August, Armani, and Kali in the mm
Mani's outfit and the look she gave crystal.
I Really Did Miss You
3 weeks later
August (POV)
It's been three weeks since Armani's been in the hospital, and today they said she was healthy enough to finally get released. All we had to do was make sure she got the right amount of bed rest and make sure she took her meds. To say I was happy would be an understatement, I've been waiting for this since the day she was admitted into the hospital.
I've been coming to visit her everyday, but once she gets home it will be different. We won't have just a few hours to be around each other, but instead, we'll have all day. We'll have all our lives.
Since she's been in the hospital I've been bringing her the work she's missed from all her classes so she wouldn't fall behind. She's one of the smartest girls in that school— entirely too smart to fail her classes because of this minor set back.
During these three weeks me and Mani have been around each other non stop. She's been letting me into her heart, but not where I want to be. I want too know everything about her, all her fears, all the things that make her sad and all the things that put a smile on her face. I wanna know everything that makes her....her.
I waited in the living room, listening closely waiting for the door knob to jingle and reveal a beautiful Armani. After a little while my prayers were answered, there she stood looking as gorgeous as ever.
She walked into the house a little more—not noticing me sitting there. I debated on scaring her or not, but decided against it because I didn't want her to make any sudden movements that might cause her pain. I hopped up from the couch and ran to her, a breath taking smile gracing her face once she seen me.
She held out her arms for a hug, but I wanted more. I picked her up and started spinning her around in the air as she laughed and squealed for me to stop. It made my heart happy to see her this over joyed, even happier to know that I was the one causing her this joy.
"Auggie put me down, please!" She squealed in the air. I chuckled a little and set her down on her feet, holding her by her waist so she wouldn't lose her balance.
I looked at my mama and couldn't withhold my laughter at the face she was making. She stood frozen in the door way, wide eyed, and mouth stretched open. I walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey mama."
I heard her mumble something to herself that I couldn't quite comprehend, but I knew it was about me and Mani. I went back over to the couch but seen that Mani nor Kali were there.
I walked into the kitchen and seen Mani and Kali were actual rambling through the cabinets where the pots and pans were. I stared at her intensely when she rose from her kneeled posture and went to the refrigerator. She opened up the freezer compartment and pulled out a pack of drum sticks. She then went to the top cabinet and grabbed some seasonings, some spices I didn't know we had, and two boxes of kraft macaroni and cheese.
She looked around confused for a moment, but I guess she had a eureka moment because she quickly made her way back to the refrigerator and grabbed a can of biscuits.
I felt a presence behind me and I knew it had to be my mama just from the smell.
"Um baybeh whatchu' in hea' doin'."
Mani turned around and smiled putting the chicken in the sink to thaw out. she then looked back over at us while drying her hands and throwing the towel over her shoulder.
"Well mama I juss' thought I would cook a lil sum'n fa' everybody since y'all showin' me and Kali so much hospitality."
"But I-"
"I know ya' gotta go ta' work dat's why Kali and myself gone make sho' Aug don't try ta' eat it all." she said followed by a light chuckle.
"W-Well thank ya' baybeh."
What's up with ma today?
Me and ma walked out of the kitchen into the living room and all of a sudden she yanked me into a corner away from the entrance to the kitchen. She had a strange look in her eyes like one I've never seen before.
"Ma what's u-"
"Wife ha' Aug."
"Do what Ma?"
"Dat' guh' in thea' cares fa' you and I'll have ta' be a damn fool not ta' see dat' yo ass care fa' ha' too, but see I know my son. You scared of da' feelins you havin' cause you not use to em', and most likely she's mo' frightened than you are, but I know love when I see it juss' give it a lil time baybeh."
I stood there taking in everything my mama just said to me, and she was right. I was scared of the feelings I was having for Armani, but not the type of scared that I wanted to distance myself from her, but the type of scared that made me want to explore this feeling and explore her. I wanted to be close to her all the time because I didn't want to miss anything new that I could find out about her.
Of course I love Armani, but in a different way, not the way I love Crystal, but something....different. I wasn't necessarily scared of this feeling I was having or Armani. I was fascinated with them, if that makes sense.
I zoned back into the real world once I heard my moms calling my name.
"Huh, what?"
"I'm juss' sayin' Aug, she a good girl and I like her, a lot more den' dat' lil Krillin heffa'."
"Ma ha' name Crystal,"I corrected,"And if ya' would juss' get ta' know ha' I'm sho' you would love ha'."
She smirked and shook her head,"I thank ya' need ta' have a lil talk wit' ya' big brotha', but juss' think bout' what I said, ok?"
