I never thought in million years that I would be sitting here telling Aunt Ruby about being with a guy. She seemed shocked as I poured everything out on the table about what happened the other day. Her eyes stayed wide until I finished. Marcus passed us holding his cell phone in his hands. The way he held his head low and just literally kept looking at the screen told me that he was anxiously waiting for someone to text him. However, I didn't miss the frown that was going across his face either. He seemed to always be having a change of emotions lately. One day he would be down then the next he would be all happy again. I hope it has nothing to with Evan because if he is putting my brother on an emotional rollercoaster I'm going to have to show him what an over protective brother I am.

"Sweetie?" I heard Aunt Ruby say making me break eye contact with Marcus's movement, "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry, I didn't," I apologized as Marcus walked out of the kitchen with a bottled water still looking at his phone, "What did you say auntie?"

"I said that was interesting to hear," She stated leaning back in the chair. She placed her index finger on her chin studying me to see if I was lying. Trust me I wish I was but I guess life fucks with you in mysterious ways.

"What's interesting about it?" I questioned her while grinning and reaching for my bottled water. She crossed her legs putting her hands down on her knee and said, "Are sure you aren't having a phase because of what's going to happen?"

"Aunt Ruby," I protested but she silenced me and continued, "No Darrius we going to talk about this now."

"I don't want to talk about that shit!" I yelled not meaning to and I knew she wasn't happy at me cursing at her.

"Watch your tone," I could already hear the heavy tone of her voice getting ready to yell but I apologized and she seemed to cool down before she spoke again, "Now I said we are talking about it now."

"It's too early!"

"Boy!" she yelled and I instantly just shut up because the last time I interrupted her I was 6 and forgot to not ask her anything when she was on the phone. I haven't interrupted her since letting you know Aunt Ruby is about that life. She took a deep breath before she spoke, "Now...I know you hate it but it's inevitable sweetie...I ain't got that much time left in me."

If she was anybody else, I would have shut her up for talking that nonsense. Who cares what the doctor told her, she is fine. She is up and moving around. She is going to work and she's eating right. The only thing wrong with her is that cough. I turned to her grabbing her hands and said, "Aunt Ruby you are perfectly fine. They are just trying to find something wrong with you just so they can get you for your money."

She rolled her brown eyes and grinned, "Boy you obviously don't know how the hospital works."

"I know that you ain't sick."

"I am sick baby," She said rubbing her hand across mine. Looking into her eyes I saw just someone just really tired. Her touch was getting weaker and she had gotten so small I could probably wrap one arm around her entire waist. Even though I could see all these signs, I just wasn't ready to let her go. It was Saturday so she was off showing me how much the job took out of her. She had on her usual silk scarf wrapped around her head and just a plain white t-shirt and jeans. She smiled at me and I just couldn't see a sick woman in her.

Then she coughed getting away from me to go get some water. I could hear the agonizing sound of her trying to get whatever is in her to come out but unfortunately this cough wasn't going away. I knew that as she grabbed the napkin from table that it was a little blood that she hacked up. I couldn't stand looking at her falling apart in front of me. So I made an excuse about going to see Chris at his house before she could talk to me any further.

Yes, I was avoiding having the conversation but could anyone blame me? This woman raised me when my no good mother decided to just leave us while she went and did God knows what. She couldn't have kids but she always said we were her babies not anyone else's. I just didn't want to think about or talk about her leaving because that will lead into making plans for something that I'm not ready for. Something that would probably traumatize me more than anything else.

"Darrius?" I heard her call me as I made it to the door. I turned around to face her while she stood in the opening of the dining area. I was right she had gotten small but she smiled back at me and said, "Promise me that you make Caleb happy and not try to hurt him again. I've got a feeling about you two."

I wanted to say that she never knows what could happen between us because we don't even know ourselves what we are. However, I couldn't say no to her. I promised her that I will do what she told me to do even though I didn't understand what she meant by her having a feeling. I got my car keys off the small rack and headed out.

***

Chris's house always amazed me. It was big but not ridiculous like Caleb's. I walked up the long drive way getting my cardio on for today and saw him sitting out on the large porch. I saw his 2014 BMW sitting in the driveway collecting dust as always and I just stared at it. This car was beautiful with a black and white interior and a nice coat on it. Why did Chris let this baby sit here so long?

"If you want it you can have it," Chris said approaching me wearing a loose green tank and black basketball shorts.

"Don't tempt me Chris," I said running my hands across the side door, "This bad boy would get too much love coming from me."

"I'm serious D," He stated making me turn towards him. His blue eyes never lied as he looked at the car with such irritation.

"Dude this car is like more than what our college tuitions would be and you just want to give it up?" I asked shocked but I wasn't dismaying the idea of having it. He shook his head and asked, "What are you doing over here anyway? I thought you was still mad at me."

I suddenly remembered the small argument we had a couple of days ago. I sighed and said, "Yea, I'm sorry about that. I was just overreacting like I always do but I figured out why I freaked out on you so much."

He folded his arms and waited for me to tell him why. I scratched my head really not wanting to tell him what happened between me and Caleb. He knew that Caleb liked me but I don't think he was ready for me to tell him that we are secretly... whatever the fuck we are.

