URBAN

THIRY EIGHT

Ashanti

"Hayden, I don't give a fuck, you're going to school," I barged into the spare room where Hayden was still sleeping.

"Yo..." he groaned. "It's a half-term holiday, relax," Hayden squinted as he looked at me.

"What, at the start of December? I don't fucking think so," I opened the curtains. "Get up,"

He put on his innocent voice. "Ti, please, I feel sick and I'm so tired,"

I frowned. "You should've slept earlier, then," I stood in the doorway. "And I'm not stupid, you're not sick, get the fuck up,"

He sat up, groaning loudly. "Why are you moving mad, it don't even matter if I don't go to school, my marj won't even care,"

"Well I do," I said.

"Ti, I'm gonna get stabbed. That Tre nigga is on my case, I swear down," I didn't know if Hayden was being serious or he was tryna play me.

"... Keem?" I said loudly.

"Yo," I heard him reply in his sleepy, morning voice from the bedroom.

"Can you take Hayden to school?" I asked. "He's scared," I teased.

Hayden got out of the bed, frowning. "Ti, shut the fuck up,"

"Scared? Of what?" Keem asked as I heard him get out of bed.

"Some nigga at school is gonna stab him. Apparently," I said, not caring at this point. I know I said I wouldn't tell Keem, but if this is the only way that I can get Hayden to school, I have to tell him.

I was on the phone to Hayden's mum last night. She hasn't forgiven him or anything, she said it's good that Hayd's come to stay with me, he'll learn that life isn't as easy as he thinks it is.

She said he has to go to school everyday or else the school will find call the police on her.

So I need to get him to school.

And also, Hayden's only 16. He's got his GCSEs coming in a few months, he needs to be in education. If it's cos of a little boy wanting to stab him, then that little boy has gotta go.

"Wa'gwan?" Keem came out of our room and stood in the doorway next to me. He looked at me, with this tired but sexy look. He looked at me up and down then smirked. "You look good, mama," he muttered.

"Thank you," I felt my cheeks burning up as I looked back at him.

"Ti's chatting shit," Hayden said. "Aight nobody tryna stab me,"

Keem looked at me.

"Not my business, Hayden," I put my hands up and started going down the stairs. "But you're going to school, I don't care,"

——————

Hayden paused as he finished explaining the story to Keem. We were in the car, Keem was driving him to school.

"I don't get it," Keem looked in the side mirror. "Why does Tre wanna stab you?"

"I don't even know. I wanted to fight him, he must've heard and he came prepared," Hayden said.