I mute.
Keegan sucked his teeth, shutting off the water before snatching his towel off the rack that was barely hanging on the rack against the wall. Wrapping the white towel around his sculpted lower half, he snatched open the bathroom door and walked towards the front where his mother stood at the stove puffing on a cigarette.
Her curly brown hair sat in a messy ponytail, while her small frame held onto the dingy pink robe that fell down to her ankles. She was so deep in her thoughts, she never noticed Keegan enter the kitchen let alone call her name.
"Ma!" Keegan growled causing Beth to jump, and clutch her chest looking at her son, who stood in the kitchen with water dripping from his torso into the dark wooden floor.
"You scared me Keegan, you can't do that." Beth mumbled with the cigarette dangling between her lips, as she moved the bacon around in the skillet.
She was trying to hide the black eye, but it was too late since Keegan had already seen it. Her eye was the least of his worries right now, there was other things on his mind.
"Ma did you pay the water bill with the money I gave you last week?" Keegan asked furrowing his eyebrows, while his green eyes stayed fixated on his mother.
Beth rolled her eyes in annoyance, as she slid the bacon out the skillet and onto a plate before cutting the eye off on the stove. Keegan was always scolding her as if she was a child, but if she would do what she was supposed to do as a parent they wouldn't have the set of problems they have.
"Yes Keegan, I paid the damn water bill." Beth said viciously, as she walked over to the table with her house shoes scrubbing the floor before she tossed the plate on the table, and snatched the cigarette from her dry lips letting smoke come out.
"The water is cold." Keegan said with no emotion in his tone, as little feet patted the floor and his niece Eliza scurried past him with her book bag attached to her back.
"Maybe it's the pipes or something, damn it Keegan don't start with me this morning." Beth spoke putting out the cigarette, blowing smoke out the side of her mouth while forcing a smile at her granddaughter.
"Good morning everybody." Eliza said in her soft voice, climbing up into the folding chair in front of the plate of food her grandmother had managed to scrape together just for her.
It consisted of a breakfast sandwich, a BLT to be exact. Bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, with a slight wave of mayonnaise. Eliza licked her lips, and smiled big at the sight.
"Oh boy, my favorite!" She squealed quickly dropping her book bag onto the wooden floor, and picking up a piece of the sandwich biting into it before moaning and shutting her eyes.
Beth couldn't help but smile at the sight, her granddaughter was everything to her.
The thing about kids and struggle, they never understood it. You could convince them of many things, and they'd run wild with their imagination.
Beth glanced at Keegan, who was watching his niece eat the thrown together meal.
"We're low on groceries." Beth mumbled causing Keegan to suck his teeth in aggravation.
There was never a time Keegan woke up, and he didn't have to solve a problem. With four grown people plus a teen living in the three bedroom apartment, there shouldn't have been a reason why they were struggling.
"What happened to the food stamps Nisha gave you earlier?" Keegan asked swiping at his flared nostrils, still clutching the towel showing his many unique tattoos.
Beth gave him a look of disbelief, before sucking her teeth and folding her arms cross her chest. "I used them on groceries earlier this month, there is six people living here Keegan." Beth responded sounding annoyed.
Keegan sucked his teeth, and stomped off to his room slamming the wooden door behind him. He blew out a breath, and rested his head on the back of the door.
After calming himself down, Keegan walked over to his clear storage containers with drawers and grabbed a pair of briefs quickly throwing them on.
"I just came from running, I at least expect a hot shower when I come home." Keegan mumbled snatching up a pair of light ripped jeans, and snatching a fresh white v-neck out the pack.
Keegan was always simple. From the way he carried hisself, down to the way he dressed. The loudest one in the room, was always the weakest.
After tossing on his clothes, he grabbed the white custom floral print Huaraches placing them on his size ten feet. Once he stood he placed on his gold Herringbone necklace, before spraying some Burberry cologne cross his chest.
Tiny knocks on his door sounded throughout what little space was in the room, before Eliza turned the door knob and poked her head through the door. Her slanted brown eyes read the room, and lit up with excitement once she noticed Keegan.
"Uncle Keeg, I'm ready to go now." Eliza said opening the door wider, so that Keegan could see she was fully dressed as if he didn't notice in the kitchen.
