Boondocks One Shots

The Painting

~•~

Jazmine stepped out of the limo, all in her glory. The pictures started snapping the moment the door opened. Her shapely leg stuck out first, followed by the rest of her. The dark pink gown hugged every inch of her curvaceous body, and her hair - usually curly and bouncy - was straight down below her waist and swayed with her every movement.

She smiled at the cameras, pink lips curving. An arm from the left wrapped around her waist and tugged her gently. She looked up at the man's face. He grinned a sexy grin. "Ready, baby?"

"Oh yeah." The couple strutted into the building, waving at the flashing lights that blinded their way.

Riley Freeman's gallery was beyond spontaneous.

Different paintings of several sizes hung from the walls, each one more eye-catching than the last. The people viewing them were also on a higher level, ranging from Riley's family and friends to A-lists with interests in art.

Jazmine and her fiancé, Australia's top soccer player, Justin, were amongst them.

"Ay, Jazzy!" Jazmine saw a flash of blonde, and before she knew it, she was wrapped in the arms of her best friend.

"Cindy!" Jazmine hugged her back, beaming over her shoulder. She and the basketball player handn't seen each other in a while, in fact - it was long overdue. They pulled away from eachother and that's when Cindy noted her fiancé. "Whatchu doin' here?"

"Cin!" Jazmine scolded, smacking her arm.

Justin only rolled his eyes. "Hey, Cindy."

Cindy pretended she couldn't hear him. "Girl! You gotta see this one painting Reezy did! Issue is he ain't revealed it yet!"

Jazmine frowned. "Why not? Where is it?"

Cindy shrugged. "Nigga too much of a pussy to admit that it's dedicated to ya."

"I was Riley's inspiration?!" Jazmine beamed, excited. Riley's expertise were landscapes and portraits, but a majority of the portraits he did were of Cindy and strangers, Jazmine never imagined that her own face would star on a canvas belonging to him.

"What y'all on about?"

The three whirled their heads and there he was. You'd think that as the reason that event was happening, he'd be in a suit for the occasion, but not Riley. He swaggered to the threesome in basketball shorts and a tank top, hands in his pockets.

"None ya, business," Cindy winked at Jazmine. Riley looked between the two and scoffed, holding his hand up. "Y'know what? I ain't even wanna know. Prolly on about yo nasty periods or some shit."

"Cause that's obviously what we'd be talking about with Justin around," Jazmine replied with sarcasm.

Cindy cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

Justin scowled. "Cindy, I get that you don't like me, but you better--"

"You better watch yo tone with ma girl, white boy," Riley interrupted, stepping closer. Justin blew out a huff as Jazmine shifted uncomfortably due to the new tension in the air.

Justin cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "I'm going to go get a drink. You want one, babe?"

Jazmine forced a smile and shook her head. He left without another word, and she swore she could see a vein popping out of his forehead. Jazmine sighed heavily and turned to her ghetto friends.

"What?" They barked at the same time.

"You two could be nicer to Justin, you know!" Jazmine threw her hands in the air. "I am marrying the guy after all! What did he do to you two anyway?"

"Ruined a perfectly good thang our squad had goin' on, that's what!" Cindy retorted. "Jazzy, you know that nigga ain't the one!"

"Yea. The hell happened wichu and McHater anyway?" Riley added, angrily, making Jazmine flinch. "Even I like that gay ass betta and the nigga pisses me off on a daily."

Jazmine cringed. Instant memories of what happened between them flew back into her mind so so quickly that she felt dizzy for a moment. And the crushing sensation she felt in her heart didn't help much either. Riley realised he may have said too much when Jazmine spoke first, "I...I'm going to go walk around."

She whirled around and speed-walked away, ignoring the scolding Cindy was giving Riley behind her.

Jazmine loitered, barely paying attention to the art or the chattering around her. Only speaking in a low voice when she greeted. She walked into the most empty hallway she could find, with only one couple gazing at the art. She watched them wrap their arms around eachother, looking like the only humans in the universe.

Jazmine hugged herself and turned away, immediately noticing a canvas on the wall at the end of the hallway, covered with a white cloth. She sort of floated towards it, curious about what was underneath.

Can I move it?  She looked around to see if anyone was around. Her arm went for the cloth.

"You probably shouldn't do that."

Her hand freezed in mid-air, and her heart almost stopped. She squeezed her eyes tightly, thinking it was in her head, but his voice came again.

"Riley wouldn't like it."

Jazmine's hand dropped to her side and she turned her head to the right. "Hi, Huey..."

Like his brother, Huey also wasn't dressed in the expected formal suit. Instead he wore a black V-neck shirt, with dark jeans to go with it. His hands were stuffed into his front pockets. His eyes darted from the shielded painting and gazed deeply into hers. Jazmine shifted. It didn't matter that they knew each other from young ages - she would never know what he really thought, or even guess.

"Jazmine," he replied softly, and his tone put her off guard.

She turned to him fully. "How," she started, composing herself, "How are you?"

"Fine."

"...I don't think you are."

Huey was quiet for a moment, and then he shook his head.  "That's because I'm not."

Jazmine looked down solemnly. She didn't want to ask why because she already knew, so she switched the topic. "So...you liked Riley's art so far?"

"I don't give a damn about Riley's art. I came here to find you."

"And here I am!" Jazmine threw her hands in the air and Huey scowled. "Here I am, Huey. So what do you want?"

"I want you to break off that engagement."

Jazmine hesitated. "No."

"You don't even love him."

"Don't you even dare start! What do you know about "love," Huey Freeman?"

"I know it's how you feel about me,"  he retorted, surprising her. He took a step toward her, and she stood stiff. She wanted her feet to move back, but her limbs weren't listening. Huey stopped only inches from her, and in a flash, ripped off the cloth hiding the painting.

Jazmine's head snapped towards it.

It was a baby. The watercolour painting formed a baby, wrapped in vines as if protected by them. Her eyes were wide open, illuminating a gorgeous, chocolate brown. Her hair was wild, edging around her face in its strawberry blonde glory.

Jazmine had that hair.

Huey had those eyes.

Jazmine choked a sob, hit hard by the beauty she was witnessing. Yet, even more importantly - the message the piece was sending to her.

She tore her eyes away and looked to Huey who was staring at the piece himself with an unreadable expression. Her hand touched his cheek and he faced her again, leaning into her soft touch. No one said anything.

They communicated with their eyes. And after what the art piece had started, their heartful expressions seemed to finish it.

~•~