Locust Lane

Chapter 7

My favorite cousin absolutely loves to shop. With that being noted, I should have known we would end up at the mall. She spends more time at the mall than anywhere else. She spends more time at the mall more than she changes her underwear. Okay, that was an exaggeration... I hope.

Her, Bri, and I were eating at a table and people watching, when Chelle came back. She has her phone up to her ear with an annoyed look on her face.

"So what would I have to do to get you out of that janky ass apartment?"

She moved her phone away from her ear as she sat down and grabbed her cup. There's no way I would trust a drink that's just been sitting there. She was gone for at least ten minutes. People play too much. I say that because Bri emptied a packet of hot sauce in Chelle's drink. They know how her mouth is but they decided to do something like that anyway.

She was about to take a sip, but she put her phone back to her ear.

"You have no respect at all for your elders. Are you done with your little fit? Answer my question disrespectful boy. What do I have to do?"

Chelle noticed how Tori and Bri were grinning at her, so she shook her head and put her cup down. If they wanted to prank her, they shouldn't have acted so suspect.

"Bet my nigga. You only weigh a pound or two more than me so that won't be hard."

She ended her call then slowly got up, squinting her eyes at Tori and Bri.

"Who was that on the phone," Tori questioned as she finished her fries. She has been eating a lot more lately.

"Don't worry about it shorty. What did y'all do to my drink? That's the real question."

Tori picked up the rest of her burger and took a big bite out of it. A group of boys caught Bri's eyes as they walked by clowning with each other. I pretended to be doing something on my phone before she could question me.

When no one said anything, she got our attention just so she could roll her eyes at each one of us individually. Sometimes her attitude can be a bit over the top, but I can't say I blame her this time.

"I would try it but I don't want to have to whoop no ass today. But anyway, I'll meet y'all at the rink. Head there in about an hour."

She walked away with her phone stuck to her ear again. For as much as she's on her phone, it really made me wonder how she was able to go several hours without it at work.

"That works out fine. Rodney texted me a few minutes ago and said to give him and the fellas about an hour."

I've yet to understand why Tori still deals with Rodney. I am no one to judge anyone's relationship. Mine was by no means a perfect one. Rodney has had two kids by two other females, he denied the baby she miscarried, and she suspects that he has another baby on the way. She's such a smart girl; she shouldn't let love blind her from what she knows is best for her.

"Who says fellas anymore," I snickered. "I thought it was just going to be us?"

"No. We try to get together with a few guys and do something fun every other weekend or so. Just depends on our money situation."

"Oh, okay."

"Yeah. We have some time to blow. Let's go fine some outfits for the rink!"

Bri and I groaned, but Tori quickly cleaned up our trash so we could continue to shop.

{Amir Calhoun}

Don't know why I challenged Chelle. I told her I wasn't going anywhere unless she came and got me out of my apartment. Now, I fucked up right then and there. I completely forgot that I gave her a spare key. There was this one cold ass night when I accidently got locked out my apartment. I don't think the cold would have bothered me so much if I didn't only have boxers on when it happened. Didn't want that shit happening again.

Anyway, this damn girl just got done putting my gray and black sneakers on my feet. I should have ran around the block a few times before she came over since I had already showered for the day.

"You just wasted your time, Chelle. I'm not going anywhere."

"Why are you so damn difficult boy?" She stuffed my shoe strings in my shoes before standing up straight. "You can't stay cooped up in this apartment all day."

"I mean shit... I was doing just fine until you showed up."

She stretched her body a bit before cracking her knuckles. My eyebrows furrowed at the same time that she grabbed my arms and yanked me up. Quickly slipping behind me, she shoved me towards the door. I tried my best to keep my feet glued to one spot, but somehow she overpowered me.

"Strong ass lil nigga. Why can't you just let me stay at home? I don't feel like dealing with nobody today. If someone says or does something I don't like, I can't be held responsible for what I might do."

She opened the door then used her hip to effortlessly bump me out the door.

"Do I need to go whoop Geneva's ass? She really messed you up. I don't play that shit."

She locked the door then she got in front of me so she could pull me down the stairs. Surprised her crazy ass didn't try to push me down the stairs. I woulda been all types of dead since she's so fucking heavy handed.

"You wouldn't be able to. She's either moved or is in the process of moving to Canada. Don't know, don't give a fuck."

"Really? That's ironic. Shaun told me he's moving to Canada soon. Wouldn't it be weird of those two end up meeting each other?"

"Nah. Wouldn't be weird at all. I mean, after all he is engaged to her. Not to mention he's the biological father of Derrick."

By then we almost at her car. She stopped dead in her tracks before turning to me. Her eyes were huge as if she stuck her finger in a damn electrical socket or something.

"Shut the fuck up!" Her jaw dropped for a brief moment. "You mean to tell me that Shaun, our thirty two year old uncle, is the one Geneva cheated with? Are you serious?! He isn't quite old enough to be her dad, but... eww! What the fuck?"

"Nah. Your uncle. That muthafucka been dead to me since before I came to live here. You the only family I got."

"Amir don't be like that. You can't change who you're related to. But what did he do to you for you to want to disown him?"

I knew that question was coming. Nichelle is my cousin on my mom's side of the family. What she doesn't know, though, is that Shaun and Adam were cool with each other. Long story short, Shaun put me in a lot of dangerous situations when I went on deals with him. The straw that broke the camals back was when he used me as a shield. I thought I was going to die, but Adam's men came in and the perfect time. One of them took a bullet to the stomach for me. Somehow he ended up surviving that shit.

I'm not sure why Shaun came here, and I'm not sure how he magically got with Geneva of all people.

"He would tell me how he loved me, but he let me get tangled up in the foster system."

Her hand went over her mouth, and that's when I realized I messed up. I didn't intend on telling her about that.

"Amir... you know what? Let's just save that conversation for another day. You are my cousin and I love you. I want you to try and have a good time. I care about you so much and I just don't want you to let your depression take over your soul."

Nichelle may be a whole lot of things, but it would appear that she means well. I swear I don't want to deal with nobody today, but I'll try. I'll also try to remember to change my damn locks.

"You know, if you don't want to..."

"Really? You're the best Chelle. I'll see you tomm..."

Using her manliness, she pulled me over to the passenger side of her car. I thought about making it hard on her, but her violent as would probably pluck my throat or something. She made me sit in the passenger seat then she closed and locked my door before walking around to her side. Apparently she forgot that I could jut pull the lock thing up then be on my way.

"Don't worry, you'll have a good time."

She got situated in her seat before leaving the apartment complex.