I aired "Touch me in mi'right spots".
"Mm can definitely do that..." he kissed his teeth "What else you want me to do?". "Kiss me..." I released. "Kiss you where..?" He whispered back. My eyes popped opened and Kels was just as stunned. "De mouf...". I smacked my forehead sounding like a middle schooler. Ugh idiot. He was definitely gonna know it was me.
Another chuckle came to.
"Yo you eva done sunthin' like dis b'foe?" he asked. Yup! I was a sinking ship. Woman overboard, drowning in the name of love. "Mi have-jus' dhat..." I breathed "yah voice, it makes mi neervous". "My voice makes you nervous?" he repeated. Come on Princess pull something out of your ass.
"Gets mi WET". Kelsey eyes grew watching me bringing that term to life. "Reale...Reale..WET" I whispered. I heard him muffle a fuck like he was losing it himself.
"Just meet me outside..." he whispered "You stay far?".
"Mi stay...in Cedarstone" I revealed making it more challenging. "So you reeall close..." his voice grew wicked "What building?". I looked around like I had an audience. I couldn't tell him the exact complex without him trying to come over. "Mi tell yah one day but jus'kno..." I aired "Mi feeling yah and wan to kissyah". And I was serious! Kissing Devantè was something I've wanted since forever and it sucked knowing I'd have to get it myself.
That's why I had to do this...I had to play the game.
"I wanna kiss you too" he aired "You sounding all sexy over there teasing me and shit". I gave a little chuckle reminding myself Kels was in the room. "Can I ask you this?..." he paused for moment "When you do let me come over...you gonna let me play with it?". "Play wi' wat?" I asked.
He smacked his mouth "Your other lips". I scrunched followed by Kelsey looking just as puzzled. "Paardon...mi other lips?" I tried staying in character. "Yeah..." he aired hearing the wetness of his lips
"That WET. PUSSY".
I immediately snatched the phone away giving it to Kelsey but she shoved it right back to me. The phone hit the carpet and we jumped to our feet communicating through hands.
We had to be making helluva noise but I didn't care. I never heard Devantè talk like this and I squirmed. He said the P word so sexy and I found myself growing moist down below. I just kept shaking my head NO, mouthing I CAN'T but Kels, being bold for the both of us tonight, grabbed the phone placing it in my hand.
I think she was lowkey turned on her damn self. She pressed her temple to mine listening in once again.
I took another breath. "Mi Pardon...got'mi nervous again" I innocently chuckled. "It's okay..." he aired "But you gonna answer my question?". I tugged at my lip. "I...yah say-" I stammered "Yah said ya wan to play, with my pon?". I swear saying this was awkward but I had to power through. "If that's what you want" he replied "We can do otha things as well". Me and Kels shook our heads simultaneously.
"Mi think mi liked dat..." I aired.
I heard him groan a little bit and my knees buckled. "Damn you sound so good..." he spoke "You coming out Saturday night?". The idea of revealing myself after this prank had me hesitant. What if he connected the dots and knew it was me? Oh My God what if he told Bash what I did.
I painfully sighed.
"Dunno" I spoke "Mi try...". There was another long pause, I took it as a sign to end the call. "Look mi have to go but mi glad to'ere yah voice, yeah?".
"You sure?" he questioned "We can talk little longer...". Wow he really didn't wanna get off this phone, but I had to. This call was taking a drastic turn. "Me sure but, w'ere talk soon.." I aired. "Damn..." he whispered "Guess I don't have too much of a choice". I frowned.
"Ah... me eitha" I huffed "Nigh Luvabwoy". "...Night sexy..." he smirked. I hung up the phone looking at Kelsey who didn't know how to respond.
🫣
When we woke up, I fixed me and Kels a big bowl of Apple Jacks as we plopped on the couch. DOUG was once again eye hearting Pattie Mayonnaise and that's exactly how I felt after that phone call with De.
"You serious about calling him again?" she asked. I shrugged my shoulders bringing the scoop of apple O's to my mouth. "Even if I wanted to, how would I get past Bash?" I asked "If he picks up the line even once, it's over". She nodded forgetting about my barrier of a brother.
"It's crazy because how did De manage to stay on the phone as long as he did?" I questioned. Me and Kels leaped at the same time. "HE WASN'T THERE!".
"Oh my God!" Kelsey spoke "That makes so much sense". "He must've been over some girl's house and use De to cover for him. They do shit like that". "Well you could always use that against him" she suggested eating her spoonful of Jacks. Never once, did I snitch on Bash. We weren't the kind of siblings to rag on each other but then again we weren't around each other much.