Keegan took his niece to school in the mornings, because her father was too lazy to get up out of bed. Her mother, Nisha had just got home from working at the strip club an hour ago so he didn't mind helping being that Nisha did a lot around the house when it came to groceries and bills.
Eliza's cream skin tone, brought out her chubby round cheeks and button nose she inherited from her mother. Her long jet black hair, that was parted down the middle sitting in two big ponytails in a wavy texture were a clear giveaway she was mixed with something.
She was adorable, and seemed to bring sunshine into everyone's life although they were clearly walking through the rain.
Keegan picked up his book bag, phone, and black du-rag before walking towards the door. Closing his room door, he tucked his black du-rag in his back pocket making it known he was apart of the Black Rose gang.
"Bye grammy, see you later sweet face." Eliza said pecking Beth's cheek making her smile, as she sniffled sitting on the floor playing with a pack of cigarettes.
"See you later ladybug. Have a good day at school Keegan." Beth said looking up at him with glossed green eyes.
"Whatever." Keegan said rolling his green eyes that never held emotion, while pushing Eliza out into the hallway and closing the door.
"Phew, it's stinky out here." Eliza said loudly as she plugged her small nostrils using her index finger, and thumb while fanning the air.
She had a point.
The hallways of their project building always reeked of piss that smelled like old cat litter, liquor, strong weed, garbage, and crack. It was the projects of Harlem, what else did you expect?
"Come on shorty." Keegan spoke grabbing her hand, heading for the stairs.
They lived on the seventh floor, and there was no need of even putting the thought of riding the elevator down to the lobby area. It was always out of order.
Bums sat in corners of the stairways, trying to find sleep while others occupied corners of the hallways trying to get high. They never had the decency to take it elsewhere when kids were around they needed that fix as soon as possible.
By the third flight of stairs, Eliza was complaining about her feet so Keegan picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. She smiled wrapping her little chubby arms around her uncle's neck, knowing she had him wrapped around her finger like the small ring that read her name her father had bought her.
Finally making it to the lobby, the two walked out into the breezy Harlem air. The sun was shining, the sidewalks were full, and the dope boys were out trying to make money come alive.
Keegan earned a few mugs as he walked with his niece, but a lot of the men feared the young man, as well as respected him. He wasn't some wannabe gangsta, repping a gang to fit in or as the black boys would say wanting to be black.
He earned his stripes just like any other race, and repped a gang that genuinely cared about his well being. Keegan's passion wasn't the streets, his passion was boxing.
Keegan wasn't good at boxing, he wasn't bad at boxing, but he was simply amazing at boxing. Who knew learning how to fight just to defend yourself, would actually turn into something you love and put a lot of your time and energy into?
Of course like any other young teen living in a broken, struggling home he was a hoodlum in the streets. In order to survive, one must do anything under any circumstances.
Keegan, was that nigga. It was simple.
"Uncle Keeg, when are you gonna get a girlfriend?" Eliza asked as the train roared over their heads, while Keegan walked her to school carrying her on his back.
Keegan chuckled, and glanced over his shoulder at her before focusing back on the sidewalk managing to get swallowed by the crowd of people. He'd never been in a relationship, and it wasn't cause he wasn't attractive.
He just didn't have the time to give someone his all, especially when he had so much going on at home. Nobody wanted to be with somebody, and have to take on the burdens that came along with them.
Of course he casually fucked females, but none were worth nothing more than a quick nut. A lot of females knew Keegan would make it big with his boxing, and they were trying to trap him before the money started to roll in so they could be apart of something phenomenal, however Keegan was already hip to their game.
"What do you know about a girlfriend?" Keegan asked hiking Eliza up on his back, causing her to giggle while burying her face on his shoulder.
"I know they make you happy, you need somebody to make you happy Uncle Keeg." Eliza stressed peeking over his shoulder at him, her brown eyes studying his facial expression hoping he'd agree to getting a girlfriend.
She'd overheard her grandmother say that Keegan was gonna die sad, and lonely if he didn't get a girlfriend so of course that was the last thing Eliza wanted to happen to her her uncle. He did deserve to be happy for once in his life.
"Who said I wasn't happy?" Keegan asked furrowing his eyebrows, as he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, placing Eliza on her feet before grabbing her hand and they continued to walk.
