𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗺, 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Feniiii! Happy Birthday to youuu!" I sung holding Afeni on my lap as we sung over his ice cream.

Mahleek was here also, hating as usual.

"Yayyyyy!" Afeni yelled as he clapped his hands.

"Blow your candles out.." I encouraged.

"I no know how.." He said shaking his head.

"Come on, we can do it together.." We leaned over and I taught him how to blow his candles out.

I ended having to blow them out but it was ok, I pulled the candle out of the ice cream and gave the spoon to Afeni.

I moved out of the seat and rubbed my hands on my pants as I walked to the back to get the truck I got him. I could only afford a little truck for him. I felt so bad, like I felt really bad about it.

"Yo, you good?" I heard, I turned around and noticed that Mahleek was standing there. I didn't even notice that I had tears on my cheek but I did.

Ugh I have to stop crying in front of this boy.

"Yeah, I'm just going to get his gift.." I said opening the door for the room we were staying in. I walked inside and grabbed the truck and brought it out.

"That's what you got him?" He asked, I huffed.

This nigga stayed on my body mad hard like damn if you wanna fuck me just say that. Sheesh.

"Look, I don't feel like dealing with this today. Ok? This is literally all I could afford.." I said wiping my face, he looked at me but I couldn't tell whether he cared or not.

"Hmm.." He said going in a room and rolling a big ass benz truck out of the room, I blinked my eyes.

"Why did you get this?" I asked.

"He deserve it. Say you got it fa him.." He said.

"I don't wanna take the credit for this.." I said shaking my head, he nodded and started rolling it to the front.

"Yo, Look what Parish got you nigga!" He yelled with a wide smile, Afeni squealed and got down off of the chair slowly before running over to the truck.

"TRUCKKKKKK!" He screamed with a smile, I couldn't help but smile at his excitement. I've always tried to make Afeni happy but I've never seen him this happy, EVER. "Oh goshhhh! Me got truckkkk!"

"You like it?" Mahleek asked, Afeni nodded.

"Ma! Big truck!" He said as Mahleek helped him inside. I just sat back and watched as he played around in it.

"Parish show him how ta play with it.." Mahleek said, I looked at him like he was crazy. Nigga I don't even know how to play with it, what the hell.

I walked over to them and he passed me the remote so Afeni couldn't see. I looked at it and started moving it around. I pushed the joystick further and the truck started moving up causing Afeni to squeal.

"Yo stop allat screaming.." Mahleek said. "That's fa girls.." He added, I shook my head and kept moving the car around with the remote.

I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket so I pulled it out and noticed a unknown number.

Tell Afeni Happy Bitthday! It's Lena! I'll be sending a gift over for his birthday. I'm so happy to be a Grandma! LOL. (631)-700-1456

I stared at my phone in anger. My blood boiled and my ears grew hot. How did this bitch even get my damn number and how dare she text me this and I haven't heard ANYTHING from my father.

"What you looking like det fa?" I heard. "Who Lena?"

I walked off to the room and laid down on the bed. I pushed my head into the pillow and started taking some breaths but nothing was working, I literally felt like punching a hole in a wall or something.

My own father blocked me. Didn't tell his ONLY son happy birthday but his wife could? This is so fucked up, I hate this so much. Afeni doesn't deserve this, like at all. He left us down here for dead and you can't even send a happy birthday for your son?

I heard a knock at the door. "Yo we gon go get pancakes and shit. You coming?" Mahleek asked catching my attention quickly. I loved Pancakes.

"Yeah, Lemme get my shit together.." I said.

"Ight Meet us at the car.." He said grabbing Afeni's hand and walking out, I sat up on the bed and put my head in my hand. My life was so stressful.

I haven't been to school since we started staying with Mahleek and I needed to change that. I need to go to school or I could stay back, and I didn't want that. That would be embarrassing.

I just needed to get my shit together. And I needed to do it quick because me and my brother need to survive out here.

———————

"So what was earlier about?" Mahleek asked as a chewed my pancake. I loved Pancakes. Always have.

"What?" I asked sipping some of my hot chocolate.

"When you was looking at your phone. You was looking all mad and shit.." He said before scooping some grits in his mouth. Afeni sat next to him eating on some chicken tenders as he looked around.

"I don't really wanna talk about it while he's right here.." I said wiping my hands off.

"He not even listening, he staring at ole girl.." He said, I looked at Afeni and noticed he was staring at some girl but I didn't know who she was. She was darkskin like me but her body was bomb.

