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Malik
I know what a hickey looks like and what I was looking at on Fayth's neck was not one.
"What is that Fayth?" I asked again.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she covered it with her hand. "It's nothing."
"I just dropped you off last night and that sure as hell wasn't there. So what the fuck happened between now and then?"
"I can't say." she looked out the window.
I tilted her head towards me. "You can tell me anything, you know that right? It's my job to watch out for you."
"See that's the thing. It's not your job to protect me. Mind your business and stay out of my life!" she snapped as a tear rolled down her face.
"Man I ain't stupid but aight. You letting that dumb ass nigga put his hands on you?"
She reached into her bag and grabbed some makeup and applied it to her neck as she ignored me
If she wanted me to leave her alone then I would. I'll respect her wishes but not until I did something about this. I felt myself get angry as I thought about ways to handle this situation.
**** 1 hour later
If I would've knew my mama would be yelling at me for not bringing cups, I would've stayed my ass at home.
"Go to the store later and get me some cups. And while you're at it pull up ya damn pants!" My mother yelled at me as she tossed the salad.
"Alright, mama," I said for the thirtieth time today.
I love my mama to death but she is always so pushy.
I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of soda.
It was just me and my mama in the house while everybody else was outside having a good time.
She kept looking out the window for whatever reason.
"What's wrong with Fayth? She has been all to herself since she got here."
I tense up at the question
"Fayth is always alone. What's different today?"
"She looks so jumpy. If I didn't know any better I'd say that girl is scared for her life."
"She's fine ma." I try to convince her.
She wasn't fine and we both knew that.
She turned to look at me with hopeful eyes. "Look out for her, okay?"
"Why would I do that?" I scoff
"Malik, please. As much as you pretend you hate that girl, I know you care for her."
I shrugged her off but she was right. I would never admit that though.
She walked toward me and laid one of her frail hands on my shoulder. "If you won't do it for me then do it for Maliyah."
She walked back to where she was and continued tossing the salad.
A few minutes go by before Maliyah comes barging in.
"Oouu it smells good in here. I can't wait to taste the ribs," she said licking her lips.
"Get yo fat ass on somewhere. Being loud and shit." I tell her
"Malik, shut yo big-headed ass up."
"How bout both of y'all shut the hell up." My mama pitched in from behind the counter causing us to laugh.
"On some serious shit though, I need to talk to you in private," I whisper to Maliyah who is currently drowning in ribs.
"Uh oh. What did I do now?"
"It's not about you. C'mon fat nose." I drag her to a more quiet place in the house.
"You always talking bout my nose. You never hear me saying nothing about your elephant ears." She rolled her eyes
"What's going on with your friend?"
"What you mean?"
"I think you know what I mean. Stop fucking playing."
I raise my eyebrows at her. She gives me an anxious facial expression before shrugging.
"Since you want to know so bad why don't you go ask her?"
"Mcht. You know she ain't bout to tell me shit. I think it's something serious."
"I don't know what's wrong with her, Malik. Leave me alone, please. I'm hungry." she said as she brushed pass me.
"If you really think something is wrong then do something about it."
I had already made it my mission to do something about it long before she even said anything.
**** Fayth
"When you gon stop playin with me?" Leon, A friend of Malik said to me.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed at this point. "Nobody's playing with you. I got a man and you know that." I waved him off
He stepped closer to me. "Man, you know I don't give a fuck about none of that shit."
"I can tell."
He would do this every event I seen him at. This man just wouldn't give up.
"Didn't I tell yo bitch ass to leave her alone?" I heard Malik's loud voice behind me causing me to jump in surprise.
"My bad, I'll leave you and yo bitch alone." Leon chuckled Malik raised his eyes in surprise at his comment.
"If this wasn't a public event and my mama wasn't here, yo ass would be laid out on the ground right now." Malik chuckled as he flashed the gun on his waist band.
"Don't you ever disrespect me or my girl again."
Leon nodded and quickly walked away with his hands up.
"Your girl?" I scoffed.
He looked me up and down as he sucked his teeth. "You know what I meant."
"I already got a nigga, I don't need your protection."
He raised his eyebrows. "Is your nigga the one that did this to you?" He said pointing to a barely visible bruise on my cheek that I tried to cover up.
I looked away from him. "Everybody knows you don't fuck with me so stop pretending like you do."
I tried to turn away from him but he roughly pulled me back.
"Fayth, It might seem like I don't fuck with you but you're still my family. I'm going to always protect my family. So I'm not leaving you alone until you tell me what the fuck happened." He stared deeply into my eyes.
I was shocked by his words. Malik never expressed his feelings. Only to his mama and sister. This was a big thing for him. Maybe he really did care.
Tears fell from my eyes before I had time to react. I had been doing so much crying lately, he probably thought I was pathetic.
I looked up into his light brown eyes as he stared deeply into mine.
In this moment I felt like I could trust him, so I told him everything...