Eliza shrugged her shoulders. "Nobody, you don't smile a lot anymore. What's the matter Uncle Keeg?" Eliza asked curiously looking up at him.
Keegan looked down at his niece, who stared back at him with challenging eyes.
"Nothing is wrong with me Eliza. Ya know, if I get a shorty you gonna have to share me with her?" Keegan asked with a chuckle watching Eliza pout.
She smacked her pink lips, and rolled her brown eyes before letting out a dramatic sigh. "Fine, but only if she makes you happy. You gonna get a girlfriend that looks like my mommy?" Eliza asked full of curiosity.
Keegan lifted an eyebrow, glancing at her and the sidewalk trying to determine what she meant. "What you mean looks like your mommy?"
Eliza gave him a bored look, figuring her uncle was playing around like he normally does. For a five year old, Eliza was wise beyond her years.
"You know...." She spoke looking around the crowded Harlem sidewalk, before looking back at Keegan. "A black one." She whispered.
Eliza was only whispering because she was curious, and she didn't want people to take it the wrong way. Her mother had told her numerous times that love had no color, as well as scolding Eliza there were different ways she could describe people without using their skin color.
"Does it matter?" Keegan asked intrigued with the conversation.
Eliza quickly shook her head no. "No, I think black girls are prettier though." Eliza whispered, causing Keegan to chuckle.
"Alright little girl, enough talk about relationships, and colored girls. You make sure you learn something in here today so you can tell me about it later when you get back home, deal?" Keegan asked as they stood in front of the elementary school, and he looked down at Eliza who nodded her head watching the other kids practically run inside.
Keegan squatted down to Eliza's level, and took a loose eyelash that was laying on her cheek before smiling. They gave each other a strong hug, before he walked her inside and helped her get settled.
After helping Eliza get settled in and saying goodbye, Keegan walked out the school front doors and headed in the direction of a corner store a few blocks over. Today was the first, and last day of school for him.
He was a senior this year.
College was no where in his future, and neither was slanging dope wasting his life. Keegan had plans of going pro, and taking his boxing to the next level.
Half of Harlem was banking on the kid.
After walking a few blocks, Keegan rounded the corner seeing his friends leaning against the side of the store waiting on him. The three young men all engrossed in their phones, looking fresh as suspected for the first day of school.
"Ayo!" Keegan screamed catching the attention of the three young men, smiling big.
"Wussup kid?" Stacks asked Keegan, slapping palms with him.
Out of the crew, Keegan and Stacks were closer than anyone else. The two had met in middle school, along with Patches and had been tight every since.
Unlike Patches and Eman, Stacks was determined to get out the hood, no matter what. He didn't have one particular dream, he had a variety and it helped that he was very astute.
"Ain't shit, what's poppin?" Keegan asked as Stacks shrugged.
"Nothing B, them joints is fresh." Stacks said admiring the shoes on Keegan's feet.
"So are yours, what's up fools?" Keegan asked slapping palms with Patches, and Eman.
Keegan had met Eman his sophomore year, and the two became partners in crime. Literally.
Eman was apart of Black Rose gang like Keegan, and Stacks. He and Keegan just tended to bond more when they were causing havoc.
So there was the crew. Keegan better known as Snow, Stacks, Patches, and Eman.
"How was summer?" Keegan asked his boys, being that they only got up a few times over the summer with the exception of Stacks missing.
"I just got back from Miami Florida, I hate it down there. Flys big as shit." Stacks said as he lit a blunt, while they headed to school.
"What's in Florida?" Patches asked, his thick eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
"My grandma." Stacks toked, handing the blunt over to Keegan who took a pull.
"What the females like down there?" Eman asked with a smirk, showing a perfect set of porcelain white teeth.
"Pretty, thick too." Stacks said licking his plump pink lips.
"Sounds like we need to make our way down to South Beach, instead of going to fucking Disney World like we some damn kids." Keegan said handing the blunt to Eman.
"Agreed." Patches said with a nod. "I spent my summer in the house, out on the block here and there."
"Same here, too busy getting bread to party." Eman said taking a pull of the blunt.
"Well y'all know my situation, so don't ask." Keegan said stroking his jawline as they neared a corner, that was in route for school.
"Stacks, you still talk to Remedy?" Eman asked curiously, handing him the blunt.