I nodded my head letting her know I heard her loud and clear. She probably thought that what she was saying was going to go in one ear and out the other, and even though half that time that was the case— this was not one of those times. When it came to Mani I would take in any advice someone had to give me on the situation. So I will have to have a lil talk with Mel.
I looked back up and seen my mama walking back into the kitchen, I trailed in behind her and took a seat at the table. I just sat there watching Mani and kali.
"Well aight yall, I'm finna' head out ta' work,"Mama announced,"Be good, I luh' y'all."
We all told her we love her as well and waved her off. As soon as the door closed Mani looked up at me with a weird smirk on her face. I cocked my left eyebrow and walked over to her, wanting to know what she was smirking about.
"What da' hell ya' so smiley bout'?" I asked her.
She looked up at me and gave me a sly grin, sending chills down my spine.
"Sooooo Ma like me, huh?" she said never letting that grin drop.
I froze in my spot next to her, not wanting to answer her. I mean she wasn't even suppose to hear our conversation, especially since we talked barely above a whisper. I felt my hands begin to sweat as I tried to think of the perfect words to say to her— but ultimately—came up with nothing.
"How ya' even heard dat' ma?"
"I trained my ears back when I was at home, so I'll know when ta' run."
"When ta' run?" I questioned confused.
"From my dad." She mumbled.
I felt some type of way about that and I know she did too. I walked over behind her and wrapped my arms her neck pulling her in close. I didn't want to bring up her past right now, because I didn't want her to relapse back into that scared little girl again. I knew she wasn't anywhere near the point of being healed from all the trauma that has happened to her, and I know that over time I'm going to have to help her with her issues; but right now I'm going to help her build herself up to something great. Into someone that can never be broken down by anything or anyone.
So with that being said I'm just going to change the subject.
"So ya' ready fa school tomma'?"
She let out a deep sigh and put the chicken in a pot with spices and seasonings and whatnot. She looked over at me then tilted her head towards Kali— signaling me to get her out of here. I picked up on what she was telling me to do, so I picked her up and walked her into the living room turning on some SpongeBob. In no time she was tuned in.
I walked back into the kitchen and seen Mani sitting at the table with her head in her hands.
"Aug ain' tryna' go back ta' dat' hell hole, I ain't puttin' up wit' no mo' bullshit. So I advise ya' ta' let ya' boys know dat' da' shit they did ta' me will not go unpunished."
"I gotcha baybeh don't even trip, nah' lets finish up this meal."
We got done with the meal in no time, and good god almighty it was so delicious. She cooked like my mama on a Sunday afternoon after a good service at the church.
After we ate our diner we cleaned up everything and went our separate ways for the night. She bathed herself and kali and went on to prepare the two of them for bed.
Me on the other hand couldn't seem to get comfortable, I tossed and turned all night until I just gave in and closed my eyes dozing off.
*
*
*
Today was finally the day Mani came back to school since everything took that turn for the worse. Me and my boys smoothed things over, but now it was Mani's turn. I was a little nervous as to how she would react, but what ever she said or did to them they deserved it.
To be honest they didn't even have a real reason for hitting on her, they just felt the need to do it, but boy would they be in for a treat today. Not only did she tell me not to interfere, but she told me she could handle this situation on her own. As much as I wanted to let her have her way with them I couldn't; Mani had to remember she had a life or death condition and she needed to take it easy.
I know she planned on getting her revenge, but I won't allow her to go overboard.
The day was finally coming to an end and it was time for seventh period. I figured it was going to be interesting considering the fact that Sneak and Twan had been dodging us all day. once they seen Armani was back, they literally went ghost on a nigga, I guess they took my threat to heart.
I walked in the class with Mani looking like the couple of the year. I decided since this was her first appearance as the new and improved Mani that I would help her out a little. I picked out her outfit this morning and made sure she wore the shoes that mel had gotten for her, you know your boy got taste.
She had on some disney character overalls and a white shirt underneath, since the overalls were shorts they showed of her legs and her shoes. I told her to wear her hair in an up due so you could see that beautiful face of hers. It was kind of weird helping her with all her personal stuff this morning I've never done something like that before.
Especially for a girl.
We walked into the class and she headed towards her regular seat, I was about to stop her but then Crystal pulled me over to my seat next to her. I looked up towards her and seen she was mugging the shit out of me.
Not this bullshit
"Why ya' walk in hea' wit' ha'?"
"She my fren' now and she been stayin' wit' us so-"
"She been what?!" she yelled,"She been stayin' wit' yall-"
I gave her a glare cutting her sentence short. She's always over reacting to shit but never wants to listen. I was about to tell her what was going on, but our conversation was cut short by another party coming into it.
