𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗈𝗌𝖾, 𝑆𝑘𝑖 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑘.

' 003! '

𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐬.

Frozen lemonades, art-filled walls and random topics of conversation. Despite us just actually meeting an hour ago, there was no major awkwardness in the atmosphere and I was super thankful for that. Deep down I was a nervous wreck, just look at him. Who wouldn't be?

"Let me ask you somethin'," His raspy voice that I found so appealing was heard causing me to turn my face in his direction. "I be seein' you at the courts and shit, you always lookin' at a nigga. But then you be writin' in this notebook. What do you do?"

"Mind my business,"

He kissed his teeth but still cracked a smile. "Nah, I'm serious. Tell me."

I only sighed and started moving my spoon trying to find the right words to explain. "I guess you can say I write songs, I'll have my headphones in listening to a beat and just let the words flow until I get the right ones. My notebook is just a jumbled mess with songs, poems and drawings."

"So, you sing?"

"I want to." I found an empty bench and sat down, him following close behind, now beside me.

"And why don't you?"

"I don't think I'm good enough, so many other voices better than mine. I'm not cut out for that shit."

"Let me hear something then," My eyes felt like they popped out of my head, and when I looked over I noticed he was dead serious.

"No.. I'm not good, I swear."

"Girl, stop making excuses and just sing something."

"Fine." I grumbled and sat back trying to think of something that I could sing. My right leg kept bouncing in nervousness. He placed his hand on it and for some reason it calmed me down to the point where I closed my eyes and eventually started singing.

"You make me wanna put my phone down, when we're alone, I wanna zone out. Baby, with you, I ain't got no doubts. I'm just tryna' let you know now... facts. You were the one I'm missing, the opposite of fiction and that's facts."

When I stopped, my heart almost dropped because I didn't hear anything. I opened my eyes only to be met with this smile that wasn't readable.

"Did you write that?"

I only nodded and he started laughing, but not to make fun of me. It was more of a surprised type of laugh. "Yo, that was fucking amazing."

"Thank you." That eased my nerves a bit and I cracked a smile.

"You need to stop doubting yourself so much, you're gonna go far. I can see it."

That shocked me because of how little he knew me and no one's ever shown me that much support. Well.. verbally at least. I knew I always had Annalise.

"Enough about me," I turned my body in his direction, resting my head on my arm as my elbow was placed on the back of the bench. "What about you? I hear you spittin' with your homeboys or whatever. Your flow is crazy."

"Yeah, Jah kinda pushed me to practice when we were both locked up and I've been doing it ever since. Hoping that one day I make it big with my music, I'm getting a lot plays on SoundCloud though."

Hearing him ramble on about his passion was inspiring, if you could see the twinkle in his eye, you would be able to tell that it brought him nothing but joy. I admired that so much.

"Well, let me hear something then."

"Let's go to your car then, I'll play something on our way back to the party."

We talked about literally everything. Family, embarrassing stories, and he played me a few of his songs. He even invited me out to a show that he was apart of with a bunch of his friends. Once we made it back to the party, it seemed to have died down a bit and there were less cars. I didn't know it was about 2 AM when we got back, I guess time does fly when you're having fun.

"Thank you for actually making tonight worth it,"

Stokeley was leaning against the hood of my car, a cigarette in between his fingers as he nodded his head. "Thank you for keeping a nigga company, I had fun."

"Give me your phone,"

It was a bold move, guess I was full of them tonight. He didn't ask questions though, just placed his phone in my hand and I quickly put my number in, texting myself to save his. Val. 🦋

"Where have you guys been?" Annalise's voice was heard behind me, causing me to turn and take in her drunk appearance. I laughed a little. She was clinging onto Jahseh and he was laughing too.

"I think it's time for us to go home, sweetheart."

"Yo, Ski." After placing Anna in my car, Jah came back to finish his sentence. "Jasmine's been looking for you."

"Fuck that bitch," I furrowed my eyebrows and look at Stokeley with a questioning look. He just shook his head and looked elsewhere.

"Who's Ja-"

"Baby! I've been looking for you, where have you been?"

Baby? I didn't know he had a girlfriend. But I wasn't surprised... just look at him. I mean, right now he looked mad annoyed. But he didn't pay her any mind as she hugged him and kissed him.

"Go home, Jasmine."

"Fine, I'll see you when you get there. Love you!"

I shook my head and decided to dismiss myself. Not even saying bye, I got in my car and backed out of the driveway. This man was still on my car so he stumbled back with his face twisted up.

I don't know why I was so bothered but I rolled my eyes and just drove my ass home. Not even two minutes later, I received a text that I chose to ignore and continue my way home.

Stokes. 💛
you good?

❨✎❩ UNEDITED