Stacks and Remedy had been talking since before school got out, which was going on three months now. The two were feeling each other, just hadn't established anything.
"Where she going?" Stacks asked cockily, before taking a pull of the blunt.
Eman cut his eyes on the low. He was jealous his friend had gotten Remedy, when he was the one who noticed her first.
"To hell if she don't pray." Patches teased causing everybody to laugh, except Stacks.
"Watch that shit young one." Stacks warned him, handing the blunt to Keegan.
"She still hang with Ahlanna fine ass?" Eman questioned, hoping he'd have a chance with her since he couldn't have Remedy.
"You know she does man." Stacks said in a bored tone.
"I hope you not checking for her." Keegan said handing the blunt to Patches, who had his hand extended while blowing smoke out the side of his mouth.
Eman furrowed his thick eyebrows, in confusion. "Why?" He questioned.
"You know she like older niggas." Patches said before choking on the smoke.
"I'm older." Eman said with a shrug, causing the boys to burst into laughter.
"Too damn old to be a senior." Keegan teased, causing Eman to frown at his friend trying to play him.
"Hey, I'm trying aight? This year is my year." Eman spoke, trying to convince himself more than his friends.
He'd just turnt twenty, and was a senior in high school. Fucking off in school caused him to fail a few times, but he was going to try his best to graduate this year.
"Yeah, you better hope so." Stacks snickered looking down at his phone.
"Back to Ahlanna, when we say older we talking bout older as in niggas who old enough to be her daddy." Patches clarified finishing the rest of the blunt, before flicking the rest of it.
"Oh, so she got a sugar daddy?" Eman asked wiggling his eyebrows, while Keegan appeared to be deep in thought about something as they rounded a corner and ended up in front of the school.
Stacks peeped Keegan's attitude, and decided to pull his boy aside to figure out what was going on. Especially since he had a fight coming up this weekend.
"Duh nigga." Patches said shoving his friend.
"Yo, you good kid?" Stacks asked Keegan, as they walked further down the sidewalk away from Patches and Eman.
"Something happened this summer, something I hope doesn't come back and bite me in the ass." Keegan spoke lowly, looking around to make sure no one was in his mouth.
"What happened? You know I got you Snow." Stacks assured him, calling him by his street name.
Keegan stood there, debating on whether he should tell Stacks or not. He finally let out a sigh, and decided he'd rather share it with him than anybody else.
"Shaggy shot a somebody from Royal Emeralds over the summer, right in the middle of the park in front of the dude girl. NYPD still don't have no leads, and the girl hasn't and won't say nothing. I keep having nightmares about the shit, and even though our gang beefing with them, I really tried to save son." Keegan spoke, sincerity written in his dark green eyes.
"Damn," Stacks mumbled, feeling bad for his friend. Keegan being in the vicinity marked him as an accessory and he'd be charged with murder as well since Kyrie died in his presence. "I told you about hanging with him and Razor G, you plan on being the next best thing you can't be out doing dumb shit with them." Stacks spoke with a frown.
Keegan folded his arms, and twisted his lips to the side. "Cause it's nothing like the dumb shit we do when I hang with y'all huh?" Keegan asked, voice spitting sarcasm.
"What we do is for a reason, we have families to feed. They do shit for a laugh, don't let them ruin your opportunity. You my brother and I wanna see you make it, I got you forever." Stacks said as they slapped palms, and relief filled Keegan.
"Preciate it bro." Keegan said meaning each word.
The boys made their way to Patches and Eman, and continued catching up with each other while cracking jokes. Meanwhile over in Tribeca, Eden was struggling with her appearance although that wasn't the real issue.
The issue was that her brother was gone, and she still hadn't processed the thought yet. She'd woke up and went to wake him up for school like she always did, only to be hit with the reality of the situation.
It was hard trying to move on with life, without her twin being there. It had been three months since Kyrie's death, and there were still no leads on his case.
Nobody knew anything.
What pissed Eden off worse was the fact that Camille had just fallen off the face of the earth. True enough Kyrie's sister and mother didn't care for the girl, but she could've at least called and checked on the two out of respect for the person she supposedly loved.
"This is fucking stupid!" Eden huffed kicking a pair of shoes cross the room, before falling onto the floor just sitting there.
