MALI
Today was going good so far. To be around the Zoo felt good; it felt like family, which was something I hadn’t experienced in years.
I appreciated the guys because they didn’t display any alcohol.
If they were drinking, I couldn’t tell you where it came from.
Everyone took their seats at the table after two hours of Zaria giving instructions.
I glanced down at my watch because Symphony was supposed to be here by now.
The sounds of glass chiming caught my attention. “Thank you to everyone for being here. Thank you for allowing June and me to share our home with you—”
Chevy stood as he sat at the other end of the table. “Nah, Z, this was all you.”
She cut her eyes at him, and they stared at each other for a minute before she pulled her eyes away to look back at everyone before smiling. She turned to Preach, who was on the side of her. “Will you do us the honor of saying grace?” she asked.
Preach smiled, then glanced at Chevy. “I think Chev should do it. This is the Calloway home, it’s only right.” He winked.
Monfua leaned over toward me. “Now you know that nigga don’t know how to pray.”
He and I both laughed.
“Come on, Chev, you got this, just don’t give us a fucking speech,” Foe jumped in.
Dio began laughing, “Now you know this nigga Chev likes to hear himself talk. I mean, Ouch! Fuck you do that for, Mars?” Dio snapped.
Samara gave a weak smile. “I’m hungry and you're trying to get him riled up.”
Chevy pointed at Dio, but Harvey and Diamond both threw their hands up. “Shit, here we go.”
Zeus looked at Dio and nodded toward Chevy, as if he wanted him to say something. I could see the nervousness in Sasha’s eyes. She cleared her throat. “Mali, how are you feeling?” she asked.
I knew she was trying to change the subject. I smiled at her. “A nigga cooling. How—”
Chevy waved his hand. “Nah fuck all that, Samara, Dio, what’s up?”
Everyone’s attention focused on them. I watched as Peanut snickered, and his new friend was anticipating what was next. Lakia then shot up from the table. “Myles, how long are you not going to talk to me? It’s Thanksgiving, and I’ve said I’m sorry.”
Monfua tried to sit her down, but Foe had already tuned in. “Kia, before I say something to make you cry, chill out. Me and your nigga just got cool.”
Shit was beginning to take a turn for the worse. Navi turned to Bishop, “Are you two going to get back together? Or we’re going to move forward.”
Everyone’s heads snapped their way. Water flew from Bishop’s lips.
“I know you fucking lying!” Yana shouted.
Harvey’s head shook. “I knew it!” she yelped.
Zaria looked at Navi, “No! Indigo is my friend and you—
Chevy banged his hand on the table so hard that everyone looked his way. Beans held his arm in front of Chevy. “Nigga calm down. You’re going to get your turn.”
Chevy’s eyes bounced on Dio and Samara. Samara sat up, then let out a sharp breath. “Dio and I live together. The day you guys dropped me off and I told you he had a key, it’s because we made that decision.”
Chevy dropped his head. “Zu, you knew?”
“Yeah, nigga I knew.”
Chevy’s eyes rolled to Dio, who was sitting there unbothered. “Little nig—”
Chevy tried jumping over the table. Everyone jumped back while some of the niggas tried to tame him.
That nigga Chevy was strong. Diamond reached over and grabbed a roll, chomping on it as if all that mattered was him eating.
Zaria came around the table, grabbing Chevy’s shirt. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
When he lifted, the nigga had turkey residue on his face.
You could see how disgusted he was, and we all started laughing.
I knew Dio was in for it for sure. I sat back and watched as the Zoo family chaos made mine feel minor.
While everyone was going back to calm, I spotted Symphony, whom I had been waiting for.
The way she stood on the deck told me something was wrong.
She had been crying, I could tell. She stormed down the steps and into my face. “Where the fuck is it!” she screamed.
I could feel eyes on us. I went to grab her hand, and she pulled away from me. “No, nigga where is my fucking necklace? Did you sell it? I know you were there, I fucking know!”
I was beginning to panic. How the fuck was this happening to me? The regret of everything began suffocating me. I wanted to tell her myself. I wanted it to be just her and me, without everyone included, so that when she walked away from me, I could be alone. “Baby, listen to me. I-I—”
She wiped her tears, “You lied to me. You deceived me. Mison, I opened up to you, and now I have this baby in me, and you are just like Kareem.”
“I’m not like that nigga!” I snapped. “Don’t do that, don’t you compare me to his ass. I was there, but I did not know it was your place at first. Once I realized it, I tried to help, but it was too late. I swear to God, Symph. I swear I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“Fuck you! When you realized, why didn’t you come to help? Why didn’t you give me my shit back? Why did you make me catch feelings, and you knew all along?”
I had no words. What was I supposed to say?
I moved closer, and she moved back. “That fucking bottle. They always say a drunk ain’t shit, and you were probably drunk.
You love that shit over everything. You sit here and act like because you had a few days of sobriety that you deserve some fucking award.
You don’t, you should have been in jail right along with his ass. Fuck you, Mison!”
Bishop came over. “Ayo Symph, you alright? You know how I move about you,” he said, cutting his eyes at me.
She turned to him and snarled. “Fuck up, Bishop! Fine time to think that way now!”
Chev glanced at Bishop. “Let’s not go backward, my nigga. Ease up, they got this.”
I could see it in her eyes; she was done with me. It didn’t matter what I said or how much I pleaded; Symphony was done. Her tears poured out of her while mine trickled down my face. Everything I thought would happen smoothly went completely the opposite way.
I nodded my head as I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled out the necklace. “I wanted to tell you I did. The nigga wanted me to sell it, and I couldn’t because it was you. The girl who has everything, I was hoping that it would bring me love.”
I placed it in her hand, and she stormed off back the way she came. A nigga was broken. I had nothing to say. I glanced around as everyone looked at me with surprise and pity. I was the clown of the hour, and I couldn’t bear it, so I walked off.
“Ayo Mison, come back!” I heard one of them say.
I no longer wanted to be bothered. I had lost everything, and a nigga was tired.