AMIR

4 days later

"Amirrr you made it!" Niyah squeals once she sees me on the front porch. I hear a couple old heads mumble about how expensive my car is and how I switched up on them but I ignore it.

"What's up Niyah?" I pull her in for a hug. She looked way different from the last time I saw her, she really grew up.

"That your car?" She asks and I nod. "You know i'm 18 without a car, kind of embarrassing ...you trynna hook me up?"

"Aye i'll see what I can do lil cous'." I respond. I walk over to my other 'family members' on the porch and greet them.

"Aye that's Ace?" I hear one of my other cousins from behind me. I turn around and dap him up.

"Damn Brandon you look big." I joke. He definitely been putting some work in.

Me, Brandon and June all grew up together and Niyah soon tagged along once she became of age. Brandon and June were real cousins whilst the rest of us just grew up in the same neighbourhood. Everybody knew each other and we were all like family.

"You know how it gets here." He sighs. We look around the porch and talk for the next 10 minutes and catch up on life.

Brandon was a good ass football player but he got a injury right before we graduated.

"You know the craziest shit is me and June got into a big ass argument right before he died." He shakes his head, scoffing.

"About what?" I ask. June been gone for a while now but Brandon always seemed to bring up some type of story about him.

"You know, football. He thought I was jealous because he was further in life than me in terms of our career and shit, hell yeah I was." He says truthfully making a few others around us laugh.

"June was a star, he was gonna break through for all of us. He was gonna make it." Brandon sighs before taking a sip of his drink.

"Just at the wrong place at the wrong time." One of Brandon's cousin inputs.

I speak to them a while longer before walking into the house to greet everybody else. The house gets less and less packed each year we would come for June's day.

"You ain't seen your siblings?" Niyah says from behind me making me jump.

"Nah, where they at?" I ask her and she points upstairs.

That's where we would all chill on June's day but as we grew up we just left that for the younger kids. We would all be on the porch with the rest of the old heads. It was tradition.

I went up there with Niyah, mainly to avoid the kitchen where all the women would be. Especially my mother.

Niyah gestured for me to open the door first and so I did. A bunch of the 'kids' I knew who were now teens around 13-17 turned to me.

"Ain't no way this nigga's here." Christian announced loudly before my siblings Sadè and Aidan ran up to me. I missed them I won't even lie, we catch up every week and their spoiled ass got whatever they wanted but since going to prison I ain't talked to them in nearly a year.

"I feel like I ain't seen you guys in forever." I widen my eyes, taking in all of these 'kids'.

"That's cause you haven't." Sadè replied and a few others agreed.

"You nearly taller than me." I say, turning to Aidan. Aidan was only 16 and was at least 5'11 now.

"I am taller." He chuckles. I look around the room making sure he's the one speaking because ain't no way.

"Your voice deep as fu- hell." I jerk my head back causing everyone to laugh.

"Amir come play me on 2K." Brandon's little brother who was around Niyah's age calls out. Naturally, some other boy I don't recognise makes space for me which I respect. I thank him before sitting down and grabbing the controller.

"I ain't that old, you ain't gonna win." I tell him.

"30 dollars if I win old man." He replies and I shake his hand to settle the bet.

"Can I get in on this bet?" Niyah's broke ass asks making everyone laugh again.

"Bet on me." Jay says.

"Buy them shoes you got if Jay wins." She smirks, referring to the Yeezy 700 Waves I had on.

"Shit can I change my bet?" Jay asks.

Nigga play the game.

"Aye I gotta go soon, play the game and if you win you get what you want." I reply and he nods confidently.

We play 3 games and I win 2 , he wins one. I won't even lie he's good as fuck I really am getting old.

"What was you saying before?" I ask, cupping my ear to mock him.

"You ain't even all that good." He sucks his teeth, slouching in his seat.

"Aye how you guys doing in school?" I ask the group of 10 and they all take turns in telling me how's school doing.

