Best Friends (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9.

•Chres•

"Jamaica, are you ready?" I shouted up the stairs. I was taking Jamaica trick or treating with Manir, Duchess, and Andria since it was Halloween and stuff. "Yeah, hold up!" I waited for like five more minutes, then Jamaica came down the stairs. "What took so long?" "I was on my way down, then I stubbed my toe. I had to take a minute." "Drama queen." "Last time you stubbed your toe, you were on the floor for like twenty minutes, because you said your toe would fall off if you stood up." "I don't remember that." I lied. "Mommy!" "Yeah baby?" "Isn't Chres dramatic?" "He's the reason you're so dramatic." My mom laughed. "And the reason he's so dramatic is because of you." My dad said. Like always, he butt into a conversation. "Whatever." My mom said rolling her eyes.

Jamaica and I left and made our way to Andria's house. "Chres!" Jamaica whined. "What?" "My feet hurt." "You're going to be walking when you're trick or treating though." "Exactly! That's why I can't be walking now." "So what do you want me to do about it?" Jamaica looked at me like I knew what she wanted me to do. I already knew so I just gave in. I let Jamaica get on my back, and I walked the rest of the way to Andria's place with her going on about some tv show.

     Finally we got to Andria's house and I rang the doorbell. Ms. Veronica opened the door and smiled. "My babies!" She said. I honestly forgot about her thick Columbian accent. I'm still grounded so I haven't really been over here in a while. "Hi, Ms. V!" Jamaica shouted in my ear. "You need to get off my back." I said putting Jamaica down. She ran into the house and went to Manir's room. "Hi, Ms. V." I said hugging her. "I haven't seen you in awhile. Is everything alright?" Ms. Veronica's the only one who knows what my dad does other than Andria. That's because I had a mark on my arm once from him hitting me, and she found out what it was. I begged her not to tell, only because I have a whole plan on my mom finding out about my dad. "Yeah, I'm just grounded." "Ok. Andria's helping Duchess get ready." I nodded and went upstairs.

I was walking past Mia's room and I heard her singing. I've never heard the song before so I'm guessing she wrote it or something. I knocked on her door, and her head jerked up. "Don't ever do shit like that again." Mia said. "Sorry." I said. "What's up?" "Nothing much. I just heard you singing and I was going to say you're good." "Thanks. I'm planning on singing it at the talent show. It's called Complicated. I wrote it." "Mr. Ross already did that performance thing in class for your class or something?" "The seniors don't do that. We basically put sounds together and fix it up so we have something to play at graduation." "Oh. Well I like the song." "Thanks."

     I went into Duchess' room and saw Andria trying to get Duchess into her costume. Duchess was just moving around in her diaper not sitting still. "Need help?" I asked laughing. "This isn't funny!" Andria said. I walked into the room and sat down next to Andria. "Hey Duchess." I smiled. "Santo!" Duchess said hugging me. "Where's her costume?" I asked. "You think you can get her into it?" Andria asked handing me the Native American costume. "Yeah. Duchess loves me." "Doubt it. And she has to wear these under them." Andria said handing me white tights. "Duch, look. Can you step into these for me?" I asked holding her hand. She nodded and stepped into the tights. I looked at Andria who rolled her eyes. "Now step into this." Duchess stepped into the dress and I helped her put her arms through the sleeves. I looked at Andria again who pretended to not pay attention. "Santo I can put my soes on by myself." Duchess said. I laughed at how she pronounced shoes and said, "Let me see." I watched as she put her feet in the boots and then she looked at me. I gave her a high five and then clipped the head piece on. "I think she got dressed, without a problem when I was helping her, don't you think?" I said. "Whatever." Andria said. She got up and went into her room. I picked Duchess up and followed Andria. When I walked in she had on cat ears, and was drawing whiskers on her cheeks. "What?" She asked. "I'm ready to leave." "Fine. Manir, Jamie! Let's go!" Andria shouted grabbing her jacket.

