"You nervous?" I asked Dianna, before looking at her in the face.
We were in the school parking lot.
"Yes" She mumbled, softly.
"I'ma be there, mama. Nobody is going to wild out on you. And if they do, then I taught you how to shoot a gun"
She laughed a little. "Don't shoot your friends Rakim"
"Well I'm not going to let anybody do any extreme shit, how about that?" I opened the door and got out.
We walked a little ways and then she cleared her throat. "Rakim..."
"Are you okay?" I asked, scanning her over.
"I've decided that I want to remain friends with you, and I'm glad that you found someone that makes you completely happy" Dianna said.
"Really?" I asked.
She nodded.
"That means so much, Dianna" I pulled her into a side hug. "Thank you"
Miles walked up on us. "How y'all folks doing? You ready, D?"
She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of herself.
"She's going to be fine. I'ma be right there with her when it happens anyways"
"About that..." He trailed off.
"Don't tell me nothin' I don't want to hear"
"They said you couldn't be there because you'd get mad with anyone that threw hands at Dianna, and it was best for you to be near, but not there"
"No" I shook my head. "I'm not going for that. It's just not happening"
"You wanted me to get jumped in, Rocky, and now you're scared" Dianna said.
I pulled her up under me. "Nah, they just ready to make me mad. I don't play about you"
"I'ma be there" Miles said. "Nobody gonna wild out on her"
"Sure" I said, not totally believing it.
"She got this" He nodded her head and let us be.
Ella approached me. "Did you forget you had a son?"
"No, I've been visiting him when he's at his babysitter's place. Not around you" I said. "Party planner's printing off birthday invitations this week"
"And why can't you see him around me?"
I let Dianna go, and Ella and I stared eachother down.
It took a little while for me to catch on, but I was suspecting that Ella was trying to lure me into what we had going on by calling me over to see my son.
"I'm not hooking up with you anymore, Ella. What you said at the hospital actually hurt my feelings. You're discrediting me as a parent, but I've been making an effort to see him since I've been back home. I was looking out for everyone in my inner circle"
"I didn't know-"
"It don't even matter. Forget it" I shook my head. "I'ma just see him with the sitter"
I stepped past her, and moved on.
I've successfully dropped both Ella and Whitney.
"Baby, we gotta do something together. I haven't spent time with you in forever, but that's my fault"
"Shooting?" She asked.
"No, something different. You think of something" I said.
Sometimes, I got carried away when we were out there sitting on the ground like that.
Like when I kissed her shoulder, and immediately bit it to offset the idea of the kiss.
"Okay" She agreed, nodding her head.
-
"Rocky, you look so unbalanced. Dianna doing that to you?" Moonie asked me.
"I just know what everybody capable of, and initiations are not easy" I mumbled, and slapped the ice pack that I was holding against my hand.
"You really waiting on her. Wow."
"You'd let me back there, right?" I tried to weasel my way back into the action.
"I would if I could" He gave me an uneasy shrug. "I'm not calling the shots"
Miles came walking down the hall solo.
I stood up immediately. "What you doing?"
"Dianna finger ended up breaking, and they had to dip to get it taken care of" He pointed his thumb back towards where he came from.
I stood up and slammed the ice pack on the ground, and the cool gel seeped out of it.
"WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU LET THEM NIGGAS LEAVE WITHOUT ME?!?" I clenched my fist, and let out a low, angry breath of air.
"Cool out. I know that's your 'baby', but she'll be fine. You know you not allowed to see who she fought because you hold grudges. She held her own, and even impressed me a little."
"Well she not fighting anymore. Period."
He looked amused with me. "You sound like a real dad"
"Miles, shut up" I scowled at him and left.
On the way to the hospital, I called Khassidy to see if she got home safely.
"Hey, Rakim. What are you doing?"
"On my way to the hospital to check on friend. Did you make it home yet?" I asked.
"Yes, I just got out of the shower. I think I'm going to go to sleep. Are you coming through?"
"Not tonight, mama, but I'ma try to see you in the morning. Dream about me."
"Goodnight, Rocky. If I'm up, I'ma call you"
"Alright, I'ma be around. Talk to you later" I drove up the garage to the hospital.
We hung up, and then it took me twenty minutes to find Dianna's room.
She was sitting on the edge of a hospital bed with a splint on her finger, facing away from the door.
"Before you say anything, Rocky. I am fine"
I took a deep breath before sitting in the chair beside the bed and getting a good look at her. "...your eye's bleeding"
She gave me a lazy smile. "You never listen"
"You good?" I stood up, and got in her face.
"Yes, I'm all taken care of. My scratches are taken care of, and I have an ice pack right there. And I even get epsom salt to take back to my living quarters"
"How'd you break it?"
"You're gonna get mad, so we're just going to acknowledge the fact that it'll heal fine"
"Dianna-"
"I'm not about to play with you" She mocked me.
I kissed her on the forehead. "You annoying"
"I'm about to leave, and it would be so very kind of you to drop me off" She swung her legs.
"Yeah, you already know I would" I said.
After dropping her off with food, and waiting for her to get inside, I went to go check on my stripper.
"Khass" I set my food down on the dresser and climbed into bed with her.
I leaned over to her, and pressed my lips against hers.
I think she was turning me into a kisser.
She flipped over and grabbed my hand.
I pulled her bonnet down all the way over her head.
I borrowed her computer, and ordered two electric toy trucks, a personalized letter train set that spelled out his name, a couple educational books that involved dinosaurs because that was his latest obsession, and a basketball hoop set because he liked to throw things.
When I closed the computer, Khassidy was sleeping.
I yawned and stretched before sinking down into bed with her and pulling her onto me.
My phone vibrated, and it was a thank you from Dianna.
I brushed her off and told her goodnight again.
I received a call from Miles and answered. "Hello?"
"Bro, where you at?" He asked frantically.
"I'm with Khassidy, why? Something happened with Dexter?"
"No, your house got shot up. I thought you was in there or something and you got snatched! I don't know about your, mama though. Her stuff here, but she not"
I got up, and shook Khassidy so that she could get up. "I'ma swing by Dianna's and relocate the both of them and then get at you" I hung up the phone.
"What's up?" Khassidy asked, sitting up.
I then realized that this would be the first time that her and Dianna would be meeting.
It kind of made me nervous.
-