Comment, vote and love yourself first

Arthur's p.o.v

I walk around the room, pretty bored since I don't have my phone and uncle James is preventing me from going back home, trying to get rid of the limping on my left leg. It's been a whole week since I haven't gone to school and it's all because of this and my dad being shot. I went to school and left on the second period because I couldn't ball and I was furious.

The pain in my ankle reminds me of the scene everytime. What irks me the most is the fact that I can't do anything about it. I won't be able to beat ass with a limp in my leg and I can't wait to get my hands on Andre. I know I am to blame because I brought him there but he really did start some shit on his own. He started something he couldn't finish and left me there without any protection. If my dad didn't come back for me, I would've been killed. Although I appreciate my dad saving me, I can't help but wish that it was me instead of him that got shot.

I walk out of the room with frustration written all over my face, in a million languages if possible. I look around the empty house with pictures of uncle James and his family hanging on the wall. I speculate all the pictures carefully until my eyes fall on a particular one.

It's a picture of uncle James and dad when they were younger, when pops lived here and didn't just visit occasionally.

"That's your dad and I back in high school" I hear uncle James say behind me.

"Back then was our time, you know. We had all of them girls, the weed, shit everything" uncle James says with a slight chuckle and I follow after him.

Pops introduced me to my uncle when I was nine years old and I idolized him back then. He always thought me how to hold a pistol and pops never liked that. He's a very humble person but doesn't take crap from nobody, the thing I like about him the most.

"I thought y'all were the good ole church niggas.....since pops don't want me in those streets" I sarcastically mutter the last part and I feel his hand go on my shoulder.

"No, we were them freak niggas, always in a fight, always in detention and always on the streets grinding.....You know, Demarcus ain't want you on those streets for a reason, boy" he says referring to my father making me scoff.

"And why's that. I'll make more money than him?"

"He's not worried about that shit and you know it. He got plans for you, he just hasn't told you yet"

"And that's why I ain't gonna stop. If you got plans for somebody, you gotta make it known so they can behave accordingly but if he doesn't want that then I'mma do me" I tell him with a shrug.

"Damn, you're head is hard as hell. When Demarcus told me that you were stubborn, I didn't think it would be this bad. Your ass need a whooping" he says and I laugh at that.

"Don't do shit to get your ass beat uncle James. I don't know why pops doesn't trust me and he doesn't want to tell me either. Everytime we talk it's I want you to stay in school and choose your friends right" I say in a redicilous deep voice and we both laugh.

"Aight let me tell you one of the things you gotta know, just because I think you deserve to know. It ain't no surprise that your father and I be doing some illegal shit, that's why y'all came here and we got a job to finish. One that will end all of this and get us rich"

"That's why y'all were in the same damn building as my ex-mom?"

"I didn't even see her there if I'm being honest, but no. We were there to make allies but it backfired and now they're on to us. If we're not careful, this all might blow up on our faces. If we accomplish this mission and come out alive, we gonna get rich"

"How much we talking"

"IF we manage to get the money, that's a big IF, we'll need a way to make all that cash legal and that's where you come in. This is why you need to finish school and start a business. Your business is gonna be the excuse for all the money we'll have"

"A big if huh? So there's a chance y'all might not come out of this alive?" I ask for assurance and he nods.

Pops and uncle James are amusing, they really are. One would have thought that they would take a break to rest but that's imprecise. This is exactly why I haven't visited pops at the hospital because he won't listen to me when I'll convince him to let me help. I have no doubt that he will blame me for his injury either.

"And y'all still don't want me to help even though it's too risky. Y'all know you can die right? You know what.... I'mma go for a drive, fuck that nigga" I grumble walking out.

"Arthur, I understand that you love your father and that he's the only person you have. He feels the same way about you or else he would've left you at the club to die. Go visit him sometimes, he's been asking about you"

"He didn't do it out of love, he did it because he ain't had a choice. That nigga called me there and left without telling me where y'all going, just because he doesn't trust me and now he got shot. He's probably going to blame me when I visit him, that's why I'm delaying that shit. All this is stressing me out, I'mma leave" I say and he nods without any complaints.

There's been too much on my mind lately and I don't feel the need to deal with my problems for the time being so I'll pretend I'm fine.

I need to get some things of my chest but the question is who will listen. Most of my homies won't get it and Shenaya will only want some sex. I start my car pulling away without a clue  where I'm going.

