Flashback {8 years ago}
It was a hot day in June when the fellas decided to meet up with each other for the first time since seeing each other walk the stage last month. The fellas being, Colin, Odell, Luke, and Cam.
After graduating, everyone but Colin retreated back to their neighborhood in Houston where they grew up, trying to plan out their next moves career wise. Colin, stayed in New York, where he attended NYU and got his degree in business. The reason he didn't come back because he had responsibilities as a father with his girlfriend of two years, Aaliyah. She was due at the end of the month. Even though Colin went to school on a full ride, he made the decision to handle business on the side, and still does, despite working a full time job to make sure his girl and soon to be son are taken care of.
But that's not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, he wanted to own his own shit, and be the successful business man he hoped of being. That's why he decided to take a trip to the H to explain his proposition to his brothers. A proposition that could change their lives for the better, or so they hoped.
Colin got up to get ready to meet the guys at one of their favorite spots, Waffle House. He had to pick up Odell first though.
Odell was the youngest of the bunch. He just barely graduated high school. He started hangin with Colin first, Odell's mother thought he'd be a good influence on Odell. Colin pulls up to the house and get out. Ms. Heather wouldn't forgive him if he didn't speak. He knocks and she opens the door.
"How you doin Ms. Heather?" He says giving her a hug
"Colin! I'm good..." She says, embracing him. "About to kill my son."
"Oh lord. What he do now?"
"What hasn't he done." She says leading him into the living room.
"DELL. GET YO UGLY SELF OUT HERE BOY." Colin yells. "What's going on?"
"He's talking about not going to college...and"
"I got it Ms. Heather, don't worry."
"Thank you. And he's trynna get another tattoo, and I'm trying to talk him out of that.."
"Now I can't do much about that...you see I'm draped in them."
"I know." She says shaking her head.
"I'll try and talk to him. He does need to be in school. I agree with you on that."
"I thought seeing you young men graduate would motivate him."
"I understand. I got you." He says holding out his fist and she bumps it.
"Why you yellin?" Odell asks walking from the back.
"Because I can punk. Let's go."
"Bye ma. I'll see you later." He says before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
The two are the first to arrive at the Waffle House so they go ahead and sit down, and wait for Cam and Luke.
"So what's this bout your moms saying you not trynna go to college?"
"Exactly that, I'm not trynna go."
"So what you gone do? Bum around at ya mom's, while still workin at Foot Action?"
"Not for forever."
"Okay, what's after that then?" Colin probes.
"Damn nigga, I don't know yet. Why you houndin me with questions and shit?"
"Because your mama wants me to talk to you and see where ya head is at. And from what I've heard so far, your head is in no man's land."
"My moms can't afford that shit man. You know it, I know it, so what's the point. Everybody can't get a full ride like you did."
"Who's fault is that Odell, mine or yours. I did what I had to do. I studied my ass off to make straight As. If yo ass would have went to class and not gotten kicked off the team, you coulda been a top recruit."
"You gotta remind me of that every time don't you? I know I fucked up. I know. But it's just that simple, I can't afford it."
"Start off at a community college until you can apply for a 4 year college, I got you."
"How?"
"Don't worry about that. Just know that I got you. But you need to go to college bruh. I'm serious."
"I hear you."
"But are you listening?"
"Yeah nigga."
"Good.....oh, look who's here." Colin looks over towards the door, and in walks Luke.
Luke flashes a smile and waves as he spots Odell and Colin. Ole goofy ass. Odell and Colin both say to themselves. Luke was the cool white dude that everyone loved to be around. He was funny, extremely smart, and kind of corny at times, but everyone loved him. He was freakishly athletic too. Other than Odell, Colin Luke and Cam met in their neighborhood when they were younger. It all started out with Colin choosing Cam and Luke to be on his basketball team to go against the other kids in 3 on 3...the rest is history.
Luke is a part time basketball coach at the recreation center they used to go to when they got older. When he's not working his full time job, he's coaching, and he loves it.
"Well if it isn't Mr. Clark Kent." Odell jokes, then daps it up with him, then Luke playfully hits him in the back of the head. "You trynna catch a fade.
"My boy. What's up Luke."
"Nothin man. Just ya know, bein me."
"A clown." Odell says.
"Keep talkin shit." Luke says putting him in a headlock.
"Yo, where the hell is Cam?" Colin asks.
