2:30pm

I was currently chilling in my living room with Levi, Bj, Dom, and Nate. Both of my siblings was staying the night at their friends house so I invited everyone over to smoke and chill.

"Nigga how you got an extra $1000" I asked looking at Levi money stash. We were in a middle of a monopoly game.

"Nah cause you was going bankrupt dawg" Bj said catching on.

"I just collected money from them stopping on my property"

"That brown property is not bringing in stacks" Nate argued. All I could do was laugh. Levi was always cheating on any board game we played. I saw him take the money out the bank but I wasn't gonna say anything at first. But then he had the damn nerve to steal the bigger bills.

"Yes the fuck it is, y'all just mad cause I'm back in the game"

"You're a whole cheater dude" Bj said mugging him. I started laughing as he kept trying to defend his case. This why I don't play board games now.

"Man can we play a card game" dom asked sucking his teeth. He just mad his ass going bankrupt.

"Fuck no, only card game you know is goldfish" Nate said mugging him. We all started laughing as dom sucked his teeth again.

"You gon' hop off me" I passed the blunt to Bj as they kept going back and forth.

"Aye I got a serious ass question" I said making them stop arguing with one another.

"Well speak when you ready" Bj said after the long pause.

"Let's say a mind reader and future seer were playing a strategic game, who would win?" He passed the blunt back to the right as I waited.

"The mind reader" Bj said.

"Nigga no, the future seer would win" Levi said.

"No the fuck he won't, the nigga can read your mind on the move your going to do" Nate agreed

"And the future seer would know he's going to do that" I spoke.

"Okay but the mind reader can literally know what your thinking about doing and play against that" Bj said.

"I mean that's a valid point" Nate said as he rubbed his chin.

"Let's say the mind reader goes first, the future seer would know how the game would play out and move accordingly to that" Levi stated.

"Bro that literally wouldn't work either way"

"What the fuck y'all smoking on" Dom asked making me laugh.

"Where do you even be thinking of these questions" He continued. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Shit ion know" I said with a chuckle. I pulled my phone out going to Instagram. I was watching some reels of cars drifting.

"Y'all want to know what my Christmas gift was" I looked up at Bj seeing him shake his head.

"What happened?"

"Amanda talking about she pregnant" I scratch the back of my head. Out of all the girls he fucked with, it would be her to be knocked up.

"Damn dawg, I told you to wrap up" Levi said holding back his laugh. I need to be doing the same, we both are not trying to have children any time soon. We don't got no excuse anymore, her dad gifted me a big box of condoms.

"Myles my man" I dap Mikey.

"Wassup pops"  I followed him into the living room where they all were. Kiwi ran to my legs, so I picked her up.

"I wasn't born yesterday, this is my gift to you both" he passed me a gift bag. Kyrie furrowed her eyebrows shifting her gaze from the bag to her dad. I took the tissue paper out and instantly start laughing. I pulled the big ass box of condoms out.

"DAD" Kyrie exclaimed. I looked over to see her face a reddish tint.

"Don't dad me, I was y'all age once." I looked at the box shaking my head. I held back my laugh cause all of this was funny to me.

"Why you assuming that anyway, I'm innocent" I side-eyed her. She was far from that.

"Peanut, I saw hickeys on your neck the other day. That confirmed enough for me to suspect" she glared my way as I tossed my hands up.

"Don't look at me, you're pops said I need to wrap the Willy" she smacked my arm making both me and her dad laugh.

Bj pulled up some pictures of the pregnancy test and the ultrasound. We all got close to look at them.

"She a hoe just like you, may not be your baby" I spoke with a shrug. He sighed rubbing a hand down his face.

"I really hope not, cause I'm team fuck them kids" I started laughing.

"Yo ass gonna be team provide for them kids in 9 months" Levi stated. Bj flipped him off.

"Y'all niggas hell" Nate said. While they continued to talk about women, I scrolled on my Snapchat looking through stories. I clicked on Ky's to see she was twerking on Honey and taking shots. I raised an eyebrow exited out the app and going to FaceTime.

"Hi" she answered with a smiling face. I could hear music blasting in the background.

"We twerking on the camera now, that's who we are" I pondered. She started laughing.

"You act like I don't twerk on- You on speaker Ky" I said laughing.

"Damn y'all get down like that" Nate said making them laugh.

"Where y'all at?" I asked.

"About our business" honey intervened. I sucked my teeth when she put her face into the camera.

"Levi come get your girl" I said making her eyes roll.

