𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗺, 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀

Staying with Moe isn't the worst thing I ever been through in my life. It's actually pretty cool. Afeni likes it, of course. Moe let's him do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He lets him play his game, ride trucks through the hallways, and throw basketballs in here.

I don't think I'll ever be able to understand why he's so nice to us but it's something I don't think I can understand. Like I'm not used to asking anyone for anything and I'm not used to people doing anything for us.

Me and Afeni had to make it on our own all this time. So when people offer us stuff and offer to do things for us, it shocks me every-time.

"Yo.." I heard, I looked up from my packet and there stood Moe who was standing behind the counter with a wife-beater on. His tattoos were displayed on his shoulders and arms. His dark skin was smooth he had his hair out and into a ponytail, he had a good grain of her too.

Not curly. Not tangled. Just healthy.

"You hungry?" He asked eyeing me, I nodded quickly.

Fuck hungry, I actually was starving but just didn't want to say nothing. I didn't wanna seem like a fat greedy bitch but I was hungry as hell, I needed something to eat.

"Why you ain't say nothing?"

I shrugged but stayed silent causing him to smack his lips in aggravation. Ahhhhhh, You mad doggy?

"Yo you gon have ta talk around me cause I don't read minds. If you hungry or need something open yo mouth..." He said, I pushed my lips to the side.

"I just don't wanna be a burden.." I said.

"If I told you ask then ask. You open your mouth when you gotta problem  but can't tell me when you hungry? Fuck outta hea.." He said, I rolled my eyes.

Forget the be nice to me part. He only nice to Afeni.

"YO! FUCK OUTTA HEEEE!" Afeni yelled running down the hallway with a smile. "Truck Niggee!"

"Go get it.." He replied. "You hungry?" He asked.

"Duh Niggee, we no eat all time.." Afeni replied, I shook my head and went back to my work. I have no time to be entertaining this embarrassing ass shit today, no time at all.

"Youn be feeding him?" Moe asked.

"I do." I said as I wrote down some notes.

"So what he mean he don't be eating all the time?"

Nigga we are POOR! I take care of him the best way I can! HE EATS!

"He meant all day. I take care of him better than I take care of myself, he eats. It's not always what he wants but he eats.." I repeated before turning the page of my History textbook.

"So like where your family and shit at? Why y'all living all fucked up?"

I'm doing homework, right? If I'm not mistaken, I'm doing homework.

"Our mother is dead. My father is married to a white woman in East Hampton.." I replied.

"Ok?" I continued with my work. "What that got to do with him taking care of y'all?" He asked.

"I don't know. You gotta ask him.." I said with a shrug.

"He your father. You need to ask his ass.." He said.

Am I getting aggravated you ask? Yes I am. Am I gonna say something about it? Maybe, I don't know.

"I tried. He's blocked my number.." I revealed.

"So how y'all been getting food and shit? Like how y'all get money?" He asked.

"He sends us money on a card that supposed to last us 2 months and pays our bills. We only talk on Wednesdays of every week as long as his wife knows that Afeni is my son.." I sat my pencil down and looked up at him to see him looking at me.

His face was unreadable but I knew he had something on his chest about the situation. I decided to stay quiet and just sit there and wait for him to respond because I literally had nothing to say.

I've come to the understanding that my father doesn't give a fuck about Afeni and I. There was nothing I could do to change it.

"He live in East Hampton?" He asked, I nodded. "And y'all living in Harlem In poverty and shit.."

I blinked.

"That's sum bullshit if you ask me but it's all good. What you want ta eat?" He asked pulling out his phone, I looked around his kitchen.

"I wanna cook.." I said.

"Ion really want nun from the Deli. Niggas always eat that shit. What you want? Olive Garden or sum?"

"I wanna cook.." I repeated.

"Niggas don't even really want no Pasta.." He said.

"Uh, I said I wanna cook.." I said again catching his attention. His eyes shifted from his phone and landed on me as I sat on the stool with my arms folded.

"You know how to cook?" He asked with one of his eyebrows raised, I nodded.

"Yes. And I wanna make a three cheese lasagna with garlic breadsticks.." I said.

"We can get that from the Olive Garden.." He said.

"I don't want it from Olive Garden.." I said shaking my head. "I want to cook it, I know how to cook.."

He stood up straight but stayed quiet as I sat here waiting for him to just accept that's what I want. I really wanted to cook it because I hadn't cooked it in a while and my mom used to cook it for us all the time before she died.

She used to help me whenever I made it and I just needed a reminder that someone loves me. Regardless if my father can't show me any of the love I want him too, I know my mother would.

If only she was still here.

"Ight.." He said. "Go get some clothes on.."

"I wanna finish my work first.." I said, He nodded.

"Ight, just lemme know when you ready ta go.." He said, I leaned my head on my fist and went back to my work. I had this packet for my History class that needed to be done before I got back to school.

"Ok.." I said softly.

I felt his eyes on me but I didn't look at him, I just continued my work. "Uh- my girl supposed to be coming over here for a li minute later on.." He said, I looked up at him and furrowed my eyebrows.

So that girl was his girlfriend?

"Oh." I said tucking my lip. "I'll take Afeni to a park or something.."

"I wasn't saying y'all had ta leave. I was just giving you a heads up and shit.." He said, I nodded stiffly.

Am I the only one who think this is awkward? Like the energy is really awkward right now.

"No, I don't want it to be awkward or anything. I have to go get some stuff from home anyway.." I said.

