Hoodrat

23

Rashad

I sat in Mark's living room watching his son play the game.

"How old you is now nigga?" I asked him.

"I'm ten nigga" he said making me laugh. It had been a minute since I came around I thought this kid was eight.

I opened my wallet and slapped three hundreds in his hand.

"Don't say unc ain't never do nothing for you."

"Aww man, thanks uncle Shad." He said getting up and running to his room to put it up I guess.

Mark came out the kitchen with two beers.

"You up here spoiling my son? He not gone do nothing with it but spend it on play station cards."

I just laughed.

"How you been nigga? Since you found out about Mazi we ain't seen much of you."

"Man I would bring her around, but you know."

"Yeah, I know. How much longer that restraining order gone last?"

"Man, it's ineffective on the 25th"

"That shit good man, that's in a week. Ain't you happy." He looked over at me before taking a swig of his drink.

"Man hell yeah," I smiled "I ain't been doing right by it anyways but it's gone feel so good going out with Mazi and Yara and not having to look over my shoulder every five minutes and always being paranoid."

"Yara huh" he smirked.

"'Man chill on me" I laughed.

"Y'all just need to stop playing, everybody can see y'all want each other. Alex even see that shit and he don't even give a fuck."

"Yeah but don't none of that shit change the fact that she 17."

"When she turn 18?" He asked.

"Next month."

"Nigga what? Get on that bruh" he smacked his lips.

"Man, it's the principal."

"It's the princip- man aight. You keep on with that shit, you gone let another nigga get hold of her then what?"

I just waved that thought away. I didn't even want to think about that.

My phone dinged and I looked down to see Mazi had sent me a voice message.

"Where you at? You better come get me before Yaya say a bad word at you when you get here" I heard her little voice say as I listened.

"Oh shit, I'm bouta dip" I said getting up and locking hands with him before I headed towards the door.

"Aight, remember what I said."

I laughed and shook my head before making my way towards Yara's house.

"You're late" Yara said opening the door in some nike spandex shorts and a thin white spaghetti strap. She best not tempt me.

"Put some fucking clothes on man it's cool outside." I told her before walking in the house.

"Don't ignore me, where you been? You said you was going to come get Mazi at two, it's going on three."

"Look, I was coolin with Mark. I'm here now right? You got work today or something?" I said grabbing Mazi's bag.

"No, but don't make this shit a habit. When you say you coming to get her, you keep your fucking word. She not finna be sad waiting on you all day and you doing other shit." She snapped on me.