Breathe (Tay K)~COMPLETED

27🌺: Open Up

Ebony|E 🦋

"Aye...I am not finna play with you tonight. Seriously." I point at him as he eyed me and laughed as he pushed himself off the counter, walking towards me.

"But I like playin' witchu." He teased, smirking.

"Shut up." I felt a blush creep up my neck.

"Make me. Shut me up."

"Like I said—I'm not finna play with you, okay?" I turned back around to look in the fridge.

"Shorty, whatever you doin' for ya ass is workin'."

"Nuh uh! Getcho horny ass on!" I tried to get up and tell him seriously, but bubbles into laughter. "What done got into you?" I push him a little in the chest. He pulled me away from the fridge and put me against the counter.

"Man, Nothin. Im just tryna get into you..." He mumbled, kissing me.

"Imma ignore that. You used to be so sweet, what happened?" I asked jokingly. I felt him tense under me. Wrong question.

"Probably when they left me. My parents..." He clarifies, making my heart drop.

"Oh, Tay—I'm sorry, Ian mean it like that." I tried to reason with a soft voice. He stopped me.

"Nah, baby it's cool. I need to talk about this anyway." He whispered. Even though I felt bad about ruining his whole mood, I was ready to listen.

"I was twelve, just about to turn thirteen. I remember the look I gave my dad when he claimed he was going to the store—but it was late. He told me the liquor store then." He swallowed hard.

"My mama followed. Told me to protect the house...she was crying. She made me cry too—but I was still confused. She showed me this clean ass pistol in the drawer and hugged me tight. I woulda hugged her tighter if I knew I'd neva see her again. Then I went and busted right into yo house—gun in hand and said..."

"Look E, I gotta gun! Pew pew pew!" We recited together, laughing. We remember it so well because we bring it up a lot. I never knew the background. All I knew was that I was gonna piss myself if he didn't get that gun outta my sight. The laughter died down, and it seemed like an extra weight was placed on his shoulders.

"Then one night passed...then them nights turned to weeks...then my uncle showed up. He gave me money, he told me I need to be a man—do what I gotta do. He ain't answer no questions bout my parents, just kept brushing me off. I started doing stuff around the house that I saw my mama and my daddy doing around. Cleaning...cooking...id even tote my dirty clothes to the laundromat." He chuckled, like he was laughing at his younger self.

"Thought I was a little man, finally." He quickly wiped an escaped tear. I squeezed his hands.

"My uncle would drop by once a month with money—I learned his schedule the hard way. Then he only came by every couple, then it changed to every year. When I was 15, I realized I had to get off my ass 'cause he wasn't coming back. I got the first eviction notice then. Knew a nigga that I could sell for. Made good money off that shit...met Ten right before I turned 16. Told me I could make money off of hits. Kept putting him off until now." He pushes a stray hair from my face.

"And I just so happened to be rapping in between. When The Race blew up, I felt like most of the shit I wanted to happening, was happening. I didn't have my parents—gave up on giving them back. I felt like something was missing." He whispered, using gentle hands to lift my head up.

"Before you, I felt like Love was some petty ass shit...I felt like I ain't need them distractions. You had to prove me wrong, huh?" I blush and giggle.

"I mean—" I cut myself off as my phone started buzzing.

Father: come next door. Need to talk to you.

I sucked my teeth.

"Baby, I'll be back. My dad's texting me to come over." He scoffs.

"Bruh, you still listen to him?"

"He knows where we live."

"You right." He sighs. "Have fun." He teases. I stick my middle finger up as I go out the door. I go next door and knock. It was opened quickly.

"Cmon, we gotta talk. Let's go for a ride." I groaned and stomped after him. I sat in the car and leaned against the door, silent. We pulled off in silence.

"Where are we going?" I broke the silence.

"Does he treat you right?" He asked out of nowhere.

"Of course. Where we going?"

"You'll see." He said, pulling into a gas station lot. "Sit tight." He patted my leg and got out of the car. I sighed, pulling out my phone.

-me and my dad went for a ride.

Tay 👑: damn he trapped your ass 😂?

-nigga shut up. Our convo isn't over 😘

Tay 👑: I know 🙄 I wasn't done 😐

-smart ass 😒

I put my phone down when he opened the car and jumped in.

"Here." He said, handing me a purple drink.

"Dad, I don't like grape." I said. He knew that.

"Oh, here." He mumbled, handing me the opened red drink. "Ain't Nothin' wrong with it to me." I shrugged, taking a swig. It was quiet for a while.

"What do you see in that lil nigga?" He asked me as I sipped my drink.

"Love that only he can give me." I answer bluntly. He nodded.

"He's dangerous." He mumbled.

"Not towards me." I shot back.

"You don't know that, Ebony." He gripped the steering wheel.

"But I do! He told me why he does what he does! Why he's alone!"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I rubbed my eyes, feeling sleepy.

"If you just gone judge me and call it a 'talk', then I don't wanna be here! Take me back." I propped my head against the window and shut my eyes. He stayed quiet as I drifted off to sleep.