Nobody Likes The Gray Area

Fuck you, Freeman

...The Next Day...

I don't know how long I've been watching him sit on his porch reading that dumb book. I almost get off at the vision of my fist crashing in his face that permanently replays in my mind. I know I wouldn't be doing this if I were in my right mind, but I'm heartbroken, OK???

Finally, things get interesting.

A guy with dreads comes down the sidewalk. He walks up to Huey's house and greets Huey on the porch. They dap each other up then embrace each other as if they haven't seen one another in years. My face scrunches up and my eye twitches.

How dare that motherfucker be happy?

"Girl, c'mon. Spying on him? You betta than dat."

I whip around, almost falling over after Cindy startles me.

I shake my head, frantically. "I'm not spying on him! I'm just enjoying the view. Isn't the sky beautiful today?"
She smirks and joins me at the window, "Psh! Yeah, whateva."

Huey and the other guy have gone inside his house by now.

"Yo' Daddy want chu," Cindy says.
"OK."

It's hard for me to peel away from the window. I need something to get my mind off him.

Dad is in the living room, watching TV. Mom is out having brunch with her friends.

I sit on the sofa next to his recliner.

"Hi, Dad."
"Hi, sweetie."

He mutes the TV. Oh, God.

"So," —he clasps his hands together and looks at me— "it's no secret that you've been seeing someone."
"Not anymore." I shake my head. "Definitely not."
He smiles and chuckles happily, "Oh! Really? I was gonna ask to have 'em over for dinner one night!" He shrugs. "Well, I guess that solves that."
I stand up. "Alright then."

As I go back to my room, something feels off. I said those things with such confidence. I don't want to see Huey anymore. So why doesn't it feel like it?

"You needa chin up, Jaz," Cindy says. She beckons me to follow her to her room. "C'mon, I got sumn."

I'm a little scared to ask but don't.

She closes and locks the door. We sit on her bed. She reaches into her backpack beside the bed and pulls out a container. Inside the container are six brownie squares. They smell like a mix between skunk spray and earth.

I shake my head. "My dad will kill me!"
"No, he won't. Just eat one. It won't bite."

My eyes switch between her and the brownies for a moment.

Finally, I take one, break it in half, and eat it.

"That ain't enough, bruh."
"I don't wanna eat anymore."
"Half a brownie ain't gon' do shit!"
"Ugggh."

I roll my eyes then eat the other half.

"If we get in trouble, I'll never forgive you."
"Just thank me later."