Second Chance

Chapter Seven : "Miss Your Chance."

Tamir Bryant

12tH Street slid a few hundreds to Ty for him to go handle some business for him. Ty and Nyck soon vanished out the front door, taking one of 12tH's cars.

I would have tagged along, but I had to meet up with Zoë at the library to start on this project that is due sooner than I thought.

"Where you said you had to go again?" 12tH asked, dusting off the kitchen table.

"The library."

"That shit so funny. Just library." He cackled, hitting his leg.

"Fuck you." I stood up and grabbed Travis' car keys from off the table.

"Aye, before you leave. Have you seen my license?"

"Driving licenses?"

"Nah, my gun license?" He started looking around the kitchen.

"Gun license? How the hell you have a gun license when you're a felon?"

He turned around and looked at me while a smile on his face. I shook my head.

"Nigga, I'm 12tH Street. Even my drivin' license are fake. You knew this," he laughed looking through draws. "The whole crew got one."

"Y'all niggas are wild."

"And don't you forget it." He pointed at me. I chuckled and made my way out the door.

You ever noticed how a teacher will partner you up with someone you don't like?

That's exactly what Mr. Dekker did. I mean Zoë straight, she just mean. Or am I the one mean? Nah, she's the one.

I walked into the not so crowded library with my book bag on my back. I scanned around the room until I found Zoë just now sitting at a table close by the main desk.

I made my way over to her which caught her attention. She looked up at me with a mug. I kind returned it.

"You're so aggy, man."

"I haven't even did anything yet." I laughed at her. She rolled her eyes and continue removing her items from her bag.

"You got the rubric? 'Cause I don't know what to do." I laid my head on the table and watch her.

"We have to chose something that happen before our time and tell about it. Also, make a poster board about it. Some shit." She shrugged, cracking her knuckles.

"Whatchu' got in mind?"

"I was thinking we could talk about African American inventors. Like Madam C. J. Walker who invented-"

"Hair care products." I finished her sentence.

"Yes," she smiled. "Exactly."

"I'm down. How many are we doing?"

"Ten is the most. That'll be enough for us to write this paper." She responded.

I nod my head in agreement as we continue to plan out our project. The idea was actually a good one to me, but the fact we have to make these costumes got me frustrated.

"He said a five page essay, didn't he? That nigga wildin' out." I clicked on the Microsoft word on my MacBook.

"Yup, which is why I'm going to let you do that." She smiled a little.

"I think the fuck not." I looked at her like she done lost her mind.

"Alright fine, you do two and a half and I'll do two in a half."

"I'll do one in half."

"Tamir!" She whined which made me laugh.

"Fine, man."

I realized I had something to ask her but I didn't really know if I wanted to ask her or not.

"My homeboys having this Halloween party next weekend and I was gone ask you did you want to roll with me? Due to the fact your ass never out the house." I said which I believe caught her off guard.

This wasn't a date because I don't like Zoë like that. I just need a girl to roll with me.

"Um?"

"You don't even have to answer the question because you're going. Be ready at nine."

"How you gone force me?"

"I'm not forcing you. I'm just scooping you up at nine." I smiled which made her chuckle.

"Whatever you say."

The rest of the time we spent at the library, we end up getting all of the inventors we wanted to use together along with some sketches for the outfits.

We decided to meet back up again some day next week since our dickhead teacher isn't going to let us have time in class to work on this project.

"What I told you about taking my car without my permission?" Travis said as soon as I walked into the door.

"Yeah whatever." I threw his keys to him and made my way to my room. I locked the door behind me and jumped on the bed, not bothered to take my shoes or clothing off.

In a matter of seconds, I was out cold.

(*)

I spread my legs apart to let the male officer search me. I held my arms behind my head, feeling uncomfortable. He finally finished what he was doing and allowed me to proceed on.

Jails were never a place I enjoyed coming to. It seems like all of my family members have either been in jail or are in jail.

The officer led me to where she was at. I sat down in front of the glass window and slowly picked up the black telephone, putting it to my ear.

"Look who's finally came to see their mother." My mother, Afeni, held a small smile on her face.

She's been incarcerated for the last year or so, I never caught up with the dates. She's been charged with a use of deadly weapon, attempting joy riding, along with other shit.

"How you been?" I looked down at the table then up at her.

"I've been good. Just trying to get this sentence down. How's school and how you been?"

"It's straight. I've been straight, just tryna stay away from that house."

"You know I don't want you staying with him, but there's no place else for you to go."

"I understand that. I guess one more year isn't going to hurt."

"I hope I be out to see you graduate." She sighed, tucking in her lips.

"You will. Alexus told me to tell you hey."

"Tell her I said hey and I miss her. She's such a sweet girl." She smiled.

"I will."

"So who's the girl?" She smiled even more which made me arch my eyebrow.

"Girl? Whatchu' talking about?"

"So there isn't a girl you're head over heels about?"

"Nah. It's a shorty that I think is cute, but as of head over heels? Nah." I bit down on my bottom lip.

"You tried talking to her?"

"Nah. I'm chilling right now." I responded honestly.

"Don't chill too long and miss your chance."

"I won't."

I was kind of tired of making the first moves with girls, but I know they're scared to make the first moves on niggas, for whatever reason.

I'm not even sure if I like shorty like talking about. I don't know, we'll just have to see.