Stormz on the Horizon

Obey, Oblige, Don't Trust

Diamond

"You, trying out....for...Royal Aces??? Well would you look at God putting you on a righteous path all of a sudden," Jabari teased Jade across from him.

We ended up at The Mag, short for Magnolia's and so did the rest of the world, it seemed. It took us forty minutes to get sat down somewhere. They looked like they had nothing, but large parties dining in tonight and we were one of them. Every time you turned your head to the entrance a new swarm of people were coming inside. To say they were busy tonight is an understatement. This place has been around forever and I had only been eating here my whole life. Over the years it has expanded and evolved from an old family juke joint to a modern club scene, but people of all ages are welcome. The woman, Magnolia, who started the place, passed and left it in the family. They've since continued to make it flourish. It's a very Black friendly environment, you know that as soon as you cross the threshold to feel anything from trap to r&b vibrate the building. I can't say you won't get any stares as a white person strolling through the door. Gotta have some soul to come up in here.

Me and Jabari sat across from Jade, sitting adjacent to us was the rest of the bunch in a large round booth.

"Shut up. I said I was trying out so that's what imma do," she rolled her neck. 

"Whatever you say Jade," he slowly sipped his sweat tea through the straw with a doubtful stare.

"Oh nigga please don't act like I ain't shit, you not the only good dancer at the table. Ain't them days behind you anyway 'mr. imonvarsity'," she air quoted. "Word on the street you supposed to be the best freshman out or something."

"What you heard is true, but I'll never be done dancing..the hell makes you think that?"

"You just sound extra, extra busy that's all," Jade gave a tight smile.

"Man please. Friendly advice, focus on tryouts before worrying about my workload...mkay? Akiki," he responded.

"Can y'all both hush? Y'all are making my brain hurt," I said tapping my fork against my glass.

"He started it, AS USUAL," Jade spoke.

"Shonuff I started it and I will every time. Somebody has to keep you humbled Jade."

"What?! Boy you got me fucked up-"

I'm tuning them out. As hard as I try, these two just don't see eye to eye. And yes, it is a hundred percent true that Jabari starts it. I think he resents her for allowing me to end up in so many situations defenseless as a child. I don't hold it against her through. Yeah we were little, but I wish she didn't have her priorities fucked up, aka worrying about no one, but herself. She was a little fast thing, I don't know about now, but I don't doubt it. I know for sure she's no longer that way at MY EXPENSE. That was Jabari's problem, when it came to me, Jade didn't act like she gave a damn enough as my cousin, but I'm trying to get him to see her differently. When I do, it always turns into a competition. Who is better, Jabari or Jade?

"No comment," is always my answer. That's it.

The music was loud enough to cover them that I could put my attention elsewhere. My phone was dead, so there went a book. I sipped on my coke and a pack of boys walked in. It was the same pack from two hours ago. With them was none other than the enormous bobble head I was hoping to avoid for as long as possible. Eye contact was immediate, but I recoiled just as fast. No way. He stood in front of the boys very king-like at the head of restaurant over looking the overcrowded space. His snake eyes found me sitting straight ahead from the door all the way across the room. They were so intense and scary it was actually hard to look back.