Telegraph Ave

Chapter 20: Great Night

The night was thriving but our bodies were drained, exhausted after a hot long day at the beach. It's 9:18 pm as we now travel past the twin peak mountains of San Francisco, reaching the Oakland Bay bridge. Just like every other day of adventure, they all have to come to an end. I can still see the blazing beach fire burn in the back of my head, everyone telling stories, listening, laughing, and lounging in the cool sand. Kid Cudi~Day n Nite was playing through the speakers, Markus had his aux cord.

Not too conscious about slowed & reverb music, this song itself took my genre of listening to another phase. I've never heard the slowed version of Day n Nite, but if I was to describe how I think it feels to be high—this is the definition. It's smooth, thick with melody, and it accommodates the evening. Everyone in our Jeep was asleep. Markus was steady driving and I was sticking my hand out the window feeling the wind fight against it. Jordan was driving the other Jeep ahead, we were on his tail this time. Markus lets out a yawn and I immediately think about taking turns with the wheel. And I wouldn't hesitate cause I'll be following behind Jordan, no need for a GPS this time.

"Aye Markus?"

"Yeah." He glances at me for a second but looks back to the road.

"Are you getting sleepy? I can take turns if need to."

"Oh no, I'm good big dawg. I've lasted longer nights than these and home's not that far."

"Aight."

I respond, looking back out the window to witness both cities glinting. The skyline acted as a lantern to the dark sky. You couldn't see any stars but you can see the aura that both settlements gave off into the environment. Boats roam the waters, cars traveled the bridge—seemed restless almost. You get a different perspective when you're in a neighborhood at night, everything is silent instead of crickets in the bushes. You'd kind of expect things to slow down in the evening, but for all cities it's different.

"Stacy huh?" Markus breaks the silence when the song ends.

Turning my head I smile, flattered "Yeah, man."

"You a lucky dude." Markus shifts his eyes back on the road. "I haven't seen her that open about a guy in years." He glances behind his seat, everyone continues to slumber. Markus chuckled. "Don't tell them I said this. Not even Jordan, but... when we were growing we had the biggest crush on Stacy."

"No shit?"

"I'm for real. She was so caught up in her own world for the longest time, it was almost like guys didn't lovingly exist to her besides her father. And I mean, there was nothing wrong with that and she probably had a reason for doing what she did. As for Jordan and I, we were older than her—just by a couple of months. With that being said, Stacy grew up looking up to us as her older siblings. Because she's always wanted big brothers, we respected that so much we didn't confess our feelings. Even if we took a DNA test and it came back negative, you couldn't tell us we weren't blood. However, that didn't stop anybody else in middle school or the beginning of high school to ask her out." He blows a raspberry. "She was a hard nut to crack, boy. Turning down everybody that came in her direction, and being young we didn't understand why she didn't take any chances until we got older. It's a lot of niggas out here in Oakland that ain't shit, but if she didn't know you... you definitely didn't have a chance." Markus begins to laugh and I join in.

It caused me to think though. "Well... What makes me any different?"

He scoffs. "I mean... Bro trusts me when I tell you this, you're different. She wouldn't have opened up that much to you if she didn't see anything within you. In fact, I wouldn't have approved the beginning of this relationship if I didn't see anything within you. No offense."