KIMBERLY.
I walked into my dorm room and sat my bookbag on the bed as my phone rang. I took it out of my back pocket and looked at the caller i.d before answering. Jhasi was calling me. I answered the phone as I began taking my books and everything out.
I sat everything up neatly on my desk before I finally picked the phone up. Jhasi spoke before I could say anything. "Wus good, bitch? Where you at?" She asked me.
"In the room. I still don't feel good." I sighed.
The way she spoke next, you could tell my friend was frowning her face up. "I was calling to see if you wanted to hang tonight, but i'on want you out if you not feelin' good. You want me to come home?" My homegirl asked me.
"Nu uh. Go have fun for us both."
I already know Jhasi did her homework for the day so I wasn't tripping on that. She do her shit either ahead of time or literally a few hours after it's due.
"Fuck what you talkin about. I'ma be there by 11. Until then, I'll call to check up on you every hour. I love you, babes." Jhasi said. I said I loved her too and then we ended the call.
—
I was finally able to sit down and do some homework for the day, which i'm grateful for. Now, i'm laying down tryna get some rest. I looked down at my phone as it vibrated next to me on the bed. Bryson was trying to facetime me.
"Wus hannin?" Bryson asked as soon as the phone connected.
"Ugh, nothing. I'm layin in my bed, tryna get some rest. What you doin?" I asked him.
"I thought you had hella homework to do, ion see it nowhere in sight." Bryson said. I playfully rolled my eyes at his overprotectiveness.
"I did some of it but I had to lay down for a minute. I haven't been feeling good all day. I can't eat, drink, or be up too long without feeling nauseous and having to sit down. I probably threw up bout five times today." I told him.
I don't know what's wrong with me but like I been telling people, I just haven't been feeling great lately. I've been so busy with school and work, I can't even focus on me being under the weather right now. I don't have time to fall behind.
I talked to Von this morning and he demanded that I go to the hospital today, that was earlier. It's almost 9:30 at night and I just got home maybe an hour ago.. the last thing I wana do is spend the rest of my day in an emergency room.
"Get dressed. I'm fina slide so you can go see wussup." Bryson said.
"I don't have the strength to get up, Bryson. Please don't do dis right now." I begged him.
"I'm already round da way so i'a be there in about five minutes." He told me as I heard somebody beep their horn at Bryson. I sighed before ending the call so that I could get ready.
A few minutes later, Bryson had pulled up just as I was walking down the stairs. He got out the car and grabbed my bookbag, as he opened the passenger door for me.
"Thank you." I sniffled.
Bryson looked over at me as he pulled off. "What you cryin' for?" He asked me.
"Because I didn't wana get up and go out, Bryson." I said in between silent sobs.
I genuinely just did not feel like doing all the extra tonight. I thought I was fina go to my dorm after class and take a nap, but of course someone else has plans for me. I don't care if it's just a quick hospital trip! I was in my bed relaxing and now i'm in a car crying because I can never rest—even being sick.
"You on yo period?" Bryson asked me.
"Yes." I simply responded to his question.
Was me being on my cycle the reason I was crying? No. It's playing a part in me being this damn emotional but like I said, I'd rather be in my bed taking a nap right now. That's why i'm crying.
We finally pulled up to the hospital and got out.
"Come here," Bryson walked over to me and pulled me into a hug before he wiped my tears with his thumbs. I frowned.
"I'a take you back to da crib right after we leave. You know they gone say you too sick to be in school doe, right? You shouldn't have een went today but it's good you did." He told me.
"I wana see my brother. And i'm not too sick to be in class, Bryson. I can still go." I told him as we walked in.
———
BRYSON.
"You thought I was chattin. I told you exactly what dem doctors was gone say, baybay. You gotta rest and allow yo body to fight dis shit off," I told Kimberly as we pulled up to Von's flat.
Just as a nigga suspected, Kim got da flu. It ain't nothin major but it can become dat if she don't slow down for a lil second. She know i'on play bout da school shit but when it comes to her health, ain't shit more important than dat.
She can be mad bout it all she want, we'll get past da bullshit sooner or later.
I got out da car and was fina walk over to open the door for Kimberly until she did it herself. She got out wit a lil attitude and tried to storm off, until I called her second name.
"Bay Bay." I called out.
It's crazy how Kimberly got a nigga all soft and shit for her. I barely een call her by her government, her name damn near baby or Bay Bay now. She love dat shit doe. You can tell she used to it too, cause whenever I call her by her real name she get to swearin a nigga mad bout somethin.
I approached her and gently pulled her to me. She looked up at me, wit a cute but unnecessary lil pout on her face.
"Hm?" She mumbled.
"You tight cause you gotta miss class, dat shit not worth you gettin riled up over." I truthfully told her.
"Yea, i'm mad because of dat. This not like high school, i'm paying for these classes out of pocket, Bryson. I can't afford to be missing two weeks of school! On top of that, ima need to be doing work, sometimes we have handouts and I can't fall behind." Kim stressed as her eyes got watery again.
I sighed. She bein' real moody today and dis shit beyond me. All she gotta do is relax, we gone figure all dis shit out together and dats it.
"I'ma go get any handouts you gone need to do, aight? Just email yo professors and let em know to have it ready by the end of tomorrow. You just make sure you doin' yo online work and turnin' it into blackboard on time too." I tried to reassure her.
"But-" She started.
"Aight? I promise niggas not gone let you fall behind." I told her.
"Alright." Was all Kimberly said before wipin her face and walkin into her brother crib.
"She cryin' bout school again?" Von asked as soon as we got in.
"Hell yea. She think she gone fall behind cause she gotta miss two weeks."
"Aye. Come here real fast, Kimberly." Von called out.
"Yea?" She said, walking back into da living room.
"You know all we do is look out for you, right? Dis school shit probably more important to us then it is to you. I wouldn't let you flunk out and I know Bryson irritatin ass wouldn't either. You straight, aight?" Von asked his sister. She nodded her head.
"Alright. I'm about to go lay down." Kim said before she walked upstairs.
"Kim pregnant or some?" Von asked me.
I looked over at him. "Yea, I think she is." I shook my head.
