Eric Harden had his whole life mapped out since the day he was born and never strayed from that path. Until Gavin Adams walked into his life and awoke feelings in him that he never even knew existed.
And now he was expected to just forget about it a...
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On god, I was breathing like a new man.
And I woke up to the smell of bacon, so it's like I won twice. When the house smells like bacon that means Mom is off for the next couple days.
I came barreling into the kitchen to see Mom standing at the stove in pink sweatpants. On the counter beside her was plates of pancakes, eggs, and a bowl of grits. Just at the sight of all this food my stomach started growling. Yo, I love when Mom is off for a couple days.
"Hey, Mom." I threw my arms around her, bending down to kiss her forehead.
"Well, aren't you happy" She eyed me as I stepped back, "You're suspiciously happy." Her eyes narrowed. Then she grabbed the spatula from the counter and twisted her whole body towards me.
I took some steps back just for precaution. "Ma." I put my hands up. Aight, maybe the forehead kiss overdid it. But like a nigga can't spread love anymore?
She pointed the bacon weapon at me, "Where were you last night?"
I smiled wide, showing all my teeth, "At Dre's."
That must wasn't a good enough answer because the next thing I knew the spatula was pressed against my Adams apple. "And how long were you at Dre's?"
"Til eleven."
Mom worked over nights and Dad was in bed by 9 p.m. usually every night, so there was no fucking way for her to know otherwise.
Her head tilted to the side with a raised eyebrow , "Your curfew is ten. Or did you suddenly forget?"
Oh shit. Forgot about that part.
"But it's summer time, Ma." My smile faltered a little, "And I'm not in high school anymore."
I put on the best puppy eyes I could come up with. We stared at each other, until finally she was satisfied enough to put the spatula down, "Don't get fucked up, you hear me? I'm too young and sexy to be a grand—Oh, wait! Never mind. No girls means no babies." She laughed to herself, cutting off the stove. "Don't bring no fast ass lil boys in my house, Eric."
I sucked my teeth. Because swapping out girls for the word boys was so hilarious, right. That deadass use to be her favorite thing to say when I was in High school. Little did she know sneaking fast ass girls in here was my favorite thing to do.
Ahh, good times.
"You're so violent and unfunny." Now I got bacon grease on my neck and shit. Too young my ass, lady you are fourty-something years old.
"Where you think you got it from?"
She had a point there. Dad was tough, but Mom had too many stories of fights she been in back in the day for me to disagree. Apparently she use to beat bitches under the table. Her words not mine.
I reached around her and grabbed a couple pieces of bacon, shoving them in my mouth. The moan that left my lips was barbaric as I reach for more.
"Have I ever told you how much I loved you."
She nodded, "Only every time I cook for you."
"Yeah, Dad's food just don't hit the same." His shit was always too dry, unless it was rice then it mushy as hell. Dad couldn't cook rice if his life depended on it, for real. What pissed me off was, for some reason he liked to have rice for dinner damn near everyday.
Chicken and rice. Steak and rice. Yellow rice. Bitch you would've thought we was Asian or some shit.
Mom handed me a plate and I stacked on some pancakes and eggs, "He cooks for you more than I do, Eric, maybe you should tell him that." She pursed her lips.
My head was already shaking before she finished that sentence, "Nah."
That would just be another thing for him to yell at me about. I could hear the words ungrateful being thrown out.
We both moved to the table and ate together. It felt good that it was just us two, I lowkey preferred it this way.
"So," Mom started, her voice suddenly all high pitched.
I stopped chewing immediately. I know my mom and I could tell by the way her tone switched up she was finna say some bullshit.
"Well, my co-worker, Kelly, was talking to me about her son...Who just happens to be gay and really cute."
I choked on my fucking eggs. Literally.
My grip on the fork was lost and it fell onto the plate. Mom jumped up and patted down hard on my back trying to help, "You're so dramatic. My god, Eric!"
"Me?" I said, still coughing and wheezing, "It sound like you tryna marry me off."
"Don't be ridiculous, I only said that he was cute! And you're both gay so what's the harm in you know...One date couldn't hurt. Kelly sent me a pic, lemme grab my phone." She got up all giddy.
First she was threatening me with a spatula for even being "suspiciously happy" and now it seem like she tryna serve me on a platter to some other nigga. Your mother trying to set you up is a whole new rock bottom.
This lady crazy. She disappeared into the living room and came back with her phone, "And he's Black. I don't care that you gay, but I ain't want no White girls in my house and I don't want any White boys either."
"Ma, I don't think I'm gay anymore. I'm like a thousand percent sure I'm bisexual now."
There was a pause and her finger stopped scrolling. She rolled her eyes, "Eric, please." Yeah, she ain't believe me at all.
"I'm serious! I still like girls, too." Sinjae proved that last night.
Three times. And we would've went more if I catch a Charlie horse.
"That's not what you told me six months ago. I swear, I can't keep up with you kids today." Ma shook her head.
My poor confused mother. I gotta be the only nigga in history that had to come out to their mom twice.
She didn't know much of anything about what's been happening, I only told her some shit about what was going on with Gavin. Just that I liked a guy and it was kinda a fucked up situationship. Then I had to explain to her what a situationship was.
"I was confused then."
"Confused then," She scoffed, "Now, I think the better word is greedy."