~~

Jacob's p.o.v

Food has never looked more unappetizing than it is now. I twirl my fork around the noodles that Miss Alyssa made with so much effort. I struggled getting some of the food down my throat because I really didn't want her to feel underappreciated by my behavior but ended up swallowing only one strand. I stare at the untouched plate full of tossed around noodle strands in front of me sulking like I've been doing for the past week.

I can't even remember the subject my teacher talked about in class today. My mind was in a different world while my body was still in my seat. Mathematics that has never been a problem before, became one so rather than paying attention or doing my homework in class, I asked the teacher to lay down because of a headache, which was the biggest lie of the century.

With a sigh I get up from my chair to throw the food away and wash my plate. It's not going to disappear by staring at it anyways. I quickly do so and wash it before miss Alyssa returns to the kitchen and confronts me about things I don't feel like talking about. After drying the plate in a swift, I hurriedly make my way to the stairs but she stops me before I could take another step.

"Okay, you're going to tell me why you've been moping around the house like you're depressed, because this is so unlike you...... And why would you throw away my delicious lo mein noodles, you could've given that to me!" she says almost startling my soul out of my body.

"I'm sorry that I threw it away. I really tried to eat it but I couldn't. I'm so sorry miss Alyssa. Can you please forgive me?" I plead bringing my hands together making her smile.

"I'm just kidding, it wasn't that serious....Come sit down and have a talk with me Jakey" she tells me pulling me by my hand towards the couch. She caresses my face carefully when we sit down and brush my hair to the back exposing my forehead.

"Is this because new boy invited you to the party and never showed up? I told you not to wait in the cold but you insisted" she says in a breathy voice giving me a side hug which I gladly return. I reply with an inaudible yes, not wanting to go into details, but I can't help but think about the reason I'm this way.

Waiting in the cold for almost four hours without any sign of him is partly why I'm feeling so down. I kept telling myself that maybe something happened or maybe he couldn't find the road that lead to my house. I've always been stood up, stepped on, lied to and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. I just really thought Arthur was different by how much he made me laugh in one day. I've never had so much fun in my life.

"You shouldn't beat yourself up about the slightest things, honey. New boy being a prick shouldn't affect you like it did. You literally stopped eating for a whole week and I'm worried about you. This is not your fault" she convinces me and I feel the guilt in the pit of my stomach.

"It's my f-fault" I respond with a crack in my voice.

"No it's not, I don't think so, unless I'm missing something. Why don't you explain to me why you think it is your fault."

"I saw him only once at school after we skipped and he looked angry and he was limping too and he didn't want to talk to me. I think his parents did something to him because he skipped classes with m-me and I feel guilty. I couldn't even apologize because he's not picking up his phone" I whine feeling tears coming up.

I couldn't reach his phone after that night and I wasn't worried about that. What troubled me the most was when I saw him the first period limping with a couple of bruises on his body. I felt devastated and scared because he told me that he was okay when he wasn't.  I thought of apologizing to him but he disappeared at lunch time and I never saw him again for the rest of the week. I gathered all my courage and called him but it never went through and I don't know what to do.

"Why don't you leave him alone and find something else to keep you entertained. I don't like seeing you this way because of people that pretend to be your friends"

"But....b-but"

"Jacob, It's a great thing that you're always trying to find the good in others, but sometimes it's just not there. What's his name? Arthur?" she asks and I nod. "I think you should stay away from him, I don't want what those boys at school did to you to repeat itself. He seems like a nice guy but you should keep a distance, okay? Maybe it's a great thing that he couldn't find our house, you never know what these children have up their sleeves. Don't bother yourself with anything they say or do for that matter" She advices me and I bite on my inner cheeks.

Maybe she's right, but I still want to tell his parents that it's my fault

"Why don't you go rest for a while and I'll make you something after, you really need to eat" she adds taking a hold of my wrist.

"Do you really think Arthur is like the others? He said he would take me to Ihop" I say softly making her sigh.

"And that was clearly a lie, Jacob. If I didn't know any better I'd say you have feelings for him, but I know you too well. You're always worried about everyone, I just wish they would treat you the same way"

Ring

"Should I get the door?"

"I'll go get that, you go to bed" she says getting up and heads towards the door. I sit with my head down processing everything she said moments ago. I was about to go to my room when I heard a familiar deep voice that makes me stop in my tracks in a instant. I tip toe my way towards the hall,closer to the entrance, to peak if it's really who I think it is. I feel my heart tug when I see his face and I bite my lip at my nervousness.

