My Brother's Hood Bestfriend

TWENTY THREE

Janiyah

I started to tremble. I'd never been so frightened ever since the nights with my dad. I was so terrified. I attempted to cover my fear, but despite my best efforts, I was unable to do so. All the memories had come back, and I was lost for words. Mari stared at me, confused on what to do. He hesitated a little, before slowly walking up to me.

I ran into his arms as he pretty much just saved my life. He stood still for a moment, but then eventually wrapped his arms around me tight whilst he gently rubbed my back. Tears began to form in my eyes however I didn't let them fall out.

"It's fine. I'm here, Janiyah. I'm here now. You're good." He spoke softly. I was so scared that I didn't wanna let go, but he didn't let go either. He held on tight, so tight that I began to feel safe in his arms.

He began to stroke my hair.

"You're safe now. Everythings alright, yeah." He whispered.

"I...I wanna go home, Mari." He eventually released me from his arms and nodded. Then he put his arm around my shoulder and led me to his car.

I sat down in the passenger seat, still shaken over what just happened. Mari drove slowly, one hand on the steering wheel, and he slowly placed his other hand on my thigh. He caressed my thigh slowly, making me calm down. Butterflies🤭.

We arrived at Jordan's house. He parked the car.

"Hey, Mari." I sniffed. He looked at me.

"I'm.. im so... im so sorry. For everything seriously. I've just been so difficult. I need to start listening to you, because everything you say is right."

He smiled a little, then nodded. I guessed from the nod that he'd accepted my apology. I smiled back.

"It's calm. Don't worry yeah." He said reassuringly. Suddenly, our eyes met. However, this wasn't like the eye contact we'd ever had before. His eyes looked, upset, hurt and sorry. Lmao, the nigga looked so sad. I began to slowly smirk, trying not to laugh, but I couldn't keep it in.

Suddenly, I was laughing so hard. I'm sorry but seeing him all upset made me laugh so bad. Why was he even upset? I turned back to see him staring at me confused.

"Nigga you were just about to die, what's so funny?"

"Your face bro!" I laughed. He rolled his eyes before smiling.

"Bare confusing, fam. It's actually weird, Janiyah." He said. I laughed a bit more, then after some time I calmed down.

"You the confusing one, not me." I replied afterwards.

"Nah bro you are." He stated. I shook my head in response.

"No seriously." Mari continued. "You're just confusing to read. Sometimes, you're chill. Then the next second, you're a piss take."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a piss take, stfu."

"Nah on a serious ting. Not even tryna take the piss, but you're just confusing. I didn't understand before...but I get it now."

"You get what?"

He stayed quiet for a while. I think he was processing whether he could open up to me or not. Why was he acting cute now? I wanted to hate him! Suddenly he began to speak.

"You remind me of me when I was 15." He began. "Rage used to hate me fam. Whenever he'd tell me to not go somewhere, I'd get pissed and not listen to him, but I should've listened." He began to look down.

"It's peak when people are out to get you, just cah you're siblings on the road. Then it gets to the point where you just have to join in." He sighed, then looked up at me.

"Nigga that's just your fault because who told you to get involved?" I asked screwing him.

"You know, I didn't choose the road life." He spoke. "I actually... i actually wanted to be a boxer yk." I couldn't help but laugh again. He screwed me.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! Please continue."

He kissed his teeth. "Then something happened init. They did something to my brother. That's my blood, so of course I weren't letting that shit happen. So I joined his gang, like a dickhead."

It was silent for a moment. I'd never seen this soft side to Mari. But it was nice.

"What did they do to him?"

"Stabbed him." He replied, looking down. "5 times. Just imagine, yeah, seeing your own blood begging for air." He stopped for a moment.

"He survived tho, but imagine if he didn't."

He began to look sad. I gently placed my hand on his, trying to reassure him, but he quickly moved it away. I was out here acting like this was some movie.

"Fuck. I shouldn't be chatting about this shit to you." He spoke. He scratched the back of his head, then lied his head back on the car seat. Fuck, he looked so leng.

"Why do they always know where I am?" I asked quietly. He shrugged.

"Maybe one of your friends are snakes fam. You never know."

Eh. I don't think any of my friends would do that. Donelle, Leon and Manny literally work for Mari, they wouldn't do that. Imani wouldn't get involved in road shit, and Chi would never betray me.

I looked at Mari. Nah this man's just so beautiful. I couldn't help but ask the question that's been on my mind for timeee.

"Mari, have you ever had a girlfriend?" He looked at me confused.

"Me? Girlfriend?"

"Like a proper girlfriend, not the 5937 girls that come to your house to give you brain everyday."

Mari chuckled. "Nah. Only one, when I was 15. She was like 20, or 21 I don't remem-"

"JESU!" I screamed. "WHICH FOOL IS DATING A 15 YEAR OLD AT THEIR BIG AGE? AINT THAT AGAINST THE LAW?" Mari began to laugh.

"That women must've been so meady that she couldn't get someone her own age. How did you even get with her?" I asked laughing.

"Don't worry." Mari chuckled. The car went silent as our laughs died down. I literally was beginning to fall in love with him🤭. I hate to admit it, but this side of him was just adorable. He turned to look at me, his head still resting on the head rest of the car seat.

"I rate what you did btw. Trying to lie saying I left the country, even tho that was some shit lie." He spoke. I smiled in return.

"Aight, ready to go home, yeah?" He asked.

I was not letting this night end. He was just finally starting to open up to me and I was scared that by tomorrow he would go back to hating me again.

"Actually, I don't wanna go home. Can we go to yours instead?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess I just don't feel like telling Jordan about what happened. He'll go mad. A bit too overprotective." I replied. Mari smiled.

"Aight then." He said and began driving.