Homecoming Pt. 1

Khalil 100

He walked from the back room wearing a t-shirt and shorts he didn't speak as he walked into the kitchen and came back with two glasses and a red box, I already knew what was inside a bottle of Legacy by Angostura. He pulled the bottle out and I noticed it had the same amount it the last time I saw him, the night after my team won the Superbowl. He sat across from me and poured us both a drink, as we stared into to each others eyes trying to read each others soul he cracked a smile and I had to smile back, he looked exactly like he did in college everyone used to say we looked alike (I didn't see it) people said it so much we just started telling people we were cousins. But our relationship was more than that we were like brothers.... not like me and Enzo where there was a lifetime of friendship... no me and the man across from me shared something much different something arguably much deeper and even though we lived in the same city, we rarely saw each other or spoke I knew he was always there when I needed him.

"So again I must ask what brings Khalil Cunningham to my door at...." He looked at the clock on the wall and smiled. "Three in the morning? Lil' you know I've killed men for less." He said and even though he laughed I knew in my heart he was serious.

"You know damn well you weren't sleep hell you probably knew I was coming before I got in the elevator." I said taking a sip of the $25,000 rum.

"Actually I knew you were coming as soon as you entered the building, it's not everyday that Khalil Cunningham comes to visit his old friend. I heard about you accident, did you get the card I sent?" He asked taking a sip as well. I nodded remembering the simple card, even though it said a few words I knew his unnaturally neat handwriting immediately. "I would've come to visit you but, you know how it is." He said calmly.

"Yeah I get it bro and I completely understand as well. I'm risking a lot just by being here." I said looking around his neat apartment.

"Which brings us back to my original question, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He said in the same calm voice. I lot of people underestimated that calm voice of his but I knew better, I knew that there was a storm brewing just behind his calm demeanor. I took a deep breath before starting I knew he wanted the whole story so I told him everything from my injury last season, to reuniting with Marcus, Enzo, and Devin. I told him about Roseline and my parents, and everything Devin went through with his foster parents, I didn't leave anything out as I told everything all the way up to the point where I knocked on his door. The only thing I didn't tell him about was the trip I was planning on taking with Marcus, the less people who knew about that the better.

"Like I said, I need your help you're the last person I could turn to and I'm...... I'm desperate. You know I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't have any other options. This dude is on a mission to destroy my relationship with Marcus, I can't lose him big bro." I said looking into his eyes.

"Lil' you know I'll do anything for you........ you've done more for me than I could ever repay but I need to know something, are you 100% sure you wanna go down this path. You know how I am about my family and you're like my little brother." He said sitting back.

"I just want him to leave me and my dude alone, that's it." I said seriously.

"Your dude." He said with a smirk. "I still can't believe that you're gay..... or bi...... or whatever, but aight Khalil I'll take care of it but you know how I work. One day.... it may be in a couple weeks or it may be in ten years I'm going to come to you needing your help with something and I expect you to have my back." He said peering into my soul, I nodded my head and we both stood up.

"Thanks......." I said as he pulled me into a brotherly hug.

"No problem Lil'." He said as we walked to the door. "Hold up." He said walking away a few second later he walked back in with something in his hand, at first I thought it was a knife but then realized it was a Sharpie. I shook my head and gave him my arm, he didn't say anything as he signed my cast. "Aight little bro." He said opening the door. I walked out and looked at what we wrote and there was nothing there but one letter... Z.