"Can I talk to Jake for a bit?" I hear him ask.

"He's in bed resting but I'll make sure to tell him that you were here when he gets up"

"He aight? Is he sick?"

"No, no, he isn't. There's too much going on around him and he needed a little rest. I'll tell him that you stopped by, okay? I think you should go now" Miss Alyssa tells him politely ending the conversation and I gulp.

I somehow don't want him to leave, but I don't know how to stop him.

"Aight, it was nice to see you miss Alyssa" Arthur says and I bite my lip thinking of a way to show myself. I take a deep breath and go with what came to mind.

"Uhmm I'm here, uhm hi Arthur" I almost yell bowing twice looking apologetically at miss Alyssa. Arthur on the other hand has a small smile on his face but the stress is more visible and extremely irresistible.

"Oh, you're up. New boy is here for you" she says playing along while I blush from embarrassment.

"Sup, can we talk real quick?" he asks and I nod without even thinking about it.

"I'll be inside, call me if you need anything Jakey" miss Alyssa says tapping my shoulder and I nod. I take a deep breath and follow Arthur to his car.

"Your mother said you were resting, you good now?"

"Yes, are y-you?"

"Not entirely"

"Oh no, is it b-because I made you skip school? Did your parents not like it?"

"Naah and you didn't make me skip, I did it on my own. It's just that some shit happened that I don't feel like sharing yet" he says while I observe him. I've never seen him this tired.

"Arthur, you should sleep and eat something, okay? You seem a little tired. You don't have to lie about your parents because I will talk to them for you, okay? It's going to be all right" I convince him and he chuckles.

"You were limping and angry, Arthur. Did something happen at home? I called you so many times but you didn't pick up. I was so scared, It's not funny" I tell him when he laughs.

"Why are you so worried. I thought I would get a hug from you when I got here, I guess I was wrong" he shrugs and I squeal.

"Oh, I can hug you now. I like hugs very much, they're so warm"

"Come here then" he says with open arms and I walk in between them immediately. I place my head on his chest because I'm too short and I feel his hands go on my waist like the first time we hugged. I yelp when I feel him lift me up making my arms go behind his neck.

"N-nooo" I whine straddling him like a cat when he turns us around.

"Arthur, I'm going to f-fall" I giggle out on the crook of his neck when he does it once more.

"You gone stop worrying about me?" he asks and I nod with a smile as we stare at each other. I only agreed because I'm scared of falling, I'm still going to worry about him.

"Y-yes, Arthur" I reply to him and he puts me down.

"Why are you always saying my name like that? Arrrthur....you always emphasizing the R" he says while helping me with my disheveled hair.

"Really? I'm so sorry"

"Yeah, like this, Arrrthur but it's aight though. No need to apologize, I'll just call you Jaaake" he says playfully making me gasp.

"I don't sound like that,Arthur"

"And you doing it again, Jaaake" he repeats making me blush ferociously
and we fall into silence in front of his car.

"You're always wearing these big ass sweaters that swallow your whole body" he tells me moments later touching the fabric of my sweater. He was impossibly close to me and it made me feel some type of way.

"I l-like them" I reply softly looking down instead of at him.

"They look good on you so it ain't a problem but sometimes you gotta let the body breath, you know what I'm saying. You gotta wear a tighter one sometimes" he goes on touching the sleeves now. I'd never wear a tight shirt with this body.

"Yours is always tight" I tell him looking at his wide chest.

"Yeah, It's always hot out here" he responds rubbing his hair to the front with one hand while the other hand is busy playing with my sweater.

"Can I ask one last thing? I'll stop after this, I promise" I whisper to him and he nods pulling his hand away.

"Go ahead"

"Can I at least tell your parents that it was my fault?" I quickly say with the hope that he might let me. I widen my eyes on purpose with a slight pout on my face when he looks at me. We stare at each other for a while until I bite my lip full anticipation and his eyes fall on it.

"Let me take you for a drive with your cute ass" he says instead opening my door making me sulk. I give myself an A for effort because I really tried.

****

That was cute and ugh😍, I really love writing stuff like this...
Anywayss Arthur should really visit his dad at the hospital

What are your thoughts on

Jake?

Arthur?

Miss Alyssa?