MONTELL
"YOU NEED TO HOOK me up with a job at the rec man! Them checks must be fat 'cause nowadays you be walking into school like it's a damn fashion show!" I blurted out as I acknowledged my brothers choice of clothes for the school day as I leaned against his room's doorframe, which consisted of a Tommy Hilfiger black and red Pullover accompanied by Tommy Jeans as well as his favorite sneakers in the Air Jordan line, the black and varsity red 6's. He chuckled at my remarks as he picked his short standing flat top while staring into the mirror above his dresser.
"I would bro, if I could. They not hiring right about now but if they are I'll make sure to mention you. Besides don't you have all those extra ass clubs you gotta attend after school?" He let out just before placing on SnapBack specifically to the back and grabbing his black bubble coat. He was right I did have 'extra ass clubs' I had to attend although it was only two, those being the chorus club which was only held on Thursdays and the culinary club which was only held once every two weeks but it wasn't like I was gaining anything from the two. I already know how to cook especially when it came to some mean crab legs and I had already knew how to sing my ass off so I didn't mind quitting if something more important were to come along.
"Yeah Ight man you better make sure they holla at me if they actually start hiring. I don't know how you do it though, you be traveling deep into Harlem and bringing your ass here late just to get up early for school. I respect that you bout your grind Boogie, but damn when's the last time you had a break? You can't be letting them grades slip B, you gotta graduate this year." I stated deeply concerned about my older brothers work ethics mainly because I hadn't want him to fail once more. We weren't supposed to be in the same grade but that was due to him being left back in the eighth grade while I was in the seventh. I wouldn't want him to have a rerun of not being able to graduate with his class.
"Ah, Monty chill I got it all under control. Trust me Ima graduate and I'm gonna make Mom and Dad proud and that's my word. Besides without this little job of mine at the rec sure enough helping the both of us out." He disclosed just before turning to look over my outfit. I wore my black and white Karl Kani pullover as well as some simple black baggy jeans along with my Adidas shell toe sneakers that matched my shirt which was slightly concealed by my blue coat. "That's what I thought." He said just above a whisper as he laughed lightly realizing that he did purchase the more expensive components of my ensemble. I grazed my hand across the nape of my neck signifying my defeat as I lowly rolled my eyes.
"Yeah Ight. You got me there kid but uh ...can we fucking go to school now? You making us late with your conceited ass!" I slightly joked although I was being serious. He nodded his head just before grabbing his grey backpack from the wooden flooring of his bedroom. We made our way downstairs only to see our parents at the breakfast table seemingly waiting for us to leave for school.
"You boys better hurry up fore y'all miss the bus." My father demanded as he placed on his work boots readying himself for another day at work. " and you Darnell better watch yourself since you like looking flashy around this bumass block now." My father simply stated as he began to tie his black boots.
"Johnathan!" My mother attempted to hush our father upon realizing his foul language.
"Mary please, 'ass' is in the Bible."
"You always tryna check me pops like Monty not sporting fly gear too!"
"And that's thanks to you Boogie... besides Monty isn't a loudmouth that loves to boast just like you."
"The good Lord says, don't conform to the ways of the world...no need to show off baby."
"Whatever man, I work hard for my stuff so why can't I show out? I'm the one paying for it so what's it to y'all?"
"Boogie let's just go man." I tried to reason with him but I could tell he was upset. I understood why though, he did work for his things and he even brought stuff for me as well so either way I had no room to knock his grind. My parents weren't ever the ones to buy us expensive ass clothing and they always excuse themselves from that by simply saying ' God says come as you are.' Yes that statement was and will forever be true but we all knew the fact of the matter was that we were borderline broke. Living in the projects just like majority of my school was. Our pops was working two jobs and my mom none and it still hadn't made much of a difference around here. Now that Boogie was able to help around the house and buy us all clothes with the money he has been earning and saving it might've just made them feel...like they wasn't shit but that was something they could never admit.
"Nah wait Monty I gotta get something off my chest." He began as he held his hand out stopping me from leaving the apartment. "Look I'm not working and doing what I'm doing for an applause from y'all or anything I'm just doing what I got to do. My grades aren't bad or nothing so why y'all giving me hell? Ain't nothing wrong with treating myself! God ain't never say I can't dress nice for once. God ain't never say I can't help pay the bills every now and then. Just cause y'all was never able to afford nothing...don't be mad at me only because I can now. Welcome to reality y'all...your sons practically an adult. " He scoffed just before turning around and shuffling out of the door leaving them both dumbfounded and leaving me to stand oddly in the middle of the kitchen.
"Have a good day at work pops...bye momma." I awkwardly left the apartment after noticing their inconsolable expressions. I knew what Boogie said hurt they feelings deeply but I had no say in the situation. But in my perspective of the whole entire ideal- our parents just needed to chill... I mean it wasn't like Boogie was a drug dealer or something.
• ✧•
"AYO MONTY! LEMME holla at you for a minute, b." I heard the familiar voice of Jabari calling out for me and I couldn't be more overjoyed.