"I don't think it's necessary" I dropped the subject "Besides if I snitch on him he'll be stuck here and I'll have to babysit".
"Ooohh you do gotta point" she agreed. "He would annoy the crap out of you". "Yeah and ten times worse at that". I couldn't stand being around Bash but he could be a cool big bro at times, distance works for us. "Last night was craazzzyyy. Who knew De had it in him" she mentioned. "Yeah" I aired.
"And your accent" Kels added "He really thought you were Connie". "I know. I was say it was a joke in the end and hang up but...the longer we spoke the more I was drawn into the conversation".
"So you gonna keep this up?" She asked. "Being Connie".
"Mi dunno... '" I winked "Maybe if Bash sneaks out again, I'll give it another go". The latch to the lock turned as our eyes landed to the person coming in. "Hey Mama" I smiled. "Hey baby" my mother tirelessly greeted "Hey Kels how you doing?".
"Hey Ms. Kim" she waved. "Princess where's your brother?" She asked taking her shoes off at the door. "Um I think he stayed the night at De's place".
"I swear I can never catch that boy when I need to" she shimmy'd out of her Nurse's jacket "Baby do me a favor. I need you to gather the clothes and go to the Washateria
lata this evening". I scoffed. "Mammmaaa it's Bash's turn to take em. I was gonna spend the day kicking it with the crew". She placed her hands on her wide ass hips.
"Girl what crew?" she chuckled "Them nasty ass little boys and fast ass girls you be hanging with. Not you baby".
"Oh I know" Kelsey smiled living her freakness through me. She was the only one who didn't wanna participate. Afraid she'd get pregnant just by kissing.
"Momma, Bash should be home soon. Let him do it".
"I would baby I really would but by the time he comes home I'll be knocked out" she kneeled down kissing my head "Just do this for me one time and Bash will be on cleaning duty for the next two weeks". I was satisfied but annoyed. "Yes Momma" I slowly answered. "Thank you my baby" she shimmy to the hallway "Momma bout to get her sleep on".
My mother's room was smack in the front, mines next further down to the left and Bash's to the far back. His ass lucky she was working night shifts now cuz he would've been in deep shit.
🫣
I had hoped Bash would be back before the sun went down but he never showed. I grabbed the two baskets of clothes like a slave, carrying them to the apartments' laundromat. The residents usually went during daylight, jamming themselves in that pack room but Momma said if you were smart, you'd go around the evening time.
The tightness in my shoulders began to throb balancing the two in arms. I could've carry them one by one but ain't nobody got time for all that. The sounds from generators let me know I was close. Kids were now inside as well as the adults who were settling down in front of the television eating, and here I was bounded by clothes for the next two hours.
The doorway cooled the clamminess of my skin, taking in the breeze watching the fans spinning clockwise, accompanied by the long fluorescent lights up top.
I stepped in with sorrow, muffling to myself because someone was already here washing clothes and I didn't feel like doing small talk especially with them ole folks, my ass should've brought a book.
Dumping both baskets to the floor, instant relief hit my blades.
I started with the colored's tossing them in, daydreaming as I always did. This had to be the year, I wouldn't get another chance like this. Jazz was right, I'd take a lifetime of ass whoopings just to have that one shot in the dark with De.
The way he sounded on the phone had me feeling, strange. A sensation that I'd never felt but liked it. My body was changing, everything was sensitive, For why? Wasn't too sure. Learning Human Anatomy was limited and a waste. Like sure, we knew about the ins and outs of our structure but not quite how to handle those weird sensors within.
What was I to do when feeling this way? Was it even normal to feel how I was feeling? Hadn't Kels been in the room, how far would I have gotten?
My thoughts were interrupted by the shakiness of the washer. In the beginning stages, that was the worst setting ever. It was so noisy and jumpy but now...no I couldn't stop myself from heading towards it. The unsteadiness gave me a spur of sentimental pleasure. Like it could hit all the right parts. What parts Princess? Are you gonna actually climb up there aannddd...
I quickly glanced around the mat, making sure no one was in sight. The person who was here probably didn't wanna stay and would been back later.
I headed over to the shaky appliance seeing that it only had five more minutes to spare. Slowly placing my hands on the machine, I began to leap but almost tumbled down when I heard someone murmuring lyrics coming inside. It was Devantè in a tank and baggy shorts, carrying an empty basket
His hazels peered up. Oh Nooo was HE the person washing clothes?! His face twisted bringing his one earbud back.
"Watchu doing?" He asked out of curiosity as I have been caught red handed, on the machine.