"Im proud of all you and I want all of you to succeed and I know all you will." I tell them and they all nod in agreement.

I take out my wallet and pass Jay and Niyah 70 dollars each since they're the oldest. I give the rest some money depending on their age.

"30 dollars? Im a grown ass man." A lil 10 year old I don't recognise says. His voice was mad squeaky it was hilarious.

"Learn some manners youngin'." I chuckle. If he was any older I wouldn't be as amused.

"Yeah yeah thank you and all but...can I get some mo'?" He asks causing everyone to laugh once again.

I talk to them for atleast another 30 minutes , mainly my siblings and Niyah before checking my apple watch.

"Aye it was nice seeing all of you aga-

"Food's ready everybody!" My mom announces, walking into the room. Her eyes widen once she sees me before giving me a smile.

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?" She asks, mainly talking to Sadè and Niyah.

"Its nice to see you mama." I say for respect before standing up and giving her a small side hug. It did feel good hugging her though.

"You look different baby...bigger and muscular." She replies analysing me.

"Yeah I been going to the gym." I reply simply.

"Well food is ready," She announces louder again and the rest of the kids get up and exit the room. "You staying to eat with us?"

"Nah I got some stuff I have to do, I'll come visit another time though." I tell her and her smile fades.

"All Aidan does is complain about why you barely see him, he lost one brother already he doesn't want to lose another especially when he's alive."

"Mama I don't wanna hear all that right now, you know exactly why I can't see them that much. I still make sure they're good regardless." I argue and she scoffs.

"Whatever Amir I'm not doing this here," She sighs. "Your father-

"You know I don't talk to that man." I say, dismissing that conversation.

"It was nice seeing you Amir," She says with tears in her eyes. "I just wish things were different."

"Yeah me too." I say before attempting to walk out the doorway but she blocks it.

"You know i'm sorry right? I was hurt Amir." She pleads. I don't know if she's trying to guilt trip me into staying or not but it ain't gonna work.

"Me too mama, me too." I sigh, walking straight out the door. I say bye to everybody I fuck with in the function before stepping out onto porch.

"You leaving already boy?" EJ calls out. EJ was a old ass bitter ass man who was always hating on us younger folk just because he didn't do shit with his life.

When Ajani died he blamed that shit on me and the rest of his dick riding friends followed him. He always had a love for Ajani and always bought him track gear when our family couldn't, I'll give him that.

"Fuck out my face EJ." I say, moving away from him.

"Your family miss you boy, the most you can do is stay for June's day." He spits.

"I would if you didn't turn my whole family against me." I reply.

"They wouldn't have turned if they knew it wasn't true." He replies causing me to swing at him but I felt something hold me back.

I tried to push Brandon off of me but he was a big ass offensive linemen, he was way stronger than me.

"Amir just stop." He sighs, causing me to stop fighting him off me. EJ and a few other old heads in the back were saying some shit but I was too emotional to hear anything.

I turn to Brandon who looked disappointed. I messed up.

"I apologise, I shouldn't have tried to start nothing on June's day. Not here." I say truthfully and he nods.

"Aye go and do what you gotta do, I appreciate you coming here." He replies before dapping me up.

"See you later Brandon, hit me up." I say before walking over to my car.

"There his bougie ass go." EJ mumbles but loud enough.

I turn to him but Niyah's already walking over towards me. I get in the car and turn the window down so I can talk to her.

"Thanks for the money." She says, smiling.

"It ain't nothing..you still doing that beautician business?" I ask her and she nods.

"You got a place for it?"

"I just be doing it out of my room." She shrugs.

"That ain't safe, I don't want that for you," I reply. "Give me 5K, I'll pay the rest for you and we'll get you a real building." I tell her and she beams up.

"You'll do that Amir?" She asks and I nod.

"I got you lil sis, forever." I say, dapping her up.

"I'll call you, get home safe Amir. And tell your pretty ass girlfriend I said hey."

"See you." I chuckle, brushing her off. I miss my pretty ass 'girlfriend'.