Bando

2

It's been almost a month since Algee and I fell out. I miss his laugh, his advice, his slick comments towards me. I just really miss my best friend.

My thoughts were interrupted when I got a call from Keith. "Hello?" I answered.

"Get up. Get yo ass up outta bed," Keith said.

"I'm up, mane. Is that how you speak to your little cousin?" I asked while I sat up on the side of my bed.

Keith smacked his teeth. "Hey little cousin," he said sarcastically. I could feel him rolling his eyes as he said it. "Idk why you acting like that. You know I'm the best cousin you'll ever have."

"Yea yea yea. Look, cancel whatever you have planned for today cuz you're spending all day with me," he said.

"Cool." I wasn't planning on doing shit anyway. "Meet me at Starbucks and don't be running on black folks time either," he jokingly said.

"Fuck you, brah," I laughed. "Love you too lil cuz," he said before he hung up. I got up and got myself ready. Before I walked out the door, I took a glimpse at the picture of Algee and I sitting on my living room table. It was still damaged from the night I argued with Algee. I started to tear up, but I got myself together before I left.

I pulled up to Starbucks and hopped out of my Jeep. I walked in and saw Keith sitting at a table by himself. "Wassup brah," I said, hugging him. "Wassup. How you been?" He asked.

"Fine." I replied and sat down. He gave me a concerned look. "You sure?"

"Yea. Why you ask?"

He looked down and sighed. "You know he really misses you. Yall need to work it out." I rolled my eyes. I already knew exactly who he was talking about.

"I don't want to ta-" "We're going to talk about this," he said as he cut me off. "Algee brings you up all the time. He's just still hurt," he continued.

"He didn't have to know about it if you would've never told him at the party!" I raised my voice at him. "He needed to know, Mya. I know you family and all, but you shouldn't have hid that from him. You know how he is."

I sighed and looked down. "You right, cuz. I shouldn't be mad at you for telling him. I should be mad at you for not inviting me to your housewarming."

"That was a while ago, man," Keith chuckled. I pouted and looked away from him. He smacked his teeth. "Aite, look. You can follow me to my house and I'll show you around."

I looked back at him and smiled. "Yay! Now let's go." I said as I got up from the table. Keith shook his head and followed behind me.

🌸🌸🌸

"And this is the third bedroom," Keith said as he opened the door. "More like the third master bedroom," I said and looked all around. It was huge. Shit, the whole house is huge. It's like his own mini Playboy mansion.

"If I haven't told you before, I'm telling you now. I'm proud of you, Keith. You came a long way."

He smiled. "Thanks, Mya. I really appreciate it." The doorbell rang. "Let me get that real quick." He ran off to answer the door while I stood in the room.

"She's in here," I heard him say. Who's he talking to? I turned around and see Algee walking in the room with Keith. I should've known he was setting me up.

"Now, Ima leave you two alone," Keith said, giving us both a look before he walked out of the room. Algee and I just stood there, staring at each other. I couldn't stop thinking about how good he looked, especially since he shaved his beard. He is my best friend, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't gobble him up like a turkey.

Eventually, the silence was broken. "I'm sorry," we both said. "I should've told you. I was wrong," I said and dropped my head.

Algee walked over to me and hugged me. "It's alright. I never should've gotten that angry with you."

I hugged him back. "I missed you, best friend." "I missed you, too. You know I can't stay mad at you," he said with a smile.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and grabbed it. It was Cortez calling me. "Wassup."

"You need to get to the spot, Mya. It went down."

Oh shit.