She just walks with confidence. Her steez is impeccable. Her guard is never down. Her blonde short hair compliments her caramel skin and her brown eyes make me drown. As much as I got the heart to run the streets, I don't have the confidence to approach her. But then again I'm tired of seeing these niggas trying to play and joke her. Her family red, so what she look like falling in love with a blue nigga? Big homie told me "She probably don't even like yo life, so what you think she gon' do witcha?" Everybody so stuck on these 2 dumb ass colors so fuck it, I'm making purple just so I can paint me and her a new picture. I don't even think I can TRY to confess to her, she just gon' think I'm kiddin', or maybe she won't say it back because the thought is forbidden.
Tone sighed and relaxed his shoulders, looking down at the paper he began to fold up. The room slowly clapped and faint whispers were heard. He peeked up to see if she was clapping, and she wasn't, but a look on her face indicated to him that she was intrigued.
"That was beautiful Mr. Goods, but I don't think you followed the project guidelines." Ms. Wall said in a sarcastic tone, fixing her glasses and writing notes in her grade book.
"Actually Ms. Wall, I know exactly how he followed the guidelines."
The whole class seemed to turn and look at her in a confused state. She was sitting with her hand up, looking at Tone dead in the eyes. Ms. Wall looked up from her grade book and sighed.
"Okay Aaleyah. Tell me what you got from that prompt."
Aaleyah adjusted herself in her seat and smirked.
"The project you assigned was supposed to be us writing short stories and or poems on how 2 emotions can set a tone..." She giggled. "... And or color to the entire story or poem. The poem clearly described a girl who had an intimidating confidence about her, and a boy with a sad, almost depressed demeanor about him. The fact that she was always like that, gaining that demeanor from her family, the boy, with sadness being all he really knows, is scared to even approach her thinking that she wouldn't even respond well to a person with his aura. So he has an idea to just confess his love to her and combine minds, making the main and ending mood purple."
Tone's heart fluttered as he tried to keep his composure. Everybody in the class was now looking at Ms. Wall, waiting for her response. She adjusted her glasses on her nose for what seemed like the umpteenth time and raised her eyebrows.
"Well then Aaleyah, I didn't even comprehend the story the way that you did! Congratulations young man, you had somebody bring your project into a different light in a way that made me think. Good job."
Tone made his way back over to his seat and set down, letting out a breath of relief, when the bell rung. Everybody quickly got up and walked out of the room, including the teacher. He slowly grabbed his books and began to get back up, letting out an annoyed groan.
"Hey." Aaleyah walked over and tapped Tone. Tone turned his body to her and froze. "Why you always the last to leave out the classroom?"
"I don't like being seen here." He replied, looking off at the wall.
"Why not?" She said, leaning on a desk to sit. She seemed interested in conversation.
"First off, because all these teachers been looking me in my face for years, I'm just that 20 year old nigga that's still a senior because he barely bothered to go to school when he was actually supposed to." He mumbled and balled his fist up, being mad at himself all over again. "Plus I'm in a class with a 16 year old girl that can comprehend shit better than me."
Aaleyah laughed and rubbed her leg. "It's 25 year old niggas that's still sophomores, you're not bad at all, and what's wrong with me being smart?"
"I didn't say that was wrong."
"Oh okay, just making sure nigga."
Tone scrunched his eyebrows and looked at her.
"You know you made shit hot right."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm a whole ass crip and your bloody ass wanna have my back and shit outta nowhere."
"First off, I'm not a damn blood." Aaleyah rolled her eyes.
"You're a blood if ya whole family, ya side of town and EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND YOU EXCEPT FOR YOU is a blood and you eventually get stamped as one." Tone said in a matter of factly tone.
"So that means I can't talk to you?" Aaleyah's voice grew defensive.
"That's exactly what that means." Tone murmured to himself. Aaleyah scrunched up her face. Tone saw that she got offended and quickly opened his mouth to assure her he didn't mean it that way, but she already grabbed her books and began to walk away.
"Shit." Tone thought to himself. He grabbed her arm. In return, She swung around with an attitude and swatted his arm away.
"What, now you don't want me to leave after you just said I shouldn't be talking to ya crab ass?" Her voice was harsh. Usually when somebody calls Tone a Crab ass nigga he immediately shoots and or swings on they ass, but it was different with her.
"I didn't want you to leave in the first place." His tone of voice was soft now, making Aaleyah look at him in his eyes. "And you shouldn't be talking to me. That doesn't mean I don't wanna talk to you."
She stared and him.
"What was that poem about?" She asked in a way that was almost a whisper.
"I was talk-"
Ringgggggggggg.
Aaleyah jumped a little and clutched her books.
"Shit, I gotta get to the bus."
"You don't gotta. I can drive."
"What I look like letting you drive me home?"
"Who said we had to go home?"
Aaleyah giggled a little and looked back at Tone, who had a dead serious look on his face. He grabbed his keys out of his pocket as paper fell out and made his way to the door.
"Come on."
"Wait yo wait." She picked up the piece of paper and began to open it. Tone quickly turned around and snatched the paper away, making her confused.
"The fuck did you write so crazy To snatch that shit away from me like that?" Aaleyah shook her head and walked behind him.
Tone shook his head in return and kept walking.
"Some shit that was gonna from me you run as far as you could."
"Why would I run?" Aaleyah replied in an innocent tone, following behind him. Tone shook his head and gripped his keys tighter.
"Where you wanna go."