Sike.
Jabari and I were no where near friends and he knew that for a fact. The only reason we actually even knew each other was due to the fact that Desirae and Darnell were so close to him. Although we weren't friends, we weren't enemies but I couldn't stand him and I could never really put my finger on the reason why.
"What is it?" I questioned, cutting straight to the chase. He seemed quite disoriented and tired as he stood breathlessly in front of me as we stood in front of my locker. His demeanor seemed worrisome and I couldn't help but stand there awkwardly waiting for him to speak.
"Yo uh...you seen Des around? I gotta talk to her." He came about saying making me remember Des and I's phone conversation when I made it home from her crib. It was obviously nothing new for her to be crying to me but it simply killed me every time. I despised that he would constantly be one of the reasons that tears even left her eyes...I guess that was the reason why I never liked him. I done told that girl hundreds of times that he would only give her hell but who am I to be giving my best friend advice?
"Nah man, I ain't hear from her since last night." I stated not really showing him the respect he thought he deserved as I placed my back to him, placing my books in my locker.
"Do you know why she ain't show up to school yesterday?" He inquired.
"She had a fever." I lied still not paying mind to him.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you fat fuck!" He yelped causing me to turn around with the quickness as if I were bound to do something. A few students adverted their attention in our direction and I couldn't help but feel as if were my cue to knock this nigga straight in his jaw. He noticed my demeanor and he could tell that his words got to me. Now see I didn't care that people called me names or anything like that but at this moment I honestly felt like I needed to showcase my manhood especially because the encounter was with Jabari. The same Jabari that really thought he ran Westbrook High and that shit was annoying. "I-shit. Uh- I'm sorry man I'm just- not okay right now..." he finally disclosed seemingly genuine. I could tell something was wrong with him but it wasn't my business to ask. I just knew this wasn't the regular Jabari for some reason, he didn't even care to fix his hair this morning and we all knew how much he cared about his hair. An awkward silence came about and his hazel eyes remained on the ground. "I'm just fucking up a lot right now man. One minute I'm so damn angry and one minute I wanna cry... I'm stressing so much right now man, I need your help." He slightly whispered not wanting others to hear.
"With what?" I questioned in an instant due to the fact that my mother always told me to help anyone that seems that they're in need.
"With my grades man, I'm fucking up in class and I'm fucking up on the court. I'm just not feeling like myself man." I had no idea why he was being so vulnerable around me, we never talk or nothing so this whole thing seemed so surreal. " And I know we don't speak much and I know you don't really like me. I'm sorry. I just need you to do me a solid." He continued as he leaned back on the other lockers.
"Alright fine. Everybody gotta eat around here, we all tryna graduate anyway. I'll help you." I stated as I reached my hand out to dap him up to signify somewhat of a truce.
"Thanks man. You're lifesaver." He stated As he returned the motion still looking lowly. "Uh can we start after school?" He asked and I nodded seeing that I ain't have shit to do anyway. "Great...and if you see Des around tell her to holla at me." He stated before walking off coolly as if he were bound to transform into his regular demeanor once he conversed with others. I shoulda said no. I thought as I closed my locker.
"Ayo Monty!" Shit I must be popular today I thought once I heard another voice call out for me as I began to walk to my first period class. I turned around realizing is was Chris and I suddenly got less annoyed.
"Wassup B, haven't seen your ass in a minute." I greeted him. Chris was practically my right hand man and it's been like that since freshman year.
"You know me, I be chilling on the court and I be in computer club, if you never left the damn club we'll probably be chilling more but it's whatever." He slightly joked reminding me that I did leave that club but that was mainly because I got too wrapped up in music club. "What the hell you was doing talking to that fuck nigga Bari? His whack ass." He added, his attitude changing once he brought up his name.
"His dumbass just want me to tutor him."
"Man you should just let his ass fail in peace, you know you don't wanna do it. He be putting Des through hell and you ready to help this nigga out. Leave that nigga how you found him." He rambled, pissing himself off. He was right though.
"Yeah no shit, I just wish I said no but you know my momma voice came into my head." I stated and he rolled his eyes slightly, he readied himself to say something else but I continued my side of the story. "And he asked me if I seen Des... I straight lied to him, man. Now you know I seen her but she had to go straight to the bathroom she probably puking her brains o-" I shut myself up realizing that I was the only one that knew about Des's situation.
"What you mean?"
"She got a fever." I lied once again but Chris knew me enough to know just when I was lying. He noticed my eyes advert to the ground and he chuckled instantly.
"You fucking lying, B. I know you are! It ain't like she pregnant, oh God now that would be some crazy shit!" He joked not knowing the whole truth.
"Chris...she is." I whispered more seriously causing him to stop joking in a heartbeat.
"Your shitting me man. You gotta be. Ain't no way...couldn't be." He mumbled as he paced around angrily. "Does he know?"
"Hell nah man. You better not tell him."
"Oh best believe I won't, Des is my girl too I wouldn't do that to her. You trust me b?"
"I trust you man."
I trust you.
UNEDITED.