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      So far we've been to like seven houses, and I was getting tired. I kept going though because Manir and Jamaica were having fun, and Andria kept trying to take Duchess away from me. "She loves me just face it." I laughed. "No, she's my sister. You have Jamaica." "And you have Mia, Manir, and Fade. Where is Fade? He wasn't at the house when I came." "Halloween party." I nodded as we walked up the front steps to a house.

      Manir rang the doorbell and an elderly lady opened. "Oh what do we have here? A pirate, and a nerd." She smiled giving Manir and Jamaica candy. (A/N Jamaica's the pirate, Manir's the nerd) "Thank you!" The both said. "Twick or tweat!" Duchess said. Andria and I told her to say that everytime we came to a house. "Aw, is this your kid?" The lady asked me and Andria. "No." We both simply answered. "Are you guys in a relationship?" "No." "You guys are cute." "Um, thanks." Andria said taking a piece of candy for Duchess.

     I could tell Andria was a little frustrated so I gave her Duchess. "I thought she loved you." Andria said. "She does. But she wanted you to hold her." I lied. Duchess fell asleep soon, so we were only going to one more house. We walked up the steps to the house, but before we could ring the doorbell the door swung open, and I saw the last person I expected. Eric. He didn't notice us at first because he was talking to his mom. "I'll be back by like 11:30, ma!" He shouted. Once he turned around and saw us he grabbed some candy and handed it to Manir and Jamaica. He looked at Andria and I, but didn't recognize us at first since it was dark. I was about to turn around and start walking away, but he just had to recognize us and say something. "Wassup, Andria?" "Hi Eric." "Chres, I'm tired." Jamaica said. I looked at Jamaica and she winked. Only this girl knows when I don't like someone from a look. "A'ight lets go." "Andria this your sister?" Eric asked pointing at Manir. "Yes I am, Andria's sister." Manir sighed. "Don't you have to other sisters?" "Mia's at home, and Duchess is right there sleep. See? Chres can we go now?" Manir asked. I swear these girls are geniuses. "So who are you?" Eric asked Jamaica. "You didn't say hi to my older brother, Chres." Jamaica said. "Oh I didn't see you. Wassup Chres." "We said his name like three times." I heard Manir mumble. "You sure you don't want to come with me to that party Andria? Your outfit's perfect for it." Eric asked. "What party?" I asked. "Some party Eric invited me to. I said no, and I'm not changing my mind. Let's go." Andria said turning around.

     We started walking, but Eric was behind us. "Do you need something?" I asked. "I can't walk to my car?" "Well you were just following us without saying anything, so you should expect me to say something, especially if people I love are with me." "Love?" Eric asked. "I can't love people?" I asked mocking him. "Well I mean I didn't know you loved, Andria." "As a friend." "Good. Andria you wanna go out with me?" We all looked at Andria who stopped dead in her tracts. "Eric I'm flattered, but no. We just met and I need to get to know you more before I can just start going out with you."

     Andria cut in front of us and tried to start walking again, but Eric grabbed her wrist. "Come on, baby. I swear you gon' love it." "No!" I could tell he tightened his grip on her because she winced. "Go. On. A. Date. With. Me!" Eric's tone of voice was loud and it woke Duchess up. By now I was pissed and I lost it. I punched Eric in the face. I was going to continue punching him, but Manir and Jamaica were a few feet away. I backed away and we continued walking. I took Duchess away from Andria, who was silently crying. "Hey, stop crying. You don't need to cry over a jack ass like him. He's obviously not a person that any of us need in our lives. So don't waste your tears on a nigga like him." I whispered. "He hurt my wrist." "I'll handle him. Just stop crying." Andria wiped her tears and tried to smile, but failed. "Chres I wanted you to keep on punching him." Jamaica said. "I wanted to keep punching him, but we had to get home." "Next time you see him, punch him in the face for me please." "Will do."

     After we dropped Andria, Manir, and Duchess off, Jamaica and I still had like a fifteen minute walk. "Chres?" Jamaica asked sleepily. "Yeah?" "Can I get on your back?" I sighed and let her get on my back. Soon we made it back to our house, and I opened the door with my keys. "Mom, we're back!" I shouted. "Leave the candy down here!" I put Jamaica's bag of candy on the table and took her upstairs.

Eric's going to get what's coming for him.