Bunny

5

As I was getting ready to leave, Pam had come home.

"Hi, Willow." she greeted.
"Hi." I smiled.
"It smells great in here."
"I used a bit of air freshener once I finished everything. Some of your cleaning products have nice scents too."
"Oh, that's nice."
I nodded and continued heading for the door until I thought of something.

"Um...Is there anything specific you might need? Groceries? More cleaning products?" I asked.
"Oh, do we need more products?"
"Only a few. We ran out of glass cleaner and bleach and a few other things."
"Alright. Here." She went into her purse and grabbed her credit card. "Go on. Get what you need."
"Oh? Right now...?"
"Yea, since you're here already."
"Oh...okay."

I thought about how the other store was closed still.

"Actually...I don't think so... It's umm..."
"What's the problem?" Pam asked.
"I just...the only store open is in Westdale and..."
"Oh...you are a little soft, aren't you?"
I was shocked as I looked at her. She didn't even look that much tougher than me.

"ISAIAH!" she hollered like a drill sergeant.
"WHAT?!" Isaiah shouted back.
"GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"
"FOR WHAT?!"
"BECAUSE I FUCKIN' SAID SO THAT'S FOR WHAT!"

Maybe I misread her...

I heard a door open and close then Isaiah was coming down the steps.

"What, bro?" he asked.
"Take Willow to the store." Pam commanded and walked off to the kitchen.
"Oh, that's not necessary...I don't-..."
"It's fine, Willow. Isaiah would love to, isn't that right?"
"Man, I got shit to do." Isaiah argued and looked at his mother as his fingers scratched and ran through his hair.
She stared at him.

I heard him suck his teeth then watched as he went back upstairs.
I looked at Pam and she grinned at me then continued in the kitchen.

I was confused until Isaiah came back downstairs, while putting on a hoodie, and ran his fingers through his hair again.

He took his keys off of the hook by the door. I tried to reach for the front door but he intruded.
"Where are you goin'?" he asked.
"I thought..."
He walked off.
I assumed I was supposed to follow behind.

I watched him open a door that I hadn't been through then I freaked out internally for not having cleaned it.

We walked in and he turned on the light.

It was the garage.

Sitting in front of me in all its shining glory, was a new pitch black mustang with black rims and tinted windows.

"Oh..." I stated in awe.

He pressed a button to open the garage door then walked over to the driver's side and unlocked the car.

"Get in." he demanded and did just that.

I opened the door and got inside.
It smelled like a hint of weed and cologne but it was clean.

He started it and my ears were immediately violated by loud music as I flinched and felt the bass shake the car.

He laughed and turned his music down.
"My bad, Bunny."

He put the car in reverse and drove out of the garage.

I put on my seatbelt quickly because when he left the house driveway, he sped off faster than I was comfortable with.

I covered my hands with my hoodie sleeves because of the strong air conditioner.

"You cold?" he asked.
"I'm okay..." I answered and looked out of the window.
I felt the air turn down.
I looked at it then at him. He drove with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding the gear shift.

"Why I gotta take you to the store? You can't go by yourself?" he wondered.
I looked down at my hands. "The only one close that's open is in Westdale." And I didn't have the gas or money for gas to go further than that, but he doesn't need that information.

I heard him snickering.

"What?" I asked and looked at him.
"You scared of Westdale?"
"I think everyone except the people in Westdale are scared of Westdale."
"Probably." he agreed.
"Are you glad you got out?" I wondered.
"No."
"No?"
"Hell no. That was my family. They ain't got much but they had me and I had them then I left. I mean...I could move back, but...sound like a lot of paper work. Now I got my mom actin' like she's used to that prissy ass rich people life and she's not. Don't let her fool you by offering you tea. She just started drinkin' that shit like a month ago."
"So your mom wasn't always like that?"
"No. My mom was a thug before this shit happened. She used to work at a diner and brought a pistol with her in her lunch. Now she wanna eat avocado toast and act like everything is all teddy bears and cotton candy."
"Oh..."

"I'm never doin' that shit. You don't forget where you come from," he claimed.
"So you don't like the money?"
"Nah, the money the good part. I don't know anybody who would turn down 600 mil. I just don't like leavin' my family behind."
"Oh..." That was sweet I guess. "So you help them?"
"I give them the money if they ask for it and I know it's for a good reason. If they just want a pair of sneakers then nah. But if they need help with groceries then I got them like they had me. I used to be one of the ones struggling and they were there when I needed help."
"That's nice of you. I'm sure at some point you'll like your new home too."
"Whatever. I hate that preppy ass town. Neighbors lookin' at us like we don't belong there and shit."
"Your neighborhood does that to me too."
"They're snobby."
"Not that one. I mean Westdale. You guys look angry when people you don't know come around."
"That's because they got a lotta gangs. Motherfuckers gonna assume you with the wrong crowd if you ain't from there because they don't really get visitors."
"Oh..."
"Don't go there unless you with somebody from there."
"I guess it's good that I have you then..."
"Yea, I guess."