"Oh look, he just pulled up. Luke says staring out the window, with Odell still in his headlock."
"Alright, big ass nigga." Odell says finally breaking free from his grasp.
"Next time it'll be worse."
"Luke, cut baby boy some slack aight."
"Yeah...aight."
"Fellaaaas...." A jolly voice says. That's one word that could be used to explain who Cam was. But Cam was unapologetically him. Always had a smile on his face and had fun with everything that he did. Cam was also smart, funny, outgoing, but when it was time to get serious, he meant business.
"oh shit. Kap...is that you?"
"In the flesh." Colin says.
"My brotha!" Colin stands up to give him a hug!
"What's up Cam?"
"Nothin much. Workin, gettin this money. What's up with you though...last month before lil man get here right?"
"Yup. Last few weeks and I'm nervous as hell."
"Y'all come up with a name?"
"Sorta. I'm trynna convince her to give him my name."
"Yo, what's up with her friend though?" Odell asks.
"I know you ain't talkin bout Kash?"
He smirks while nodding his head. "That's exactly who I'm talkin bout. Shawty baaaad. And a nigga 18 now...put me in."
"I'm pretty sure homegirl don't date scrubs bruh." Cam says, causing everyone to laugh.
"He's right though. I know Akasha. She got her degree, and starting her career. She wants somethin bigger and better. You try to come at her, you betta come correct."
"She look like that type. Aye, if she don't want this lil scrub, I'll take her." Cam jokes.
"Nigga I wish you would."
"Now hold up. Maybe she down with the swirl, and need a Clark Kent to come save her."
"Shit, she just might." Colin says.
"Alright, y'all two can back the fuck up. I saw her first."
"We just fuckin with you." Cam says putting his arm around him.
-------------------------
After they finish eating, they sit at the restaurant and chop it up for a bit.
"I got somethin to tell y'all...well, more like pitch an idea."
"Awww shit. It's another one of these get rich quick schemes ain't it."
"Nah...actually it's not. This here gone take some time."
"What is it."
"I wanna own shit. I want us to own shit...make our own damn money. Run shit the way we want to. I been talkin with a couple people, some financial people and I wanna open a night club in Manhattan."
"What the hell Kap. A night club man?" Cam asks.
"Yeah. If we do it right, we can be successful. And we won't just stop in Manhattan. We can expand to Miami...Atlanta...here in Houston. But I need the help of you two."
"What about me?"
"Yo ass gone be in school. You can hop in when you graduate...all I'm askin is for y'all to put thought into it. We always said we were gonna get the fuck up outta here, be successful so our folks ain't ever gotta worry about shit. We can still do that." He says looking at Cam then Luke.
"You know I'd be all for it. But I need to know if this is for real. If this is legit." Luke says.
"Nothing's for certain. It's a risk...but it's one that I know I'm willing to take. I wanna build something I can leave my son when I leave this earth...leave our sons, our kids."
"I got somethin good goin on right now. I started my job at a good salary..." Cam starts off.
"I know...I'm just askin y'all to think about it. Y'all don't have to make any decisions now. It's a thought. A thought I wanna bring to life. But I something I wanna experience with y'all. If I eat, my brothers eatin with me."
"Real shit." Odell says.
"I'll let you know."
"Same here." Luke agrees.
Colin picks up the tab and they head outside to the parking lot. Luke daps it up with everyone before he leaves. Odell hops in the car while Colin and cam have a word.
"You really serious bout this, ain't you?"
"More serious than I've ever been about anything. I'm tired of this bullshit ass job I got...and it was all good and everything, but I'm tired of sellin dope bruh. I gotta have something better for my boy."
"I thought you stopped that shit."
"Getting out is hard when you ain't got shit to fall back on. I make more money doin that than what I do at the job I got now...and Aaliyah wants me to stop. This could be big Cam."
"You've always been the innovative one. Always had ideas brewing in that big ass head of yours."
Colin chuckled. "Yeah you right."
"Give me a good business plan, and let's make this shit happen."
"Don't worry, it's in the works." The two hug it out.
"Lookin forward to it. Have a safe flight back."
"Thanks bruh."
They both hop in their cars and leave. Colin's proposition had everyone except Odell pondering. Odell already knew he wanted a part in it, even though Colin wasn't going to let him at that exact moment. But as they often did, they believed in Colin's words, and decided to take the journey to entrepreneurship with him.