The Untelling of Love & Happiness

Reality Checks Cash Differently; cont'd 2

Chp. 2: Over Here

"We were supposed to do big thangs/ But now you waiting for something better/ But girl, what's better than this?"
-PARTYNEXTDOOR

The day came and went. It seemed as if time flew by. And what's faster than New York minutes? I guess, New York hours? Wait! What am I even saying? That doesn't make any sense.

Blah. Whatever!

So, identical to the days of summer's Cheer Camp, déjà vu set in. The football players practiced drills on the field. Several of my squad-mates either lazily preformed run-throughs of various eight-counts or rushed to desperately finish their mile. Karnise practiced on the sideline with the band and her fellow majorettes. And Kyler and me—along with a few other pairs—we helped stretch out limbs.

"Kandy!" Kyler called. "Girl, you are so blatantly obvious with it now."

"Huh?" I frowned, bending her left leg back but not taking my eyes off of Gregory. "What's obvious?"

"You really like him." She giggled.

Finally laying eyes on my cousin, "I like who?"

"Gregory."

"No I don't. I'm chilling. I'm just liking myself right now." Thinking about the fact that I was now on a journey to find me and keep me. "He is cute, though."

"It's the eyes."

My cheeks plumped, probably turning a rosy red, "Shut up!"

"We both know it." Kyler teased. "That's why Trevor used to have you wrapped 'round his fingers."

"Whatever." I smirked, with an eyeroll.

After practice, me and my cousins decided to go grab dinner. It was going on seven o'clock when Coach Domingo let us call it quits. I don't know about Auntie Don and Auntie Toi but I was for sure that, by now, Meme had cooked and put everything away and cleaned her kitchen. It just made sense to stop for food. I didn't want to be fussed at for messing up the kitchen and certainly didn't have the energy to re-clean it. Even though we collectively decided on Junior's, I wasn't very hungry. Lately, a lack of appetite had been a reoccurring event. Meme had taken notice just this past week. With concern, she mentioned that I need to replenish since cheer is so intense. She didn't understand why I wasn't eating anymore. Everybody knows that I'm as greedy as greedy can get. Food has always been one of my happy places. Yet, rather than eating, I'd nibble. I actually wasn't aware of the change until Meme went on with her worrying spree.

"You aren't eating?" Kyler frowned.

I hunched my shoulders, "I'm not hungry."

"You didn't eat lunch either, though." Karnise said, sounding shocked. "Ooo, I'd be so mad. I know it's freezing in hell right now."

Kyler burst into laughter.

"That's how you know the love was real." Karnise added, still with the jokes. "Like a love sick lil' puppy. Can't eat, can't sleep... just a walking zombie. Yo' ass is too much."