"She know wassup" he called out.

"How long y'all staying out"

"For awhile, we having a girls night" I nodded.

"Don't be acting up and don't entertain no niggas" I said causing her to wave me off.

"It better be no ass shaking" Levi called out. Little too late for that.

"I do what I please" honey said.

"Keep playing" I laughed as she huffed.

"Aight call me when you get home, I love you" she nodded before saying her goodbyes.

"I love you too Bubba" she quickly hung up before I could say something.

"That Nigga whipped" Dom said blowing the smoke out his mouth. Everyone started laughing as I rolled my eyes. All I could do was smile as I grabbed the blunt being passed. All she has to do is ask and I'll do it for her. She knew I was whipped and I wasn't ashamed about it.

"Don't try to act like you aren't as well" Levi spoke calling him out.

"And you had the nerve to talk about me" he sucked his teeth.

"We've been kicking it for awhile, she cool people"

"Y'all niggas whipped while I'm shackled, got a whole big headed baby on the way" I threw my head back in laughter. Bj shook his head sighing. Boy was stressed.

"Dawg you gonna be okay, make sure you get that paternity test"

"What your lady look like" Bj turned to look at him as dom scrolled on his phone.

"Y'all might know her, she go to y'all school" he turned his camera and showed her picture.

"She look mad familiar" I said as I tried to remember where I've seen her before. Levi finally looked at it.

"Dawg you forreal?" He asked.

"As a heart attack" He rubbed his chin with a smile as he looked at her picture.

"I didn't know you was talking to April this whole time" April? Why isn't her name clicking.

* * * * *

"Ah Myles, I'm so glad you was able to meet with me on such short notice" I walked inside his office looking around at the plaques and awards hanging up on the walls.

"Please take a seat" Mr.Langston motioned towards the seats.

"Thank you" I slipped into the armchair. The cushions felt like two big pillows sucking me in. This was by far the comfiest chair I've been in.

"Would you like some whiskey?" He raised up the bottle and I nodded. I don't know why older men loved whiskey so much. It tasted like rusty pennies.

"Yes please" he passed me a glass before taking a seat across from me.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you. Well I wanted to propose a deal" I raised an eyebrow as I took a swig from the glass. I refrain from making a face from the liquid touching my tongue.

"I'm not sure you know, but your teacher has submitted more than one of your poems. As the requirement is to submit three of your best works." I remember he was telling me that and part of me wondered if he ever read the other ones or not.

"My editor is the deciding factor of which poems get selected and who the three contestants will be before the work is given to me. To skip over the boring facts, after the award show I took it upon myself to read the other two poems that were sent in for you" he took a huge gulp before wiping the corners of his mouth.

"Myles you have such a unique way of expressing yourself through words. I know why my editor choose your love is opaque as it was the most happiest one you wrote"

"I kind of figured that was the reason, I wish he submitted something different than the other two" he waved his hands.

"No I'm glad he did, although it may seem dark and disturbing to others I found it therapeutic. I've been in a place like you before. I had an unsettling childhood with disturbed family members and majority of my work is quite disturbing" I sat the glass down as Mr.Langston stood up and looked out his window.

"Others may not understand why we write the way we do but I understand and many more people will to" I furrowed my eyebrows

"What do you mean by that?" He turned back around as he put his hand into his pocket. A smile etched across his face.

"That's why you're here, I did some thinking. I want to take you under my wing and get your work published" I sat up in the chair.

"P-published" he nodded.

"Yes published, we can work out a contract that satisfies the both of us but if you do decide to work with me, your work will become greatly noticed" I took poetry as one of my hobbies. My true dream was being a screenwriter. I wanted to bring my words to life for other to see. If I went this route with Carl Langston, I could reach my dream even faster than I expected.

"Wow Mr.Langston this is such a huge opportunity" I said with a smile. He let out a chuckle as he sat his glass down.

"Please, please call me Carl. No need for formality. Look no need to rush to an answer at this given second, take a couple of days to think it over it. I'll have my assistant email you a draft contract and then we can go from there" I hopped up from my seat.

"Thank you so much" he walked around the table and pulled me into a hug.

"Of course son, you deserve to be seen. With my help your work will be noticed soon" deserved to be seen. That was a line out of my poem that he read. I talked about being in the shadows of everyone and not being noticed or heard.

