Changez

•3•

"This dude is sick!I think we should do our report on him." Tupac handed me a book.

"Nicolo Machiavelli? That's a hell of a name. What's the dealio with him?" I asked.

"Well.. He was an Italian war strategist and philosopher who wrote about faking his death to fool his enemies. I think that's pretty phat." He looked at me.

I skimmed through the biography.

"Why him?" I questioned.

"That's a easy A+ for originality and being unique. Instead of doing it on Run DMC or Michael Jackson, we can drop some knowledge about someone that's unfamiliar and we can impress the teacher in the same breath."

That was smart, and I ain't think of it that way... I was diggin his mental already.

"I like that." I smiled.

"What's with that Brenda broad? She's wicked." Tupac spoke as he took out his notebook.

"She's sleazy. If she wants it and she can't have it... Big problem . " I shook my head.

"About 99.9 percent of the broads in that school are. Look." He emptied out his bookbag and it was full of pieces of paper with phone numbers on them.

"Yikes, you're quite the ladies man." I smirked.

"I hate this kind of attention... Women can be a build up or a destruction. So far, all the women I've met... Were wrecking balls." He shrugged.

"How old are you?" I asked, due to his choice of word 'women'.

"18.. Im ahead of my generation cause I like to feed my brain. Feel me? How old are you?" He asked.

"17. But, I'll be 18 soon. Your mother must be proud that you're not like every other kid." I smiled.

Tupac said nothing but I saw his jaws clench.

"Can I call you Mo? is that too comfy?" He moved past my previous statement.

"Only if I can call you Pac." I shrugged.

"Pac... I like that. No doubt. So, shall we get started?"

***

"I'll see you at school, tomorrow?" I tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Of course. You sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Pac asked.

"Uh.. My mama.. She 7:30." I giggled.

"Crazy mamas.. We all got em." Pac stared off into the distance, as he pocketed his hands.

"Well, goodnight. Get home safe." I turned to walk away.

"Night, Mo. You too." He responded.

I started to head home but something told me to turn around.

I did and I saw Tupac still standing there as if he wanted to assure I was safe.

"Ba-bye!" I called out with a smile on my face.

"Aiight. Just makin sure you good!" He called back.

I shook my head and turned back around and made my way to my crib.

***

I walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the fridge from mama.

"I tried to wait for you princess, but I had to get to work. Make sure you get your homework done and try not to stay up all night . Dinner's in the oven, I'll see you tomorrow morning. I love you,
        Mommy❤️"