Dating The Freemans

Part 18 (My Protector)

Huey's Pov.

"Huey!" Granddads the first to hug me. It feels so weird to be honest. He rarely shows his softer side. He hugs Jazmine next.

Cindy rushes to hug Jazmine. They embrace fiercely. When Cindy pulls away she just grins and hugs her again.

Jazmine makes a guilty look. "Cindy, about me leaving-"

"I don't care. Your back and that's all that matters," she interrupts. Geez, they can't leave each other for three days?  Cindy hugs me afterwards. "Good to see you, Huey."

I pat her on the back. Ceaser comes next and gives me a short bro hug. "Good to see you nigga."

Riley, whos last, greets me and holds his hand out for a hand shake. I slap his hand away and pull him into a hug.

He hesitates, but hugs me back. The girls watch in awe. "Ncow! Group hug!" Jazmine says.

Soon, Cindy, Jazmine and Ceaser join us. The hug lasts for a minute and we pull apart.

Granddad (who disappeared after the hug) reappears from the kitchen with Tom and Sarah behind him. Sarah bursts with joy and hugs Jazmine. She kisses her all around her face.

"Oh sweetheart I missed you so much! We were so worried!" She says.

Jazmine wipes her mother's tear. "I missed you too, Mum."

Tom stands behind Sarah, waiting patiently for their embrace to finish. Jazmine eyes her father over her mum's shoulder. When they break apart, Jazmine looks down.

"Daddy..."

Tom hugs his daughter and inhales deeply. He pulls away. "I'm just glad your Ok, sweetie."

Jazmine glances at me wide-eyed. She did not expect that.

"I know why you ran away..." Tom takes Sarah's hand. "We know why you ran away. And I promise you, Jazmine, everything will go back to normal. No more fights."

"Thank you, daddy," Jazmine says.

"Lets go home," Tom reaches for her hand.

Jazmine pulls away and stands closer to me. "I don't want to go."

Tom laughs uneasily. "Don't be silly. Come on."

This time he grabs Jazmine's arm, but she snatches it away. "I said. I. Don't. Want. To. Go."

"The girl don't wanna go, Tom," Granddad says crossing his arms.

Tom laughs again. Sarah glances nervously at all of us. "Tom. We should go, let Jazmine stay with her friends."

"This is the part where we go home and make up, Sarah!" Tom yells. Sarah's eyebrows shoot up.

He ignores her and turns back to Jazmine. "I'm not playing any games, Jazmine. Lets go."

He reaches for her arm again, but this time I back away with her. I put my arm around her shoulders and tighten my grip,

Indicating that shes mine.

Shes always been mine, I just refused to own her. I didn't take her. Granddad told me I should get her, for once I took his advice and did.

I didn't believe I was in love.

People...that are like me, ignorant, we don't expect to feel these things. We just want to change history.

But there's always that person that brings out a side that you didn't know you had.

No one says anything. I feel Jazmine look up at me, but I keep my eyes on Tom. "You should go," I say sternly. "Jazmines staying."

Everyone in this room has seen my bad side, so no one dares to interfere. I move Jazmine in front of me and push her up the stares. "Your staying with me tonight."

Jazmine smiles at me and jogs up the stairs to my room without looking back.

I stare at Tom expectantly. After a few moments, he clears his throat. "I gues we should leave...then." He reaches to hold Sarah's hand, but she pulls away and leaves.

Tom follows her. I close the door and sigh. Granddad pats me on the shoulder and gives me a sad smile. "Good having you back boy." He walks upstairs leaving me, Cindy, Riley and Ceaser.

Ceaser gives me a fist bump. "Respect nigga." A corner of my mouth turns up. Ceaser says his goodbyes and leaves.

Cindy and Riley don't question me about anything, which is unusual since their loud. But I guess they see I'm not in the mood.

I walk upstairs to my room and lock the door behind me. Jazmine sits cross-legged on my bed dressed in her night dress. She hugs my pillow and bites a nail. She looks up.

"Is he gone?" She asks.

"Yeah..." I sit down and sigh.

I feel the bed move and her arms wrap around me in a hug from behind me. I feel Jazmine rest her head on my back.

"What am I going to do, Huey?" She whispers.

You'll stay with me. Is what I want to say, but is it possible? I stay quiet for a while. "Don't stress..." is all I say.

Riley's Pov.

"Man. Huey looked like he was about pound him," Cindy says.

We sit on the couch watching tv. Cindy cuddles next to me with my arm around her.

"Naw girl. He looked like he was tryna melt him or sumthin," I say. "Damn nigga cumin up in here tryna start sum mess...ion like no mess."

Cindy snuggles closer to me.

We watch for a few more minutes.

Soon the credits start rolling. I stretch. I shake Cindy. "C-murph?"

She doesn't respond. She just snores gently. I watch her for a while. "How'd a nigga like me end up with sumone like you?" I whisper.

I kiss her forehead and rest my head on hers. Soon I fall asleep.