Chapter 6
“Did you get the money I sent you? Don’t spend all that shit at once but enjoy it. I got a nice bonus from Ricardo, so the money is about to start rolling in,” my uncle Ro informed me. He made a monthly deposit of ten bands into a bank account that only the two of us could access. This week, he sent twenty-five bands, which struck me as odd.
“Should I be concerned? You’re not about to disappear, are you?” Ro hardly ever came home, but he at least made sure to check in a few days out of the week, if he could.
“Well, I wouldn’t necessarily consider it disappearing. The job I’m taking requires me to be disconnected from my real world, which means I won’t be able to call or check in like normal. When I finish, we’ll have more money than we know what to do with.” Of course, that was the only thing he cared about. Money had never been an issue. However, he never seemed to be satisfied. Most of the money he made sat in the many offshore accounts he’d opened.
“We already have money, but I hear you. All I ask is that you be safe and call when you can.” For him to be a guardian, I found myself watching over him way more than he watched over me. It’d been this way since I was a child. Uncle Ro would have Tootie fill the house with all kinds of toys, food, and snacks because he knew he wouldn’t be around.
She often cooked for me throughout the week, and then I would order out on the weekends. There were times when I wished he was here with me, but it was wishful thinking. Uncle Ro wanted to take over the world, and he didn’t have time to be raising someone else’s child.
“I’m always careful, young bull. I’ve already been in touch with Tootie’s worrisome ass, so if you don’t hear from me for a while, she’ll know what to do.” His words caused a sinking feeling in my stomach, but I shook it off. One thing Unc taught me was not to fear anything in this world, not even death.
“Alright, Unc. I love you. Call me when you can.”
“Always. Love you too. Keep your head up and stay out of the way.” We disconnected the call, and I got another one right after.
“What’s up?” I should have ignored her ass like I’d been doing.
“What’s going on with you? I haven’t been able to get in touch with you. You’ve been moving real funny lately.” Brielle huffed into the phone.
She wasn’t lying, because things hadn’t been the same with us. It started with the fight between her and Charae then went downhill. The more time I spent around her, I noticed how nasty her personality was. Brielle was a beautiful girl, and her head game was more than decent. However, I hated the way she acted when we were around other people.
Whenever we went out with other couples, she acted territorial. Plus, she and her little crew were bullies. That shit turned me off in a major way. Then, there were the growing feelings I was developing for Charae.
Since she started working at Steak Shack, I’d made it a point to pick her up from work at night. She gave me a hard time about it, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t safe for her to be out that late and taking the bus. I found it odd that her parents weren’t there to get her, but I guessed I shouldn’t be too surprised. As much as I loved Drake like a brother, his parents were odd to me.
His father kept a permanent frown on his face for everyone except young girls. I wasn’t accusing him of anything. However, I told my cousins to keep their distance from him. The few times he attended our games, his attention stayed on the cheerleaders more than the players. I wasn’t even the one to point it out. A girl I used to talk to mentioned that he made her feel uncomfortable when she did her cheers.
The only reason I never spoke on it was because I knew I needed proof. People had a hard time seeing the negative in the people they loved. Drake was like a brother to me, so I knew I had to handle the situation with care.
“Hello! Are you seriously sitting here breathing on the phone like I’m not even talking to you?”
“My bad. I’ve got a lot on my mind. What’s going on?” I needed to stop playing and let her go. We were on two distant pages and there was no future for us. Plus, I didn’t care for her pops either. He snuffed his nose at me like I was some thug off the street, and I wanted to put him in his place. He’d made several comments about how black boys wouldn’t stand a chance in college if we weren’t athletic. Meanwhile, I was number six in my graduating class, and his daughter was failing in English and gym.
“What’s going on? You’ve been ducking and dodging me for weeks. If you want to break up, all you have to do is say so.”
“Technically, we aren’t in a relationship, so I don’t have to do that either. We do need to talk, though. I do think we should chill for a minute. I’m trying to focus on my senior year, and to be honest, I don’t think we’re a good fit.” The shit sounded corny as hell, but it was better than, ‘I think you’re a mean, miserable bitch with a pretty face and a dark soul.’
“Nero, there’s no way you’re being serious right now. We were having sex in your car last week, and now you want to be done. I think you’re overreacting, and I feel like that musty bitch, Charae, has something to do with this. My friend Tanesha told me she saw you hanging out with her at the mall. I don’t know why you would even want to be seen with that dirty, dust mite.” This was the shit I was talking about.
“Oh yeah? Was that before or after she offered to suck me off in Saks? Listen, this has nothing to do with another girl, and even if it did, it’s none of your business. Our situation has run its course, and it’s time for you to move on. I’m sure it won’t be hard because you’re a pretty girl.” I shrugged as if she could see me.
