Missy Attitude

(28)

Donovan

I woke up from a short resting period in the car when my phone alarm went off. I had 30 minutes to get my life together before school started. I stretched my arms out and got out of the car to finally go inside the house.

Walking in the apartment, I was greeted by mom who was standing in the kitchen washing dishes. By the look on her face, she was livid.

"Donovan Marquez Woods! Who the hell do you think you are, coming in this house at seven in the morning?" I smacked my teeth and continued to walk pass her.

"I know you hear me talking to you boy! Had me worried sick about you all night." My mom was yelling at me, but I wasn't looking back at her.

"Donovan, don't make me kick off in your ass! Answer me." I finally faced her with a stressed face.

"Mama, please. I just wanna take a shower and go to school."

My mom toned down her anger when I looked at her. She sighed out of frustration. "Donny, talk to me. I know this has been hard for you, but you're not alone. I'm losing my husband of 20 years to a little girl that's damn near your age."

Her voice cracked when talking and her eyes became glossy. I tried to turn away from her. I hated seeing my mom bent out of shape like this.

All I could do was pull her in for a hug. "I'm sorry mama," I said, rubbing her back in comfort. Her tears soaked into my shirt as I held her small frame.

"Go get ready. I don't want you to be late, baby." My mother's vulnerability quickly vanished as we separated from one another. I deeply sighed and went on to the bathroom to shower.

"Yooo! Don, what's good bro?" I stopped in the hall and turned around when hearing Ben's voice.

"Sup," I dapped him up.

He simply shrugged. "I'm straight, but it's you I'm worried about. Your ol' girl called me last night all worried about you. Had me kind of shook too cause you ain't answer your phone and shit."

"My fault. Shit just too much right now bruh."

Ben nodded in understanding. "I feel you, but next time warn your boys before you decide to go rogue, my nigga."

"Bet." I chuckled a bit and nodded.

"Now, back to our regularly scheduled conversations...you still not going to prom on this weekend?"

"Prolly not. I'm not feeling it."

Ben shook his head. "We've plotting on how lit our senior prom was going to be for most of our time in high school. Now, you being a lame ass. I'm disappointed." He dramatically put his hand over his chest.

"Nigga, shut up. Ol' dramatic ass." I laughed before looking down at my phone.

"What you staring at?"

"Missy texted me. She wants to talk to me about something."

I looked up to see Ben smiling at me. "Bruh, what you smiling for?"

"Y'all getting back together, I already know it. Shit was inevitable if you ask me." I looked at him with an uninterested glance.

"Whatever. Let me go see what she talm' about. I'll get at you later." With that, I gave my boy a headnod and dapped him up.

"Bet. Text a nigga what happens too."

As I was walking through the hall, I passed acknowledged a lot of familiar faces before seeing someone who I hadn't been communicating with standing by my locker.