"And?" He asked egging me to continued what I was saying. I let out a breath and answered, "Well let's just say Caleb and I have something in common. You know that thing he told you not to tell me?"

He nodded and I stared at him with my eyebrows raised looking down, "Well turns out we both feel the same way."

"Stop lying!" Chris shouted grinning from ear to ear.

"Yea...I mean don't tell nobody though," I said returning his grin.

"Oowee, he done joined the other side," Chris expressed slapping me on the shoulder. I shook my head and put my hands up in protest before I said, "Naw man! I still like the pussy but it's something about him that attracts me."

He nodded in understanding and then leaned up against the car, "Well, for a gift you can take this car out of my drive way."

"Dude stop trying to give your car to me! Your dad- "

"Fuck my dad man!" Chris aggressively responded. I looked at him confused because didn't he just spend the whole summer with this guy and then he sent him this all the way from California. Shoot Chris is really tripping because my dad ever did something like that, I wouldn't mind doing whatever he told me.

"Calm down man," I told him rubbing on his shoulder, "What's going on with you?"

He leaned his back against the car now with his arms folded while he was looking at the ground as if he found something interesting to stared at. Then he spoke, "He ain't shit D."

"What you mean he ain't shit Chris," I asked shocked to hear him say that. All he talked about before he left was going to Cali to spend time with his dad but however I did notice that he never really said anything about it when he came back. I felt kind of bad for not asking him beforehand what happened while he was down there but I guess better late than never right?

I copied his form and I asked him, "What happened Chris?"

He waited before he took a big sigh still looking down at the ground and said, "He don't care about me D."

"What? But he sent you all this stuff man!"

"Stuff doesn't mean shit when there isn't any feeling behind it."

"But how do you know he don't care?"

"Because he showed it to me when I went down there," he yelled and his face was turning this bright red. I never seen him this upset about his dad before. Yea it was the usual I wish he could see me more or the many I wish he could just understand how I feel but nothing like this. I let him continue as we sat down on the concrete, "He basically left me in that city alone. I knew nobody there except for the people that showed up to his house. I use to think my dad was the man. Big house. Expensive cars. Money out the ass. He had it all to me. But then this summer, he treated me like I was just another person he could make happy with things. We didn't even have son and father time because he was always trying to party and get drunk. Now it was cool the first weekend but I got tired of it. "

I could understand why he would want to give away his things now.They came from a father that didn't understand how to be one. Worst of all, from what Chris told me, I could tell his dad only sent him things because he felt obligated to. Looking at Chris now he seemed to have calm down but still I hated seeing him like this. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and pulled him in to say," Hey you know you always got me."

He playfully pushed me away but I saw a smile forming across his tanned face. I'm glad that I could get him out of his gloomy state because Chris was always the rock; it is rare seeing him like this. So thinking a little harder, I figured I would ask him to come to the party with me.

"You still going to that party?" He asked me shocked as we got up from the ground. I questionably looked at my best friend as if there was a reason I shouldn't go.

"Uhm yea," I answered as we walked into his house. I always got a sense of cleanliness walking into his house. Everything had a place and was color coordinated with walls being the brightest white I've ever seen. It was understandable considering his mom was a doctor. The couches and chairs were the only splash of color in the almost all white house with them being a dark blood red. We walked up the spiral staircase to his room which I may say was a big contrast to the house.

Chris's room was painted a dark shade of blue but the walls were mainly covered with sketches of clothes and shoes. One thing about Chris no one probably really knows is that he designs most of the things he wears. He usually only buys particular clothes from the mall too but he mainly creates his own. His black medium sized bed took part of the room but he had a whole work station for designing his clothes on the other side. Surprisingly he kept his space very clean considering that there was so much of the fabric and other materials.

Sitting down on his all black bed, I remembered what he asked outside, "What you mean by was I still going?"

He turned to me as he took off his tank and walked over to his closet before he said, "I mean, Alicia is going to try to pull the same shit she always be doing and yo ass is going to fall for it."

"How you know what I'm going to do?" I laughed laying back on the bed, "I've already gotten what I wanted so her advances aren't going to do anything."

He let out a small laugh before saying, "I still can't believe you and Caleb are together or whatever. However, I still think you going to slip up if you go to this party."

"That's why I'm going with you," I stated and looked at my phone to see what time it was. It was almost time for the party to start and I was still not ready. Chris walked out of his closet wearing a blue snapback with a button down black shirt. He had thrown on some fitted khaki shorts and black high tops to match.

"Dude trying to out dress me and shit," I joked throwing one of his pillows at him. He caught it and laid it on the ground before ushering me to get out so we can go back to my place and get me ready for the party. As we made it downstairs, I saw him reach for the BMW car keys and asked," So you going to drive it now?"

"Yea," he answered, "to your house then I'm going to leave it there."

"Man I told you- "

"D just take the damn car!" He yelled and it caught me off guard. I still didn't understand why he would give up this car but if he wanted me to have it then I'll take it. So heading back to my car, I saw Chris unlock the BMW but before he got in he stared at it. He didn't show any emotion except for pure disdain. He opened up the door and got in before revving it up. I got into mine and drove off towards my house. Now I'm going to have to explain to Aunt Ruby why we have a new car in the driveway.