Roommates

chapter 2

Loud knocks continued to echo through my living room.  I sat up from my couch with a loud groan.

"I'm comin'! Can't even take a nap." I mumbled while walking to my door.

I opened it to see Naseem standing there with a small suitcase and laptop.

He's just as I remember him. My brother's about two shades darker than me, like my father's color, but he shares the same brown, almond eyes mom and I have.  His dreads have grown, but he always keeps them pulled into neat ponytails, with a nice line-up, of course.

Without any thought, I practically tackled him into a tight squeeze.

"Good lord, girl, can I get into the condo first?" He laughed as he tried not to drop his things.

"No, you can't- I missed you so much, stupid!"

Eventually, he gave up and sat his things down as gently as he could to hug me back.

"I missed you too, monk."

After a few minutes, I let him go and pulled him into my living room.

"Oh God, your beard looks so good!  It's not a struggle beard anymore!" I laughed while tilting his jaw.

"Yes, ma'am, no more patches for me." Nas sat his bag near the shoe rack by the door and looked at me with admiration.

"I see you've worked up the nerve for colorful hair, Nicki Minaj tease?" He gestured to my light pink installment, I stared at him before busting out in laughter.

"Log out of Twitter."

"Whatever, hater." He scoffed with a slight smile.

Even though Nas is 8 years older than me, he never treats me as if I'm less than him.  Ever since we were kids, he's protected and accepted me, whether that meant playing games that were way too childish for him or beating up a male bully.  No matter what, Nas loves and supports me, I always thank him, but he waves it off as being "the best big brother he needs to be."

"Oh- I smell a Sonny cheesesteak!" Nas jogged to the island in my kitchen, I'm so happy about him being here that I'll allow him to eat my cheesesteak.

And that says a lot because I do not play about my Sonny cheesesteaks.

He plopped next to me on the couch with a mouth full of cheesesteak, reaching for the firestick.

"I know you were sleeping before I came, monk, shoulder up." He swallowed, patting his shoulder.

"We can catch up when you wake up."

I laughed and immediately rested my head on his shoulder.  When we lived at home, I'd always find myself falling asleep on Naseem's or my father's shoulder.

They bring me peace, and just like clockwork, I was asleep.

"Bitch, I am getting tired!" Lennox whined with a groan.

"You're not tired, you're hungry." I laughed, knowing her all too well.

I tossed, yet another, file in the 'no' pile. 

Just as everyone thought I would be, I'm being really picky about who I'm rooming with.  Like mama said, I don't need a creep living with me.

The last 6 applicants either had a questionable record, sour attitudes, or just didn't feel right.

"One more for the day." Nas came into the room with a tired smile.

"He's clean, his name is Lee Beckett.  I know we're all hungry, so I'm gonna go run for some pizza.  He'll be in here in 20 minutes, Lennox, grill him for me."