❦

"Okay. Do as you please." Before Angel could say anything back to me, I hung up.

We were in the middle of a disagreement because, for some odd reason, he thought it was okay to post a picture of him in his boxers with his print showing on Snapchat.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the type of girlfriend to monitor your social media or anything like that, but there's boundaries. And, before getting upset I asked him what the reasoning behind posting it was. He simply said, "it ain't a big deal" and shrugged it off.

If that's the type of time we're on now, then that's perfectly fine with me. But you can't get upset when I post a picture in a TIED UP robe, and then turn around and post your junk on social media.

It doesn't work like that.

If I can respect you, then you should have no problem respecting me too. If respect isn't a two-way street in this relationship, then there will no longer be a relationship.

Pressing the end button as Angel called for the 6th time, I climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom.

Just then, my phone dinged indicating I had a text.

🧸🖤

🧸🖤

Scoffing at his messages, I let the next four calls ring all the way through as I washed my face.

I don't know what it was, but my skin had been clearing up a lot lately. Not wanting to mess that up, I made sure to do a healthy skin routine for my face every morning and night.

So far, it's been working really well.

Thank you, God.

My phone finally stopped ringing which meant that Angel had finally decided to stop calling. It was weird that I didn't know whether to feel relieved because I could actually use my phone now without being interrupted by his continuous calls, or upset that I felt like he gave up on trying to reach out.

It felt good to know that my man was willing to put his pride aside and apologize when he realized he's done wrong and made me upset. But then again, just don't make me upset. Then all of this could have been avoided.

McKenzie walked into my room, pulling me from my thoughts. "Sis, Amere wants all of us to go to the fair tonight for his birthday."

"So no more dinner?"

"Nah." She shook her head. "He said fair tonight and then club tomorrow. I guess we can just pig out at the fair."

I shrugged. "Yea, I'm down. But I'm not talking to Angel while we're there so..."

"Oh goodness, what the hell done happened now?"

Now? Do we really argue that much?

"Have you seen his Snapchat?"

She turned her head from side to side. "No, I haven't been on snap today. Why? He posted another girls only streak thing?"

"Nope, not even. Dude felt like it was okay to post a picture of him in his boxers with his print clearly showing." Her mouth dropped open which gave me clarification that I wasn't tripping out. "Exactly. And then when I said something to him about it, he shrugged it off talking about it was no big deal."

She scrunched her eyebrows together. "But didn't he get mad at you for posting a picture in your robe?"

"Exactly!"

"And you weren't even showing nothing!"

"Exxxactlyyyyy!"

See, Kenz and I had the type of relationship that no matter what, we had each other's back. Thick and thin, right or wrong. We knew how to have each other's back in the public, and correct each other behind closed doors if needed.

If I wasn't right in this situation, she would have straight up told me I was tripping- she's done it before. She didn't, though, which means I'm right.

"He's tripping hard. What's been goin' on with him lately?"

I honestly couldn't even answer that question. "I have no idea. He's been acting... weird."

"As fuck. Maybe you should ask-" Angel walked into my room, interrupting our conversation. "Ask him."

She gave Angel a smile and wave before walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Why are you here?"

He sat down on my bed. "You thought I was lyin'? I told you if you ain't answa', I was gon' pop up."

"There's no reason for you to be here right now."

"Yo' ass ignoring my phone calls and texts. I know you gettin' em cause I still see the notifications on ya screen." He pointed out, nodding towards my phone.

I shrugged. "I didn't feel like talking to you. Felt like there was nothing left to be said."

"And why is that? Why is it okay fa' you to just stop talkin' ta' me when you feel like you don't wanna talk ta' me anymo'? You'a be pissed if I did that shit."

"Talking to you about your wrong-doings is like talking to a damn wall, Angel. I'm trying to explain to you how I don't appreciate you posting something like that for people to see and you shrugged it off like you didn't give a fuck. So now I don't give a fuck."

He cocked his head back. "You'on give a fuck about what?"

"This argument. This topic. This."

"Mane, chill out. You trippin'."

I scoffed. "You love to say I'm tripping. I'm not tripping at all. You didn't like a picture I posted, I deleted it even if I didn't agree with what you were saying. Why? Because I respect you as a boyfriend, but if you don't respect me then that's fine. Once respect is out the window, so is this relationship."

"Oh so the relationship out the window? You done?"

"Once respect is out the window-" I emphasized. "So is this relationship. Respect is a two-way street."

He smirked. "So you done wit' me?"

"You're not hearing what I'm saying to you right now?"

