Noble
I shot the ball in the basket repeatedly making sure to make it in every time. I had a lot of shit on my mind and this seemed to give me a little peace. I couldn't decide on whether I wanted to go my separate ways from the crew or not. I know that I have to do what's best for me but I had never made a move without my guys before.
On top of that, we still hadn't figured where this excess money came from and the young niggas we had out here was wilding. Word on the street was that one lil nigga had offed a cop putting more blood on my hands. I sighed before sitting on the cement of my home basketball court.
"What you got on your mind?" My father, Nasir questioned before grabbing the basketball from next to me and taking a successful shot.
"How you get in?" I asked ignoring his question.
"Your pretty little lady." He smiled sitting on the ground across from me.
"Don't get put down." I said seriously. I could take a joke but not when it came to Cyrus.
"Stop letting the size fool you, Noble." He said as we shared a laugh. I wondered what was wrong with him. I remember my mother saying that he was sick but he gave me blood so I was confused. From the looks of him he looked sick. He was so frail that he looked to be only skin and bones.
"What's wrong with you? My mom said that you were sick." I asked. I had been wanting to ask him about this for the longest.
"I was sick. I was on drugs bad lost a lot of weight and time in my life. I went to rehab and that's when I came back for you." He began looking into the distance remembering the past. "Your mom never let me be around you when I was like that but she did good with you. Better than I ever could have done for you and your sister."
"Sister?" I questioned. From what I knew I was the only child.
"Zuri. She's three." He smiled grabbing his phone showing me pictures of her. She was so beautiful and she definitely resembled me.
"Why you just letting me know about her now?"
"Because I never got to meet her myself. I've been on drugs for a long time and I've only been clean for six months. Her mother won't let me see her." He frowned. I didn't want this little girl to lose out on a father like I did so I would do what I could to make sure she had this man in her life despite understanding her mother's reasoning. "Just promise me that you'll do what you have to for your son and that girl. Be careful of the decisions you make and the company you keep around. If they're not with you, they are against you. It's not just about you anymore it's about your family as well. Keep them safe, protect them at all costs."
I took in every word he said before responding, "I got you pops."
"Pops?" He smirked.
"Yeah man. I kind of like you." I said as we shared a laugh. He didn't know that he gave me the motivation I needed through his own mistakes to go with my move.
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I watched her as she waltzed around the black dress that was see through with a deep slit to the side. She plopped down on the bed struggling to place on her neon yellow pumps.
"Aasim, or you gonna just watch me or help me put these on?" She huffed as I snapped from my daze and began to help her. Her feet were a little swollen but they slid on.
"Thank you." She mumbled as I helped her from the bed. I watched as she walked towards the mirror removing her Flexi rods. I walked behind her holding her waist.
"Babe." She laughed as I laid my head in the crook of her neck. "He's kicking the fuck outta me right now."
She moved my hands to the bottom of her belly and lil man was surely kicking like a soccer player. I smiled big. I was about to have a family and I couldn't be happier. Cyrus and I were also in a better place in our relationship. I was just hoping that everything else in my life would align.
"He loves his daddy." I teased before kissing her neck. She turned to face me as I held her neck. We stood in silence for a few seconds as I admired her facial features. Cyrus's beauty was undeniable.
"Mommy loves daddy too." She said as we shared a kiss that deepened as minutes went by. "Stop, Aasim. I thought you made reservations."
I sighed before kissing her forehead and calmed myself down.
"You right. Let's go." I said as she grabbed her purse and added more gloss to her lips.
I followed behind her down the stairs as she stopped to the kitchen to grab her grapes. I laughed out loud as she rolled her eyes at me. We exited the house and locked up. I opened her door to the Range before hopping into the driver's side.
"What you feel like listening to?" I ask before starting the car and placing on my seatbelt.
"Old school jams." She said with a mouthful of grapes as I nodded.
Tamia and Fabulous's Into You blared through the speakers as we sang along.
I can't really explain it
I'm so into you now
I wanna be more than a friend to you now
When they ask, I mention my baby girl on the interviews
We sang along to that song as well as those of Ja Rule, Ashanti, & Aaliyah as we made it to Cyrus's favorite spot, Benny's. It was a seafood spot that she enjoyed being that she enjoyed seafood. She eats anything if you ask me.
"Benny's babe?" She smiled from ear to ear before kissing my cheek. That's the smile I'd kill for. I'd do anything to keep her happy and food was number one on the list for her.
"I know it's your favorite." I smiled as we hopped out and walked hand in hand in the restaurant. It was pretty busy but we were greeted right away and seated in a section of our own.
"I'm Hailey. Can I start you guys off with drinks?" She smiled as I nodded.
"I'll take a water with lemon." Cyrus smiled. "Can I order now too? I know what I want."
I shook my head as she ordered her usual. I ordered my drink and looked at the menu for a minute or two before finding something that I think I would like.
We talked about everything under the sun until our food came and as usual it was amazing.
"Jace?" I asked as she frowned taking another bite of her food.
"It's cute but it's too plain." She shrugged. "How about Denim?"
"That's gay."
"Really Noble?" She laughed before sipping her water. "Maybe I can find something with an N."
"Yeah, Noble Junior." I said seriously.
"My son is not being a Junior. He will be bad as fuck with your face and attitude and I would not wish that on my life."
"He is gonna be all right stop tripping." I laughed. My phone buzzed as I looked up at her seeing it was the local hospital. I was confused as to why they were calling me as I showed Cyrus my phone.
"Answer it." She said as I nodded.
"Hello?" I ask with a scrunched up face.
"Hello, is this Mr. Christian?" A female voice questioned.
"Yes ma'am."
"We have you as an emergency contact for Graham Benjamin." He said as my heart sank. "He's in an induced coma right now. He came to us with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest."
"Baby, is everything okay?" Cyrus said grabbing my hand. I shook my head "no". It would never be okay living like this.
"I'm on my way." I hung up.
