Try Me

Chapter three

Khalan-

"I missed you!" Taija squeezed Tyra tight as they rocked back and forth. Khalan didn't get a hey or anything. Not even a thank you. It's been two weeks since that fight with Tyra, and today he ended up giving in to bringing her to see Taija. He didn't have work, so it played out. But he was annoyed when he found out the reason why Taija didn't go see them. Taija didn't drive down on her own because her baby daddy didn't want her out.

Now how the fuck that work?

"Hey little brother! Look at you, still looking as mean as ever." Taija pinched Khalan's cheek, making him slap her hand away. He looked to his side, seeing her badass son, CJ. He got his father's full name, so he a junior. He looks exactly like Taija's father.

"Hi, uncle Lan."

"Don't speak to me." Khalan playfully mugged him. CJ sucked his teeth and folded his arms. Khalan had told CJ that the next time they see each other, not to talk because every time Khalan calls, he declines them shits because of that childish ass Roblox. "I called you back, and you didn't answer!" CJ yelled, laughing in his defense. "Nah, when you want money, don't be asking me." Khalan shook his head.

As bad as CJ could be, Khalan still loves his nephew. Khalan is the most sane man in the boy life, so they formed a good relationship, which is one of the reasons why his bitch ass daddy doesn't like Khalan. Chris thinks Khalan is trying to play daddy with his son.

Nigga he my whole ass nephew, the fuck.

"My birthday coming up, Uncle."

What's that gotta do with me?" Khalan laughed, knowing damn well he's going to get him something regardless. CJ brushed it off and told Khalan that he's no longer invited to whatever they do for his birthday. Khalan couldn't believe his nephew was turning eight already.
———

"I don't feel like talking right now."

Taija huffed and leaned back in her chair. "We have to talk about it at some point." She rolled her eyes for the millionth time. I hope those bitches get stuck in the back of her head. Khalan shrugged his shoulders at her frustration, letting her know he didn't care. "Talk to Tyra; her ass is the problem; as a matter of fact, I bet she didn't even tell the full story." Tyra always tells Taija about their arguments and the things he does, as if she can get him in trouble. And Khalan's words were always, "Bitch, she my sister, not my mother, aunt, or father. What is she going to do?"

"She told me what you said to her-"

"And?" khalan cut her off.

"You can't say things like that to your little sister, Khalan. It doesn't matter what she says, you don't feed into it because you're older."

Khalan never liked that logic; Tyra is old enough to understand what she be saying. For Khalan to let her keep getting away with isn't going to benefit him in any way. Tyra might even just start doing worse shit until Khalan loses his cool.

Khaln does admit that he did let his emotions get the best of him, but Tyra isn't a fucking victim.

"Did she say all that she said to me?" Khalan questioned her while he slightly tilted his head. She shook her head and said, No, and it doesn't matter; she's a teenager, Khalan. She's doing it for attention; she needs her older brother."

Khalan scrunched his face up. "And what about you? What was the last thing you did for either of us? You a whole hypocrite."

"You volunteered to help her!"

"Because you wouldn't! Even if I volunteered, that doesn't change the fact that you ran off with that nigga for a whole year and fell of the face of Earth." Taija was never planning to help them at all. And let's not bring up the fact that while Khalan was in high school struggling to take care of Tyra with little to no money, Taija had gotten her father's left-over money after he was killed, which was thousands, and she got their mother's left-over money; it wasn't much, but it was enough. She only got it because Tyra wasn't old enough to. It was specified to be given to either Tyra or Taija.

Khalan wasn't even up there.

You want to know what Taija did with that money? She gave the shit to Chris. If she had kept the shit to herself because of CJ, that would've been fine, but she didn't do that. Khalan forgave her, though. He's not mad anymore; he just hates the fact that Taija's criticizing him when she's absolutely no better herself.

"Don't address Chris like that."

"The same nigga that killed yo daddy? Then pointed a gun at yo little brother?" Taija opened her mouth to speak, but Khalan cut her off. "Ain't nobody steal his whack ass weed; I sold better."

He knew she was going to say he stole Chris weed, which Khalan never did. Chris is a drug dealer, and one day he asked Khalan if he wanted to make money, and Khalan, dumb ass, said yeah. He was fifteen and desperate because their mother stopped taking care of him when Tyra's dad was put in jail. Tyra and Taija were the only two she cared about. So Khalan started handing out his weed, collecting the money, and bringing it back to him.

This happened for a month before Khalan stopped after some niggas jumped him, saying the weed was whack. The whole time, Chris was only using Khalan, so he wouldn't be known for selling that weed. Long story short, Khalan stopped helping him and found someone who had better weed. Chris accused Khaln of stealing his shit, which in reality one of his homeboys did—and he knew that too.
———

"That's why you a weed baby!" Tyra yelled, showing out, while Akia stood next to her awkwardly. Once again, they're arguing, and now she's just doing it to impress Akia. All Khalan did was ask her to bring her damn shoes upstairs so he could clean. Khalan's guess was that she was annoyed at him for asking in front of Akia, but he didn't give a damn.

Akia couldn't care less about Tyra getting up for a second to pick up her shoes.

Tyra called Khaln a weed baby because his mother used to smoke in front of him all of the time, so Khalan used to get second-hand high. He could barely function; at one point, Khalan was so off as a kid because he felt like he needed that shit. One time, at around age 6, their mother dropped Khalan off at school after smoking hella weed while he was in the car, basically hotboxing with a child in the car.

As a result, Khalan got high too, and by the time lunch hit, Khalan was out of it. The weed had worn off, and he started to act out, so their mom had to pick him up because the school kept calling her about the weed smell and his behavior. This happened so much that Khalan barely ever ate without it in his system because he'd have no appetite. That was all he wanted. Khalan couldn't fully understand it then, but there were times where he would just go sit by their mother as she smoked because it was such a calming feeling.

"Bitch and you a crack baby."

Khalan was referring to their mother doing crack while pregnant with Tyra. It was only two or three times, but he didn't give a fuck. She still came out perfectly fine, despite the fact that she was premature. Akia looked over at Tyra before looking over at Khalan. Tyra real quiet now. She loves making someone feel bad about themselves. Khalan doesn't care that he's the older brother. He's not entitled to always be the bigger person. Tyra is going to have to learn and get over it.

Tyra grabbed Akia's hand and started walking up the stairs. Khalan scoffed and rolled his eyes, knowing she was about to go call Taija.

"And tell Taija not to call me about shit."

"Stop talking to me, stupid bitch!" She started to get louder. Akia put his hand over her mouth and quietly told her to shush. Tyra pushed Akia's hand off of her, damn near knocking him down the steps. Khalan just shook his head and walked into the kitchen.

This little girl is getting more reckless than usual and I'm sick of it.