𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯
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i thanked the Lord that the mall wasn't that far of a walk from my house. or else i would have told omar to come and pick me up, but i did not want to wait in that damn house with those sorry excuses for parents.
my mind drifted off to the overwhelming events that occurred just over a span of a few hours, and the look on my parents' faces when they told me to leave. their eerily calm voices that hid harsh words rang in my head, and so badly did i want to forget about it.
my eyes began to water again but i quickly blinked them away. i will not be caught crying out here in public.
at the same time though, i let out an emotionless chuckle. i just found it ironic that all my life i've been deprived of the attention a child needs from a parent and that none of my business about anything, unless it was something good that happened at school, had ever reached listening ears and they never truly cared about my feelings or anything that i had to say, but as soon as i try to be a normal teenager one time, everything goes to shit and it's then they wanna pay attention.
i shook my head and sniffled. wow, i'm a sad ass nigga.
within the next few minutes i had reached northgate mall and sat on the bench in front of a ralph lauren store and waited for omar, already letting him know that i was waiting.
for about ten more minutes, people continued to walk in and out of the building, and continued to peer down at the ground or at my phone. i chuckled as i twirled it around my fingers.
"surprised they ain't take this shit." i grumbled to myself bitterly.
i peered up from the concrete ground and say a familiar... pudgy looking figure walking towards me. his face got clearer as he got closer and i saw several facial and neck tattoos and hanging from his neck was a big ass cuban link. he sported a long lime green jacket with a black hoodie, black ripped jeans and those bulky lime green balenciagas.
when he reached the bench i was sitting at, i scrunch my face up. "look, i don't think it was necessary to be dressing like this if you just came to pick me up from the mall..." i commented looking him up and down.
he chuckled and rolled his eyes. "calm yo' damn near caucasian ass down. i ain't dress like this for you. i was comin' from somewhere else. ain't nobody tryna impress you."
i chuckled again, grabbing my bags from beside me. "mmhm, yeah okay. ole' droopy from tom and jerry lookin-ass."
omar laughed a little louder. "nigga shut up and gimme yo' bags."
i laughed along with him and handed him on of my duffel bags, holding the other two, with my backpack still on my back.
we talked a little until we reached his car. i panted a bit; i don't know why he decided to park so far.
he unlocked his car and i opened the door to put my stuff in the back and then hopped in the passenger side.
i sighed heavily. "oh God... how did i even get here..." i mumbled to myself, my voice becoming quieter.
i sniffled and rubbed my eyes, trying to prevent myself from crying in front of omar.
"lathan..." omar began quietly, starting up the engine so he could turn on the heat. "what happened? why'd you tell me to pick you up? and what's up with them bags?" he asked, pointing to the back of the car.
"i--i.." my eyes had become glossy again as i thought back over the past few days. i sniffled again and turned towards the window, only so he wouldn't see the tear slip from my eye.
"y-your aunt molina... a-and uncle anthony, kicked me out.." i said a little above a whisper. i prayed that omar heard me the first time so i wouldn't have to repeat myself. it hurts the more i talk or think about it. i hated being so vulnerable but i honestly couldn't help it.
"what?" omar asked in disbelief. "why would they do that? you're not even 18 yet, what the fu--"
"because." i said, stopping him. "i-i came home from school e-early and i... i caught anthony having sex with some... some irrelevant, unknown bitch and then i snuck out t-to a party with yasmeen to get my mind off things and i-i met this boy and we made out a-and that fake redhead ass hoe danielle took pictures of us and sent them to my parents. t-they found out t-today and then molina hit.... s-she hit--"i said everything in one breath but i stopped because i couldn't control my increased tear flow at this point and i cried silently, the mental and emotional pain all rushing back and drowning me. i put my hand over my face as a shield, so he couldn't see.
i then felt his large hand rub my back in soothing circular motions as i breathed unsteadily, and gulped. "s-she hit me and t-they gave me money, took my car, kicked me out and locked the door behind me.." i finished in a more angry tone. i made crescent moons in my palms, trying to control my breathing. my face and ears were probably red by now.
