Power Trip | NBANARDO

twenty four

4 months later

"Congratulations, Horace Walls, you've officially completed your anger management courses." Clifford shook his hand the pride in his eyes shining.

It felt like a graduation their normal clothes the only stark difference.

"Thank you so much, Cliff."Horace looked at the certificate then back him,"Bruh you'on know how much this means to me."

"You don't know how much seeing you cross the finish line means to me."

"You should give a speech."

"I can't say I'm too good at public speakin'."

"If anybody deserves to say anythin' it's you." Clifford encouraged, Horace blushing a bit.

He finally put his paper down and got up on the stage, adjusting his polo as he was handed a microphone.

"Hey Everybody- uh my name's Horace but I prefer people call me Nardo."  He spoke into the microphone, everyone's talking dying down as all eyes focused on him.

"I came here mad as hell, not expectin' to get shit from this." He continued,"Flash forward my whole life done changed and I experienced somethin' I thought I'd never get to have."

"I experienced love, loss, and most importantly growth-"

His eyes bounced back to the back and he could've sworn he saw Kentrell. Horace blinked and the shadow of his ex was gone, his chest tightening.

"I wanna thank Clifford for workin' with me through this journey."He smiled softly,"I wasn't anythin' short of difficult and he still stuck by me and helped me get to the end."

"Finally I wanna say congrats to all the people who completed this shit with me, and even to those who didn't,"He nodded his head, "I been where you are and change ain't an overnight process, soon you'll get over the hurdle. Thank you."

The group clapped for him loudly Horace falling back with a blush, the pride on his family's face warming his heart.

He maneuvered through everyone else going outside, as expected Kentrell was leaning  against the wall smoking a cigarette. He glanced at Horace, face gleaming with shock since he'd been caught.

"I thought that was you, nigga!" He exclaimed with excitement, Kentrell chuckling in slight embarrassment.

"You wasn't 'posed to see me."

"You suck at hidin' if I wasn't supposed to see you."

Even though Kentrell had told him to not visit, Horace still tried. He wanted to keep his promise

Horace realized that was probably for the best- it gave him time to focus on himself, to truly change. He used to fight so hard against change but something in him had grown and matured into accepting it was what he needed.

He couldn't stay the same person, doing the same thing.

"I'm proud of you."

"You could've been up there with me."

"Nah,"He shook his head. "I ain't ever gettin' better."

"I think you can."

"You believe in me."

"Cause you always believed in me."He tilted his head,"Ion like how you ain't hugged me yet."

"Mane come here." Kentrell opened his arms and Horace fell into them, inhaling the cologne he'd missed to smell.

"Missed you Nardo."

"Missed you too." He said strained then pushing away from Kentrell, rubbing his hands on his clothes.

He needed to keep his hands all to himself, keep himself contained.

"We had some good parts."

"Yeah,"Nardo shook his head,"Sometimes they feel like they outweighed the bad."

"It only felt bad when I wasn't with you." Kentrell said gazing at him, Horace swallowing back emotion.

"Don'tchu even start."

"I'll chill."

"I hope you know I still love you."

"I love you too,"He pushed him gently,"Always love yo ass." He spoke sincerely, Horace looking away to keep his composure.

"Where you goin'?"

"Somewhere."He shrugged casually,"A nigga need a fresh start."

"I said that when I first came here."

"Make sure you take care of yourself."

"You know if I say I will, Ima be lyin'." He grinned and Horace kept his face neutral.

"Kentrell."

"I'll try." He said seriously, Nardo Sighing softly.

"That's all I ask."

"We all need to start over at some point, right?"

"Right."

A slight awkward silence rested between them, both scared to push any boundaries.

"Well I ain't gon' hold you no more,"Horace said suddenly unsure of what else to say. "Bye Trell."

"Bye, Nardo."

In retrospect 15 months wasn't a long time, it wasn't a long time at all. In just a little over a year Kentrell had changed his life, changed who he was and taught him lessons he thought it'd take decades for him to learn.
He owed him a thank you, an ass whooping and everything in between.

All that they shared couldn't just end with a simple goodbye.

"Trell!" He called out, the older pausing to turn around and face him once more.

"Yeah?"

"Lemme holla at you again real quick." Horace smiled, biting his bottom lip."I got somethin' else I need to tell you."

"Well come tell me then."

Kentrell gave him a similar grin he did that first meeting when they sat across from each other in that circle, Horace's heart thumping differently this time. Seeing that smile was going to always going to make him feel special but he knew they would both have to change if they wanted to be together again.

He didn't know if Kentrell would ever change and be consistent with it but Horace knew he had to keep growing and he had to move on.

Not only for Kentrell but for himself.

FIN

my first book finished omgggg.
now the ending being a bit vague is on purpose because you get the chance to decide whether or not Nardo and Kentrell continue their relationship off screen or if Nardo calling after him is their final interaction.

i personally don't think their relationship is sustainable at all and that the moment they were good was just that a moment. 😭

I'm thinking about doing a sequel but at the same time, I think this story is just fine as a standalone too.

Thank y'all so much for supporting this book, running up the comments/votes, giving me a shot with it in general. I'm not new to reading wattpad books but I'm very new to writing them and I'm glad I actually finished a book and worked so hard on it. Power Trip's my baby and I'ma miss writing about Horace and Kentrell's crazy asses a whole bunch.

I hope you stick with me and all my upcoming projects, if not I appreciate all the love for this one right here. Stay up for the afterword!

stay blessed, have a good day, and of course I fucking love you!!