Ember walked into the bedroom, taking a seat on Eden's California king bed that she begged her mother to get her. She eyed her daughter as she struggled with herself before school, feeling her pain because she didn't want to go back to work soon.
"Mommy, do I have to go back to school?" Eden whined looking at her mother through the mirror.
Ember smiled, and crawled down on the floor next to her daughter. "Yes love, Kyrie would have wanted you to although he hated it." Ember said wrapping her arm around her daughter, pecking her cheek.
"I miss my brother." Eden mumbled playing with her fingers, feeling the familiar burning of tears at the back of her eyes.
"I miss him too baby, but we can't give up on life because Kyrie is gone. We have to move along." Ember mumbled as she rested her head against Eden's, inhaling the fresh scent of Olive oil in her hair.
"Right, I better find a pair of shoes and get to school huh?" Eden giggled, her braces shining as she smiled.
"I suppose so." Ember said pecking her head, before hopping up off the floor.
Eden stood and admired herself in the mirror. She kept it simple with dark jeans that cuffed her ankles giving her a slender fit but made her toned bottom sit out, a olive green v-neck showing her perky breasts, and slid on a pair of white Prada slip on sneakers.
A gold X and O necklace complimented her neck, along with a matching bracelet for her small wrist.
Eden let out a sigh. "I'm doing this for you Ky." Eden mumbled looking in the mirror.
♔♛♔
"How do y'all like y'all classes so far?" Remedy asked, who happened to be Eden's best friend of three years.
Remedy had natural beauty, something that was hard to come by these days. Overall people loved her beauty, and she loved to show it off.
Her skin tone was the color of butterscotch, with thick lips, a button nose framed in the middle of her chubby cheeks. Brown doe eyes, a pretty white smile, and a head full of hair that people swore was weave.
Then there was her body.
Slim, curves in just the right places. Soft skin free of blemishes, a waist the size of a penny, and a round bubble butt. Not too small or too big, she was just slim thick.
"Mine are straight, my next class is with Eden." Ahlanna beamed nudging her friend who was nibbling on a bag of original Lay's chips lost in her thoughts.
Ahlanna was mixed with black and white, giving her a light complexion. She had brown chinky eyes, small pink lips, a head full of black curly hair, and a slim frame where a size seven fit her best.
"You okay honey?" Remedy asked sincerely pushing Eden's hair our her face.
Eden smiled small snapping out of her trance, and nodded her head quickly. "Yeah, I like my classes by the way."
"Good." Remedy smiled, as her eyes roamed the cafeteria until they locked with Stacks. He smirked at her winking his eye, making Remedy blush and turn her head.
"What's your problem?" Ahlanna asked curiously, seeing how her friend's cheeks were as red as the tomatoes her grandmother grew in her garden.
"I just saw Stacks." Remedy whispered slowly turning her head, locking eyes with him again as he leaned against a wall with a drink, steady eyeing her like prey. Patches was talking his ear off, but Stacks had his focus on Remedy.
"Oooh he is cute, what is he?" Ahlanna asked licking her lips, while Remedy frowned at her. She didn't like that gesture so much.
"Unavailable." Remedy practically growled at her, causing Ahlanna to giggle.
"Girl nobody wants him, you know I only like older men. I don't do little boys." Ahlanna spoke rolling her eyes, twisting one of her curls.
"Wait, who's Stacks?" Eden asked looking around the cafeteria, trying to spot the person that was topic of conversation.
Unlike her girls, Eden stayed lowkey. She didn't really know who was who, so she relied on her girls most of the time for information regarding anybody.
Kyrie was the twin that was well known, and social.
"Sebastian Rodriguez, better known as the nigga walking over here bout to make Remedy wet her draws." Ahlanna said with a smirk, watching Stacks make his way over.
Eden looked up to see a handsome young boy walking her way, and she could see why Remedy had eyes for him. Stacks was mocha complected, 5"8 , pink plump lips, button nose with a septum piercing, thick eyebrows sitting over brown dull eyes, and a beard that was nicely groomed.
His hair was cut in a taper, half curly half straight which made it obvious as to why Ahlanna asked what was he. Stacks flashed a smile as he neared, showcasing a set of gold grills in his mouth which made Remedy squirm in her seat.
