"No Kyhanna. Sometimes I just wanna relax and chill with my kids. Is that a problem?" she asked as she blew out the smoke of her last puff and put the cigarette in the ashtray with the others. There had been something within her voice that just wasn't right.
"Naw, it's not a problem. I've just never heard you say that."
"I know but today is a new day."
Just then my little brother Tahj came running down the steps with his book bag over his shoulders and his coat in his hand.
"I gotta go. I saw the bus coming down the street." He announced. Tahj walked over to our mother and gave her a quick hug before he ran out the door. I made sure I pulled his bag off of his shoulders which caused him to slow down and make him even more irritated than he already was. I just laughed as I saw him hop off the porch and run to catch his bus like his life depended on it.
"It never fails Tahj is always late to the bus." Brenda said as she laughed.
"I know. It used to get on my nerves but now it's funny to me. Well seeing him on the bus is my cue to get going so I can catch my bus too."
"Okay baby. I'll see you later Ma." I said as I went to walk out of the living room but my mother called my name stopping me from doing so.
"Kyhanna."
"Ma'am?" I asked.
My mother walked over to me and then wrapped her arms around me giving me a big hug.
"I love you baby girl. See you later." She said as she started to cry. I knew something had been bothering her but she kept things bottled inside and chose to deal with them on her own.
"Ma, don't cry." She let me go from her embrace and wiped her eyes.
"It's okay baby. I'm fine. I'll be okay. I'll see you when you get home from school."
I left my house and walked down the street toward the bus stop where me and my girls waited for the bus. When I reached the bus stop, Tameeka, Joi, and DaSani were already there waiting on me. Of course my best friend had to be the one who talked shit.
"Damn bitch you late. Yo ass almost got left ‘cuz here come the bus now and you know Mr. Stewart don't wait for nobody."
"Shut up Meeka. I'm here now and that's all that's important hoe. You act like I was super late."
"Shit, you might as well be. I know one thing for sure. You better not make us late for the party tonight."
"How can I be late when I coming with you?" I asked her and she laughed because I had a good point. Tameeka hated being late for anything and since I was going to go with her to Quis party then I knew we would be on time. I wouldn't be surprised if our asses were the first ones there.
"You do have a point." Once the doors opened on the bus I walked on first and walked all the way to the back of the bus and sat in our usual seat in the last row. My phone buzzed just as I was sitting down. Tameeka came and sat down right next to me. I pulled open my phone and I saw that I had a text from Kwame.
Good morning beautiful. Just wanted you to know I woke up thinking about you. Have a good day. See you later.
I smiled from ear to ear when I read the message he'd sent to me. My best friend noticed the awkward smile I now wore and I knew she finna grill my ass too.
"Hold up bitch. Who just sent you a message that got you smiling like a damn Cheshire cat?"
"What are you talking about Meeka?" I asked trying to play nonchalant for as long as she would allow me.
"Come on. Stop playing. I just saw you started smiling hard as hell when you read the text message you just got. Please don't tell me you back with wack ass Malik."
I busted out laughing when I heard Tameeka call Malik that. Ever since we'd started dating she called him that. She never liked us together because she felt like he was weak. I guess Tameeka could spot them a mile away because we didn't end up lasting very long.
"Naw, it's not from Malik."
"Then who is it from because I know for a fact that you ain't talking to nobody."
"Okay. Promise you ain't gon' tell nobody but it was from Kwame. We been texting each other for the last few days."
You would've thought I had just told her we won a free vacation because before I knew it Tameeka stood to her feet and screamed before she sat down. Mr. Stewart our bus driver was so accustomed to my best friend's random outbursts that he didn't even flinch one inch.
"Are you serious? Are you really serious right now?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes Meeka. I took your advice and sent him a text the other day."
"So you told him you wanted to fuck the shit out of him. What he say?"
When I heard my friend's response I couldn't do anything but laugh. Leave it up to Tameeka to always be on some extreme shit.
"Umm I didn't say anything close to that but I sent him a little something and we've been texting back and forth ever since."
"Shut the hell up. I'm really proud of you cuz I swear you be curving niggas left and right. I don't know why you be acting all stank like you ain't fine as hell."
"It's not that. I just don't be wanting to be bothered half the time. I just haven't met anyone who I've connected with on that level. That's all."
"Well I'm too excited to see what kind of trouble you gonna get into with that fine ass nigga Kwame. Hmmm … just thinking about him makes my panties moist."
"Guess what? He told me he's gonna be at Marquis party tonight too."
"Aww shit. That's what's up. You better dance with him if he come at you too. Don't be acting all standoffish like you scared to talk to him either. He the type of nigga you don't ignore."
"Whatever Tameeka. I won't ignore him if he comes and talks to me but I'm not gonna chase him down either. He probably used to all kinda hoes thirsty for him and I'm not the one.
"Listen Kwame is so fine even if I just drank a full glass of water my ass would act like I was dehydrated … shit. He the type of nigga I wouldn't even bother to wear panties around. Like he could just get it when he wanted on command." Tameeka confessed and I burst out laughing again. Even though I knew she was trying to be funny I knew her ass was dead ass serious.
"Tameeka!" I replied as I tapped her on the arm.
"What? It's the truth."
I took my phone back out and sent him a message back.
It's funny how you're thinking of me and I've been thinking of you. Can't wait until tonight.
"See your ass ain't slick not one bit Kyhanna. You feeling Kwame huh?"
"Feeling him? Come on Tameeka. I barely know him."
"So that don't mean shit. The dude is fly as hell and he is fine on top of that. It's not hard to fall for a nigga like him."
"I guess but I don't even know anything about him. Do he even have a girlfriend or something like that?"
"Well he do got a baby momma named Charmaine and a son named KJ. His son is so cute. I'm not sure if they are together. You can always ask him when you talk to him more."
"You know I'm gonna investigate that for sure. ‘Cuz I don't do dudes who have chicks. The last thing I'm trying to be is someone's side chick."
I have never talked to a dude under those circumstances and never will.
"I totally feel you. Just enjoy getting to know him. He gonna be all up on you at the party too. You better get ready." Tameeka warned me and I laughed.
"Where do you be getting these ideas from?"
"Girl, act like you don't want Kwame all up on you. I'm just saying get ready. This dude ain't like all the other wack ass dudes you've talked to. Kwame is real deal sis."
"Okay. I believe you." I answered and our bus driver pulled into the parking lot of East High School.
"Look who on the sidewalk already." I said as I looked out the window and saw Patrice, Tracey, and their friend Lauryn standing on the sidewalk looking like a bunch fat hyenas.
"Aww shit. It's Baby Dee and her crew. I swear I hate Patrice. I put that on everything I love. Sometimes I look at her fat ass and I just wanna beat that bitch ass again."
"I bet you do." I said looking at my friend who had that look in her eyes like she just wanted to fuck a bitch up just for the hell of it. Most of the time Meeka would fight just for the hell of it but she was trying to do better. She made a personal agreement with the school that she wouldn't get in another fight because if she did then she would be expelled for the rest of the year.
"But you know I promised the school that I would chill out so I'm Gucci right now. Unless a bitch jump fly then I'll fuck them up with no question."
"No doubt."
When we stepped foot off the bus, I noticed that Patrice and her crew were eyeballing Tameeka so hard it was uncomfortable. If I noticed it I knew Meeka noticed it since she never missed anything.