Headline

three

troy
five months earlier; 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

Shirtless, glistened under the hot sun, Troy rapped along with the rap legend, Tupac, on I Ain't Mad Atcha, as he stood high on the industrial ladder, working on the mural on the out-door back wall of DMG. Since his exit from rehab a few weeks ago, he been keeping his mind focused on the particular mural and off the drug—a suggestion Shantey gave him—and he put his all into it.

      Grooming was immediate for the young adult, his crisp waves making a return with a fade and line up done by his uncle and cut the beard off, leaving a mustache above his full, thick lips and patch of hair on his chin.

      The paint from the colorful, diamond shapes background stained his chocolate brown hand. He used the paint marker, drawing the eyes first of the mural with attentiveness until he saw a figure exit the backdoor a few feet over from where he painted. He stopped, turning his head to his left, and he saw her. Courtney; for the first time since exiting rehab. There was a surprise for him—the baby bump under the vintage Grave Digger T-shirt she donned. She paired the top with low-rise jeans and Jordans.

      The scent of paint avert Courtney's gaze to her right and up to Troy high on the ladder. The brim of the baseball hat over her bun blocked the sun ray, but her eyes still squinting. Troy licked his lips, pausing the hip-hop playing and focus fully on her. "Waddup wit it, Co?"

      His voice; deep and velvety, had her insides in shambles.

      "Hey, Tro," Courtney responded, eyeing his sculpted, sweaty six-pack as the mural artist came down the ladder. "So you're doing the mural? I thought it was Lotus when I saw the start of it."

      "She ain't as good as me." Troy boasted, laughing lightly with Courtney, with his dark brown irises falling to her blossoming bump. "Didn't know you was expecting. Congratulations."

      Courtney exhaled, rubbing her manicured hands over the round, low bump. "Yeahh; it's not public info."

      Troy understood, lifting his hands. "You ain't gotta tell me twice. My lips sealed. So only DMG know?"

      "And my family."

      Troy gave a head nod. "Secret safe with me." he locked eyes with her, "You know I was just bouta take a break and grab some food. I would ask if you want to join me at my Pops food truck not too far from here. But I don't want nobody to spot you out like that especially if they don't know."

      "You offer a pregnant girl food and take it away? I'll throw on my jacket and we can go."

      "Sayless. Ima go hop in that shower real quick. I'm sweaty as fuck."

      "Not a bad look," Courtney thought; but in reality she said it out loud.

      "Well, 'preciate that." Troy said, smiling as she sunk in embarrassment.

      "Oh my God. Lemme—yeah." She walked off first, back inside, and Troy followed.

      Grabbing his duffel out the lounge area, he went straight to the bathroom on the ground floor that was equipped with a shower for employees that stayed over and Troy has been in that space lately. He much rather stayed inside DMG to keep focus and not find himself wandering away and back on drugs.

      His shower was a quick ten minutes, not wanting to keep Courtney waiting too long. He kept it relaxed and donned in basic white tee with blue jeans and high dunk Jordans. Normally he would have accessorized with the diamond necklace his father gifted he and his twin for the eighteenth birthday from prison, but he sold it for drugs when he first got addicted. Anything of value were no longer in his possession because to the drug. He had to start over.