Rinse

Chapter 5

We finally made it to this ghetto ass school. I get off the bus and before we can even walk inside here comes Raheem. Lord. “Yo, Jas! Can I talk to you for a minute.” I’m not even going to attempt to help Jasmine this time. This b***h needs to learn how to fight her own battles. “Harlem, I’ll be back. K?” I walked off, not saying a word. She can tell I’m already pissed. “Hey Harlem!” I recognize that voice. Tareq? “Oh, hey T! You wasn’t playin’ when you said you was coming here this year. How you been, I haven’t seen you in a minute.” Tareq is my best friend, we’ve been friends for like YEARS. One little thing, this man has to be in love with me. I’m not saying it to be delusional or nothing, I love him too (exactly how he feels about me), but he shows signs. And they are cute signs. He has always had a special place in my heart but kinda forgot about him. “I’ve been pretty chill for real. Missed talking to you though. How are you and homeboy?” He dislikes Corey, not only ‘cause of him loving me but because he found out Corey cheated on me before I knew. He didn’t tell me because at that time that boy was trouble in the city, so I didn’t get to see him for the rest of my summer. “Oh, I left his ass. I know he cheated on me with Jas and that red-headed girl. Boy, this summer has been ruff.” He laughs. I love his laugh. “Sorry I couldn’t tell you on time. My cousin was setting me up for a ‘job’ and when my parents caught me, they cut me off from everyone and the only time I went outside was like for basketball...in the damn backyard bro. But that’s good you left him. Yo moms called mine telling me what happened afterwards. You stopped that s**t, right?” His care for me. “Yeah, no more. Been like two and a half months now. I’m doing great T.” I still stand by my word, I will never depend on no man, not even Tareq. But doesn’t mean I can’t at least be in love. “Yo, that red-headed girl. I found out her name. Armani Jones, I believe. She is a sophomore just like me so if a fight happens. Let me know first.” This boy does know how to make me laugh. “No boy, I just started high school. We can’t begin it with violence. Besides that nasty ass b***h got what she deserved.” “That gonorrhea s**t true?! You asked Corey?” I laughed, I haven’t smiled nor laughed this hard since my breakup, this is why I love T. “No boy. But I’m going to believe that ‘cause baby, I wish I would be fuckin’ on that and get sick.” “Damn. You and Jas still cool?” No, the f**k we not. But he hates when I plot so I got to ease my way out, “Yeah, she staying with me for now. Tryna get her away from that violence.” Her downfall. “Oh s**t, you real for that Lil’ Lamb.” He has been calling me that ever since we watched Mary had a Little Lamb and he always thought that my face structure always looked like Mary’s and my voice sound like the Lamb’s. Dislike him for that. “Bro, stop calling me that. That was so long-ago T.” His laugh, his lovely innocent laugh. “Never. Sorry Lil’ Lamb but that just fits you good.” How he says good sends shivers down my spine. My face feels hot, luckily the bell saved me from embarrassment. “Alright, I got to go class. Wanna hug or we just handshakin’?” I hug him quick and tight. He can tell I miss him, and I can tell he missed me.