ALL IN

23

"Aye, Leah!" I yell trying to catch up to her. "Leah wait!" I catch up to her and she turns and removes her airpods.

"Wasssup?" She asks.

"Why Bonnie ignoring me."

"Uhh.. is she? I don't know." She pops her airpods back in and she tries to walk off. I pull her back and she stumbles back.

"Damn, you a lil to strong to be a damn twig."

"Man stop playing I know she at least told you what happened."

"She did."

"So what, am I in the dog house or what?"

"No, you just pushed her too far tjay. She know your hearts in the right place she just haven't thought about her brothers for a while and you bringing it up just kinda fucked things up for her."

"But after all that she said we was good."

"And y'all are, just give her her space." She walks off and I go the opposite direction. To the parking lot I ain't dealing with this school shit today.

+

"Hey ma."

"Hey baby, how you feeling today?" My mom was on the other line. I haven't spoken to her since me and Bonnie "argument"

"I'm good I gotta question tho."

"What?"

"How do I apologize to a girl, like sincerely."

"Uh oh, you and Bonnie?"

"Yeah, she ain't talking to me right now."

"Watchu do you her boy." She laughs.

"Basically her brother told me about something that happened to her back in the day and I tried to get her to talk to me about it along with other things and she just flipped on me ma."

"Tjay do you not know you are a intimidating person, you probably made her feel like you were forcing her to speak and she don't need to do that. Somethings she don't have to tell you."

"Ma I ready heard that trust me. I need to know how to fix it."

"You can't baby give her some space and let her deal with her wounds on her own. I know you want to help but she's becoming a grown woman and she needs to learn to deal with things on her own, that'll make her a strong woman."

"She's already strong."

"I believe that. Just wait for her to come to you."

"How long you think that's gone take?" I ask and she smiles through the phone.

"You really love this girl don't you?"

"Don't start that." I laugh.

"What, I cant enjoy to finally see my son happy?"

"You can, just don't look at me like that." She begins to crack up.

"I miss you boy."

"I miss you too ma."

"Me and the kids thinking bout taking a trip up there spring break, how that sound?"

"No momma ain't nun up here imma come down there."

"Tjay-"

"They can't keep me away from my home forever."

"You'd leave Bonnie?"

"I'll figure it out, but I'm coming home."

"Well if you do come home, you should bring Bonnie, I would really love to meet her."

"Ion know, but she grew up in the suburbs ion think she can handle the Bronx."

"You'll be there to protect her won't you."

"I'll think about it."

"You do that, I gotta go baby I'll call later tonight okay?"

"Bye momma."

"Bye, be safe." The call ended and I'm back to silence. I was about to drift off the sleep when my phone dinged.

Bon❤️: open the door

I jumped up slid on some shorts. I jog down the stairs and open the door.

"Hi." She shows her dimple.

"Wassup." I open the door wider for her to come in.

"You left school."

"Never went and Leah told me you left out the school this morning."

"Yea I wasn't in the mood for it."

"Me neither, and I ain't wanna be home so.."

"Lets go to my room then."

We walk up the stairs hand and hand and she lays down in my bed. I Lay down next to her and we just lay there in silence. Even though we aren't talking it still feels good to have her in my presence.

"Tjay?" I hum in response. "I'm sorry."

"You ain't got nun to be sorry about. I'm sorry I shouldn't have pushed you to talk to me." I say.

"But I'm supposed to talk to you, and I want too."

"Now?"

"No, I just wanna lay here." She sighs. She rolls over to my side and snuggles her small body against mine.

"I love you tjay."

"I love you too."