She had the whole thick thing going. She looked like Lil Wayne daughter in the body but totally different in the face, she was pretty though.

"Go head, I'm listening.." He said.

"My dads wife texted me and told me tell Afeni happy birthday.." I said before sticking some more pancakes in my mouth to distract me from the fact that I wanted to cry, very bad.

"Ok?" He asked moving his hand around.

"She thinks Afeni is my son." I said chewing on my food as we looked at each other. He didn't say anything and I couldn't read his facial expression, but I can tell he was confused.

"Your moms was fucking him while he was married to that white woman?" He asked in shock.

"With me, he wasn't married. They were together but with Afeni..it's different." I expressed.

"What he resent Afeni or something?" He asked, I shrugged. How the fuck would I know? HOW?

"I don't know. I just know he got me blocked so I haven't talked to him since like last month.." I said.

He shook his head. "Niggas be wildin fa no reason.."

"Right.." I agreed. "But it's cool though, I'm gonna figure everything out.." I added.

"Y'all can stay with me as long as y'all need.." He said nodding his head. "Y'all don't gotta go back to y'all house if y'all don't want too.."

"Good.." Afeni said grabbing his fries. Please boy.

"I appreciate all your help.." I said. It hurt so bad to say that, like literally so bad. My pride was gonna beat me the fuck up later on, I just know it is.

"Thank you fa all help.." Afeni repeated staring at his plate before eating some more of his fries.

"You welcome li nigga.." Mahleek said smiling at him, his eyes shifted over to me and I moved around some in my seat. "We gotta go get my sister cause she suppose to be coming over today.." He said.

"Ok.." I said.

"Wanna go to the mall Feni?" He asked, Afeni nodded with a smile before sticking some more fries in his mouth. Ew he got potatoes all over his hands.

"Niggi wanna get fly.." Afeni said, I laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"Say I keep that shit on.." Mahleek guided.

"I kee shi onnn.." Afeni repeated.

"Word to my dead.."

"Word to dead.." Afeni said before laughing.

"Tell him stop tryna son me Feni.." I said, Afeni laughed instead. Fake ass. "You acting wocky now?"

"He wocky!" Afeni yelled pointing at Mahleek.

"Pick a side moe.." He said, Afeni shook his head.

"No!" He yelled.

"No?"

"No niggi, I no pick side.." Afeni said, Mahleek started playfully hitting him and that just made Afeni louder as he giggled and laughed.

Y'know when babies do that ugly ass like..how can I explain it? It's like a growl or something. He was doing that and shit like ew stop.

"Stop being so loud Feni.." I said finishing my food. I was still hungry so I reached over and started eating some of Mahleek's french fries since he was busy bothering Afeni.

"I see you eating my fries.." He said, I shrugged and kept eating. Ok? The fuck. God gave you eyes. "Why you aint ask?" He asked.

"I'm still hungry and you ain't eating so.." I said.

"I'm finna choke yo ass.." He said reaching across the table causing me to laugh as I jumped back cause choke who? Boy back the fuck up.

"Are you guys ready for the check?" The waiter asked.

"Yeah, you can send it over. And can I get two chicken tender and fries combos to go?" He asked.

"Sure, will that be all?" She asked smirking at him.

"Yeah, It's a li smutty in here so I'm just tryna get my shit and go.." He said, I busted out laughing and Afeni joined in. He didn't even know what was funny.

"Smut!" He yelled.

This little boy is bad as hell.

——————

"She gon think you my girl and shit but Ima tell her that you not.." He said, I frowned.

"Why you aint tell her that before?" I asked.

"I did.." He said as his sister walked towards the car. She was a darkskin girl, slim though. She was short and had some soft locs in, she had her hair in a high ponytail with some large hoops.

She opened the back door and hopped in. "Hey Mahleek.." She said pushing his head with a smile, he smacked his lips and looked at her.

"You wanna go back in the house?" He asked, she smacked her lips. "Ight then, stop doing too much.."

"Whatever Mahleek.." She said. "Hey Mahleek girlfriend and bruva'"

"Her name Parish and his name Afeni.." He said.

"Hey Parish.." She said, I looked at her.

"Hey.." I said softly. "You're Mahleeya, right?" I asked.

"Yeah.." She said nodding. "It's nice to meet you girl. You're pretty as hell.." She said, I laughed.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you too.." I replied. "Afeni say Hi to Mahleek's sister.." I said looking at Afeni who was staring at her with his finger in his mouth.

"Hii.." He spoke shyly.

"Awww, he's shy?" She asked cooing at him.