“Wait a minute? Are you saying Tanesha’s lying?”
“I never said that. What I am saying is you need to pick better friends.”
“Well, how are we going to coordinate our outfits for prom? Things will be so awkward with us no longer being together.” Clearly, I wasn’t doing a good job explaining this to her, so I needed to make things plain.
“Bri, we aren’t going to prom together, so there’s nothing we can coordinate. I never asked you to go with me, so there shouldn’t have been too much planning being done in the first place. I’m not saying we can’t dance or something like that, but being your date is out of the question.”
“Dinero, I’m going to be prom queen this year. How will it look for the prom king and queen to be going to prom separately? This is crazy! I’ve already gotten my measurements taken for my dress and everything.” I scratched the back of my head, ready to be done with this conversation.
“You can still go. I’m definitely not going to miss my prom for anyone.”
“I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult. We could make this work, but you’re not even trying.” The sound of her whining irritated me.
“Hey, I have to get ready to leave. I’ll see you at school. Be easy.” I hung up before she could respond. I didn’t have the patience for all that whining and complaining. Girls like Brielle expected the world to be handed to them without having to do anything in return. Now, I didn’t mind doing it for the woman in my life, but Brielle didn’t deserve half of what I’d done for her.
“Where are you off to?” Tootie called out to me as I headed down the stairs. She’d come over to drop off the meals she cooked for me. I swear she was a godsend, and I didn’t think she understood it.
“I’m headed out for a quick second. I’ll be back in about an hour.” Normally, I didn’t pick Charae up from work until later in the evening, but her boss gave her the day off. I used that as an opportunity to take her out. It wasn’t a date or anything. Just two people getting to know each other better. She was a tough one to crack, but I wasn’t giving up.
“Well, based on the grin on your face, please make sure you use those condoms I bought you. We don’t have time for any babies popping up. You’re an NFL prospect, whether you believe it or not. These young girls will want to associate themselves with you for the money and fame. Don’t allow your little wee- wee to make decisions for you that could be long-lasting.” My face scrunched up, although I understood her sentiment.
“Ain’t nothing little about me, but I feel what you’re saying.” I chuckled when her face matched mine.
“I didn’t need to know that. Trust me, if you’re anything like your uncle, you’ll probably ruin a few girls’ lives. All I’m asking is for you to be safe. You have your whole life ahead of you, and the last thing you want is to lose it all over one bad decision.” I nodded in agreement, although I had no intention of messing up my future. My mind was set on being drafted by my junior year in college, and I wasn’t about to mess this up.
“I hear you. Thank you for coming by with the food. I don’t mind eating out, but there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal.”
“And that’s facts. No need to thank me. I’m always going to be here for you, no matter what. Make sure you’re back at a decent time because I will check those cameras and clean up the kitchen when you get done eating. Your uncle may have a housekeeper, but you could at least try to make her life a little easier.” I was sure Marissa wasn’t complaining, because not only did she get paid money, but she was also being compensated in dick as well. I had no business fucking with her ass since she was almost fifteen years older than me. However, Unc put me onto older women at an early age.
He said as long as we had our looks and the Sutton family dick, we’d never be without anything. He wasn’t wrong because I’d had plenty of my friends’ moms try to make a pass at me or offer me a ride home when my friends weren’t around. A lot of people told me I looked grown for my age, and as a result, I’d grown accustomed to older women making a pass at me.
The only reason Marissa got my attention was because of her looks. She kept giving me lustful stares from the time she started working for us. Things took a turn when I walked in on her topless while cleaning the kitchen. I’d never claimed to be a perfect man, so I allowed temptation to get the best of me.
“Naw, I got you. Love you, Tootie.”
“I love you too, Money.” I headed out of the door behind her so I could pick Charae up. For some reason, she insisted I pick her up from the mall instead of her house. Since the arcade was over in that area, I agreed. My nerves got the best of me once I got to the car, which caught me off guard. For as long as I could remember, I’d never been afraid of women.
Charae was different, though. Most girls tripped over their own feet to get my attention, but she wasn’t like that. Things with Charae were so natural, and there was no pressure to be a certain way. I didn’t have to be anyone but myself. She wasn’t expecting anything from me, and it was refreshing. Since I was pulling up, I sent her a message to let her know where I would be.
Although Tootie cooked for me, I had a taste for some hibachi from Wagos. They had the best hibachi I’d ever tasted, and they served big portions. I always ended up with leftovers whenever I went.
Once I saw her walking out, I pushed the door open from the inside. She looked nice in her jeans and graphic tee. I noticed that she seemed more comfortable than any other time I’d seen her. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail that touched the middle of her back. Everything about her was simple yet perfect.
