My Bestfriend

Three.

"Most of you guys would think I was just being selfish, but come on! I just wanted my friend at my dance that's all. Turns out he had other plans." 

"I say we hit Mr. Gonzalez's store next Friday."  Jamie said puffing on his cigarette. Out of all the other guys, they had to admit he smoked the most. "Man that's the day of the dance, can we do it some other time?" Deshawn groaned. "Oh don't tell me you're actually going to that wack ass dance." Jamie groaned.

Deshawn sulked back. "You gotta be fucking kidding me. How are we gonna be hard core thugs if we still attending these lame high school events?" Jamie groaned. "Jamie's right. We're hitting it this Friday. Any a' y'all got other plans?" Randy asked. Deshawn had no words. Pac was silent. 

"Aight, then we're hitting the store this Friday." 

Pac deep down felt guilty for bailing out on Jada but how could he pass up this oppurtunity? An opportunity at so much money?? He didn't believe he was being selfish, he needed it for his family. 

"Pass that shit." He told Deshawn and reached for the cigarette before taking a long drag.

"I can't believe we had a pop quiz. I failed!" Michelle whined as the two girls walked down the steps of the school. "Oh relax, Michelle. You did fine." Jada said smiling and rolling her eyes. Her friend had always been so dramatic. "Oh, yeah right. You just saying that 'cause you know you passed Jada!" She stammered.

"Yeah, maybe you right about that." Jada laughed. Michelle groaned in misery. For her if she failed one test, and it was the end of the world. 

"There's my ma, you sure you don't want a ride home?" She asked as a BMW rolled up. Michelle's mom was doing it and successful so she wanted to make sure Michelle got her education and was successful too. "Nah, I'm gonna wait for Pac." Jada said leaning against the wall. 

"Alright girllll." Michelle teased. "Girl bye!" Jada said laughing as Michelle jogged down the steps. Pac slowly walked up beside her almost immediately after Michelle left. He had no idea how he was gonna break it to Jada that he wasn't gonna go to the dance Friday. 

But he hoped she'd understand if he made up a good enough excuse. 

"Hey bestfriend." He said leaning in. She jumped into his arms. "Pac!" She cheered. "You ready to go?" He asked looking around licking his lips.  

"Yeah." She said clutching her books tightly. Something she did when she was excited.

He don't know how the topic came up, but as they were passing the park it did. Jada kept talking about the dress she was gonna buy. Pac hated to do this because he loved seeing her happy and it took a lot to make a girl like Jada smile. Pac was glad he could, but he also could make her cry. 

He didn't want to but... 

"And I was gonna buy these earrings-"

"Jada I'm not going." 

He had stopped walking and so did she doing a double take. "Wait, excuse me?"

"I'm not going to the dance, Jay." He stuck his hands inside his jeans.

She stared at him sideways. "Why?" 

"Me and the boys are doing a job and it's on Friday. I won't be able to make it." 

Jada said nothing just stood there. One could tell she was trying not to cry. "So that's your excuse?" She snapped. He sighed, "Look I-" 

"No Pac! You're not going to the dance with me so you could run around town with your boys?" She said her voice wavering as if she was gonna cry but still loud enough. People started to stare and she calmed down as he put his hands on her small shoulders. "Jada-" She slapped it away. "Fuck you. You know how many niggas I turned down for you?"

It was almost hysterical. They were arguing like a couple yet they weren't. "I get that." He said. "Okay," she started up again. "All I asked was if this once you could be there for me." He sighed and pushed his hands through his jerry curls. This was no going as planned. She just stood there her eyes watering  and a sad look on her face. But she didn't let the tears fall. He tried to reach for her hands. She tried to yank away but he grabbed her by the wrists. "Fuck you." Was all she said. 

He tried to hug her, he wasn't sure what else to do. 

She just shook her head avoiding eye contact with him and walked away. He let out another sigh before pulling out a lighter and cigarette. He took a long drag. Fuck.