more life / b.simmons (2)

20

"ugh, i just wish you were here," avery complains on the phone, setting it against her lap so she doesn't have to hold it. she looks at the screen and smiles at adrian, sighing.

"i know. i'll be back in a few days, then i'm fifteen and then we start school," he says, sliding chain over his neck. "does this look good?" he asks, stepping back and checking himself out in the mirror. he's wearing a pulp fiction shirt, a yellow and black flannel, black dickie pants, and a pair of thunder jordan 4s.

"mhm. but who are you trying to impress?"

"only you. but i gotta look good in pictures," he says, giving her a smile. she smiles back at him and flips her braids over her shoulder.

a knock at his bedroom door makes him jump, and he grabs his phone and opens the door. "ready?" kyra asks, looking at his outfit and giving him a thumbs up.

"yeah. your skirt a little short," he comments with a frown. kyra rolls her eyes and tugs it down, but it doenst budge because it's not even short.

"no it's not, i'm just over 6 foot."

adrian shrugs but compliments her to makeup for his last comment. she wore a pink skirt with a cherry blossom design on it and a triangle cut on the hem, a pink short sleeved sweater, and white doc martens. "but let's go," she says.

"hold on, i forgot something," he says. kyra nods and walks away and he waits until he hears her bound down the stairs to return to avery. "i gotta go, ave. i'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? go to bed." he says. they've been talking through the night because it's the safest and easiest time for them, but it's a three hour time difference and avery is losing sleep because of him.

"maybe this will be the first night i get real sleep, and not four am sleep." she says. adrian shakes his head and glances over his shoulder. "but have fun tonight and be safe. we'll talk later. goodnight, dre."

"goodnight!" he hangs up and shoved his phone in his pocket before quickly heading downstairs.

"ben leave her alone," amari says, rolling her eyes. adrian stops at the last step, and by the look on his dads face, he can tell that he's upset by her outfit.

"it's too short!" ben says, gesturing at kyras skirt. she rolls her eyes but stands her ground.

"you're the reason i'm 6'1 and clothes don't fit me right," kyra says. ben shakes his head.

"i don't care. change."

"ben, go sit down somewhere. y'all have fun," amari says, glaring at ben and ushering the twins to the door. "ama- go sit down!" she adds, cutting ben off.

ben buffs and falls into a chair. he clenches his jaw as he hears the door close and amaris steps echo through the living room. "made a big deal over nothing, and for what?"

"amari, her skirt is too short!"

"she's 90% leg—she gets it from you! everything is going to be 'too short' on her!" amari exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air. the argument is stupid, and amari knew this day would come at some point. "boys are going to look at her if she's wearing sweats or jeans or a skirt. that's just the way it is, and you need to accept that." she adds.

ben wipes around his mouth and licks his lips. "i dont like how it's your rule over mine."

amari looks at him like he has two heads. "are you serious, right now?"

"yeah, i am. every disagreement has to be your way. especially with the kids," ben rants, giving amari a cold stare.

she scoffs and moves her braids out of her face. "so, because i let my daughter wear what she wants, to a party honoring her, i'm the bad parent?" amari asks. ben rolls his eyes. he odoesn't care about the party—they won the championship and deserve to celebrate—he cares about the fact that he has a say in nothing. "don't even start this shit, ben."