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A full moon on a cloudless night will forever bring my spirit comfort. Especially on nights where my mind runs chaotic, and I need a sense of relaxation somewhere outside myself. No place offers me that other than the moon's bright yet subtle light shining down ever so beautifully. And to top it off, my best friend Giovanni lays across my lap allowing that effortless light to glow against his deep complexion.
While I enjoy the view before me, he stares ahead into abyss, his mind wandering due to having yet another rough night at home. He's going through such a tough time right now with his father recently being incarcerated and his mother's sudden vanish. It's left him parentless and in the custody of his maternal aunt who alludes to not wanting to care for him.
I feel for him, because I can't imagine having to go through anything relative to that. I mean I've lost a parent to death but I still have my mother. He can't say the same. She left him behind. And while his aunt isn't his only relative he can call on, she's the only one within the city. Everyone else is scattered across the United States which means he'd have to move if he wants to be from under her his aunt's thumb. He hasn't voiced wanting that option, but when he's overwhelmed he sneaks a few blocks over to my house for a break.
He breaks our ten-minute silence with his raspy voice, "What time is it?"
"Um, a little after 1am." I tap the home button on my LG.
He deeply exhales and closes his eyes. I can tell he's debating on staying longer or going home like we don't have to be up for school in the next four hours. I lightly run my finger along the wild hairs of his eyebrows causing him to set his nutmeg colored eyes on me.
"You know you can stay if you don't want to go home." I offer the idea. It's risky but I rather take the risk than watching his face sink at the thought of going back to that house tonight.
"You tryna get me killed, Korin?" he sits up with an airy laugh.
"My mom leaves at 5:15. She won't even see you."
"Courtland and Justice?"
"Courtland won't say anything to my mom. He'll just cuss me and you out. Justice might snitch but it'll be too late so who cares? Come on."
I push up from the back porch and grab my phone while he does the same. I gesture for him to walk down the steps, and then lead him around to the side door. It's the only door with a broken sensor, therefore, the system won't announce to everyone that the door is open. I slowly pull him inside behind me while listening out for my oldest brother Justice. He likes to be up late at night on the phone with his girl of the week.
"Ay, stop trying me, lil girl." I hear him laugh before his bedroom door is quietly pushed shut. The microwave is humming which means he'll be right back out, so I rush through the kitchen and swing us around the stairs.