"damn... " omar said after a few seconds of silence. "fuck... what the fuck is wrong with them? i'm so sorry that you had to go through that. and don't think i don't notice how they barely be paying you any mind. they be actin' like they don't have a whole child."
i didn't say anything but rub my eyes. "y-yeah. it's okay. i'm gone now. and i'm not coming back."
"shit... betta' not." omar said, making me chuckle. he sat back in his seat, running his hand through his dreads. "damn. that's really fucked up. i should beat all they asses, but i don't hit bitches."
i looked at him tiredly and shook my head, a sad smile appearing on my face. "omar... you can't figh-- you know what, let me hush."
"nuh uh nigga, go ahead and say--" he began to clap back but his phone was vibrating in the cupholder. he smacked his teeth and rolled his eyes, answering without checking the caller i.d.
"yes?" he asked with a bit of attitude. his facial expression changed a bit from regret to indifferent. "oh... my bad. wassup, auntie." he spoke with no emotion in his voice. i whipped my head up when he said auntie, knowing exactly who he was talking to. omar's mother only had one sister.
"why you even calling me?" he asked into the phone.
i got angrier the longer he was on the phone. that bitch really had nerve to call omar? after she and that nigga kicked me out? oh nah, i got something for her ass.
"well he ain't wit' me right n--" acting out on impulse, i snatched the phone out omar's hand and put it to my ear.
"whatchu' callin' my cousin fo'?" i demanded, sniffling and rubbing my nose.
"l-lathan! listen, i--
i couldn't even stand to hear her voice. "nah, you listen. i only got one thing to say to you. yo' sorry excuse of a husband, anthony, is cheating on you. has been for a while. don't believe me? ask him, and watch him stutter like a fucking two-year-old. don't call me or omar again." i spat in a calm, steady voice. and with that, i hung up and handed omar his phone.
i sat back, sighing, and threw my hoodie on my head.
omar stared at me, kind of stuck. but then he burst out laughing. i laughed a little with him too. "damn! stepped on her neck. i'm proud of you though. you did what you had to. " he dapped me up and he started his way back to his house.
faint music was playing in the background and i glanced at omar. "hey omar?"
"hmm?"
"could you like.... not tell your mom? or anyone? you know she gon' blab or whatever. and i know how messy you be."
he smacked his teeth and rolled his eyes again. "i am not messy. i just be tellin' people what it is. but yeah, i gotchu. i wouldn't want nobody in my business either. you told you friends? yasmeen and uh... what's his name trey?"
"but you steady in everyone else's-- okay omar." i stopped myself to chuckle at my own response. "yeah, that's his name. but hell no i ain't tell them. i don't want them to worry and i don't want to be a burden or whatever."
"yo, shut the fuck up! i ain't messy." omar laughed. he tossed his phone in my lap and shrugged. "you should let 'em know. if you'on want to that's okay too. here, plug my phone up to the aux."
i looked at him like he was crazy and rolled my eyes. "nigga, i don't know who yo' dog ass barking at but it sure ain't me." i still did what he said and plugged up his phone and set it in the cupholder.
"you still rappin'?" i asked, pulling out my own phone.
i saw him nod. "yeah. i been blowing up a lately. that's a where i got this cuban link from. and i'm on tour."
i snapped my neck in his direction. "touring? since when?"
"for a few months now." he said looking back and forth between his phone and the road.
"don't fuck around and kill us omar." i said, adjusting my seat belt .
"shut 'cho pale ass up. i ain't killin' nobody. i know what i'm doing." he mumbled the last part. "anyways, yeah, i'm on tour with another rapper. opening up for him and shit. i'm planning my own tour though, next year for my album."
i arched my brow. "album?"
"mhmm. i got an album and just dropped a mixtape last week. that's what i'ma play, see if you like it."
i hummed in response, slouching my seat. "hmm, let's see if you can actually rap or not." omar shook his head.
"so this tour, when's the next show?" i asked out of curiosity.
"we gon' be in seattle for two nights, and they next week, i just wanted to come back here early because they takin' break. thought of visiting home for bit and handle some things, see moms, and just chill."
i nodded my head. "that's nice." i mumbled.
he put on one of his songs and this light warbling sound came on, sounding like it came from a cartoon. "i don't want to fuck a single bitch, i want a double. bitch i keep the piece like i came here with a puzzle. if he actin' crazy i'ma pop him like a bubble. bitch i came to fuck, i did come just to cuddle." omar's voice came through the speakers.
then the beat dropped and the bass came in, making my seat vibrate a little. i subconsciously nodded my head to the beat.