Giving him a "what the fuck is wrong with you?" look , I went back to folding my clothes which I hadn't even realized I started doing.

"I do respect you, mama."

I sneered to myself. "That's obvious, huh?"

"I do. I'on entertain otha' females, I'on call you out ya name, I'on put my hands on you. None'a that."

"And I appreciate you for all of that. Even though that's what your supposed to do, I truly appreciate it because I know there's dudes out here that don't even do that." I said honestly. "But if you can tell me you don't like something I did on social media and I take it down out of respect for you, why can't you do the same for me? Why does social media become 'no big deal' when I mention it? That's not fair to me."

He sighed. "I know, you right. I just, I'on know, I been trippin' lately."

"You have, not gonna lie. What's been going on with you? Ever since we got back to Miami from that weekend we went to visit campuses, you've been acting different with me. Whatever it is, I rather you talk to me about it."

"Truthfully?"

I nodded. "Uh yea."

"I'on want you ta' go."

"What do you mean?"

"I'on want you ta' go ta' college so far away."

My face softened up a little. "Babe, for one, we don't graduate until next year. For two, I know you don't plan on staying in Miami forever."

Now that I think about it, Angel has never really talked about what he wants his future to be like. It's always me talking about my plans, and he just listens.

"I'on think I got much of a choice."

"Of course you do." I assured him, sitting across from him on my bed. "There's so many colleges and universities that you can attend. Do you know what you want to do after high school?"

He let out a breath. "Na, when I say I ain't got no choice I really mean that I ain't got a choice. I gotta stay hea' and continue what my grandpa started."

He saw the somewhat confused expression on my face so he continued. "Listen, you my girl and I trust you and all, but what I'm bout ta' tell you, you gotta swear to me that you won't say shit to no one else bout it. Ya hea' me?"

"I hear you."

"Swea' ta' me, Dri."

"I swear, Angel. What is it?"

Letting out anotha' breath, he sat up. "You already know the company that my pops and I work fa', right? Aight so basically my grandpa and one'a his close friends started up the company back in the day and it's really an unda'ground type'a company.

Unda'ground meanin' we don't do exactly what we say we do. We say we help you in times of need, which we do, but we do it in a way that's illegal. On a serious note, you know who El Chapo is?"

I nervously nodded.

"You know how he kept escapin' prison and shit like that? We'on have people escape prison, but we help people who ain't 'posed ta' be thea' if you get what I'm sayin'."

"How do y'all do that?"

"It's a couple officers at the different prisons that work fa' us. It's all unda'cova and illegal as fuck which is why you can't say shit ta' nobody."

I understood completely, but now I was more interested in knowing what and how. "I won't, babe, I swear. Just, like, how do y'all help those people? Like what do y'all do?"

"Give 'em free food, let they family and friends see 'em a lot mo' than they 'posed to, sometimes we can even shorten people sentences and get 'em out early. It all depend on the circumstances and the pay."

"So y'all let anybody do it?"

He quickly shook his head. "Na, na. Just the people we know may be wrongfully convicted or when them dumb ass judges be doin' the most and wanna give 'em time they don't deserve. But if somebody deserve it, like somebody who got arrested for molestation or somethin' and they actually did it, we'on get involved with that shit."

"That's actually amazing." I thought about it for a second. "Wait, is that how you knew about Cedrick, Dayna, and Adrian's sentences and shit before we did?"

"Yep. Believe it'a not, one of Dayna's family members reached out ta' us askin' fa' help not knowin' you was my girl. We shut that shit down quick."

Something in me felt somewhat bad for Dayna even thought she got herself in that situation.

I decided to just change the subject. "You heard about 'Mere wanting to go to the fair tonight instead of dinner?"

"Yea. He called me on my way hea' and told me. You down?"

"Yea. I really want to nap first, though."

Angel smirked. "Let's nap then, mama. Not for long though."

"Why not?"

"Amere mama wanna surprise him with something before we slide and she want all of us to be thea' around 7."

Looking at the time on my phone, I shrugged. "Three hours should be good enough."

"See. Look at you. Talking about me, and your ass is the reason we're late." I rolled my eyes, sitting on the edge of the bed as we all waited for Angel.

He swore up and down that I needed to wake up hours early so we weren't late, now here he was, 30 minutes until 7 and rushing to get ready.

He threw his jacket at me. "Shut up before I break the zipper off that lil' ass jacket."

"Break it." I shrugged. "I'm still wearing it."

"Yea aight."

There was a knock on the door and I already knew it was Kenz, so I told her to come in.

