Page 8 of My Brother's Keeper
She nodded slowly.Ok then, why do you use sign language?
Did I want to share my truths?It’s my speech. So, I would rather use this.
That’s when she smiled, and so did I.Ok. Then signing it is. What’s your name?
Peanut, but I was hoping you could call me Jalen.I winked.
Her pretty dark skin carried a dark red undertone. She was blushing, and it made a nigga melt inside. I went to say something else when I heard my name being called across the way. “Peanut, come on nigga!” Dio shouted.
I waved him off because I was in motion. Did I let her slip through my fingers, or did I make my move? I turned back to her.
What’s your name?I asked.
Alyse.
Pretty, I have to go, but I don’t want to let you get away from me again. May I get your number?
She ran her tongue over her teeth before she pulled her phone from her purse. I pulled my phone out and she tapped it against mine, sending me her contact information. She slowly backpedaled until she turned to head toward her friend.
I glanced down at her information and smiled. She was definitely going to hear from me soon. As I made my way back toward the guys, I spotted some nigga watching me. He tapped his friend’s shoulder and pointed in my direction. I held up the middle finger as I turned away. I might have been a quiet nigga, but I was with all the shits.
SYMPHONY
The cool breeze wrapped around me as I sat on my balcony that overlooked Cove City. The city that seemed so beautiful from this perspective, but was dark beneath the sky. I scrolled through my phone, switching out the music as I took peeks behind me at the sliding doors, watching Mison sleep.
On my way home, I saw him staggering down the street before he hit the ground. What were the odds I had run into him again? It had taken me almost twenty minutes to get his dead-weighted self into my car, but I did. I had tried asking where he lived, but he was out of it, so I brought him here. Was I crazy for helping him, not knowing what would happen if he woke up? Maybe, but I didn’t want to leave him on the side of the street, and the next morning, I saw headlines that they found someone dead or injured, and it was him.
I stood up from my chair and walked inside to see him waking up. I became slightly nervous as his eyes fluttered open to see me standing there.
“Fuck. It feels like a nigga been hit by a Mack truck,” he groaned.
My lips disappeared between my teeth as I watched Mison. This man was fine as hell. He was a little rough around the edges, but still handsome. Tall as hell, light skin, full lips, thick athletic build with not too many tattoos from what I could see. He screamed D-1. In school, he was scrawny, quiet, but still nice to look at. I had never seen him talk to any girls in school. I didn’t know if it was because he was shy or everyone stayed clear because something seemed off. Everyone knew that his fatherwas a drunk, and that was only because he had come to the school so many times showing his ass.
After graduation, it was like Mison had gone ghost. I knew it was probably because of his father. However, now, he was out there, and with time and age, it did him justice.
Mison frowned as he finally realized I was standing there. “Oh shit, Symphony?” he called out.
I nodded as I went to sit beside him. “Are you okay? Are you thirsty?” I asked.
He sat up as he placed his palm to his head. “I’m cool. How did I get here?”
I pulled a small piece of hair behind my ear as I leaned forward. “Well, on my way home, I saw you passed out. So, I helped. I tried asking you for your address, but you were too out of it. Somebody had fun at the party. Well, until your friends started fighting.”
He smiled before a slight laugh fell from his lips, “Fighting, huh? Sounds about right,” he mumbled.
“Niggas always want to fight.” I laughed.
He nodded slowly as he turned to gaze at me. The way the sun kissed his light skin made me blush. “Thank you, for real,” he mumbled.
A grin eased on my face, “You’re welcome.”
Mison and I sat there for what felt like an hour without saying anything. I didn’t know what to say, so instead I was quiet. He stood from the couch. “Uh, a nigga needs to leave, but thank you again, Symph. I appreciate it. I owe you one,” he winked before he walked out the door.
As soon as he left, I snatched the pillow and fell back, giggling to myself. I don’t know what it was, but Mison in my space made me feel like a schoolgirl. I just hoped he paid what he owed.
As soon as I closed the door behind me after leaving Symphony’s crib, a smile eased on my face. Of all people, it was Symphony who came to my rescue, the girl that I had been crushing on since high school. Then, I thought about me being drunk and hoped that a nigga didn’t say something out of pocket because I knew my drunk thoughts could get the best of me.
I patted my pockets for my phone to realize it wasn’t there.Fuck!I probably lost the shit at the party. I turned back to glance at Symphony’s door. This shit was already starting off bad. I dropped my head and headed back to her door and knocked. It took her a few minutes to answer, but when she did, a nigga became speechless.