"okay..." i grumbled. "the beat is fire."
we continued to listen to the song and a few others of his until we finally reached his house. he stopped the car and turned the engine off.
i sighed, running my fingers through my curls. i needed a job if i'ma be living here, because i was surely not going not going to ask or borrow money from omar or his mom. i had too much pride and was too respectful for that.
"you good?" he asked, his gaze shifting to me as he opened his car door.
i nodded. "yeah, i'll be a'ight. i need to start looking for a job though. i don't wanna be depending on y'all for everything."
omar shook his head. "nah, you good. you're family. if you need something, we'll help you."
this time i shook my head. "that's if i ever ask for it, which i'll probably won't. but i'm still gonna look for somewhere to work."
my cousin shrugged and grabbed two of the duffle bags out of the car. "okay. whatever you say."
i hummed and got my other bags out the car and closed the door, following omar to the porch. he got out his keys and unlocked the door, stepping inside. the familiar smell my aunt lena's favorite scent of febreze lingered in the air.
"you can stay in the guest room." omar said walking to the staircase. i nodded. "where's yo' mom?"
he shrugged, "prolly in the kitchen, making something i don't know." i rolled my eyes because he never had a definite answer and i set my bags down and walked to the kitchen and there i saw my aunt lena, stirring something in a pan as it sizzled loudly.
i decided to scare her so creeped behind her and squeeze her shoulders gently and she whipped around quickly, holding up the spatula like she was going to stab someone with it. whatever she was stirring with the spatula had landed on my face it burned.
"ahh, shit!" i cursed and quickly wiped away whatever hot substance got on my cheek.
aunt lena put both hands over her mouth in surprise and sat the spatula down and rushed over to hug me.
"oh! i'm so so sorry lathan! you scared me and it was out of defense!" she hugged me tightly and repeatedly apologizing and i chuckled, pulling back from her.
"it's okay auntie. i know it was an accident." i rubbed my cheek in a comforting manner.
she sighed and looked at me before ruffling my hair. "okay.."
"what brings you here anyways? i haven't seen you in about a year. you're getting so big, aww! turning into a handsome man." she pinched my cheeks and i playfully rolled my eyes.
"you too old to be actin' like grandma now." she playfully hit my chest and rolled her eyes and turned back around to continue cooking.
i quickly thought of a lie. "just wanted to come visit. i needed to get out the house for a bit."
my aunt looked back and gave me a look, arching her eyebrow. "your parents know your here?"
shit.
"yeah." i said smoothly. she looked at me for a moment longer before turning back to the stove. "mmhmm."
i let out a silent breath of relief and went up to the guest room where omar already set my stuff near the bed.
i sat down on it with a huff. kicking off my shoes i pulled out my phone from pocket and saw two new messages from the group chat with me and trey and yasmeen in it.
i decided i looked later. all they do is send weird and funny stuff from instagram. i needed to get this stuff unpacked, then i'd start looking for places that were hiring.
i groaned when i realized i had to go to school tomorrow. i didn't feel like going to face yas and trey even though i missed them a lot. i didn't feel like pretending everything was fine and that i'm okay, when i knew that neither of those things were true. if they saw something was wrong, they were gonna press me until i told them what happened.
i guess i'll have to improve my acting skills.
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i feel like that ending was ass. idk. what do you think?
[excuse mistakes and/or errors. unedited]
soo...yeah. lathan moved in w/ omar. and i know y'all wondering where taymor at but i promiseee he's coming in like the next chapter or two. i know, i'm excited for his appearance too :)
tell me your thoughts guyth.
lathan?
aunt lena?
omar?
the story/ship in general?
thank you so much for everyone that actually enjoys this story. i know i told y'all this before, but i'm so so happy you guys are so receptive to this ship and that you guys like it. it means so much to me.
vote! comment! tell people this story/ship exists!
vi and avi 🖤💜