'Black•ish (Kelly Oubre Jr. Story)

Two

~ Cam ~

"But not only that! The nigga looked at the bill funny and was like 'do you expect me to pay or you gone offer to go half'. " I mimicked his dumb ass voice to my best friend, Urban, as I walked in the shop with my phone to my ear.

"No he did not. See this why I don't mess with lightskin niggas. I bet his dick was little too."

"Probably is," I said, signing in at the front since I had an appointment and my usual man led me to the only available chair.

I walked towards the back and rolled my eyes as soon as I saw who I was seated by.

"Urban, I'ma have to call you back," I hung up the phone.

"Of course your feminine ass in here." I mumbled to Kelly as I took my seat and placed my feet in the awaiting water.

"I tried to apologize-"

"Keep your insincere apology and shove it up ya whitewashed ass cr-... I'm sorry." I said to the man who did my feet that was looking at me crazy, due to me acting completely out of character.

"I'm sorry okay. What you said did open my eyes a little but do you see me? Why would I want a child that looks like me?"

I glanced over him for a quick second before texting my friend's groupchat back.

"You look like a banana why?"

He looked down at himself and grabbed a handful of his hair.

"You see how big I am? Unless I'm with the team so it's obvious I'm a basketball player, white people be scared like I'm bout to rob em. You see my hair? I don't even know what to do with it its so nappy."

"Imagine being treated like shit because you're black." I sipped my drink.

He tried to talk but I put my hand up in protest.

"Time for me to talk white boy. I have three sisters... and all of them are half white. Do you know how that feels? I mean sure their dad always picked up the slack of my deadbeat father and treated me like his own but I was always asked if I was adopted or left out when it came to the pilgrims barbecue. Sure they had unseasoned food but I still wanted to feel included. I used to be jealous of my sisters cause even though our hair was the same length, theirs was easier to manage and their skin was lighter. As we got older, they were more desired than I was and they weren't the ones getting followed around the store. It wasn't until two or three years ago that I actually accepted being black and learned their was nothing wrong with it."

After all my ranting my toes were almost done and white boy next to me was quiet as a mouse.

"Your hair isn't an issue, learn how to take care of it and stop being ignorant." I said and after a minute he nodded.

"And next time you think about how rough you got it, remember there are people being killed, just for being black, everyday." I mumbled placing my bag on my shoulder before the nail tech led me away.

•

"Oo look who's out tonight, someone's showing the tatas after work." Urban tapped both of my boobs.

"You are so extra," I laughed.

"Cody actually let you out?" Xolani asked and I looked at her new hair of the week, that was cut into a bob and the blue in it complimented her dark chocolate skin perfectly.