Percy
I had been catching up on my work online after making excuses for missing classes.
Ms. Cecily was doing her best, but the fact remained that I still had my daughter.
Royce said she was going to stop by, and I couldn’t wait.
After the days I had with Breann while trying to get work done, having her around was a pleasure.
While Breann slept, I went over coursework.
From the books to the laptop and back again.
There was a knock at the door, and I figured it had to be Ms. Cecily since Royce still had class.
When I opened the door and saw Jesaiah standing there, I wasn’t sure what to say.
I knew at some point Ms. Cecily would tell him where I was.
“What’s good?” I said dryly.
He hesitated at the door like he was afraid to come in but slowly stepped inside. “Hmph. Figures she would put you in this house.”
While wondering about his reason for saying that, I closed the door and walked toward him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He spun. “It means this is my parents’ house. A house I thought was filled with love but was actually occupied by parents who were too busy for their own son. A house filled with music. You would think it would’ve been wrapped up in love, yet it was wrapped up in their own goals.”
“It makes sense why you are the way you are.”
His head flew back. “Nigga, what is that supposed to mean?”
I shook my head as I waved him off and headed back to the couch.
“Man, Jesaiah, if you don’t know, then that’s the problem.
You move on campus like it’s all about you.
You're wrapped up in your own world, and you know nothing else around you, so if your parents were like that, I’m not surprised that you are too. ”
He chuckled sarcastically. “Yeah, and you moved around campus like free passes were automatically granted to you. Like the line. You felt that because we are friends, I was instantly supposed to give you a fucking pass. Niggas who don’t work don’t eat!” he barked.
I turned to look at my daughter, who I thought would have woken up.
I flicked my nose. “Okay, maybe I did, but I can take accountability. Can you? Nigga, your auntie is the dean, and before that, she worked in that office for years. I’m sure you didn’t work hard to get up in that school, so don’t come talking about free passes. ”
Jesaiah’s mind was fucked up. He figured nobody would ever call him out on his bullshit.
If anyone was going to, it was going to be me.
I tapped at his chest. “You’re supposed to be my best friend with or without the Orange and Black.
I’ve been struggling, damn near dropping out of school, because of this situation with Breann.
Nah, it ain’t your fault, but you’re so gone in the head, you couldn’t even check on a nigga.
Instead, your head is so far up Dio’s ass, you can’t see shit else going on around you.
Let me ask you this: why does he bother you so much?
Huh? Is it cause the nigga got a strong mind and won’t let you break him?
Is it because you can see the future and see that maybe the organization will see something in him they didn’t see in you?
You got no power, nigga. You’re a little Black boy lost like the rest of us. ”
Jesaiah’s light-colored skin began to turn red. I struck a chord in his ass, and I didn’t care because he needed to hear it. He rushed me, sending me flying back.
“Nigga, fuck you!” he grumbled.
I jabbed at his ribs as he and I tussled in the living room. “Bitch nigga, my daughter in here,” I gritted as I sent my arms flying into his side and chest.
Breann’s cries filled the room. Jesaiah and I were tossing that living room up. “You don’t know shit about me, fuck nigga.”
I hit his ass again before putting his head in a chokehold. “Calm yo ass down!” I barked. “You’re lucky I’m sparing you because my daughter is here.”
He tried getting out of the lock I had around his neck. “Get the fuck out of my house! This is my fucking house. Fuck you!” he shouted with spit flying from his mouth.
Although Ms. Cecily let me stay here, he was right.
I let his ass go, sending him crashing to the floor.
I grabbed my keys, making sure to leave the house key on the table.
I picked up my screaming daughter, grabbed a bag of our stuff, and left.
A nigga only had to tell me once. I wasn’t sure why I thought he would be the one to lift me up.
We were running the same course; the only difference was that I had a child, and he didn’t.
Jesaiah was treading a fine line, and his days were numbered because any nigga who walked around without a heart wasn’t going to live long.
College was supposed to be one of the catalysts to build us up, but for some, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and Jesaiah was a product of it.
I was more determined than ever to prove that good things could come out of bad situations.
I was going to make it through the spring semester; I already knew what I had to do.
I glanced in the back seat at my daughter, who’d finally calmed down. I texted Royce and told her to meet me at the Blue Café. I then called a number that had been staring me in the face for the last couple of days. It rang a few times, and someone picked up.
“Hello, thank you for calling There is Hope Adoption Agency. This is Francine. How can I help you?” she greeted me.
I clung to the phone. I knew this was best for my daughter, but I just hoped she would forgive me when or if I ever got the chance to explain.