Say No More

chapter 1- HAKUNA MATATA

Evans*
I'm sitted in my room. Nothing much to do and it's a Friday. First year at campus will do that to you. I hear my Jake yelling downstairs like I wasn't used to it. Ever since the boy hit puberty. It's been a nightmare.
I mean someone's gotta tell him he ain't the first to have pubes you know. But what do I care. He's my younger brother as long as he ain't in my way,which he knows better than to be in, the boy can yell at the tv as long as he wants.
It's almost evening so I walk out of the house and head towards Edwin's crib. Edwin was more like a bro to me. I mean he lives alone since his dad died in service to the military. His mum. Well his mom. He's actually never talked about his mom so I basically know nothing about it and if he's not interested in bringing the matter up, who am I to nag a brother over details?
Edwin lives alone off his dad's benefits, you know, the gratuity money that is given to the remaining families of dead servicemen. Once he hit 18 he had access to acquire it and managed to stop living with his moody aunt all the way across country.
One thing about Edwin though. He has been smoking weed ever since his dad, sergeant David Jones died.
So I knew what was coming my way once I decided to text him that I would go over. But it was Friday night . I had nothing to do. Absolutely. Nothing. To. Do. So yeah I might as well get high just for the fun in it. And besides my parents were out for the weekend to the capital to clear out travel papers or something uninteresting.

I got to the house. It was just a few blocks away and I planned to save on gas money.

I knocked on the door and it took about four knocks for Ed to come up and open the door.

"Jesus Ed what took you so long? You were jerking off again weren't you?" I smirked just to let him know I was playing. He left the door open allowing me in as he walked to the couch."I'm not you Evans Anderson, and even if I were, it would have taken me a little longer than that to get finished with it" he said throwing a gaming pad to me while returning a favor.

That was us. We had grown so fond of each other ever since our friendship began. We've been through alot and by that I mean

aloooot.

"Hey my dad's taking us to Africa." I mentioned to him while he flipped his seat covers looking for I don't know what.
"He is what??" Ed burst out in shock. His eyes now popping demanding to know more.
"Yeah, he's been saying stuff about how the management he works for are sending them to aid in growing the branch in Africa.".
"That's fucked up...I don't even want to know if it's cancer y'all are going to spread down there"...he brushed off my explanation, clearly no longer interested in the topic.
But who am I to let stuff go.
"You should come with us. Besides you are African-American, don't you want to see your motherland?"
I told him looking away to hide the laugh that was building in me.
"Oh so your dad wants to take the royal family to Africa for EDWIN JONES to see his motherland" he spoke softly the tone of his voice varying.
I don't know if he had just seen through my secondary excuse to get him on board the plane or he was readily agreeing to come with us.
"You wish Ed. But still I think you should come since what do you plan to do this long holiday anyway. I mean it's not like you'll get a job. Weed has got you hired full time."
I convincingly told him. I don't get it why do varsity students have to take breaks this long. My dad brought up the issue some days back at dinner and I was not sure whether I was going to accept moving with him that far across the globe. To a place I knew nothing about. It was yesterday that he mentioned about bringing a friend or two when he noticed how reluctant I was to answer him.
Actually what disturbed me was my whole family would leave and I would not be able to see them in I don't how many months time. I crave freedom, I really do. Just not this kind of freedom. Atleast not yet anyways. I liked living with them. My mom was always ensuring I'm loaded in terms of cash though my dad disapproved of it. And besides who wouldn't want a trip to Africa a chance to escape the usual sceneries? Hell it ain't me.

"I'll come with you then bro." He said bringing me out of my thoughts as if on cue. Clearly I was headed nowhere with that."Just like that?" I asked him just to confirm it as I passed the blunt back to him. "Yeah. I'll come with you provided I get to carry my weed."

What was with weed and this guy.

I mean he had a totally cool approach even when sober. Why would anyone rely on weed as if it was the only purpose of existence.
But who am I to judge. I have my addictions too. Just not as legal and open as his are.
"Okay...As long as you don't make me look bad infront of my parents" I said to him in a serious tone.
Besides I needed him to have weed. That meant I could get high without having to meet up some mean-looking man for weed.

"Chill bro. I would never dream of it. Just tell your paps I'm coming along and get back to me." He said with a smirk. But I knew Ed would never get stoned in presence of my mom because of that one time he came by my house to check on me and ended up laughing to everything she spoke to him about and I know my mom. She's not funny. The opposite actually. So tell me he didn't blow his cover up.
It was around 11 when I got back home to find my brother asleep on the couch. I went into the nearby room downstairs grabbed a blanket and threw it over him. I'm not carrying an ungrateful 15 year old up some freaking stairs only to get a 'why did you get me here I was comfortable down there'. Kids they grow up so fast.

Next morning I'm awake. My watch says it time to get coffee but my head says a little more sleep won't hurt you know and then it takes me through some facts about why sleep is important to a person. I ended up getting out of bed at around noon. Checking my phone Angelina was to come over for the day.
If I felt any different about us I would have let my brother stay but I knew some connection lay between us. None of us was courageous enough to say it though. Or atleast I wasn't. So I sent my brother to his friends place. He's not supposed to be driving but I really didn't have much or a choice here.
I had barely hit two puffs of Mary-Jane through the balcony when I had a soft knock on the door. I was expecting her. So I went down.
"There's my Angel..hey" I smiled pulling her into a hug. "Hey Snoop Dogg" she teased making a face. Clearly her sense of smell was apt. "You look....great ..what's the occasion... Don't tell me you've changed your mind about marrying me already because I wouldn't mind that dress over a gown". I teased  her  back. She  was  far  from  looking  great.  That  dress was  a  bit  higher  that  her  knees. And  it  landed perfectly  on  her  body.  Her  cleavage  not  so  revealing  but  with  an  eye  like  mine.  What  could  I  not  see. So  yeah  she  looked  sexy. And she  knew  she  was  coming  over  so  why  the need  to  look  sexy.  Stop  that  crap  Evans and stop  it  now.
" I should  have  worn  my  jeans. Stop  being so  cocky."  She  smiled. That  smile  she  gives when  she  wants  more  coming  her  way. And I knew  she  was  comfortable  with  my  being   cocky.  Which  I  wasn't  naturally.