Page 13 of Set me Free

I was on the phone with Serenity, recapping our days, me laughing at her corny jokes.

I had a girlfriend. But I couldn’t stay away from Serenity.

“So, what you get into today?” I asked placing one of my arms behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling fan above my bed.

“A little bit of this and a little of that.” She laughed. “Graduation is next week so there’s going to be a party.”

I’d forgotten she was still in high school but not for long. It was hard to believe she was younger than me, especially since our conversations ran so deep and we talked about a lot of stuff.

“Aw, no invite for ya boy?”

“Would you come?” she asked almost excitedly making my heart leap. “I mean, you know if you want to.”

“I wish I could.” I said honestly. “But I’m already knowing it’s going to be a problem.”

“Oh.”

We’d talked about it before, but it almost felt like an unspoken thing between us. I knew she had a man; it was established early on in our conversations and she knew I had Gianna. Still, those relationships didn’t seem to stop us from our late-night calls.

“I really do wish I could though.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just have to save myself from dealing with my Mama.”

“Aw shit, she back at it huh?” I chuckled remembering the many conversations we’d had about her relationship or lack thereof with her mother. I hated it for her, especially since it was something I couldn’t relate to. I loved the fuck out of my mama and since she was one of the only people I had in my life, that was a forever and always type of thing.

It was always weird to hear that Sie B from the popular girl group Eden was as tough on her daughter as she was. From the outside looking in, as a fan, Sie B was fine as fuck and could do no wrong in my eye. Growing up, I used to stare at pictures of that woman marvel at her beauty. She herself was the same chocolate skin shade as her daughter, they even had the same eyes, it was almost uncanny how much they looked alike.

“Every damn day. I swear, I can’t wait to be back in New York away from her and her bullshit. She’s supposed to start shooting a new season of that show she’s inBirds of a Feather, next week. She was going to go early, basically trying to miss my graduation but my Daddy and Sevyn had to convince her to delay her trip until after. It’s so annoying.”

I could hear the sadness in her voice. I knew from what she told me that she had a longing for her mother that she claimed had long ago been stamped out. Yet, I could always hear it in her voice that it would never go away.

“Do you know she cleared her entire schedule when Sevyn graduated from high school and when he graduated from college last year. But me, nah, couldn’t be bothered.”

“Why not just talk to her about it if you feel some type of way.”

“Because every time I try to talk to her we end up blowing up at each other. It’s sad, but it is what it is. She’s spiteful and honestly, she’s just throwing a fit about the apartment thing. Do you know she’s still been trying to convince my daddy to make me get a dorm.”

“Dorms are a right of passage in college SB.” I yawned. “It’s not like it would have been a bad thing.”

“I don’t do well with sharing public spaces. And I know how that sounds, believe me I do; but I am a slight germaphobe.”

“How can you be a slight germaphobe?” I laughed. “Either you are one or you aren’t.”

“Don’t laugh at me, it’s a thing.” She laughed and I couldn’t help the smile that stretched across my face hearing her smile and imagining it as well. I just knew that lone dimple was showing in the left side of her cheek.

“Well, I hope when we’re both on the same coast I get an invite to this famous apartment that’s been causing you so many problems with ya Moms.”

“You’ll be the first person I invite. Is it bad to say that I can’t wait to see you again?” My heart skipped a beat as the words left her mouth.

“Same SB, same!”

I pulledup outside Nas’s house, cutting the engine and stepping out.

I had told myself I was just coming to check on him, make sure he was good, but the second I saw Nate posted up outside, I knew it wasn’t gonna be that simple.

"Look who it is," Nate smirked, leaning against the porch railing. "Mr. Big Time."

"Nigga, shut up," I muttered, dapping up Nas before nodding toward the house. "You good?"

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