“Hey.” Charae greeted me once she got in the car. She smelled so good it stalled me for a moment.
“What’s up, beautiful? Who are you smelling all good for? Let me find out you’re going to see some scrub later tonight.” It was a joke, although I secretly hoped she wasn’t interested in anyone else. Hell, I wasn’t sure if she was even interested in me, but I guess time would tell.
“No, silly. I got paid today, so I decided to buy myself something. I bought one of those perfumes from Bath and Body Works. It smelled better than I expected it to, although I think I might want to try a few different scents.” I loved when she rambled because she wore a smile on her face.
The first place we stopped at was the arcade. As hungry as I was, I knew if I ate right now, I’d be ready to go to bed. Plus, I didn’t want our leftovers to be sitting in the car for hours.
“This is E-City? I’ve always heard people talking about it at school, but I’ve never been.” I nodded, although I wanted to press her about it. Drake and I’d been here dozens of times, so I wondered why she’d never gone. While I knew she was a foster child, their dynamic seemed so odd at times.
We walked inside the place, and I couldn’t help but laugh at Charae’s reaction. Her almond-shaped eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. You would think she’d never been anywhere fun before.
“Where do you want to start? I usually go to the sports games, but there are so many things to do here.” I watched her observe the room before stepping forward.
“Wow, this place is incredible. I’m not even sure where I want to start. Maybe we can play one of your favorites first.” The innocent gleam in her eyes caused an unfamiliar feeling in my stomach, almost like a need to protect her and keep her innocent. This world was full of mean and stuck-up girls. We needed more down-to-earth girls like her.
“Alright, don’t come crying to me when I spank that ass. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a girl, either.” Her mouth turned up into a smirk before she started laughing.
“Calm down. You’re acting like I’m coming to take your championship title from you or something.” Her perfect smile matched the rest of her. In school, she rarely put herself together, and I couldn’t understand why.
Drake’s family weren’t as well off as mine, but they weren’t broke either. Drake and his sisters always dressed nicely, so I found it odd that Ciera and Charae came to school with their hair undone most days. Lately, she’d been putting more effort into how she looked now that she was working. I loved seeing the transformation because, if we were being honest, she put every girl in our school to shame. Not only did she have outer beauty, but her insides seemed to match.
“See! You’re over here trying to cheat!” Charae shouted when I knocked down all the pins with one try. The arcade included a bowling alley, so I decided to test her skills.
“I don’t have to cheat, baby. I’m good at everything I do.” Winking at her, I nodded for her to go next. This was her last round before our game ended. I’d already won, so I stood there with a victorious grin on my face.
“Whatever.” She stuck her tongue out and then grabbed her bowling ball. She didn’t do bad for it to be her first time playing. I still couldn’t believe she’d never been bowling before. My mom was in one of those leagues, so I went with her almost weekly. It was one of the ways we bonded.
“Alright, now that I’m done beating you, let’s get some food.” I reached for her hand, and she hesitated for a second. When our hands locked, we cashed out our tickets and picked from the little prize section. Since I had more tickets than Charae, I put all ours together and let her pick what she wanted.
“I want candy instead of a prize.” The girl behind the counter helped her pick out everything she wanted. She smiled as the girl filled her bag with candy, eliciting a chuckle from me.
“You’re over here acting like you’ve never had candy before.” I laughed until I noticed the embarrassment on her face. I felt like a complete idiot when I realized I’d offended her.
“I’m ready,” Charae whispered softly. I went to open her door, but she rushed to it before I could.
“Do you have any allergies? Wagos has a lot of seafood, and I know a lot of people are allergic to?—”
“You can take me home.” The words crushed me, but I kept it cool.
“What’s going on? I thought we were going to hang out. I wanted to take you to my favorite spot.” I’d never been through anything like this, and I needed to figure out a way to fix it.
“I’m not hungry.” As if on cue, her stomach started growling.
“Come on, Rae. Look, I’m sorry for what I said back there. It was supposed to be a joke, but it was insensitive. I’ve been looking forward to taking you out all week, and I won’t be able to function if I let you go with us being on bad terms. Let me at least feed you, and then if you still want to go home, I promise I’ll take you.” I’d never begged a girl to do anything in my life, but I had to try.
“Fine.” That was all I needed to hear before I drove to the restaurant. I needed her to know I was serious about getting to know her.
Dinner went a lot smoother, and I was grateful for that.
“Here, you gotta put the sauce on it.” Reaching over, I poured the yum yum sauce over her food. Charae stuck with chicken hibachi while I got chicken, steak, and shrimp.
“Taste it now,” I urged, hoping she liked it as much as I did.
“Umm, this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted before.” Charae moaned. I loved that she enjoyed her food so much because I was nervous.
“I told you it was slammin’. It’s one of my favorite places to eat.”
