BANDIT II

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Your love should never be offered to the mouth of a Stranger / Only to someone who has the valor and daring to cut pieces of their soul off with a knife / Then weave them into a blanket to protect you. - Hafiz

A Week Later...

Imer...

"You abandoned me
Love don't live here anymore
Just a vacancy
Love don't live here anymore
When you lived inside of me
There was nothing I could conceive
That you wouldn't do for me
Trouble seemed so far away
You changed that right away, baby
You abandoned me
Love don't live here anymore
Just a vacancy
Love don't live here anymore!"

I enter the house with Imani and my parents, furrowing my eyebrows. The living room is is decorated with scented candles, with Rose Royce- Love Don't Live Here blasting through the stereo. I know when my parents use to argue and separate for a few days, my moms would play this when she was hurt. The song would be on repeat so much, Imani and I could sing it in our sleep. What I wanna know is, why the hell is blues playing at 1:00 in the afternoon?

"Mama, you and daddy having problems again?" I question. She laughs, shaking her head no. She then points to the couch where India is sitting upside down, singing off key while squirting Chocolate whip cream in her mouth. I just shake my head, the kid is really going through some heartbreak. Since Kane left, all she's been doing is going to school, returns home and just sobs in different ways.  

"I won't speak
Red Bottoms my feet
My bitch on fleek
Lil Uzi a beast
No more
I don't wanna play no more
I don't wanna heartbreak no more
I don't wanna wait no more
Rocking shows
I might get a lake house with a boat
I might rock all white just like the Pope
I might rock all white just like the stove
I don't know 
Look I'm only 21
I don't know
You niggas nothing that I know
I was broke
I was just at home
Now I'm on the road
Talking to Usher as the Grove
Rocking Balmain these ain't Joe
When I'm in DC they call me Moe
Always got the peddle to the floor
I got everything up in the store!"

India sings off key to Lil Uzi Vert- Grab The Wheel, popping her fingers to the beat. Imani and I couldn't help but laugh.

"She got the blues bad b." I chuckle.

"India." My mom calls, walking over toward her.

"Come on baby girl, sit up. I think it's time we all have a sit down and talk about this L word." My pops sighs. India sits up in huffs, turning off the radio with the remote. My parents sit on either side of her, Imani and I sit on the coffee table waiting patiently for someone to start.

"Why does love hurt so much man?" India mumbles.

"I always wanted to know why too." I chuckle, playing with my Rolex.

"Well love is never easy India, your father and I could've told y'all that." My mom laughs.

"So why didn't y'all?" Imani mumbles.

"Are you in love?" My pop questions.

"In liking." Imani and I shrug.

"In love." India mumbles. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"How do you even know when you're in love?" I question, looking down at the floor.

"You can't stop thinking about that person. Whenever you see them you feel warm inside. They make you smile or laugh without even trying. Your heart skips beats or you get those butterflies in your stomach anytime you kiss. You notice the little things that you like about them. You can't help but stare and wonder what's going on in that person's mind. Thoughts of spending a lifetime with that person, raising a family and setting life long goals. That's when you know you're in love." My mom smiles.