Eden didn't get the chance to say anything because Stacks was now standing over Remedy, who was now acting as if she didn't see him. His cologne lingered under her nose, and she inhaled shutting her eyes as her pearl throbbed in her panties.
The two hadn't been romantic yet, but the time was coming soon. Remedy was practically feigning for the boy, craving him in every way possible.
"Ladies." Stacks spoke giving Ahlanna, and Eden a head nod. The girls politely waved and smiled back at him, while Patches sat down making hisself comfortable with the girls.
"Acting modest?" Stacks mumbled against Remedy's ear, his hands resting on both sides of her on the table.
"Maybe." Remedy said with a small smirk staring straight ahead.
Stacks chuckled, and bit down on his bottom lip. "Get yo modest ass up and let me put some flavor in your ear." Stacks spoke as Remedy rolled her eyes smiling, reaching for her bag that sat on the table.
"Girls, I'll see y'all later. I need to talk to my friend." Remedy spoke giving the girls a look, as they encouraged her to leave.
Patches remained at the table, no trouble for Eden because she was getting a laugh at him trying to run game to Ahlanna. It was Ahlanna who was aggravated.
Stacks grabbed Remedy's hand, and threaded their fingers together pulling her outside. They walked past the students sitting at tables having lunch, to a set of steps connecting to the lobby of the auditorium.
Surprisingly no one was over in the area, which made it easy for Stacks to pull Remedy into a blind spot and lock lips with her. Remedy moaned against his lips, as his hands squeezed on her ass through the shirt dress she wore.
Remedy pulled away, and tried to catch her breath with a hand on her chest as Stacks chuckled at how goofy she was. He pushed her straight hair behind her shoulders, and eyed her up and down.
She wore a white shirt dress, a red braided belt around the waist, a denim mid arm jacket, and a pair of red low Converse. Even though she was dressed simple, Stacks thought she looked amazing which would explain why his manhood felt like a brick.
"I missed you this summer." Stacks said holding her close.
"I missed you too, you cut your hair." Remedy pouted running her hand through the short cut.
"You don't like it?" Stacks asked, feeling slightly insecure. He had never cared what anybody thought about him, but when it came to Remedy that was a different ball game.
"It's cute, I'm just used to seeing you with long hair." Remedy spoke before her hands slid to his beard. "And what is all this?"
Stacks chuckled. "Something different baby, what is all this? What you been eating this summer?" Stacks asked slapping her ass, making her jump a little.
"Babe stop, but I've been eating my rice and cabbage." Remedy said with a smirk, making Stacks suck his teeth. He hated how Jahdiah had remixed, and fucked up Bobby Shmurda's Hot Nigga song.
"Whatever yo, don't wear this to school no more. Niggas out here bout to fall over their feet looking at your ass and shit." Stacks spoke with a frown, resting his head against the brick wall.
"But I like this dress, and plus we all know this belongs to you." Remedy said wrapping her arms around his neck, standing on her toes.
"Yeah?" Stacks asked looking down at her.
"Mhm, all yours." Remedy whispered running her tongue over his lips, before kissing them softly as he squeezed on her ass.
It was Stacks who broke the kiss this time, laying one final one on her lips. "Keep it that way, don't wear this no more." He said slapping her ass, just as the bell rang.
Remedy frowned and stood on her feet, as Stacks grabbed her hand and walked her to class. Some people looked surprised to see the two walking hand in hand, maybe because of Stacks' reputation.
"So baby," Stacks started, pulling Remedy close by her waist as he saw a couple dudes with their eyes on her. She was his, even if they hadn't made it official. "You coming over after school?" Stacks asked curiously.
Remedy looked up at him with a sympathetic look, and Stacks sucked his teeth knowing that look too well. "Babe I'm sorry, I have Pink Diamonds today and Wednesday not to mention dance team Tuesday and Thursday. I'm sorry." Remedy spoke poking out her bottom lip.
Stacks shrugged. "It's cool." He lied. His feelings was hurt that they couldn't spend anytime together, something he had been longing to do all summer.
"You can have me Friday night." Remedy said as they stood outside her class.
"How you know I'm not busy?" Stacks asked looking down at her, and Remedy smiled.
"Cause I look like this." She spoke gesturing to her body, before flipping her hair.