Angel scoffed, shaking his head. "I'on understand why y'all gotta have on them lil ass jackets."

"Just like I don't understand why it's taking you so long to get ready." I rebutted, making McKenzie laugh. "Now hurry up."

"Man I'm ready. C'mon."

We made it to Amere's house at exactly 6:55 pm. Literally jumping out of the car, Amere's mom was meeting us at the door.

"Hurry in, hurry in." She greeted us frantically with quick hugs. "He finishin' up gettin' ready in his room so he should be down any second. I'ma hide y'all in the kitchen where his cake and stuff at so when he come down, y'all can jump out and say surprise and all'at. Then I'll give him his present."

We all nodded in understanding as she told us her plans in her thick southern accent.

"Where is the car at, ma?" Kenz asked. "In the garage?"

She nodded. "Yea, baby. I had a friend of mine sneak it on over before he woke up this morning."

We quickly went silent when we heard Amere calling his mom from upstairs.

"Ma, McKenzie 'nem should be on they way soon so I'ma be headin' out in a little."

She didn't reply.

"Ma! You heard what I sa-"

"SURPRISE!"

Amere's initial reaction was to jump and scream "oh shit", but once he realized what was going on, he couldn't help but to laugh and smile.

"Yooo." He chuckled.

McKenzie greeted him first with a hug and kiss. Angel and I did the same, just without the kissing part.

We all engaged in conversation where I learned that Amere actually has 16 more siblings on his dad's side not including the 4 that live here with him and his mom. Amere was the fourth oldest out of all, but the oldest in the house.

We also learned that McKenzie was Amere's first real girlfriend and, apparently, he used to tell his mom about her all the time. Of course Kenz had heard this story before, but I hadn't so it was funny.

He and his mom are like best friends.

"Alright, baby." Amere's mom, Chyna, stood up from the table. "I wanna say something before I give you your gift."

Mere cocked his head. "Ma, I told you that you ain't have to get me nothin'."

"I'on take orders from you, boy. I'm your mama."

We all chuckled as she continued. "As I was sayin', I just wanna let you know that I thank God for blessin' me with a son like you and I thank Him even mo' for keepin' you safe for almost 18 years. Thangs get hard sometimes for me, but you do your best to make it easier so I thank you for that. In return, I know your birthday ain't til tomorrow, but I got you somethin'."

Going into her purse, Ms. Chyna pulled out a little box with a red bow on it. "Here, baby. Gon' head and open it."

Grabbing the box, he gave it a little shake before unraveling it. His eyes widened once he seen the brand new key for his brand new 2017 Dodge Challenger.

Since Amere's car was already registered, insured, and he had a good license, him and Kenz drove to the fair in his car while Angel and I drove in his.

It didn't take long to get there, but it did take a minute to get a parking spot and inside. We knew it was going to be busy because this was the first weekend the fair was in town, but damn.

"Y'all wanna eat first and then get on rides later or get on rides first and eat later?" Mere asked once we made it inside and got our wristbands.

We all shrugged saying it didn't matter. "Up to you, birthday boy."

"These lines long as hell, but it's prolly gon' be like that all night so we might as well get in them lines now." He suggested.

Once we all agreed, we made our way to get in line for the first ride we planned to get on: The Twister.

"Stop eating my damn popcorn!" I popped Angel's hand out of my popcorn bag as we sat at one of the tables.

He smacked his teeth. "I paid for it!"

"Yea, just like you paid for your own. And ate it all!"

"I was hungry."

"And now I'm hungry so let me eat my pop-"

As my eyes wandered, they landed on someone who looked slightly familiar, but not for a good reason. I scrunched my eyes, trying to figure out where I knew her from and then it clicked.

Before my mind could catch up with my actions, I was making my way over to her. Quick as hell and mad as fuck.

"Hey." I mushed her head sideways with my index and middle fingers. She turned towards me like she was about to snap, but her eyes widened when she realized who I was. "I see you remember me."

The girls that were with her were now paying attention and Angel, McKenzie, and Amere had made their way to me.

"Wassup." I pushed up on her. "Say something. Why you on hush mouth? You know what the fuck it is."

Angel stood in front of me. "Aye, what the fuck goin' on?"

"She knows!"

Melani stood there, still on hush mouth. Her eyes went over to McKenzie and then back to me before she finally spoke.

"I'm so sorry." Was all she said before she ran off, her friends following behind her.

Kenz turned my body in her direction. "Sis, who was that?"

"And why the fuck she got you trippin' like this?" Mere asked.