"Oh baybeh guh' if ya' got a pro'lem, ya' bad right? Solve it." Armani said while popping her knuckles.
"Bitch what did you say?"
"I said I'm bout ta' beat yo' ass let you call me one mo' bitch."
Crystal's face was in a state of shock, she's never heard Mani talk, not only that but she was talking like a boss. A boss that looked damn good in them shorts.
Crystal opened her mouth to speak but quickly got shut down when Mani decided they had shared enough words, she cocked her fist back and swung right towards her face....missing it by only an inch.
She pulled her fist back, and leaned in towards Crystal.
"Nah' what if dat' woulda' been yo' face juss' then," She leaned back and laughed ,"Ya' woulda' woke up not knowin' what da' fuck hit ya'."
She continued to laugh in Crystal's face, she laughed so hard that she had to hunch over to gain her composure. Once she finally did gain it she looked up at Crystal with a serious deadly look, while I just watched this scene unfold.
"Nah' you have two options, aight? One, ya' could sit ya' funny lookin' ass down or two, ya' could try me and get ya' ass beat."
Mani finished up and held up her hands and smirked a little to herself.
"It's yo move baybeh guh."
I watched as Mani stepped back and waited for Crystal to make a move, and as I predicted she would, she walked over to her desk and sat that ass down never saying a word the remainder of the period.
The class was pretty quiet, since the main ones who usually make all the noise were too scared to talk.
I looked back at Mani as she did her work, she looked so focused and determined to finish. She may be a lil thug now, but at heart she's nothing but a little nerd. I guess she felt my eyes on her because she looked up at me giving me a big ass grin showing off all her teeth.
I laughed at her and returned the same grin making her chuckle at me and after shoo me off so she could finish her work.
I chuckled as I turned back around in my seat about to attempt to finish my work as well, until I felt Crystal burning a hole in the side of my head.
I laid my pencil down on the desk and set back in my desk. She had the nerve to be glaring at me, but she was the one in the wrong. You cant get mad at me because you was about to get your ass beat because you wanted to make assumptions.
"Bruh keep lookin' at meh', imma call ha' up hea''." I threatened..
She looked at me a little longer before rolling her eyes and continuing to do her work.
About thirty minutes later the bell had finally rung, signaling us it was time to go home. I was waiting for Mani outside the school with Twan and Sneak by my side.
After a while of waiting and fooling around I spotted her coming out of the school struggling with her books. I jogged over to where she was and took her backpack and her books from her. I waved for Twan and Sneak to come over and they reluctantly came and stood at the front of the school where we were.
For a while we all stood there in silence, an eerie silence. I was about to speak, but right before a word could come out Sneak and Twan both dropped to their knees telling Mani how sorry they were for doing the horrible things they did to her.
It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen, they were almost in tears from the looks of it.
I done scared my niggas ta' death...
Mani walked up to them looking down at them and in the blink of an eye... her fist was in contact with Twan's jaw. She swiftly turned on her heel and punched Sneak directly in the nose and I'm pretty sure I heard a crack.
Well damn...
She stood up straight dusting off her hands with a look of satisfaction.
"Apology accepted."
I couldn't believe that she actually did that to them. I was more along the lines of a smack to the face or some very harsh words, but she switched the game up on me. But at the same time I understood where she was coming from she just wanted the respect that she deserved. She never bothered anyone, yet, they always fucked with her. So in a way those little punches were nothing compared to the things they did to her.
I helped them up off the ground and told them bye as me and Mani started our walk home.
"Ya' think Mel at mama house?" she asked me out of the blue.
"Most likely since ChaCha back from ha' trip."
She bit down on her lip and slowly nodded her head, as if she was thinking.
"Why ya' ask lil mama?"
"I juss' really need ta' go somewea' and um, imma need chu' thea' wit' me too."
I seen the pleading look in her eyes and knew that this was something serious. I didn't want to say no, but I couldn't say yes if I didn't know where we were going.
"Wea' we going?"
"Aug juss' promise me you'll be hea' fa' me."
I stopped walking and grabbed her arm pulling her in closely.
Thats one thing she will never have to worry about, because I will always be there for her. I will always and forever be her rock, the one that will never leave her side. I will be the one to always have her back even when she thinks im not there, I will be.
I kissed the top of her head and draped my arm around her shoulders.
"Wea' eva' ya' lead I'll follow, remember dat' fa' meh'."
She looked up at me showing me that heart stopping smile of hers, I smiled down at her and continued our walk.
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Hope you enjoyed you guys. Also remember that Armani and Mo' are the same person. Mo' is just Armani's nickname.
Excuse all mistakes
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Just a real nigga commin' through...