"Go out to the backyard." Mrs. Williams says. Me and all the boys get up and walk outside. It was a row of chairs and we all sat down. Kyrie brings a chair out and sits down. "So, I was gonna do a little show for you but I was like nah. What I am gonna do is blow your mind." She says. Everybody adjusts themselves and then looks at Novia. "The first song we ever listened to together was 'Me Against the World'. That was when we sat at the edge of town in my car, getting to know each other. Tell me something. You think I don't listen when you ramble at night, don't you? You think I drown you out." She asks. "It seems like you do. You always close your eyes." I reply. "Haha. Nah, boo. I tuck that in my brain door, specifically designed for you. Cole been lying to y'all. He don't wanna play pro basketball and he don't wanna go to Juilliard for drawing. He wants to go there for writing. That green notebook he uses in Dawson's class is nothing but poetry and vivid descriptions of things he loves. Lemme tell you something about young Bryante. He might be mad but I don't care. For the last few months, he has been praying every night. Thanking God for us, his trials and tribulations and everything he has endured. He cries so hard when he does. But on the outside, you'd never know if he had emotions. This boy loves us so much that if he could, he would take us out of here. One night, a long time ago. Cole and I had been together for like a month at this time. We were sitting in his room and on the wall was a picture of us. Minus Chresanto." She says and we laugh. "Anyway, under each person, there was a poem about him or her. You'll never meet someone who can capture a picture with words as well as Cole. His talent is undefined. But I wanna end with this. Cole, before I met you, I was just a girl living day by day. Doing what she had to do but not what she wanted. Now, I do the things that make me happy. But I keep my focus on the people I love and making sure they're ok. You have made me a better person and I'm gonna be forever grateful. So this is what I got you for our one year anniversary." Kyrie says and the girls drop a projector screen and a video starts. My mouth drops as the first scene comes on. It was me and Novia at the park. "F is for friends who do stuff together. U is for you and me. N is for anywhere and any time at all down in here in the deep blue sea." Kyrie and I sang, wrapped up in each other's arms. The next clip was the block party. "No, no, no! Don't you dare!" I yell as Kyrie and Zeny drag me to the water slide, pushing me down. They laugh as my body flops around. "You niggahs are dead!" I yell, running after them. The next scene was the day of the Homecoming Dance. Kyrie and I had talked for weeks about her coming but she said no. I remember her exact words earlier that day. She said: I ain't going to homecoming. But I want you to go. Have fun, turn up, be the man you are. Me? Imma chill at the house. Bring me pictures though. And I did exactly that. The screen showed she and I standing in her room as she adjusted my tie. "You could've just came." I said, looking down at her. "Niggah, I'm going to prom with you. You can suffer through homecoming without me." She replied and kissed my cheek. As it switched to the next scene, I looked at my Novia. She looks at me and I motion for her to come to me. Kyrie sits in my lap and says, "Ask your question after this one." And I look up when I hear our voices. "We are the champions, my friends. And we'll keep on fighting until the end. We are the champions. We are the champions. No time for losers cause we are the champions ... of the world." And then the screen goes black and we all clap. "Aight, y'all. Get in the house. Fort night!" Mom says. Koley lingers in the backyard. "Thanks, sweet thing." I say. "You're welcome. Oh! And here's your other present." She says and hands me a box. "In case you were looking for your necklace, I took it and got a new pendant. The old one is at the bottom." She says and I pull out the necklace. It was a gold wooden pendant with a picture of us inside. "Where you get the pendant?" I ask as we walk into the house. "I made it. That's why I stayed after school. Worked on it in Mr. Ryan's class." She says as we walk up to her room. "You know, I thought you were gonna buy me something." I say as I get out some clothes. "I thought the same." "Are you glad that I didn't?" "Yea. Shows how much you really know me." Kyrie says, kissing my cheek. I smile and go get in the shower.
*30 minutes later*
"Koley!" I hear and run out the room with Kyrie. Mr. and Mrs. Williams is standing there. "We just wanted to say that we're proud of y'all. One year as a couple. Purest love I've ever seen. You both are amazing." They say and then pull us into a hug. "We are amazing, aren't we?" Novia says and kisses my cheek as we walk to the living room. Kyrie and I slide into the fort next to Tresanto. "Congratulations, y'all." Santos says as the movie starts.
*6 hours later*
"You ready?" Kyrie asks as she runs her hands across my stomach. I look up and see that everyone is asleep. I nod and she pulls me upstairs. We sit in the middle of her bed, holding each other's hands. "You still wanna sing to me?" I ask. "Nah. I just wanna look at you." My Marshmallow replies. I chuckle and say, "Well, I'm still gonna sing to you. So get ready for the purest form of my voice that you've ever heard." "Oh shit, I'm kinda scared." Kyrie says and I laugh. I look through the music on my phone before smiling when I see one of my favorite songs. When I start singing, Novia covers her face but I can see the smile underneath.
Girl, I wish that I could spend time with you each and every day. Preying on my love and emotion, that's the thing that got me open. and I don't know what it takes to let you know you're my girl, to let you know you're my baby. And even when they say we won't stay around, if they only knew that we were meant to be together. Forever and ever, whatever, there's no better thing. Me and you, girl. That's why I write you love letters saying: I like the way look at me. I like the time we spend baby. I like what we have grown to be. I like it girl. Don't you know I like it?
"Uffff! I love that song. And you're right. That was the real Cole singing." Novia says when I finish. I lean in and kiss her cheek. She smiles and then looks out the window. "You know, we haven't had an anniversary dance yet." She says and I smile, grabbing her hand and pulling her out the room and the house. I hook up the speakers while she looks for a song. "I got it." She replies as she sets the phone down. The beat to 'No Letting Go' by Wayne Wonder comes on. "This is a song made for winding." "I never said what kind of dance we were doing." Novia replies and winks while wrapping (so much alliteration right here. lol) her arms around my neck. I place my hands on her hips and we rock to the beat as it spreads through the backyard. "You know I never thought we'd make it this far." I say, lifting her head so I can look at her. "Same. I thought you were gonna realize that you deserved better." "I don't think there's anyone else that's better than you. The first love takes the cake." "Haha. You ain't never lied." Kyrie replies and kisses me. I melt into her arms, pulling her closer. This is the best moment I've ever had with her. And I hope to have more with her by my side. Happy anniversary to me and Novia. #2k14 is the best.
I had to finish this chapter cause y'all are just too patient! Thank you so much. I was listening to 'Studio' while writing this. I needed a hookah. lol. Aight, I hope you guys enjoy.
