ASHLEY

4💎

   I feel his arms around me loosen. I shrug him off, using the baby as an excuse since he burst into a whining fit. He stands up in front of me. I can't help but notice how good he looks. It feels weird thinking that about a guy that used to be my best friend, someone thought of as family.  "It's personal. I'm not allowed to say anything. It's not my place."

   "Wow, so you don't think I deserve some kind of explanation?"

   "Bria I just told you that's not my place."

   "You know what, I don't even know why I came here. You're not that different from when we were friends." I say, putting the baby in his car seat and getting together all my stuff. Kenneth has always been one to keep secrets. Always being half honest. I thought he would have matured by now. I guess I was wrong.

   "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Bria talks to me."

   He pulls on my arm and I snatch it away, pulling away from him. "Don't fucking touch me."

   "You ain't that different from when we were friends either."

   "Yeah, I am. I use to put up with your bullshit but not this time. I'll wait outside for a cab." I take out my phone to call a cab when it's snatched right out of my hands. I stare at Kenneth, angry. I yell at him to give me my phone but he tells me to chill out and that he'll take me home. I decline the offer. I'm not getting in any car or on any bike with him.

   I sit in the front seat with my arms crossed over my chest. It took a lot of convincing but Kenneth got me in his car. He said there was no way he was letting me take a cab. Despite being mad at him I can't deny this is a nice car. I wonder if he bought it himself.

   When he drops me off I don't say anything. He helps me take the baby inside. Angela isn't here yet which is a good thing for this but that also means she went out somewhere and didn't think to text me. I make a mental note to talk to her about that.

   He combs his hands through his low-top fade, messing his curls up. He looks awkward standing in the door frame. "I would really like to see you again-"

   "I don't think that would be a good idea. Kayla will kill me if she ever finds out I talked to you. Angela and Aunt Jackie too." I admit. I wasn't kidding when I said Angela hates him. No one would understand why I'm even talking to him right now.

   He sighs. "I-I really do hope you change your mind about that."

   "Goodbye, Kenneth." I'm not sure if I mean it for good or I'm just saying it for now. I just need him to leave.

   Kenneth says goodbye before leaving, closing the door behind him. Kenneth really has changed...or maybe he's just giving me some space to get to know him. Just about everyone is nice when you first meet them, or in this case when you meet up after going years without so much as speaking a word.

   I watch Da'Marcus for a couple more hours until his grandma comes and picks him up. After he leaves I check to see if anyone wants to meet up but everybody seems to be busy or hungover.  Stupid girls. I call Angela's cell. She picks up.

   "Angela Marie Johnson, where are you?"

   I hear Angela giggling before answering my question. "I'm just with a couple of girls from the team. You know that."

   "No, I don't. You were supposed to be going to practice and coming straight home."

   "We're just chilling-"

   "Stop playing with me Ang," I hear a male voice over the phone. He sounds quite flirty if I might add. Angela is really frustrating me right now. She likes to think she's an adult but she's only fifteen. I'm not that much older than her so I understand the temptation but she doesn't get to go out and do what she wants. She's a child.

   "Angela get home now or I'm calling Auntie and you know she doesn't play and neither do I so don't try these games with me, little girl." I put a lot of emphasis on little. If only I had a car I would drive down there myself and drag her little butt home with me, kicking and screaming if so.

   "Okay, snitch." She mumbles before hanging up. She better get here on time too. I'm not playing with her. Angela is a little fast for her age and if she doesn't slow down she's going to end up pregnant. If she thinks I'm going to sit at home and watch her child all day she's going to have another thing coming. But she can be mad all she wants, I'm saving her from that. I remember when Stephanie found out she was pregnant. I went through the whole process with her. It wasn't pretty. There were days when she wanted to just give up. I hated seeing her like that and I don't want to go through it with Angela so she can be pissed all she wants.

   I decide to watch some movies until she gets home. When walks in I'm right there staring at her. She rolls her eyes and brushes past me on her way to her room. I try to talk to her but she slams the door on my face so in return I kick her door in frustration. "Bitch," I mumble.

   By the time Aunt Jackie gets home she's worn out. She should be. She works so hard. I always try to tell her not to but she always wave me off by saying how she needs to support us. Truthfully I think her reason behind it is to getaway. My mom was her sister. They were like best friends. They told each other everything. She knew Dad since they were kids and so she always looked to him as a big brother. When Mom and Dad died it was the hardest thing we ever went through.

   It never gets easy.

   Aunt Jackie turned to work as a way of relief. She works herself too hard, like she's trying to kill herself. She takes care of the mentally challenged people so they take a lot out of her.

   I really do hope she slows down. I don't want to lose her.