Shut Up & Listen

Always, My Brother

June 29
Cole

7:58a
After I clocked out, I pulled up to Micky D's for a steak and egg breakfast bagel with an apple juice and hash brown. The apple juice tasted spoiled though, so I poured it out on the street.

About three minutes later, I pulled into the parking structure at my apartment and noticed that Dame's car was still here. I parked and walked up to his car and looked into the window. Dame was laid out on the back seat asleep like he don't have a whole ass house across town. I knocked on the window to wake him up.

He looked up like he was shocked to see me. I rolled my eyes and yelled 'Man getcho ass in the house.'

"No! Leave me alone nigga." It was muffled behind the glass, but I heard him. I started jiggling the door handle and banging on the window until he stopped ignoring me. When he finally unlocked the door. I pulled him out the car and made him come with me. I didn't say anything to him when we were in the elevator, or on the walk from the elevator to the door. When we got in, he went straight to a guest room and locked himself in there. I changed out of my uniform and put on some black joggers and a white tee.

I went to unlock the door and he was sitting on the floor up against the bed with the stuff to roll a blunt spread out in the space between his legs. He was just looking at it.

"What's wrong?"

"Dame."

"Aight fuckit, dont talk to me then." I walked over and sat on the bed looking down at him. Honestly, that line usually works. But, he still isn't talking to me. He must be mad mad.

"Dame!"

"What Cole, damn?"

"You alright?"

"Don't I look alright?" He asked and started playing with the buds.

"Nigga, you spent the night in your car."

"So What? Lots of niggas sleep in the car from time."

"Yeah, homeless niggas."  He didn't even laugh at my joke. The fuck is wrong with him? "Are you mad because I had to go to work?" He ignored me still messing with the weed. I kept looking at it because him playing with it was making me anxious.

"What time is it? I left my phone in the car."

I held my arm up looking at my Apple Watch. "8:43"

"Shit."

"What? You late for something?"

"I was supposed to meet somebody at eight."

"Who?" He ignored me and kept fussing with the weed and papers. "Why you acting like that?" He put his stuff down on the floor and turned his head to me with a big ass attitude as if I was just bothering the fuck out of him.

"I was supposed to meet Maverik this morning."

"What kinda name is Maverik?"

"That's his name. Maverik, it's a family name."

"Who?"

"My father nigga, damn. Catch up."

"Well, call him. Tell him you overslept or sumn."

"Why do you care?"

"Because you do. We still brothers, I don't care how mad you get." I scooted of the bed onto the floor to sit beside him. He passed me the paraphernalia and leaned his head on the side of the bed. He watched me roll up and when I was finished, I held it between my fingers while he held the lighter up to light it. He took the first puff and passed it to me.