Sky's The Limit

iv

four | ishaan

"Ishaan, eat before you leave!" my mother shouted just as I was reaching for the handle of the door.
"I'm runnin' late, Ma. I got an 8 a.m.," I replied.

"I keep tellin' you to set your alarm for an earlier time," she shook her head while scrambling eggs in a cast-iron skillet.

"I know, Ma. My bad. I just keep forgetting," I scratched my head, briefly thinking about how I would soon be due for another haircut.

"Mm-hm. At least get a pop tart or something before you leave," she stated while beginning to make plates for herself and my father, who would soon be home from his night shift.

I only nodded, walking across the kitchen and reaching for the box of strawberry pop tarts.

"How was the cypher last night?" she asked.

"Oh, Ma, it was phat. Tony—"

"Phat?" her dark eyes found mine in a manner that reminded me that she 'wasn't one of my little friends.'

With a slight chuckle, I rephrased my sentence. "It was really good, Ma."

"Did you get Crystal to join, like you planned?"

"Nah, but I think she'll come around to my other ideas," I pulled a pack of silver-lined toaster pastries out and closed the cardboard box from which it came.

"How did Antonio do? You said that you thought he seemed nervous," she set one plate down before grabbing the other in order to fill it with food.

I placed the box where it once resided before leaning over and kissing my mother's cheek.

"He did alright for himself— held his own," I answered while readjusting my backpack on my shoulder. "He's still not as good as me and Will though."

There was a sharp exhale that replaced an audible laugh from her. "Well, that's good to hear, baby."

"A'ight, see you later, Ma," I was headed for the door once again.
"Alright. Be safe. I love you," she said while I unlocked and opened the door.

"Love you too," I stated upon stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind me.

I jogged downstairs while stuffing my breakfast into my backpack and then putting on the bag once again.

Upon making it to the entrance of the project building, I crossed paths with my father. "I know you ain't runnin' late, 'Shaan!" he was chuckling even as I zoomed past him.

"Sir, no, sir!" I ran backwards only to reply before facing my path head on once again and heading for the subway terminal.

As I approached the turnstile, I thought briefly about whether or not I had that lil' card the transit system was trying to switch over to rather than coins. I didn't have time to think nor to fiddle with my wallet to find such a card, so I skipped doing so altogether.

After jumping the turnstile and barely making it onto my rightful train, I sighed deeply. The car was cramped, every seat having been taken and every handrail and stanchion being lined with the hands of different people.

The straps that were available were too far away, so I found myself simply standing where I was for only a moment before I found an open space to place my hand, on a grab rail.

It was quiet for the most part, only a couple of people making conversation with each other. Everyone else was to themselves, reading a newspaper or listening to whatever was playing in a pair of headphones.