Brother's Keeper✔️

59. One World

Manny POV

Girls were nothing but trouble.

There was not much he could do about Laila leaving him. Maybe it was all for the best now that he thought about it. Why have one girl when he could have them all?

Before Laila, girls were not looking his way, now he received all the attention. There were so many girls approaching him, having heard of the breakup, he did not know which one to pick as his next girl.

All of them!

He went on dates, took the girls out to eat or a movie, and smashed most of them after the first date. If they were down, they were on his roster. If they wanted something more, he was not the guy for them Thing was, most girls did not care that would not be the main chick.

"So you're saying after all the fucking we did, you just gonna play in my face with all these other bitches?" That was Shamiya who should consider herself lucky still breathing the air he breathed. If it was not for her, he would still be with Laila.

"All you had to do was keep your mouth closed and legs open." Shamiya followed him as he and a cute redhead girl with freckles came back from a date and headed to his room. The girl was down, so he was going to make her night, even though his ex-sidepiece was trying to mess things up.

"Fuck you! You ain't all that!" she yelled at him. "I thought you were one of the good guys, church-going, smart, quiet...you sang in the gospel choir!"

She just did not know that church guys and girls were some of the freakiest. He had not been, until now, but even his friends back home at church used to get it in. It's why his parents supplied him with a heavy supply of condoms he was putting to get used.

He turned to the girl he was with and rubbed her cheek. "Baby go in my room and wait for me, this won't take long,"

She giggled and walked into his room, leaving the door cracked a bit. He turned back to Shamiya standing there. She still was a hot girl, but he was over her. he could get the same thing with less drama somewhere else.

"I need someone that won't put my business in the streets, and you ran your mouth. Anyway, you're old news. Haven't you heard? New pussy is always better."

"I hate you!" Shamiya gave him a shove and then stormed off.

Whatever with her.

He had changed into a completely different person than he was last year. Blame the letters. Blame coming out of his Mr. Nice Guy shell. Blame sex making him feel like "the man" Whatever it was, he was young and free and he could do whatever he wanted.

Jordan and he had a code, now that they were both single. He would text him he needed the room for the night, and Jordan would find somewhere else to crash. Jordan could do the same for him as well, but he was not taking him up on it. Jordan still pined over Marketta, and that was a waste of energy.

Next year when he lived in the fraternity house he could get even more wild. He looked forward to seeing how much trouble he could get into his junior year. Wild parties, having the frat alumnae come down and hang with them, and he wanted to go on the road more, visit other schools where Epsilon Upsilon was. Build his network. Life after college should be his focus as well.

They would for sure pledge a new line. He could not wait to be on the other side of pledging. Bringing in new blood, teaching them as Brian and Taj taught him. Bonding and making new friends with them.

Life was too short, as everyone saw with the passing of Malinda and Terrance. That could have been any of them. Life gone in an instant. That is why he was going to live it up, with no regrets. If someone did not like the way he was living, fuck them!

There was no need to settle down and become serious with one person. He had time to find the love of his life, get married, have a family, and all that was the "American Dream." Of course, he wanted that, but not right now or any time soon.

Besides his fraternity, he needed something else to do with his life. He officially told his parents he was studying music and though they were upset, they still supported him He wanted to sing. He wanted to learn about music. He wanted to perform every chance he could. And not in the gospel choir.

Just like Jordan had blown up with his dancing on TikTok, maybe he could post more of himself singing and see if he could gain a following.

He asked his line brother for help while they were hanging out in their room, studying for finals.

"LB, show me the ropes and have your followers, follow me."

"Mannnn, Imma forget you said that. Build your own audience. I'll help you, but yo shit better not be corny."

"When was I ever corny?"

Jordan looked him up and down and chuckled. "I remember when you didn't even know an Usher or Chris Brown song, deacon's kid. You weren't even on social media like that."

True, he was not into much secular music, but between Jordan and Laila, he was on top of all the hot artists.

"I need to get serious about my music. I want to write and perform my own songs. I need to find other musicians maybe have my own band and perform around town."

"Mannn, you do know we're in little Bloomington-Normal. Unless you're singing country or some rock shit, nobody is offering you to sing at their place. You need to see what you can do when you get home in the Lou."

It was true, he was going home for summer break. The bad thing was, Jordan was staying in Bloomington-Normal for summer school. He wished he could stay. but his parents were not going to pay for him to stay or support him, and he did not have a job. Jordan was doing well with his Influencer money.

"Maybe I will see what I can do when I get home."

It was not going to be the same, living at home with his parents. It was a good thing he had a car and Jordan was only two hours away. He would come and visit him often.

At least one thing came of this year, he had a new best friend and brother for life.

A/N: Manny has gone through this major transformation. Not the innocent little guy I first intended to write about. I seriously did not plan out his storyline, but this happens a lot. When people say pledging changes you, and then you come back and say, no it doesn't, it's a lie.

It changes you. Either for the good or bad, but you do NOT stay the same after pledging. I believe I came out as a better person. Some people don't but don't hate sorority/fraternity life for that, they were going to become that person eventually.