* * * * *

I flipped through my journal that was filled with many poems dating back to my high school days. I haven't realized just how much I wrote until I decided to flip through them. I had two journals that were completely filled, the third one was unfinished and my fourth one is the current one I've been writing in. The sound of moving made me look over at my bed where Kyrie was starting to wake up.

"Goodmorning love" a smile spread across her face.

"Goodmorning Bubba" I sucked my teeth making her laugh.

"What are you doing" she slipped a tshirt over her naked body as she walked over to me.

"Just looking through my old journals" she sat on my lap wrapping her arms around my neck. I kissed her cheek before looking over the book in my hand.

"I didn't know you had more than one" I nodded.

"I believe I got more in my pops house somewhere" she leaned her head on my shoulder.

"So have you written about me before?"

"Way too many times" she sucked her teeth as I laughed.

"I dedicated a lot of them to you, do you want to read one?" She nodded as I flipped to the first one I ever wrote.

"This one was written on October 3rd" she mumbled as she begin reading over the words. It was the day after we shared our first kiss. That kiss made me realize I liked her more than I thought. I rubbed her thigh comfortably.

"Wow Myles this is— so beautiful" she sat up to look at me.

"You actually like it?" She nodded with a smile.

"But you do need to change a few words though"  I raised an eyebrow.

"To what exactly?" She looked back at the book as she traced her finger along the lines.

"My shriveled heart can't be tamed" she read out to me. "That's no longer true as you given me your heart to love"

"You're right but wouldn't it mess up the following line" I mentioned. she looked back down at the book as she moved her finger to that one.

"My demons must be hidden from your disdain" she read aloud.

"How would I go about changing those two lines?" She tapped her lip as her eyes lit up.

"Instead of changing it, you could add on it, for example. Although my shriveled heart can't be tamed, And my demons should be hidden from your disdain, Your love has etched a new flame. Something like that maybe?" She asked.

"Okay poet, look at you" she laughed. I allowed her to read a couple more poems that were dedicated to her.

I've been avoiding to meet my dads new girlfriend for as long as possible. I decided to come home this weekend since school work hasn't got hefty yet. I feared that I wouldn't like her or she wouldn't like me. Both of those scenarios could possibly happen. With the way he talks about her, I know that she is very serious and she could be here to stay.

I shut my car door and made the walk to the front door. I fumbled with the ring on my finger as I unlocked the door.

"Peanut is that you?" I walked towards the direction of his voice.

"Yeah it's me dad" Oreo ran full speed tackling me. I let out a laugh as he rolled on his back with his tongue sticking out his mouth.

"Aww hi my baby" I gave him a few scratches on his stomach when my dad walked around.

"Do I smell food?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah I'm making lasagna" I quickly got up and rushed to the kitchen completely ignoring the female presence. I added some soap into the palm of my hand and begin washing them.

"Now you know how much I love your lasagna" he started laughing once he got to the kitchen.

"Why you think I'm making it" it got awkwardly silent as I went to the fridge to grab something to drink.

"Well uh this is Devyn, and babe this is my daughter Kyrie" he introduced. I turned around to look at her. She had a huge smile on her face as she waved.

"I heard so much about you, I'm glad we finally get to meet" I gave a closed lip smile.

"Likewise"

"So your dad tells me you're taking the pre-vet route?" I nodded as I stuck the straw in my caprisun.

"Yeah"

"You must really love animals" I blinked at her in response. I hate when people state oblivious things.

"Oh um, my parents owns a equestrian center, if you never been horseback riding, I would love to take you" I turned around and looked at her.

"Wait your parents have horses? That's dope as hell" my dad glared my way making me laugh.

"I've been begging for a pony since I could talk, even asked Santa" she let out a small laugh leaning on the countertop.

"Well whenever you're free, I can take you out on a ride" a smile spread across my face.

"Shit You ain't say nothing but a word"

"Language" my dad warned pointing his wooden spoon at me. Not him acting brand new.

"Do you have kids?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I always wanted some, I've met Oreo but I heard there's another fur baby?" A smile grew on my face.

"Oh Kiwi, she with my boyfriend at the moment, but she's a lap dog and loves cuddles"

"Aww, I can't wait to meet her" I guess she alright in my book. As long as you loves my dog and loves animals we good

* * * * *

"See I told you , I knew you would like her" Levi said as we sat in my bed watching Tv. I licked the icecream off my spoon.

"I know I would like her but—" I started.

"You was afraid of being attached and then she randomly leaves your life?" He finished. I nodded with a sigh. I always craved to have the female figure in my life rather it was my mom being there or looking up to someone as a big sister. Which is why I try to make sure sienna has the experience I didn't have growing up.

