Hip-Hop Time Machine

4

The drive was only like five minutes, not even. We pulled up to a small house and there were two cars already in the driveway. Inside, there was weed smoke fogging my view and loud funky music blasting. Two guys in Raiders hats were sitting at a round table playing Uno with each other.

"Reverse, skip, skip you again, and draw four, bitch," Ice Cube exclaimed to Dre.

"Dre, and Cube," I said when we walked up to them.

"Y'all must be high as a motha'fucka'," Eazy chuckled. "Where the zig-zags at?"

"On the counter by  the scale," Dre told him. "And who's that?"

"Oh, her? That's Jasmine."

"Okay, but, why is she here?" Cube asked.

"Cause I brought her here," he said, retreating his head affrontedly. "Does it matter?"

"So, is she a hoe, or one of the guys?" Dre asked.

"Again, does it matter? But no, she's not a hoe, so don't treat her like one. I brought her here to meet y'all, so be nice."

"Damn, okay," Dre replied, defeated. "It was just a question. You ain't ever brought her around before."

"That's cause we just met today," I told Dre, jumping into the conversation. "And I just moved here."

Cube looked at Eazy dumbfoundedly. "How you know she ain't a stalker, a hit-girl, someone tryna kill us, a government spy?"

"I can assure you, I'm none of those things. I'm just a normal girl."

"Yeah, okay," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't think I'm welcome here," I whispered to Eric. "Should we go?"

"No, we're staying. They're just gonna have to deal with it," he said out loud. "I don't give a fuck."

"Okay," I said quietly. Eric guided me down the narrow hall to a large bedroom. 

"What's back here?" I asked. He chuckled.

"A room where you can breathe," he replied. "And a comfortable place to sit, since all they got out there is a nasty ass couch."

I laughed and sat on the bed while he flicked on the TV. "There's only like three channels since they're cheap as hell, but- you know what? Hold on, I'll be right back."

He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him and I just sat on the bed, adjusting my attention to the old black and white movie that was playing on the television. "Uno, Uno OUT!" I hear Dre yell. "And you thought that wack ass draw-four was gonna stop me."

Soon after, I heard a few sets of footsteps walking to the room, and Eric opened the door. "Okay, since they're not playing the game no more, they can finally get to know you," he said to me. I turned to face them and Cube just rolled his eyes.

"So," Eazy said, turning to Dre and Cube. "This is Jasmine. She just moved here, next to my parent's house, and she makes music."

"What kind a' music?" Dre asked, flicking his chin out. "You sing or somethin'?"

"Rap," Eazy said, turning back to me. "Y'all be judging people too damn quick. Y'all know I'm a goofy motha'fucka', I vibe with everyone."

I chuckled. "Why you move to Compton?" Cube asked. "Ain't nothin' out here for you."

"My family's from here," I told him. "I was actually born here, my family just moved away before my first birthday. I figured I'd come back."

"Mmm. Where'd you find her, E?" Cube asked Eric. 

"She showed up to the house, and I invited her in," he said, lacking any explanation. I'm glad he didn't tell them I was asking for the date.

"Yeah? And what if she killed you?"

"Can you shut up about that?" I asked with an attitude. I swear, neither me nor Eric thought they would be acting like this. "I didn't even know he was at the house."

"You realize I can kill your career before it even starts, right?" Dre snapped.

E walked in front of him and glared him right in his eyes. "Jasmine, let's go," he said to me. I got up off the bed and followed him down the hall and out the front door, into the car. It was starting to get dark, so the sunset looked really pretty behind the palm trees.

When we got in, he started the car. "I'm sorry about them. I didn't know they'd act like that."

"It's fine," I assured him. "Not everyone's perfect." He smiled and chuckled.

"I'ma take it down when we get back cause I'm pretty tired, man, but today was a real good day. Thanks for that," he said.

"No problem," I replied. "You're always welcome over, and I'll be home since I got nowhere to be."

"Oh, well, looks like I'll be stopping by."

"Oh, is that so?" I laughed.

"Yes, ma'am." The smile was stuck on his face, and my eyes were glued to him. "What?" he asked when he caught my glare.

"Uh, nothing," I said, his question breaking the almost-trance. "Nothing."

"Ain't seem like nothing, but I'll let you have that one."

"Yeah, okay," I chuckled. "I was just looking out the window."

"Hmm, I don't think so. I definitely think you were looking at me, but hey, maybe my senses are off."

"Must be," I shrugged. He just shook his head, laughing silently. We approached the driveway and eventually turned in. The sun set fast, and the sky was almost completely dark purple, leaving only the illumination from the streetlights and porch lights.

"Well," he said when we exited the car. "I'll see you, maybe tomorrow." He opened his arms for a hug, so I complied.

"Have a good night," I told him as we went our separate ways.

"You too, Jaz." He went inside and I waited for the door to shut before speed walking over to 'my' Impala that was in my driveway. I unlocked it and sat down in the driver's seat.

"Okay," I said out loud to myself. "How did I do this before?" I put my hands on the steering wheel and closed my eyes. A few seconds passed. Nothing. "Let's try this again." This time, I imagined being in the car in Brandon's driveway, the morning I moved in with Paris. I pictured the warm sun, the birds chirping, and the distant smell of a family barbecue.

Sure enough, my imagination became reality within a split second. 

When I opened my eyes, Brandon was leaning on the door next to me with a smirk on his face.

"So, how was it?"