Page 11 of Tyriq & Teaira
“Bruh, you bringing us that championship. I’ll help out however I can,” he says.
Once I’m back upstairs, I shoot the pictures to Paxton and he responds immediately. I just shake my damn head at the several thumbs up he sent as I change back into my black shorts, black T-shirt, and black and white retro dunks. When I make it back downstairs, the common area is full. Mav stops me as I pass.
“They posted that shit already and the likes is crazy,” he boasts and I nod.
I’m already late for dinner and I need to pick up my mom’s cake from Seasonal Sweets. She ordered what she calls my good luck cake, a strawberry lemon cake. When I played in my first basketball game, she bought a slice for me. Of course, I ate it and we won. I also scored twenty-one points. Now, she likes to have it at every pregame dinner.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I dap him up and dip. Less than an hour later, I’m turning into the Diamond Estates subdivision. When I turn on Ruby Lane, my cell rings. It’s my bruh, Kove.
“From the cradle to the casket, my nigga,” I answer.
“Cradle to the got damn casket,” he replies. “You grubbing yet?”
“Almost. Had to send pictures to Paxton. That nigga stay on my ass.”
“But he gets you that bread though.”
“Facts. That’s why I sent them bitches.”
“What moms cooking tonight?” he asks.
“I can’t call it. She didn’t say. She likes to switch it up.”
“My stomach growling like a muthafucka. I need to swing through.”
“You know you can. She loves yo’ ass,” I tell him.
Kove lost both of his parents at an early age. His big brother, Yoel, stepped the fuck up and raised him. They both spent a few nights at our dinner table in D-Ville and Kove has even eaten with us in the new crib.
“I might swing by for a plate. I’ll hit you if you do.”
“Bet,” I tell him, then end the call.
I’m tempted to call Teaira’s fine ass but I’m definitely seeing her tonight. After this dinner with my fam, she’s where I want to be. We definitely need to talk some shit out. I knew staying the night would change things between us but I wasn’t expecting her to react like she did. She was uncomfortable as fuck, squirming and shit, averting her eyes from mine. Baby girl was stressed but I had her.
I’m finally going to push us where we should be. Real shit, I was cool with our little situationship at first. I would have agreed to damn near anything she said after that first night but I couldn’t lose my G card and tell her that shit. She would have cut a nigga off. So when she told me all the shit she had going on with her job and her long ass hours in the ER, I understood. I had my own shit too, so I said fuck it, we can do the friend thing. But things are different now.
In the midst of all my shit, finishing my senior year, winning the championship, navigating my NIL deals, dealing with my family stuff, and securing my spot in the draft, she’s my only calm. When I’m with her, all of the outside noise and stress seems to disappear. That shit leaves my body as soon as I walk into her spot. Teaira belongs with me and I’m letting her know tonight.
The smile on my face from thinking about her drops as soon as I bend the corner for my mom’s house. A blue F-150 isin the driveway.Fuck!That nigga is here and he ain’t supposed to be.
For some reason I will never fucking understand, my mom can’t see no wrong in this nigga. Growing up, he could never keep a damn job. She had to work overtime on her hands and knees cleaning houses while he spent most days posted up with other bum ass niggas. He didn’t give a shit about me or Quaysha and he straight hates me because I refuse to be ain’t shit like him. I hate him but I love my mom.
She refuses to leave him. When she said her vows, she meant every word even though he didn’t. When I bought her this new house, she refused to move in without him. Only because I loved her and wanted her to have this house, I agreed but under one condition. When I’m here, he can’t be. The two of us can’t occupy the same space.
So why the fuck is he here?
I don’t even pull into the driveway. Instead, I drive past the house and turn around in the cul-de-sac. Right when I’m about to turn off the street, a text appears on my screen.
Sis:ICU. Don’t leave. Momma’s gonna cry ?
Me: Text me when he leaves.
Sis:Riq! Come back. He’s outside in that stupid shed. He won’t come in. Momma made him promise. Please don’t break her heart.
My eyes practically burn a hole in my screen as I glare at the message. Quay is playing on my emotions and love for her and Momma. She knows I’ll do anything for them. That’s the only reason my fuck ass father is staying in the house at all.
Sis:Riq, please she saw u!!!!
