When Dianna bites into an apple, she pushes her tongue up against the crunchy fruit ever-so-slightly.
"Okay, that's enough of you watching me" She wiped her mouth on a brown school napkin. "You're making me self-conscious"
Ella stormed into the cafeteria and pushed her pretty, painted fingers into my chest.
"I got beef with you, Rocky"
"You don't walk up on me like that. You don't want me embarrassing you, so don't roll up on me like that"
She did this little half eye roll. "We need to talk"
"Inform me on the price of your nails first" I said. "Then compare that to the cost of what you don't have"
She his her hands behind her back. "I couldn't look raggedy, Rakim"
"I'm not going to keep fronting you all this money, and you not even doing nothing for me but wasting my money. I was playin' nice with you before"
She pulled at the collar of my shirt. "Rocky, I cannot afford to put Rakim in daycare"
"Alright, shoo. We'll talk later. I'm talking to Dianna now"
Ella sucked her teeth and left.
"You don't mind sitting with me at lunch while your girlfriends cackle like that?" I looked across the cafeteria.
My P.O. dropped off our lunch. A real sweetheart.
I got up with my food, and went to go sit with Dianna's friends.
"Ladies" I nodded my head slightly.
"Heyyyy Ra-kiiim"
Dianna got up and sat across from me. "You are impossible"
"You right. I really came over here cause I need some extra help. I know you got a smart group of friends...except for her" I pointed at Lauryn.
I used to run with her brother.
"Fuck you, man" She laughed. "My brother runs his mouth too much"
"Alright, I'a catch you, Dianna. I was really just returning you"
-
Ella baby walked around my room. She couldn't concentrate on her homework.
"Say 'I'ma street nigga'." I told him.
"Mama gone?" He asked.
I sucked my teeth and left the room. "Come on"
I jogged down the stairs, and when I looked up, he was sitting on the top step.
I had to go all the way back up to him and bring him back down.
Pink bonnet lady sat at the kitchen table.
"You eat noodles yet?" I asked him.
He nodded his head and pouted. "Want mommy"
Pink bonnet lady whipped around. "Who is that, Rakim? And where you been?"
"I'm still trying to figure out who he is" I laughed and sat him up on the counter.
"And my second question?"
"I'ma ignore your second and third question. I swear that you always sweating me. That's why I should have my own place by now. I pay bills here, and my house don't even have to be under my name. I'm good"
"No"
It wasn't a question.
I sat him down on the floor again, and Pink bonnet lady called out to him. "Come here, child"
"Noo" He whined worriedly, and grabbed onto my leg. "Want mommy"
I FaceTime'd Ella and she answered on the second ring. "Hello?"
"Your son miss you"
I handed the baby my phone, and he sat on the floor. "Heyyyy, Rocky Pooh" She made kissing noises into the phone.
"Don't you ever do that. That is so ugly" I said.
Pink bonnet lady was looking at me with the wildest look in her eyes.
"Are you having a good time with daddy?"
"Stop that" I said.
"He literally looks just like you, Rakim"
Silence.
Ella glared at me through the phone. "Do you remember when you said-"
"Stop trying to expose me for talking soft. We'a see you when we see you"
I picked the boy up and he held onto my neck.
"You have a son?" Pink Bonnet Lady asked me.
"No"
"I don't know you at all" Chirp chirp tweet tweet.
"You know I pay the bills. That's me, that's who I am. Now you, you go shopping with your girlfriends with my money or sit around the house all day. You want me to go to school? I already graduated on the block. You sitting at home cozy. We got two different ideas of living, so no, you don't know me"
"You need to respect me!" She got up, smacks flying.
With all that flapping her skin was doing, I was hoping her bird ass would lift off.
Quack, Quack, Bawk, Bawk.
"Daddy, goooo!" Rocky cried and tried to kick her away.
I pushed Pink Bonnet Lady back a bit. "Move before you make me drop him, what the fuck?"
-
"Hit me" I pushed at his hand.
He rolled his knuckles across my chest.
I pushed his hand down and tapped my fingers against his stomach. Not to hurt him, but to annoy him.
He whined and walked up on me, standing on my legs.
"Aight, chill" I said and he pulled my lip down to touch my grill. "I got a box of pampers, go play with that"
"Thank you" Ella said.
"I don't know what you talking about. Finish your work, little girl"
"Okay, but don't call me little. Don't teach my baby to fight either. He is a lover" Ella declared.
"Well he's going to love to fight" I said.
"Aaaahhh" He said and tried to pull at my grill.
"I'ma get you one when you grow a couple more teeth"
"My baby is not walking around like that. I'ma undo do all the thug stuff you're putting on him" Ella said.
"Nah, whatever I teach him is going to stick. Little boys admire their elders-that-stick-around-and-stuff"
"I don't know why you don't want to say it"
"You fucked another nigga, he not mine. I'm leaving, bye" I got up.
-
