URBAN

FORTY FOUR

Ashanti

I sat on Jordan's sofa, looking into space. I hadn't slept. I mean, I'm tired but there's something on my mind that won't let me rest.

I don't know what I'm trying to tell myself.

And I only feel worse now, cos Keem's not back yet. It's 11am.

He's been detained for more than 12 hours. I haven't heard from him since he called me yesterday.

"Yo, Ti, ain't you gonna eat?" Jordan asked.

"Hm?" I turned round and looked at him. "No, I'm fine. I'm not hungry,"

Jordan looked at me strangely then went into the kitchen. "You good?"

"Mm, I'm fine," I said, sighing as I finally snapped back to reality,

"Did you sleep well?" Jordan asked.

"Nah. I didn't sleep." I stood up and stretched, walking into the kitchen.

"You sure you're good?" he asked.

I nodded and smiled weakly.

"Nah, Ti, come on. I know you," Jordan squinted his eyes as he looked at me. "You haven't insulted me once since I got you from the police station."

"Yeah, cos I'm being nice to you," I smiled more.

"Yo, what's happened to you, blud?" Jordan shook his head, putting some buttered bread in the toaster.

"I'm good, man," I cleared my throat.

He laughed a little and looked around. "And what happened to my kitchen?" he asked.

"Oh, I, uh, I cleaned up," I nearly laughed. "Your house is messy messy, like, for real,"

"Ah, sharrap mehn," he laughed.

"No, but, I'm serious. No one's gonna marry you if you live such a dirty life like this," I shook my head.

"Fine bobo like me?" Jordan asked. "Bro, I don't need to do none of this cleaning-up shit, my looks are what get the bitches whipped,"

I looked at him and laughed. Like I laughed. I'm talking holding-my-sides-as-I-laugh kinda laughter. "You're a fucking weirdo,"

"A fucking weirdo?" he laughed too. "You're a fucking tramp, you don't hear no one saying nothing about that,"

I laughed and shook my head, sitting on a chair. "Man said 'fine bobo like me',"

He laughed. "What? That's what my marj calls me. Fine bobo, no pimple,"

"You're too much," I fanned myself with my hand, trying to stop laughing. "How old are you, please?"

"20, still. I'm a big man, you know,"

"Big man, yeah?" I couldn't stop laughing. It felt good to laugh, wow.

"Fam, shut the fuck up and eat," he threw the toasted bread at me. "You're tryna mock it, blud,"

The buttered side hit my face but I caught it with my hand before it fell to the floor.

"Thanks, g," I calmed myself down, wiping the butter off my face.

"Thought you didn't even wanna eat," Jordan sat on the counter and pulled out his phone.

"What? Me? Nah, you must be confused," I took a bite of the toast. "I always eat,"

"Correct girl," he said with a freshie accent. "That's what I like, my daughter. Eating good!"

I laughed. "Daughter? You're my fucking son,"