Page 27 of My Brother's Keeper
I took off, leaving him standing there. A tear slid down my face. I needed to save my brother before he ended up like that nigga.
MALI
“Thank you for allowing me access to you,” I whispered into the back of Symphony’s head.
She snuggled further under the thick blanket as she scooted her ass back, making sure it kissed my dick. “You can always have access to me. I like this, Mison.”
I closed my eyes as my hand ran across her belly. This moment was one I would never forget, no matter how many times my liquid lover tried to make me forget. The thought of all the possibilities with her ran through my mind. “My father will never be the same,” she blurted out. “I don’t know how much you know, considering it was all over the news and paper, but do you remember Kareem?” she asked.
I froze. “Yeah.”
“Well, he’s the reason my father will never be the same. He stole something from us that night,” she paused. “He stole our happiness and a piece of me that I will never get back.” She sniffled.
I didn’t know what to say because that night played in my head like a broken fucking record.How was I going to tell her I was there?It was I who brought him there. I knew this shit would come back around, but I would rather lie than lose her. “Things will get better, Symph.”
She shot up from the blanket. “No, it won’t. My father’s days of being himself are done. And Kareem is walking around this bitch free as a bird. He took my grandma’s necklace, the last piece I had from her. The worst part of it all is my best friend got him out of jail.”
The more she talked, the more tears she shed, which made me sick. I felt fucked up, and I knew if I told her the truth, she would hate me forever. Right now, I needed her because at this moment, I had no one in my corner. “I’m sorry,” I said truthfully.
I was sorry that she was the one chosen. I was sorry I even let her into my world and sorry I couldn’t be honest with her. I pulled her down, hugging her tightly. “I feel like I should have done more. I would have given up my life that night if it meant my father would be ok,” she said as she sobbed.
It was her thinking that death would have been heroic. To die so someone else could live wasn’t something people often thought about. “Have you ever wanted to go back in time and change the way things happened? Like for the greater good?” she asked as she glanced up at me.
I let out a sharp breath. “All the fucking time,” I choked up.
I wish I could change so much. Like the night I didn’t save my mother, or not being there for my brothers, and the night I put that fucking bottle to my lips. “Look, I want to be there for you anyway you need me, but I need you to trust me. Trust me enough to know I wouldn’t intentionally hurt you. I need you to know that no matter what happens, I’ve got you.”
She stared at me curiously. She went to say something, but the doorbell beat her to it. “I’ll be right back,” I told her as I planted a kiss on her forehead.
I got up, slipped on my joggers, headed out the door and downstairs. Before answering the door, I made a quick stop in the living room, grabbed the bottle, and took a swig. I closed myeyes as my body enjoyed its first dose of the day. When I got to the door, I swung it open. “Fuck are you doing here?” I hissed.
She looked nervous. “Is she here?”
“Who and why do you care?”
She rolled her eyes. “Symphony is she here?”
I glanced around to see if that nigga was with her. “Yes,” I said through my teeth.
“You need to tell her or he will. Kareem is losing his shit. What happened with your friend and the studio shit, or did you lie about that?”
I swallowed deep. “Fuck Kareem!” I snapped.
I tried closing the door, but she put her foot in the doorway. “What is your fucking purpose, or do you not have one. Are you that fucking selfish that you can’t be honest with a girl that you clearly like? Can you not fix a situation that seems so easy to fix? Listen, if you don’t find a way to pay this nigga or something, he’s going to tell her and kill you. At this point, he has nothing to lose and don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ she finished as she moved her foot.
I watched as Flex hurried back to her car and sped off.Fuck!I closed the door and stood in the foyer as I stared at the bottle on the table. I knew I needed to make a choice and soon. My world was starting to crumble before me, and my only way out, I didn’t want to take it.
The feeling of regret settled in me as we prepared to enter the stands. Tonight was one of the biggest games of the year. It was TSU against HU. Hawkins University was the only other HBCU in the state. So, it was only right that one HBCU ranked above the rest, and it had to be TSU.
Dancing at games was nothing major for me because I felt unseen; however, after inviting Flex and Jalen, everything changed. My nerves were swallowing me as my mind was thinking of ways to get out of this. I wondered if they would even recognize me with all the makeup I had on. Game days were essential. Regan, the captain, wanted us to be perfect. She dwelled on perfection, especially when we had a full house. From the high, slick, long ponytail to the dark blue cut crease on our eyes, adorned with sparkling diamonds as the top liner. The bright red lipstick, the bedazzled two-piece blue-and-silver outfit, the nude-colored stockings, and the brown flat dance shoes. Everything needed to be on point, down to our smile.
The bass drum thumped, scaring me and causing me to jump. “Girl, what the hell is wrong with you?” One of the girls said, rolling her eyes.
Regan walked over to me and pointed. “Alyse, get your shit together. You haven’t been here for weeks, don’t come back fucking things up.”
“I’m fine,” I muttered.
She sucked her teeth. “Better be.”
