Something About Him

-47-

Christopher Brown

"It'll be alright," I clench my jaw as Layla speaks and I pick up her hand. "He's just an example of how you should never be. You see in your mom what you never want to put a girl in a position to go through, am I right?"

Psh. Right is an understatement.

"For sure and Layla just know that we ain't gon ever have these problems, baby," I pause just to get my words together. "We might be young and, who knows, possibly dumb, but you mean a lot to me right now and for however long we last, Imma be the best Chris that I can possibly be to you and I mean it. With all of me, I mean it."

At first Layla is silent, but when I look up at her she makes a face at me.

"Aw, Chris, you're so cute!" She coos and then she wraps her arms around my neck forcing us closer together.

"Here we go again," I mumble which makes her ask what am I talking about.

"I've just been acting mad soft lately. Ion like it," I respond.

"Well I think it's cute," she says back then kisses my cheek.

"Ion know why," I shake my head not understanding where she's coming from. "Real niggas don't cry."

Layla sucks her teeth and then pulls away from me a little. "You just had to ruin the moment..."

I chuckle and put her arms back around my neck.

"This shit is just annoying. Imma have to tell my moms though."

"How can you just come right out and say, 'oh, I don't want you to stay married to my dad?'" Layla asks me. "That's weird..."

"Nah. It'd be more like me letting her know that I want for her to be good," I tell her. "And obviously it ain't gonna be with my dad so Imma just live with that."

Layla doesn't speak for a little while after that. She just looks at me and I stare right back.

"Whatchu staring at me for?"

"No reason," she shakes her head at me question.

"It's cool. You can say you like what you see, baby," I laugh at my own words.

"You're annoying," she straight faces me before talking again. "But Sasha's supposed to be coming to get me and she's taking a year."

She looks outside of the window and now we're no longer touching so I sigh and lean back in my seat.

"I could give you a ride home," I suggest.

It beats her seating here waiting while her annoying ass sister's somewhere taking her sweet time.

"Lemme tell her Allie gave me a ride then," she mutters as she takes her phone out of this drawstring bag.

She always has that at the games so I guess she takes it to practice, too.

Layla Wilkes

I text Sasha: i left w/ allie. don't come to the school.

She texts me back immediately and it said: good. i have plans and coming to get you was sorta ruining them