New Native Land (The Next Step) (Book II)

Chapter 27 (Mind's Playing Tricks On Me)

Let's fast forward to July shall we. Apparently there's a huge block party I just had to attend on the fourth. Then at night there was a fabulous firework display I had to watch on the top of someone's roof, I was pretty excited.

"It's so dope!" I yelled and Draya looked proud, "I told you!" We continued to party. I started to throw it back a little and Draya looked amazed "How the hell do you do that?" I looked confused, "What? Popping?" I asked her and she nodded. "You just move your hips and the ass will follow." She tried but, it does take a little practice, we both laughed at her attempt.

"I know you ain't out here acting up!" Drew walked up on us with Caz and PB in tow. I hugged them all, Draya did too. "Acting up how?" I asked Drew and he gave me a you know face. I laughed at him, "Where's your boyfriend?" Caz asked me and I shook my head "I dunno. Around?" I shrugged and he smiled. "Time for my charm." I playfully rolled my eyes at him

"Caz, give it up. I heard they're getting married." Drew joked and Caz shrugged, "I haven't lost until she walks down the aisle, and even still, I could still get her when they call for objections." He joked and made me laughed. "Caz, you're something else." I said to him and he grinned, "You hear that? I'm something else!" I shook my head at him and smiled, always count on Caz to make you smile.

I kept on listening to the music and giving the guys playful roll-ups. "Reagan want someone to wife her up. She got the moves." Drew boasted on my behalf. "Yeah, and she's all mine." Caz beamed and PB shoved him. "You don't share anything in common with her. She don't want you." He tried to break Caz's bubble, but it didn't work he replied, "I don't care what anyone says, Reagan will always be mine."

"Funny, I say the same thing." Ahm said walking up behind Caz, which shocked him. But he quickly composed himself and said, "Look here, my competition. What's up Ahm?" Caz stuck out his hand to dab up Ahm. Ahm took his hand and shook his head "What's up Caz." He replied to him nonchalantly. "Just got through telling the boys, the competition for a woman's heart ends when she says 'I do'." He explained to Ahm and he nodded, "She'll say that to me first, before she say it to you Caz." Ahm tried to tell him, but Caz shrugged, "All part of the game." Ahm shook his head at him.

He walked up to me and nodded, I did the same. "You good?" He simply asked, I nodded, "I'm cool." He looked around and then said, "I gotta surprise for you." I looked at him weird, "Another dog?" I asked but then I felt someone pull on my arm and turn me around.

I was about to go off, but then I saw Trey and Malcolm standing there and I went into shock. "No!" I said and they're smiles got even bigger. "Pinch me I'm dreaming!" Malcolm pulled me in and he hugged me. "I missed you Reag." He said genuinely and I kept myself from crying but I was so happy. He let me go and then Trey embraced me next. "You missed me?" I nodded.

Trey whispered, "I'm so sorry we left you kiddo. I know you had a hard time without us." I sighed and whispered back, "It's okay." He pulled away from me and looked at me like he hasn't seen me in years. "Unc Rell, wanted me to give you this." Trey pulled out a watch out his pocket and my eyes opened wide. "Said you'd know what it meant." My mouth opened wide and I accepted the watch.

"Why you didn't bring him up here with you?" I playfully asked Trey and he shook his head. 

"He said he'd be here if you needed him and that he loved you, and that it wouldn't hurt for you to pick up the phone every once in a while." I laughed and put on the watch that fit perfectly on my wrist which surprised Trey.

"Damn Reag, you got a $120,000 watch on your wrist right now." Scrap commented on my new piece of jewelry. "It's a story behind the watch." I explained him, he still looked amazed. "Nigga, don't forget where the fuck we at, don't be announcing how much her shit is." Shad berated Scrap and Scrap looked down, "My bad." I laughed, "It's cool." I assured Scrap.

"Go enjoy yourself, we'll be here." Malcolm told me and I smiled and nodded. I turned and looked at Ahm who was as emotionless as ever, and smiled at him. I said, "Thank you." He nodded his head, I knew him seeing me smile again made him happy, but he didn't want to show that side of him, so he motioned me to rejoin my friends, and gave me a little wink.

"Girl, your brothers are fine." Draya told me and we all looked at her weird. "You think everyone look good." Drew made fun of her. "Yeah, but just not you." She clapped back and Drew feigned offense. "I don't want you to think I look good; I already know it." Drew boasted and then some girls walked by and they looked at Drew hard and said in unison "Hey Drew." He rubbed his chin and said smoothly, "What's up." They giggled as they walked away, "Don't look at my boyfriend." Draya told the girls because she was mad at the attention he got after calling him ugly. 

We all laughed, "You jealous now?" Drew asked her and she made a face at him "They were ugly, it doesn't count." He shook his head at her. "Point out any girl here and I will go and get her number." He challenged and she looked around and saw a girl, she was bad. I mean she looked so good everyone she walked by became mesmerized. "Her." Draya pointed out and Drew looked in her direction and then immediately turned around, "Shi... You trying to get me killed. That's Cooley girl, she is off limits." Drew told Draya.

"Cooley?" I asked and he nodded, "Don't worry, he won't start drama here when everyone here. Including your brothers and Ahm. You're alright." Drew assured me, but it was still nerve racking. I don't even know what Cooley looks like, so him starting drama might happen, and I don't even know who he is. 

"But even if she did give me her number, I'd never make it to the phone to use it." Drew took me out of my impending thoughts and we all laughed. "Well then, I guess her." She pointed to another really pretty girl. "Now that I can do." He walked towards the girl and started macking, and spitting game.

"You know Drew can do it, you bet on the wrong person not succeeding." PB told Draya and she pouted, "I know, but I wish someone would just not give into his fake ass charm." Draya admitted and I sighed, "He's too good." I said motioning towards his starting to get a roll-up from the girl and Draya mugged him as he gave us a thumbs up.

"These hoes are too easy." Her voice was salty, I had to laugh. I decided to instigate, "Go over there and say you're his girlfriend again." She smiled evilly and walked over to them and told the girl, Drew glared at her. They walked back over and we laughed. 

"I was having a good time." Drew said and I teased him, "Aw." He gave me a mean glare, "Reagan shut your whole party down man." Caz told on me but I didn't care. "I'm not surprised, she's a hater." He joked and I smiled, "That I am."

"I think someone has their eyes on Reagan." Draya said motioning towards a group of guys looking at us. "Aw, shit." Drew voice laced with concern. PB stood up and mumbled, "Dammit." I looked at PB weird and then Drew. "Who's that?" I asked them and Drew sighed out loud and replied,"Cooley."