I sat at the kitchen table watching pink bonnet lady make coffee.
"Stop looking at me" She said. "You need to-"
"How am I supposed to sleep on a wet bed?"
"Flip the mattress, Rakim. It ain't the first time you flipped something. Or the second, or the third"
"Must be the fourth" I stood up, and went to the window peering out.
"And just what are you looking for?" She asked.
"Why my car still in the shop?" I questioned. "When is it supposed to be out?"
"Oh, it's out now" She clanked her spoon against her glass like she was in Get Out or something.
"Well lets go get it. I need my ride"
"I sold it to your auntie. Your cousin needed it and you were locked up anyways. I needed the money"
I didn't even pick a fight with her about it.
I stepped in my shoes at the front door and left the house, walking down the street.
"Rakim!"
Rakim this, Rakim that.
I walked down the street towards the girl anyways and sat down on her porch. "You got Travis number? That big head ass, ugly ass nigga that wanna be like me? I dont have a phone yet"
"Your cousin?" She sat down on the step above me.
"Yeah, sure"
She did a little something on her phone for a minute and handed it to me. "It's ringing"
"Huh?" He answered, sounding comfortable.
"Ayo..." I said. "The next time someone offer up my shit, you don't take it. You can pull it back up in my driveway spotless by 6pm. And don't forget the spare key" I hung up the phone.
"How long have you been back?" She asked.
"Not even 24 hours. I'ma pop out immediately each and every time"
"So what's your plan?" She undid one of my braids in the back.
I scratched my head in the front. "I'm not telling nobody how I move"
Whitney came out of the house in some short pajamas. "Rocky! We missed you so much. Its not the same without you" She leaned over and hugged me.
"You in high school still?" I asked her.
"Where you supposed to be" Amina said. "Your mother been telling the whole damn block that you finishing school after break. Said you been studying when you was locked up too"
"Maaan. I don't know what got into that lady" I said. "I swear she done went mad or something while I was gone. Not knowing what to do with herself"
Whitney sat down beside me, and I licked my bottom lip.
"Would you braid my hair up for me Whitney? You don't blow dry my hair rough, and I like the way you part"
"Okay. We have to go up to my room. My grandmother's downstairs"
Her grandmother was a sweet old lady. And hard of hearing too.
Amina flicked the comb against my head and Whitney and I stood up together.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me all the way up to her room.
I sat on her bed and she went to her dresser.
"So what have you been up to?" She asked.
"I was sleep. My mother's been annoying me since I got out. You wouldn't annoy me if I moved in with you, would you? "
She threw a condom at me and I caught it.
It's been way too long.
