Page 9 of Tangled Hearts
“If something ever happens to me…” he started, eyes on the road.
Hov cut him off. “Don’t start.”
“Nah, I’m serious.” Rock looked over. “If something happens, look out for Rocky and Mae Lou. For real.”
Hov’s face sat straight. “I’m almost certain some shit’ll happen to me before you, nigga.”
Rock shook his head. “I don’t know... just in case though.”
The red light hit, and Hov finally glanced his way. “Alright,” he nodded. “I got you.”
Rock looked out the window. “Look out for Knyc too. She’s strong, but my lil baby be trying to carry too much. And Nick… Nick gone bring her down if I ain’t here to keep him away from her.”
Hov stared at the light. “You think supplying him with drugs keeps him away?”
Rock didn’t answer.
“I ain’t no therapist or nothing, but I don’t think it works like that.”
Rock turned to face him. “Did you just say you ain’t no therapist?”
Hov smirked. “You heard me.”
Rock snorted. “That might be the dumbest smart shit you ever said. And remember that before you start trying to give me some therapist ass advice.”
“Well, you the artist. Paint a better option, nigga. That way I ain’t gotta give you no damn advice.”
They both cracked up again, even though nothing was funny. It was just better than saying what they were really thinking... that maybe one of them wouldn’t make it to 25. That maybe loyalty came with caskets. Maybe love, in all its forms, wasn’t enough to keep any of them safe.
Hov pulled into the driveway of their spot, parking under the crooked tree near the gate.
“I’m hungry,” Rock groaned, stretching.
“Too bad. You blew the rest of your food stamps trying to impress Shakeisha.”
“I ain’t buy her shit!”
“You bought her crab legs, Rock.”
Rock grinned. “They was on sale and you know she was in her feelings when Noir posted all us eating like a family the other day.”
“Yea, you be playing a dangerous game with them,” Hov said.
“And remember you ain’t no therapist, nigga.”
They stepped out the car, still laughing. Still young. Still carrying more than boys their age should’ve ever had to. And even though neither one would say it, they knew what this was. Brotherhood. Loyalty. Protection.
Hov was the anchor. Rock was the spark. Together, they made shit make sense.
Even if the world didn’t.
CHAPTER 3
The sky wasgray like ice, but it wasn’t cold. Just that kind of cloudy where you couldn’t tell if the sun was hiding or gone for good. Knycole tugged at the hem of her denim jacket as she leaned back on the bench, feet in the seat, legs folded in front of her. Rock was slouched beside her, his sketchbook open across his lap, pencil gliding over the page while his blunt dangled from the corner of his mouth.
“You gon’ draw all day or you gon’ talk to me?” she smirked, eyes following the slow-moving kids on the playground across the lot.
Rock didn’t look up. Just scratched in a few more lines and handed her the sketchbook. “Mine.”
