Ready or Not

o2.

Chris Brown

Aye bruh, chill! You coulda got your own french toast sticks!" I yelled when this nigga took food out my damn plate.

He laughed with a mouth full. "Go get us some more man."

I cut my eyes at him. "I wouldn't need more if you ain't steal my shit."

We always bicker about petty shit but at the end of the day, Quincy was my ace. e had met during a college tour of the campus when we were still in high school. He's from LA so he knew of the places to go and things to see after we were done with the tour for the day and since then we been tight as fuck.

He was bitchin about some other random shit when my attention zoned him out and zoomed in on the bodies of these two shorties walking over to my homie's girlfriend table.

"Yo Keith. Who them girls talking to Kennedy?" I asked our other friend that sat at the table.

While scooping some scrambled eggs into his mouth, he paused and looked at the girls in question then shrugged and kept chewing.

I gave Quincy one look and he knew what was up.

Sasha Johnson

"Damn Vee. We look so fat right now." I said as I put another strip of turkey bacon on my already full plate.

Valencia, while chewing and laughing, walked away from the buffet line. "Let's find somewhere to sit. Jeez, its crowded in here. All these hungry niggas." She said while laughing and slowing her pace and looking around.

We wandered around searching for two seats to claim with no luck.

"Sasha! Sasha!!"

I looked around. Who is calling my name? I keep looking and following the voice. I then spotted the waving arms and smiled big. I nudged a clueless Valencia and led her behind me towards the table.

"Sasha! Oh my god girl! Hey!"

I hugged her back. I knew my cousin went here but she told me she wasn't moving in until the day before classes start. She's 2 weeks early. I hugged her tight and introduced Valencia to her. 

"Hey. You're pretty girl. Yall have a seat. This my cousin Sasha yall." She said to her friends as they made room for us. 

Valencia Sulan

I started digging in on my food, listening to the convos happening around me. 

"So you from Cali too?" Kennedy quizzed while looking in my direction.

I shook my head no and swallowed my food. Holding my hand over my mouth I spoke, "Nah I'm from Texas."

Everyone's eyes got wide and one of Kennedy's friend laughed, instantly rubbing me the wrong way. "Say that again."

I looked confused and sipped my juice to wash down my food. "Say what again?"

They all laughed again. Okay. This is annoying.

"Your accent!! Its so cute!" screeched another girl from the table. I chuckled and resumed eating. "Thanks? I don't hear it."

"Yo, say something else." said Kennedy as she cheesed hard at me with amusement.

"Umm.." I started to laugh. "Um...I don't know. What y'all want me to say?" I asked.

"Ooh! Say howdy yall I'm from Te-" but the girl was cut off as a group of boys appeared at the table, dragging nearby empty chairs and joining us.

One boy leaned over to Kennedy and pecked her lips. When I recognized the guys I looked down and concentrated on my food, hoping to hide my face.

"So what's up? Who are they?" said the rude light complected one from earlier.

Kennedy pointing with her fork, "This is my cousin Sasha and this is her friend Va-"

"Aye! It's the clumsy freshman!" shouted one boy as his friends erupted in laughter.

I slumped down in embarrassment then shot my head up in a sudden feeling of attitude and confidence. "Uh no. My name is Valencia. Vuh-Lynn-See-Uh. Nothing else but that. Get it? Got it? Good." The boys fell silent while the girls all oooh'd in a teasing manner.

I don't know what came over me but they need to get it straight. I'm not the butt of anybody's joke.

I pushed my food around my plate with my fork as the helpful boy with the tattoo on his hand from earlier rubbed my upper arm in a soothing manner.

My body got tense and hot by his touch. Who is he?

I looked up and we locked eyes for the first time. 

Chris Brown

Wow. She was beautiful.

Our eye contact seemed to block out the whole world and we were alone in silence. Just me and her. But Quincy being Quincy. He shattered it by speaking and breaking her eye contact from me.

"Well VUH-LEN-SEE-UH.You ain't have to spazz on me. I'm hurt. I came over here thinking to myself. 'Damn I'ma make that clumsy ass freshman my best friend.' But NO! You just fucked that up and missed out. I'm moving on." Quincy said dramatically. He tapped me, "Chris bruh, it's me and you. You is my bestie for life again. You're welcome."

I looked at him and sucked my teeth. This nigga here. She just tilted her head and stared at him. She then busted out laughing. "You done?"

The salty look this nigga had made us all laugh. She actually shut this nigga up. That's very rare. VERY.

*****

We all chilled in the underground for hours not being shit. We was talking about people, talking about things from last year, and getting to know Valencia and Kennedy's cousin, Sasha. For some freshmen, they were pretty cool.

"Aye, kids. Clear out. It's getting close to the standard breakfast time, we gotta clear out and clean up." We nodded at the cafe worker and all got up stretching and heading to the stairs.

Quincy nudged me as we were walking behind the freshy's, checking out their asses. Shorties was looking right. I can't deny that. Once we were on the ground level we all saw the sun rising and shining through the glass windows of the student union. Damn. How long was we down there?

Valencia Sulan

It was the next day and I ain't even realize it. Sasha's cousin and her friends are all super cool. It's nice to make new friends.

"I'm so tired. I'ma be sleep until the party I swear!" said Kennedy's friend, Sharice, as we walked outside and posted up on the sidewalk.

Instantly Sasha's head popped up. "Party?" She looked over at me smiling. I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Yeah," Kennedy said with a nod, "the Greeks are throwing a back to school party tonight. That's why I had no choice but to come the fuck back this soon."

Quincy slid in between me and Sasha and draped his arms around our shoulders as his height towered over ours. "And I just know you two will be in the building tonight! I just know it!" He said, looking back and forth between us.

I giggled and threw Q's arm from around me. My attention turned to Chris as he was already looking at me. "You going?"

He nodded and turned his hat to the back. God he was so sexy. "Yeah, I kinda don't have a choice." He said with a shrug.

I looked with curiosity. "Why not?"

He leaned into me and whispered in my ear lowly, making my body shiver, "Come tonight and you'll see."