Miss Americana

Six

*Miles' POV*

I crept back into my house after morning workouts to get ready for school. I could hear my parents in the kitchen bickering how they usually did.

"Do you need to spend 300 dollars on your hair every two weeks?" my dad questioned my mom. "You're runnin' up the damn credit card bill like we don't have three children to support."

My mom smacked her lips. "Babe this blonde that you love so much is a lot to maintain. Plus Miles is about to start bringing in NIL deals so he will be able to support himself and the family if need be."

I rolled my eyes. 

I felt like a walking investment to them instead of a son.

"Kristin, I'm just asking you to think a little more before swiping my damn credit card because I would have money left to give our children when we die" my dad requested.

"Ben calm down. Miles will take care of us" she assured him.

I rolled my eyes again before I went upstairs. What if I didn't even want to play football anymore? I took a shower, got myself ready for school, and stood in the doorway of Bella's room as she did her hair.

"Can I help you?" she questioned me.

"Do you think Mom and dad will ever get a divorce?" I asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "You've been saying this since we were like fourteen. It's not going to happen."

"Lemme ask you this, do you think they love each other or stay with each other out of convenience? I think Mom is lowkey over him now that his fifteen minutes of fame are long gone." I asked my sister.

Bella looked at me. "Do you hate Mom or something?"

"I hate that she has a lot of racism engrained in her. Like when you wear your hair naturally and she makes a face or comment. Also don't get me started on Meme and Papa. They had those caricatures with watermelon in their house." I brought up.

She shrugged. "They're old and grew up in the country. They know better now."

"They said that because we're the 'Good Kind'" I reminded her. "After that, I would never procreate with a white woman."

Bella laughed. "You're so fucking ridiculous and you sound racist. Plus, I see the way you stare at Tatum and she's white."

"Tatum isn't White" I reminded her.

"Tatum's mom's mom is Black, Tatum's mom is mixed and she had a baby with a white man therefore, Tatum is basically white. You've seen her when she straightens her hair, she really passes then" Bella explained to me.

I leaned against the doorframe. "Why do you think I like Tatum? What do you mean by the way I stare at her?"

Bella got up from her vanity and walked towards me. "You've been looking at her a certain way for a while. It's not this dead look like you just want to fuck her, but a look of admiration of love. Like in the kitchen last month? You were smiley. I'm just saying, don't try anything with my best friend. She doesn't even like you like that. She thinks you're an arrogant ass and everyone knows she's going to end up with Kyler."

I could feel my heart drop to my ass.

What do you mean she doesn't like me like that? I wonder if Bella would be saying that if she knew what we did on Sunday. The way she let me help her take care of her niece or talk and vent to her.

The way we ate burgers and watched a movie together. I wonder if she knew Tatum the way I was beginning to know her.

"Do you like Tatum?" Bella finally asked me.