Habibet Albi (Incomplete)

Chapter 5: Bad Bitch With a Good Heart

"Some think she's just a bitch, but I know that's not true. They don't see the last pieces of a fragile heart being protected like I do." ~ JmStorm

WHEN PHOENIX ENTERED her little brother's room she immediately noticed all the practically nude posters of women plastered onto the wall next to his futon bed.

She set the laundry basket onto the floor. "Hakeem you need to take a cold shower. If I gotta hose all that testosterone down I will." Phoenix warned as she hung up his and Jonah's clothes. She would yell at him to hang his clothes, it didn't matter how much she yelled he wouldn't listen. To make both their lives easier she just hung up his clothes.

Hakeem was playing GTA 5 on his xbox live. Jonah sat on his bed with his eyes glued to the screen. A stripper began to give the video game character a lap dance.

"Why is she rubbing her butt on him. Ewww that's gross. Doesn't he know she poops there." Jonah said in disgust and scrunched up his nose.

"Turn it off now. You don't need to corrupt his innocent mind." Phoenix commanded as she folded her brothers laundry and put them in their drawers.

"He probably won't even remember it inna hour." Hakeem said unfazed, as he hit buttons on his controller. The setting of the game went from a strip club to a car with road stretched before it.

"Maybe, but I'm your caretaker so you need to listen to me." Phoenix reminded.

Hakeem paused the game then threw the controller at the dresser Phoenix stood by. "You're not my mom and you'll never be her! Just because she's dead doesn't mean you need to try to be her!" He screamed.

He took the nike windbreaker off the back of the computer chair next to his computer desk and stormed out the room.

"Stay here." She told Jonah and ran after Hakeem.

Hakeem was out the door by the time she reached the bottom of the staircase.

Carmela sat up from the sofa and was staring at Phoenix,"What's going on?" Carmela asked, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and concern filled her voice.

Phoenix was too concentrated on chasing after her brother she was out the door as Carmela spoke. Her feet hit pavement and slapped against the asphalt. Hakeem was a foot taller than her so his long legs were fast when he ran. But Phoenix was the track star of her high school. She may have not been in the best shape since senior year but she was still quick.

She was only a few feet away. She could get to him. Her throat felt like she swallowed fire and her leg muscles ached. She pushed herself despite the incessant, pain throbbing in her ribcage.

You're almost there. You can get him. Don't give up.

The tip of her sneaker somehow got caught in the line in the sidewalk and she fell forward with her hands outstretched. The palms of her hands scraped along the sidewalk. She glanced up and Hakeem was nowhere in sight. She panted, breathing heavily as she tried to breath air into her sore lungs.

Fuck.

Phoenix slammed the door on her way back into the apartment.

"Where did Hakeem go?" Carmela inquired.

"I have no idea." Phoenix breathlessly answered.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Probably went to Azaan or Jamal's place." Carmela assured her.

*****

Phoenix's phone vibrated in her jean pocket as she walked out of her Calculus class. She pulled it out and an unfamilar number flashed across the screen. Usually she declined the call but for some reason her intuition told her to answer it.