"Ight, So when you done with your homework and shit. We can go get the groceries and then I can take y'all to the park and then whenever y'all ready ta come back I can either come get y'all or call y'all a Uber.." He said.

"Ok.." I said nodding. "If you don't mind me asking, what's her name?" I asked.

"Onyx.." I pursed my lips and nodded. Sounds like a stripper but I'm not going to say anything.

"You like her?" I asked curiously, he chuckled.

"Do yo homework Ma.." He said walking out the kitchen area, I rolled my eyes and looked at my packet. He could've answered my question.

—————

Afeni ran around freely with a wide smile on his face as I sat on the bench watching him with a smile. He looked so happy and free, something I haven't felt in so long.

I rarely ever took Afeni to the park because I always was busy trying to find food, trying to find money.

I remember one time, I hadn't heard from my father in weeks and Afeni was just a baby. He was young enough to not be able to walk but old enough to eat table food. I had to find something for us to eat so me and him went to a soup kitchen and got food.

"Ma!" Afeni yelled running over to me as he dragged a small girl along with him. "This Fawah.."

"It's Farrah.." The girl said mugging him.

"Hush.." He replied holding his hand up. "This Ma. Ma say Hi.." He said, I shook my head.

"Hey girl.." I said with a small wave.

"I Feni girlfriend.." She said touching her chest, My eyes widened and I looked over at Afeni as he smiled.

"FENNIIII!" Some other little girl ran over to him. "Can you push me on the marry go round.."

"Yeah, come on.." Afeni said before running off with the little girl, Farrah looked at the two in shock before busting out into tears. I felt bad for her.

"Aw stinky, why are you crying?" I asked giving her a sympathetic pout as she whined.

"How he help her on the marry go round but I ask he tell me no and get angry.." She said with a pout.

"Aw, go find another boy to help you on the Marry go round and watch he gonna wanna help.." I said with a smirk, she smiled before running off to a boy.

I pulled my phone out and eyed it before tapping the instagram icon. I didn't have much on my account, just a picture of the sun. I only got the page so I can watch funny videos and stuff.

I didn't follow any of the instagram models or anything. None of the messy pages, just funny videos and memes. I only followed 5 pages anyway.

Moe
What time y'all gonna be ready?

I eyed the message and pursed my lips a little. I tapped the message and went to our thread, it was pretty empty considering we didn't talk about anything.

Moe

What time y'all gonna be ready?

Um, I don't know. Afeni's playing right now.

Ight, I'm gonna come out there with y'all

Why?

Cause this bitch just pissed me off
I'm outta here

Wow. I thought you liked her 😂

I thought I told you do your homework?

I don't have any homework to do at the park
Bird ass
You probably the treesh

Yo shut the fuck
I'm coming

I laughed a little and left out of the thread. I eyed all my messages which where only two and tapped my fathers thread. I looked at the messages I sent and frowned to see they still didn't go through yet.

I'm not as hurt as I was before but this shit do hurt. Like you're supposed to be my father, you're supposed to take care of us and nurture us. My mother is DEAD because she brought your ONLY son into the world.

My father and Lena only had girls. When Afeni was born, my father acted as if he cared about him being a boy. He even held him and I and told us that he would take care of us, he clearly lied to me. To us.

"What you thinking bout?" I heard, I looked over and there sat Moe. He had on light blue denim jeans, a black hoodie with a black puffer and some male ugg boots. His earrings were on display and they looked nice on his skin.

"Nothing fahreal.." I said with a small shrug.

"Oh.." He said nodding his head.

"How was your time with your girlfriend?" I asked with a smirk, he smoothed his chapstick on his lip.

"What girlfriend?" He said, I laughed.

"The one you was just with. You forgot that fast?"

"Yup." He said nodding his head, I couldn't help but to laugh. He had no good experience in relationship.

"Oh my gosh, do you have any nice experiences with girls?" I asked in shock, he shrugged.

"Nope."

"Why not?" I asked. I really wanna hear this one.

"Cause, if she aint a bird then she a treesh.." He said.

I started laughing. "Stop tryna fuck everybody and maybe you'll find a real one.." I replied.

"You ever had a boyfriend?" He asked, I pushed my lips to the side. I did have a boyfriend before but I didn't really count him because, he wasn't somebody I wanted to brag about.

"Why?" I asked looking at him.

"I just wanna know.." He said holding his hands up.

"Mm." I said rolling my eyes.

"You a virgin?" He asked, I shook my head.

"Why you asking me alla these questions?" I asked.

"Just making conversation.."

"Mm." I said. "Since we asking questions, What's your real name?" I turned some so I could look at him.

I mean why not find out his real name? I'm staying with this man. I deserve to know, right?

"Why?" He asked with a smirk.

"Because, I'm staying with you. I think I deserve to know.." I said, he shook his head but stayed quiet. I watched as he rubbed his eye. "I'm waiting.."

"My name Mahleek.." He said, My eyes widened.

"That's so cute.." I cooed with a pout.

"COME ON!" Afeni yelled running towards us.

"Whats wrong?" I asked looking down at him.

"Hoes crazy sahn!" He yelled walking away as he shook his head, I started laughing.

Guess we need to leave now, huh?

———————

I don't know about a Face claim because y'all always let me down whenever I use one. Like ALWAYS.

But who would be down for a Mahleek POV?

That would be so cute 🥺.

I got more shit coming for this book. Trust.

Her father is a bitch, like really. HONESTLY.

TURN THIS WEAK ASS SONG AWFFFF 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.

This was embarrazzin! Very embarrazzed for her.

See y'all next chapter 💕. In Three days!