𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 - 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐞

iHOP Brooklyn NY 📍
7am

"I haven't had iHOP in a minute, I forgot what they even sold!" Pop chuckles, "What yah gonna get?" He starts looking through the menu.

"I want the french toast with the starwberries and bananas.. that sounds so bomb right now," I laugh making him laugh.

"Ima be straight up, some of that japanese food was terrible. No disrespect to their culture and everything but they shit gotta go!" He laughs making me crack up.

"I knew you weren't gonna eat it. You kept eyeballing me like 'what the fuck even is this shit'.." I trail off.

"We gotta go to the Chop House over near here, they food is top tier mama i'm telling you," He nods before laughing.

"Papi would do you want?" I look up at him. His face just looked so worn out and tired. He had been crying all of this morning before falling asleep and being asleep for only two and a half hours. His eyes were red almost.

"Listen Woo.. I got a studio session with the doggies tonight ima take you with me.. you could tell ya friends if they wanna pull up the can.." He trails off before looking to me, "I don't.. I don't know."

"Thanks Woo, but i'm just gonna stay at the h—."

"You could stay at mines. Moms won't mind it," Pop interrupts.

"Thank you," Cam says, "B-But i'm really not that hungry. I lost my appetite."

My eyes shoot up at Pop's. We were both feeling bad for Cameron. We didn't want him to feel the way he felt but rather take his mind off it.

"Papi you gotta eat something.. you sure you don't want nothing?" I ask.

"You haven't eaten since Nobu," Pop says.

"Guys, i'm cool. You two eat, i'm good."

"Are you guys ready to order?" The waitress comes to our table.

"Yeah," Pop clears his throat, "Can I get the chicken and waffles, with a side of hash browns and toast."

"..side of hash and toast.." She writes in her note pad, "And for you?" She looks to me.

"The strawberry banana french toast and that's it for me."

"Okay and for you," She looks to Cameron.

"Nothing i'm good," He half smiles.

"Could you make my order double?" I speak up, "Please."

"S-Sure, so two orders of the french toast coming right up.. your food will be right out," She smiles, "Feel better kiddo," She looks at Cameron before walking away.

"Why'd you order two?" Cam asks me.

"One for me, one for you. You may not wanna eat as of now but if you're with me.. i'm gonna make sure you eat."

7:45am
When our food came, we prayed then ate. We had a little bit of time before Pop was to get picked up by a driver to be drove to the label, so we talked a little bit.

"So i'm gonna drop Papi off at the house, go to mines because I gotta get my laptop and school stuff, then go to Tae's to talk for a little then.. probably back to the house— I'll def be there before you get home so.." I trail off.

"Ima try for like midnight. One at the most," He says, "Woo you sure you don't want me to come get you from the house before I go to the stu?" He asks.

"Nah, I'm cool.. thank you guys for trying to make me feel better but i'd rather just be alone."

Seeing Cameron so down and just drained out was just building guilt but anger inside of me. I just wanted to honestly kill somebody.

"They should be pulling up in a minute," Pop gets up before we follow, "This food was fire, I gotta leave a tip.." He reaches in his pocket grabbing a stack. He pulls out a hundred and places it on the table.

"We really gotta get you a credit card," I look up at him and laugh, "You can't keep carrying around loose money like it's nothing," I explain while putting on my coat.

"Steven told me that too," He laughs, "What if my shit lock up? Or somebody hack my shit or I lose it?"

"We'll get you a bank of america card, and you can put your money on there and then keep some on you. Because their cards always lock up so just keep carrying money on you not big money just something light. And buy a fucking wallet! If you buy a wallet youll be safe!" I laugh more making him laugh more.

After getting our stuff we walk out to the parking lot. The driver was already pulled up waiting to take him to Republic.

"What time you coming home?" I ask before he starts blushing, "What?" I laugh.

"Nothing.. but one, maybe before that. Promise," He says.

"Alright i'll let your mom know," I say.

*Beep Beep*

"Alright I love you, please be safe.." I kiss and hug him.

"I will mama, I love you too. Yah be safe getting home," He reaches in his pockets getting his car keys, "I love you Woo, stay up bro.." He hugs Cameron.

"Let me know when you get there," I say as we start walking away.

"Vice versa!" He shouts before getting in the car.

8:30am
After iHOP, we went back to Pop's house. His parents weren't back from church yet, but Obasi was home so I could leave Cameron there while going to the house to pick up my bookbag and school stuff.

"What yah doing here, you know Bashar's not home right?" He laughs hugging us both as we walked in.

"We know, we all just came back from getting food but listen.." I trail off watching Cameron go downstairs to Pop's room.

"What's going on with him? Wassup what's the matter?" He raises his eyebrows as he closes the door.

"So last night.. technically this morning Luce had a party and had all the aunts and uncles and everything over the house and she was drunk and touched Papi."

"Word?" He whispers raising his eyebrows, "That's why bro so down like that?" He asks as I nod, "Damn man," He sucks his teeth then shakes his head, "You know yah welcome to stay here, moms won't mind. Or do you have somewhere else to say? I mean what's going on?"

"Poppa said we could stay here but I don't wanna feel like we're in the way, you know.." I trail off, "I don't know what I wanna do yet, or how i'm gonna go about the situation because I don't wanna be kicked out onto the streets.. the best bet would be living with my abuela. I don't wanna jump from my friends houses to your house to you know.. I'm just trying to get us out the situation."

"Nah nah, I hear you.." He nods, "Had he ate or anything?" He asks.

"This is his food. He didn't wanna eat there but hopefully he eats today. He's been drained since he woke up. He might be tired, he only slept like two hours. Im gonna go to the house and get some of my stuff for school—."

"You're gonna go to school tomorrow?" He asks.

"Yeah, Poppa told me go to school and don't worry about Papi and everything going on. He doesn't want me stressed out about everything."

"Sounds like my brother," He chuckles, "Yeah do what you gotta do, I'll look after him. I got you sis."

"Thank you," I hug him, "Forreal."

"You family. It's no problem," He laughs before I head out the door.