"He fake shy, he not even shy fahreal.." I replied.

"Word to me y'all look dumb alike.." She said looking between me and Afeni, I laughed. "You sure this not your son?" She asked.

"Very positive.." I said. Bitch I feel like you tryna be funny, I already said this not my son the fuck.

"It's his birthday so we finna go to the mall.." Mahleek said, I turned back around and looked out the window.

"Ok, good. I need some more shoes.." She said.

"You don't need shit. Shut the fuck up.." He replied.

"You so mean to me for nothing. All I do is be a good sister to you the fuck.." She said rolling her neck, I decided to start ignoring them because my thoughts were too much to fight.

Why didn't Mahleek tell her I'm not his girlfriend again? Like boy, you're a grown ass man. I ain't fucking with you so you can for one, fuck me and play with me? And for two, have all them bitches you already fucking coming after me.

He thinks I don't know but I do. He always talking about mind your business like boy, everybody knows all the bitches you fucking and the fact you keep pulling the nosey card whenever I ask about your little girlfriend proves me right.

I'm not going to lie though, I would let him eat my coochie one time just to see what it's hittin on but other than that. I would never fuck with him, simple.

He's the real bird. Like he cool and all and I appreciate everything he's been doing to help me and Afeni out but he's a whore and I'm just not fucking with him on that level.

———————

We were done shopping and I was exhausted. I had just got Afeni down so he could go to sleep and now I was cleaning up the kitchen and living room earlier.

It was a little bit too much going on in here. So it needed to be cleaned. I loved cleaning very much, it helped me clear my mind.

I had on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I wore a bonnet and some footies as I swept the floor. Mahleek was in the living room area playing his game. He was smoking weed earlier so I guess he's high.

I looked around and noticed I didn't see a dustpan. "Mahleek!" I called out walking towards the living room with my broom.

"Hm?" He answered staring at the TV. I stood beside it but I had the second mind to stand right in front of it because I needed his attention right now.

"Where is the dust pan?" I asked.

"I threw it off the balcony a minute ago.." He said a nonchalant tone. What does that even mean?

"Why- Why did you do that?"

"Cause this bitch was playing with me so I grabbed the first thing I saw and threw it at her.." He explained, I shook my head.

"So you hit women?" I asked curiously.

"The fuck?" He paused the game and looked at me. "Where did you even get that from?"

"I'm just saying. You hitting women with dust pans and shit, you must enjoy hitting on women.."

"I didn't hit ha. The dust pan hit ha.." He said with his nose wrinkled. "I don't hit women.."

"Whatever. How am I gonna get this trash up with no dust pan?" I asked leaning on my right leg.

"Use a envelope like any other black person.." He said waving his hand before standing up and walking over to me. "Lemme show you.."

I followed him into the kitchen and watched him sweep my trash up some.

"Thank you for everything today, we really appreciate it.." I said playing with my fingers watching as he looked around for an envelope.

"It's cool.." He said with a small shrug.

"Why do you help us? Like you don't even know us. Why are you so open to helping us?" I asked.

"Cause I want to.."

"But why?" I asked curiously.

He went quiet before grabbing an envelope from out of a junk drawer. "Cause I know how it is. It ain't your fault and everybody deserve to have somebody to look out for them.." He said.

He began sweeping the trash up on the envelope. Once he was done, He stood up and we immediately locked eyes.This nigga is dead in my face right now.

We were close, like in one swift move we could kiss or something. I don't know, but I knew we were close. Face to face to be exact and all I could feel was butterflies. Like, I don't know why but they were there.

He leaned in and his lips swiftly touched mines. He pulled away and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and started walking away towards the trash can.

"That's how you do it.." He said, I blinked.

"Ok.." I said softly. I turned around and started getting the stuff together to throw away as he stood there watching me. What the fuck..just happened?

"You need help with anything else before I go to bed?" He asked lowly, I pushed my lips to the side.

You could explain what just happened a little bit.

"No, I'm ok.." I said shaking my head, he nodded.

"Ight, goodnight.." He said still standing there.

"Night.." I said with a tight lip smile.

He started walking off down the dark hallway, disappearing in the dark.

"If you wanna wear your underwear around this bitch just say that cause them shorts short as hell.."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever.." I mumbled.

———————

Thoughts?

It's time for me to speed shit up a little bit. Things going a little bit too slow if you ask me.

Mahleek really half-kissed my sis? Like what's that about?

This book is about to get a little crazy, who ready?

See y'all! ❤️