Chris POV
I walked in AP Lang class and Zion was sitting in the seat next to my assigned seat. I sat next to her and she rolled her eyes at me.
"C'mon Zy, I just got here. You can't be mad at me yet."
"Why the hell not."
"Because I'm sexy." I smiled at her.
She looked at me, smiled and shook her head. "You crazy."
"But you like it."
"I don't to be honest with you." she picked up her phone and started scrolling through Instagram.
"Why you say that? I thought you wanted me like I want you." I frowned.
"Nigga don't you got a girlfriend? You shouldn't be wanting nobody except for her, cuz I don't wanna have to whoop her ass."
I smacked my teeth. "Man I don't know what you talking about."
"Ariana. don't play dumb with me Chris. I know that's yo girl."
"That ain't my girl, she just my temporary fuck buddy." I said.
She rolled her eyes and laughed, then Ms. Wang walked in. "Good morning y'all, I'ma take attendance then we'll get started." she sat at her laptop.
I pulled out my notebook and pen, then I heard my name. "Christopher." Ms. Wang said.
"Wassup." I said.
"You supposed to say here." Zion elbowed me.
"Whatever." I leaned back in my chair.
"Zionna Reeves." Ms. Wang said.
"Here." Zion raised her hand.
"You the new student right? We are starting on a new unit today so you don't have to worry about make up work." Ms. Wang handed her a pack of paper and a sheet with her name on it.
"Okay, thank you."
"I thought yo name was just Zion."
"Nope, it's Zionna."
"Why you don't like that."
"I prefer Zion, but sometimes my friends call me Ana."
"You don't like your full name."
"My mom always call me Zionna." she shook her head.
"What's wrong with that." I looked at her.
She sighed. "Long story."
Ms. Wang put our warm-up on the board and I got started. Zion opened her pink binder and put paper in it then started writing.
"You got some pretty hand writing." I said.
She smiled. "Thank you."
We did the warm up then got started on the new unit. She gave us a book and a packet for a project we gotta do with a partner. She went down the roll and asked everybody who they partner was.
"Chris who you working with?" she looked up at me.
"Zion." I said.
"No he ain't." Zion said.
I smacked my teeth. "Man what?"
Ms. Wang laughed, "You gotta ask her first Chris."
"You wanna be my partner." I looked at Zion.
"Yeah." she said.
I smacked my teeth again. "Then why you say no?"
She shrugged then started laughing. We worked together on our packet for the project and started reading a few pages in the book. "When she said this due?"
"In 3 weeks. All we gotta do is read the book and answer the questions in a power point. We can get it done quick." she said.
I nodded. "Alright. You gotta work today."
"Nah, my mama made me... well, she told me to take the day off so I could help her clean up after her new boyfriend."
"She made you? Why you gotta clean up after a nigga?"
She sighed. "I don't know. It's always like this between us though, I just do what she say to avoid a fight."
I nodded. "That's fucked up. No dumb shit, but do you wanna spend the night at my crib? I got a guest bedroom, and we can stop and get something to eat."
She shook her head. "I would really love to spend the night wit you but I don't wanna piss her off. She hate when I don't come right home when I ain't working."
"Just tell her yo manager needed you at work. You don't need to put up wit a nigga that ain't yours, especially when she making you miss work."
"You right." she nodded and gave me a lil smile. "In case she don't need me.. Yo offer still stand?"
"Hell yeah. Don't stay no where if you ain't comfortable."
She nodded again then laid her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her and she started dozing off. We was just sitting there chilling until the bell rung. I sat up and threw my stuff in my back pack then grabbed my phone. I felt Zion grab my hand and I smiled at her.
"I'ma see you tomorrow right?" she looked up at me with puppy eyes.
"Yeah, I'ma see you later ma." I kissed her cheek and she smiled at me.
We parted ways and through out the whole damn day I couldn't take my mind off her and them big ole eyes. Why her mama so trifling? Why she put her boyfriend before her daughter? This shit got my head spinning.
After school let out I drove across the street to Kroger. I grabbed a box of cheez-its, some rice crispy treats, gummy bears, and a Sprite. I paid then went back to the car. Smoke text me and said him and Ty was finna smoke at his house so I drove over there.
When I pulled up at his apartment complex, I spotted a familiar face picking up clothes and stuffing them in a big black bag. Zion.
I rolled down the window and her mama was yelling out the window at her. "Pick all yo shit up you stupid ass bum ass bitch! You think you too good to take care of a nigga that's keeping a roof over yo head? Pick all yo shit up then get in this house and cook!" her moms closed the window then walked off.
I blew the horn and she looked at me with tears running down her face. "What happened? Come get in the car, let's go."
"Hey Chris." she wiped her face and smiled. "It's nothing foreal, I just upset her."
"Man bruh quit making excuses for her, it ain't no reason she should be talking to you like that. Let's go, we leaving."
She start crying again, "I can't Chris, if I leave now I won't have no where to go."
"You got me, come wit me. She talk to you like you a damn dog. You ain't gotta take that shit off of her."
She covered her face and started walking towards my car. I hopped out and walked up to her, and hugged her tight. She cried into my chest and I held her, by then everybody had walked outside and was watching the shit that was going on.
"Come on baby please, come with me. I don't want you here with her and that punk ass nigga." I whispered to her.
She pulled back and looked up at me. "I don't know. Look, if something else happen I'll call you alright? I promise I will, and I'll come be with you."
I sighed. "You better call me as soon as some shit happen, I'm not playing wit you Zionna."
She nodded and smiled. "I will."
I kissed her cheek, and hugged her one more time. I helped her pick up her clothes, then carried them to their door. "I'ma call you tonight okay?" I said.
She hugged me and sighed. "Alright."
I kissed her neck and she giggled. I smiled then went back to the car.