"Her plate looks disgusting" I looked up from my bowl at the screen. We was currently watching a new cooking show that was on Netflix.

"It looks so dry and pasty" I mentioned staring at the noodles she created. A knock was planted on my door before it started opening. They didn't even let me say come in.

"Hey friends" Amanda said with a smile. I glared over at Levi who had a smirk on his face.

"Frie- hey hoe" Levi responded with a smile. I tucked my lips in as I dug my spoon back into my icecream.

"I figured since I'm with Bj, we need to start hanging out some more" she sat down at my computer chair crossing her legs.

"I gu- no we don't" Levi interjected. I hit his shoulder. She dropped her smile.

"Is it because I was with Myles at a point, I promise I'm not into him anymore" I glared at her once she mentioned my man.

"You acting like you're getting married into the family. You is having Bj baby" Levi stated.

"And y'all will be around the baby I'm sure, so we minds we'll get acquainted" her smile reappeared. Yep, delusional.

"Hmm okay Amanda, so you're with Bj you say?" I asked.

"Yeah we decided to get together after finding out about our little one" she rubbed her belly. I nodded with tucked lips as she continued to talk.

"Oo Ky could you help me plan the baby shower?" She asked hopefully. I gave a fake smile as I stole glances at Levi, who covered his face with his shirt. With the way his shoulders were jumping up and down and the silent wheezing, it was obvious he was laughing.

"Uh sure, I don't mind" she jumped up.

"Oh that's fantastic, we'll I'm going to take a nap before my shift" we waved goodbye as she made the walk to my door.

"Oh one more thing, can you and Myles stop having sex here , the walls are very thin and I can barely sleep" she gave another smile. I blinked my eyes at her.

"Huh" Levi said laughing even louder.

"I'll see what I can do" I said. She closed my door as I started laughing loud.

"Bro I can't be anywhere with you" he leaned against the wall as his laughter never seized. He had literal tears coming out his eyes.

"Y'all for lifers" he said in between laughs. I hit his shoulder as I wiped my own tears.

"Stop, I got tears coming out my eyes"

"You better stop hitting my shoulder before I go tell your bestie" he said holding back his laugh. I sucked my teeth playfully.

"Levi please, I can't with you" Levi was one of those wild laughers, who throws there body every which way. As soon as he did that, his head hit the wall making us crack up in a louder laughter.

* * * * *

"She said what" Myles asked laughing. I sucked my teeth. I decided to tell him what happened earlier with Amanda.

"I'm still on the fact that she believe we together" Bj mugged. On que, Levi fell back laughing again. I really can't stand these hoes.

"Y'all belong together" he sung making us all laugh.

"Y'all irritating" Honey spoke with a smile. I shook my head at them.

"Nah I'm still on the part of her telling you where you can have sex at, the fuck" honey added. That ignited Myles to laugh louder. Knowing him, he's gonna try to be petty when he comes to my place.

"When I tell you that shit killed me, man the second time hearing it was way funnier" Levi wiped his tears letting out a shaky breath.

"She delusional, I don't know why she trying so hard to be my friend. We not even compatible" I said with a shrug. We were polar opposites. I said what was on my mind while she beats around the bush. She also liked to be slick with the way she responds to me.

"What we eating?" I asked trying to steer the conversation into a more serious matter.

"Girl we just ate not too long ago" I mugged him.

"When my stomach speaks, I answer"

"And I don't want no pizza, y'all always ordering that" Bj sucked his teeth dropping his phone into his lap.

"Then what you want?" Honey asked.

"Can we walk to that taco stand a couple blocks down?" I asked. They all looked at each other before agreeing. I got up and followed everyone out of the apartment. This will be my exercise for the day, since I didn't go on my daily run this morning.

The walk was fairly quick as we was cracking jokes the whole time. But the time we go to the corner, the line was pretty packed.

"I've actually never been to this stand, what you usually get?" Honey asked.

"Usually the birria tacos or the taquerias" she nodded. With the way my stomach feeling, I may get both of them.

"Don't forget to pick something up for your bestie" Levi said. I sucked my teeth as they erupted into laughter. He will never let me live that down
_________________________________

-Myles was given another opportunity
-Kyrie finally met the girlfriend and had an encounter with Amanda
-I referenced one of Myles poem, it's in an earlier chapter of the book.

Sorry for any mistakes

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~BR££