“Next time, I’m going to get the shrimp too. Those two they gave me on the side were a tease.”
“Here, take some of mine.” I put a few shrimps on my fork before adding them to her plate.
“I wasn’t saying that so you could give me your food, Dinero.”
“Do you see how much food I have left? Don’t even worry about it.”
“Thank you. I’ve had a really good time, despite our little hiccup earlier.” Her hands reached up to mess with her ponytail, so I knew she was nervous again.
“I know we’re still getting to know one another, so all I ask is you have patience with me. I may not always say or do the right thing, but it’s not intentional. Don’t ever be afraid to express yourself when you’re around me. If I do something you don’t like, tell me.”
“Okay, and thank you.” Our eyes locked for a moment longer. I wanted to know what her story was. There was so much sadness behind her eyes, and it tugged at my heart. I didn’t know the full story, but I knew she deserved better than what she had been given.
“I should probably be getting home soon. I didn’t exactly tell anyone I wasn’t working today.” I nodded in understanding. I requested the check as well as our to-go boxes. When Charae started digging in her wallet, I stared down at her.
“What are you doing?”
“I wanted to make sure I had my money when she came back with the check.” I gazed at her for a moment longer, trying to figure out where this girl came from. I’d taken a few girls out to eat, and none of them had ever brought a purse or a wallet with them.
“Naw, it’s on me. You can save your money for another time.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind paying for myself.”
“You’re good. I asked you to come here with me, so I wouldn’t ask you to pay.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll pay the next time.”
“So you’re going to let me take you out again? I thought for sure I’d messed up our friendship for good.” I smiled as I watched her fidget in her seat.
“No, it wasn’t that bad. Plus, I have to realize there’s a lot about me you don’t know. I can’t get upset when you express yourself.”
“Cool. As long as you’re not going to block me once you get home.” When I first asked for her phone number, she told me no. It wasn’t until I started picking her up from work that I realized she didn’t have a phone. I took her to the Verizon store and helped her get a phone. All teenagers should have a phone, and in her case, it was needed. I texted her from time to time to check in, but she usually kept it brief.
“I won’t block you. At least not tonight.” There was something infectious about her laugh.
“I see you’ve got jokes. Let’s get out of here.” I grabbed her bag as well as mine. I didn’t want our night to end, but I held on to the fact that I’d get to see her tomorrow. The air was chilly, so I took off my jacket before putting it over her shoulders.
“Well, aren’t you the perfect gentleman?” Rae snickered.
“I do what I can.” We both started laughing as we got in the car. Her house wasn’t too far away, but I wanted to take the long way to prolong my time with her.
“So, tell me something no one else knows about you.”
“That really doesn’t narrow down much. No one knows too much about me.” The sadness in her tone caused me to turn in her direction.
“I wanna be the exception to that. If we’re gonna be friends, we should know everything about one another.”
“Friends,” she whispered back. “I don’t have many of those. Actually, now that Ciera’s gone, I guess I could use one.”
“I’ve heard I’m a pretty good one, but you’re more than welcome to find out for yourself.” Her smile barely reached her eyes, letting me know there were a lot of things on her mind.
“Do you work tomorrow? I need you to send me your schedule to make sure I don’t miss a day.”
“You know you don’t have to keep picking me up, right? I don’t mind catching the bus.”
“You may not mind, but I do. You’re too pretty to be riding the bus at night. There are way too many weirdos in the world, waiting to take advantage of a pretty woman.”
“It’s a little too late for that,” she mumbled under her breath.
“What was that?” I pressed, even though I heard her the first time. I just wanted to see if she’d elaborate.
“Do you really think I’m pretty?” She wore a sincere look on her face. We pulled up to a red light, and I shifted in my seat so she could see my face when I answered. My finger cupped her chin so she could look me in the eyes.
“The word pretty doesn’t even begin to describe how gorgeous you are. You really should look into modeling because your beauty should be shared with the world.” I wasn’t the romantic type, so I prayed I didn’t sound too corny.
Charae reminded me of a butterfly. In biology, we learned about the metamorphosis a caterpillar went through until they fully developed into a butterfly. That was how I saw Charae. Right now, she was a caterpillar who couldn’t see how special she was because she was still going through her transformation. I hoped I was around to see her when she finally came into her own. I knew it was going to be something special to see. The urge to kiss her was strong, but I knew she wasn’t ready yet.
“Thank you for tonight. I’ll probably be eating these leftovers for the next couple of days.”
“Anytime. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Dinero.”
“Later, Charae.” I watched her walk to the door, taking notice of her hesitation when she stepped closer. Maybe Drake would be able to answer some of my questions when I saw him tomorrow. There were some things that weren’t adding up to me, and I needed to get to the bottom of this.