Stacks chuckled, and pulled her into a hug leaning her back, making her squeal. "Babe stop before I fall!" Remedy giggled as he placed fresh kisses on her face.
"I got you, but foreal though," Stacks spoke looking down at her, after he pulled her up. "I'ma be at the gym with Snow, so we'll see. Maybe the weekend." Stacks spoke, and Remedy pouted nodding her head.
"Okay." She said disappointed that he wouldn't ditch his friend for her.
"I'll text you when I get in class." Stacks spoke before pecking her lips and walking away.
Remedy stood there watching him, noticing all the looks the girls gave him and frowned. She didn't like that, he was hers and hers only.
♔♛♔
Keegan sat in his desk, Patches sitting in the desk across from him and they saved the desk behind Patches for Stacks. Their counselor had fucked up by putting the three young men in a class together.
Stacks strolled in the room in his normal cocky manner, passing a couple girls whispering about how cute the boys were and how happy they were to have them in the class. Keegan wasn't paying any of the girls any mind, they weren't his type.
He didn't know exactly what his type was, but he knew it wasn't them.
"Who was shorty with the braces sitting with Rem, and Lanna?" Patches questioned Stacks, who was clueless as him as he sat down. "She look like a fucking chocolate Barbie doll man."
"Nigga you sat at the table with them for at least five minutes, and you didn't get her name?" Stacks asked in disbelief.
"She got up and left to get something from the vending machine, then the bell rang. Shorty was fine though, braces and all." Patches said watching the door, as people continued to enter and search for their names on the desks that had index cards taped to them with a student's name and period.
The bell hadn't rang, but while the boys were talking the room got quiet all of a sudden. Looking towards the door, Eden came in with Ahlanna her eyes darting around the room nervously while eyes were on her.
"Eden, you sit here." A girl named Brianna spoke, pointing to the empty desk in front of Keegan.
Eden smiled and thanked her, walking over to her seat while Ahlanna walked to hers which was on the other side of the room. Keegan's eyes stayed fixated on her the entire time.
She was beautiful.
"Eden." Patches mumbled her name, licking his lips eyeing her.
Keegan shot him a look, and they both stared at each other with a smirk. Whoever got her first could have her. Just as Keegan was about to tap Eden, the quarterback of the football team, Jaquan walked over and stood at her desk.
Patches, and Keegan instantly frowned while Stacks watched in amusement. This class was about to be funny as hell this year.
"Sorry for yo loss mama." Jaquan spoke handing Eden a envelope, before giving her a hug.
"Thanks Quan." Eden spoke before he walked away, not even knowing him like that.
A few more people came over and did the same thing, just like they'd been doing in her other classes. Kyrie knew more people than her, and she was surprised they all were paying their respects.
"What the hell? She a escort or something?" Patches whispered in disbelief.
Stacks slapped him upside the head. "Nah, she's the friend Rem said lost her brother over the summer. Her brother was that goofy nigga Kyrie, part of the Royal Emeralds." Stacks said, as it began to register in his head the coincidence to Keegan's story. The two shared a look, and Keegan dropped his head.
The last thing he needed was to look at the girl everyday, and have guilt eat him alive.
Eden was having a conversation with a girl, and the girl asked could she have her mother's number so she could call and give her condolences. Eden was too lazy to reach in her bag for a pencil, so she turned around and saw Keegan playing with one nervously but he stopped and eyed her with no emotion on his face.
"Can I borrow your pencil for just a minute?" She asked him, flashing a smile showing her braces and deep dimples.
Keegan handed her over the pencil, and she smiled again before writing her mother's number down on a piece of paper. She handed the girl the piece of paper, and sent her about her way before giving her attention back to Keegan extending his pencil back to him.
"Thank you, I'm Eden." She said with a smile, holding out her hand trying to be outgoing like she had promised Kyrie.
Keegan chuckled, causing her to frown. "Keegan ma, chill with the handshake shit. That's corny." He said licking his lips.
"Having proper etiquette is corny? Wow!" Eden said rolling her eyes at his ignorance.
Keegan chuckled, and shook his head again. Here he was with a slight crush on this girl already, and his brother was the one at fault for her brother's death.
What a small world.
Original Draft: 10/17/15
Edited & Revised: 1/24/16