“I know,” I said quietly.
“You have a lot of promise and a future ahead of you, but it's up to you to make the right decision and take advantage of that. I love you.”
“I love you too.” We hung up.
“Ma cool?” Chubs asked.
“Yeah, she cool.”
“Aye, bruh, look. I fuck with you but not them.”
“I know.” I acknowledged as we fell in step on the way to Dyami’s. “It's just about money anyway. I’m just trying to see how they do it, and I’m gone.” I told him.
“I get you, but even that, be careful. When a nigga sneak dissing like that, my Pops told me, don’t trust it.”
“I feel you, but it ain’t shit. I’ll keep my eyes open.”
“Do that because without me there to watch your back, ain’t no telling what these niggas will try to pull. I gotta go this way. If they see me coming from a different way than my bus drops me off, that’s my ass.” Chub slapped hands with me.
I nodded, and the street split. He turned down his while I kept stepping. The whole way there, I thought about how Dyami wasn’t like any of the other girls in high school. For one, she was the prettiest. Secondly, she wasn’t going like the rest of the girls. Cory and Derron knew that firsthand. She wasn’t the type to do anything because a nigga flashed some money in her face. I heard about her curving them both. She was mean as hell most times, but I didn’t care because once I had her, I knew she wouldbe mine alone, unlike the girls who went for who was the hottest and had the most to give them.
I made it up a few more streets and saw a group of boys in a circle in front of Dyami's house. They were no more than ten years old. Then I heard a little girl scream. I knew that scream anywhere. I broke off into a run. I snatched one of the boys up effortlessly. They were fucking with Dyami's little sister, Trina.
“Fuck wrong with y’all lil niggas?” I questioned while I had one in my grip and mugged the other three.
“Stop!” One of the boys whined. They ass were trying to be mannish, but they quickly turned back into a toddler when confronted by someone older.
“Beat his ass!” Trina’s lil bad ass yelled.
“Girl, be quiet! Y’all get out of here!” The little boys ran, and as soon as the boy in my grasp touched the ground, he did the same.
“Why are you outside by yourself?” I asked Trina. She was no more than six years old, if I remembered correctly.
“We had a half-day.”
I looked around and there was no sight of her mother. Dyami went to extreme lengths to avoid having me come to her house or stay around too long. I thought she was pushing me away because she wasn’t feeling me, but that moment really hit me that her situation was far from ideal. It was common for fathers to be missing. Hell, my pops was locked up for good, so I didn’t think much of that.
I was a young nigga, but my eyes were open to much more than the regular person my age. Right on that sidewalk, I started putting everything together. The more I thought about it, I sawher mom around the block more than once, not looking like herself.
Damn.
“Let’s get you inside. Have you ate since you've been home?” I asked her.
“No, and I’m hungry, but we don’t got no food.” She said honestly
“I know y’all got something. Come on.” I waved her in.
“I’m telling you we don’t.” She sassed but followed me anyway.
I stepped inside the house, and a foul odor hit me, making me take a step back. The shit was so horrible I gagged. I threw my shirt over my nose and felt for a light switch and flicked it. When nothing happened, my heart sank.
“Eww!” Trina said.
“What are you doing? Trina, don’t let people in the house!” I heard Dyami’s voice over my shoulder. When I turned to look at her, she was flushed with embarrassment. “Get out!” She didn’t wait. She stepped in front of me and pressed both her hands on my chest, pushing me out of the door. She didn’t stop pushing until I damn near fell off the front porch steps. I vowed at that moment to start lifting because no way she had handled me like that.
“STOP! He was helping me with the boys.” Trina started to cry.
“What boys?” Dyami snapped.
