Lifestyle

[6] "Maybe you'll be my reason to go back."

Darnell was glad when the lunch bell ringed. He could finally go home since he was a Co op student. His daytime job was at the Footlocker in the mall.
Yea he was indeed one of the best drug dealers out there, but if he ever got caught up, he had something to fall back on.
It was only 12 and he didn't have to clock in until 2. He went and sat in his car so he could decide what he wanted to do for the remainder of his time. He remembered there was a half smoked blunt sitting in the ash tray of his car. He reclined his seat and lit the joint and put it to his lips.
He really needed to stop smoking. Basketball practice would be starting back up and he didn't need to fail a drug test. All he was thinking about was the big drop Roscoe had told him and Jamal about just the day before. One hundred thousand dollars would have him set. He would be able to let the game go to focus more on his basketball and going to college. Jamal would probably follow in his lead and drop out too and focus on his music. But did he really want to?  Darnell and Jamal had been in the game for two years now, the fast lifestyle had become addicting and the only way out is the casket.
Darnell shook his head. He took his mind off the subject and focused on the movement he saw out the corner of his eye. He prayed it wasn't an administrator because he could not afford a suspension. Coach would bench him and run him til he had noodle legs.
The person came into clear view and thankfully it was just a girl; a familiar looking girl. Darnell sat up and squinted his eyes. It was her. Essence. Darnell got out his car and closely followed behind her to see she walked up to a 2015 Range Rover.
"That's a hella nice car for someone who has a mother that's strung out on drugs and has never met their daddy."
This made Essence jump. She snapped her head towards him. "What the hell! You scared the shit outta me!"
Darnell chuckled. "My bad. I was just checking up on ya." He reassured her. "But I can see you're doing just fine." He said gesturing to her car.
"I uh-"
"Look, however you get your hustle is your business."
"Wait, what?"
"I'm just sayin, if you out here selling pus-"
"Oh hell no! I'm a virgin!"
"Really?" Essence could see the twinkle in Darnell's eyes. "That's hella sexy."
She blushed and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Thank you."
"I didn't know you went here."
"Oh I'm new. Today is my first day."
He looked at his watch. "What? You hate it already? It's too early to be leaving."
She laughed. "I love it. I was just coming to sit for a while, I'm in Co op. I don't have to go in til 2."
Darnell nodded his head. "Same here. You wanna chill with me?"
"Like, in your car?"
"Yea. If that's cool with you."
Essence never had a boy ask her to chill. She was apprehensive about it, but figured no harm could be done.
"Sure."
She placed her things in her truck and then followed Darnell to his car. He opened the passenger door for her and she climbed in. He jogged to the other side and got in too. He grabbed his still lit blunt and inhaled it.
"Do you mind?" He asked her.
"Naw."
"You smoke?"
"Occasionally."
He chuckled. "You wanna hit?"
She took the blunt from him and parted her lips. Essence needed this. She felt the smoke fill her lungs before she pushed the smoke out through her nose.
Darnell watched her intently. He licked his lips. Watchin her do that was so sexy. It made him think of the kind of girl he would want to be with. A girl that would roll his blunt and smoke it with him, but also had her shit together.
"So where do you work?" She asked.
"Footlocker. You?"
"Old Dutch."
"Word? That use to be my favorite ice cream shop."
"Use to be? What happened?"
Essence felt the change of the atmosphere when she asked him that. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
He took a deep breath and took a long drag from his blunt. Essence felt uncomfortable now. She didn't feel right sitting in the car with him. She went to reach for the door handle.
"My last foster mother took me there." He started. "The last time we went, she told me she was putting me back into the system."
"But why?"
"She got pregnant. They didn't need me to fill the void of not having a child anymore."
"Darnell," Essence put her hand over his. He looked at their contact and then up into her eyes. "I'm so sorry."
The side of his lip turned up into a little smile. "It's cool ma."
"No, it's not. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to not know my parents."
"Parents? I thought you said you didn't know yo daddy."
"I-i mean I don't. But-"
"I get it." She sighed of relief. "At least your mom has had a presence in your life. I don't know if mine dead or alive."
This made Essence feel like shit. She knew her parents, she wasn't poor, but she just couldn't find a way to tell him that. She had already taken a strong liking to him. He had been so open with her and would probably hate her if he found out she was already lying to him.
"Yea, but the ice cream is still pretty great." She said trying to lighten the mood.
He chuckled. "Maybe you'll be my reason to go back."
Essence stared into the eyes of this handsome boy sitting beside her. This would be the part in the movie where they would kiss, but Essence knew better than to do that. She could tell by the way he was staring at her lips that he was thinking the same thing too.
"I think I should go." She said. "I gotta go home and check on my moma."
He nodded his head. "I understand."
She reached for the door handle once again, but he stopped her. "Hold up ma, dealing with me, you'll never touch a door again."
She blushed and waited as he came to her side of the car to let her out. When she stood she was directly under his chin. He closed the door and gently pushed her up against the car. She gasped when he pressed his body against hers.
"Essence chill. I'm not gonna hurt you."
"I know. I'm just not use to this."
"Says the person that cussed out a strapped drug dealer."
She playfully his his arm. "Shut up! I didn't know he was packin."
He laughed at her. "Well can I have your number before you go?"
She thought it over. She saw no problem in taking his number. He slipped his phone out his pocket and handed it to her. She installed her name and took a selfie for her contact I.D.
"Woah! You didn't tell me we was taking selfies."
She laughed at his silliness. "You wanna take one with me?"
"Hell ya. Put it on the snap."
They posed for a picture on snapchat. "I gotta get going."
He took a step away from her. "I'll text you."
"Ok." She got off his car and walked to her vehicle.
Darnell looked down at his phone and at the picture they just took. He saved it and then typed the caption
"My future wifey."
He posted it to his snapchat and got back in his car to head to work.