black boy drabbles vol. 1

pt. 3: the morning

Friday
10:57 AM

Chris never left Los Angeles. Not for a vacation getaway, a business endeavor, or a search for a new place to live. He couldn't leave his city, no matter how dangerous it was for him. He was older now, which was a blessing because he never thought he'd live past twenty-five. But he moved smarter. He didn't stand on corners anymore, or in buildings he had no place in. He didn't drive on the same streets in cars that made him stick out like a sore thumb. And he didn't associate himself with crowds that brought the wrong attention to him since his name still rang in people's heads, many holding intentions that weren't in his favor. It's been a long time since he's dropped his flags. Living a life full of loss, violence, paranoia, and sleepless nights...

For what?

With his arm out the window, his sunglasses on, and his protection in his lap, he turned and drove down the long stretch of Jodie's street. Chris could drive to his house with his eyes closed, using every route there was to get there. It took about thirty minutes to get to Jodie's house now.

Chris got there in ten.

He's had a slight grin on his face since the moment he woke up, not sparing a moment to get ready. His car still smelled of Jodie's perfume and the only things left of him were the empty box of his gift, his hair tie, and the sand from the beach stuck in the crevices of Chris' leather seats. If Chris wasn't on his way to him right now he'd leave everything right where it was.

He pulled into Jodie's half-empty driveway, minding Malakai's vehicle and parking on the front door side. Just like old times. And before he would get out of the car, Jodie would already be standing in the doorway, beaming, ready to go.

Jodie expected him today, maybe not so early, but he wouldn't mind. He sat on the edge of his bed, halfway dressed, and his phone pressed to his ear.

"So, when I'ma see you?"

"Boy...whenever I feel like coming."

"Oh, it's like that shorty?"

"Yeah, it's like that. What happened to 'I don't give a fuck what you do'?"

"I don't."

"So why you worried about when you gon' see me?"

"'Cause a nigga ain't seen you in four-five months and you home now."

Jodie swiped his hair over his shoulder as he looked over to the picture on his bedside table of him, Aiyana, her boyfriend at the time, and Jodie's ex-boyfriend, Rahim.

"And who's fault is that Jaylen?"

"Here yo' ass go, stuck in the past and shit.."

"No, I'm holding you accountable for what you said. Like you said then, you-"

"Bro, I want to see you. Now, today, whenever's clever. Fuck what I said I'on even remember that shit."

But I do. "Mhm."

"...C'mon, shorty. You know a nigga miss you. Bad."

"No, you miss my mouth."

"Shit, that too..."