she was crazy as I took out the iron board to iron my shirt.
“She ain't a dike, and we straight”, she eyed the phone as it stopped and then vibrated again a second later.
“Then why aren't you answering”, she asked with her arms folded and an eyebrow rose.
“Again that's my business”, I answered not looking up at her. The phone stopped again and this time it started vibrating D picked it up. “Don't answer that”
“Tell me or ima answer it”
“You gone miss the bus”
“I'll walk”
“It's still pretty dark outside”
“I'll be okay”
I weighed my options. Tell her and the situation is done or don't tell her and she answers the phone.
“I just don't feel like talking to her right now”, I half-lied and continued ironing.
“You’re a bad liar. Bet CC will tell me whats up”, she started to answer the phone when I tackled her to the floor and took the phone.
“No she won't and you betta not mess with her at school. D, I swear, if I hear you said anything to her, or asked about anything, I won’t get you them shoes you been asking about”, I threatened.
“My daddy will get em”, she said.
“Yea right, that piece of sh--”, I started.
“Leave my daddy alone.”
“Whateva, you dumb if you think he got money. He broke all the time”, I said with a laugh.
“I’m leaving”, she said as she took her purse or book bag. Whatever it is, looks like a purse, works as a book bag. Who knows who cares?
“Good”, I slipped in the shower, put on my clothes, ate breakfast and left.
School was school. Boring and pointless; it doesn't feel like I'm learning anything. I'm just wasting my time; acting like I wanna be here when I don't. Only thing stopping me from dropping out was that I like playing football here.
“Hey bae, I called you this morning”
“Naw I ain't have no missed calls”, I lied.
She looked confused and ready to call me on my lie but she changed her mind. “Okay anyways, can you drop me off home after school”, we were standing on the farthest side of the school by the gym. I pulled out a cigarette and fired it up.
“No”, I answered flatly.
“Why not”, she asked, and then folded her arms across her chest.
“Don't ask questions CC”
“Scuse me for asking my boyfriend to drop me off.”, she scuffed.
“You excused”, I said back quickly.
“Where you going that's so important that you can't drop me off Derek?”
“Tending”, I said as I took a long drag and blew it in her face. She coughed and gave me a look of disgust. I ain't really mean to blow it in her face. Demetria don't like the smell of this stuff either. I don't know why, but it smells good to me.
“Tending to what? Or should I say who?” she lifted her arm to my cigarette, pulled it out my mouth, threw it on the floor. I was gone pull out another one just out of spite.
“Man, get out of my face CC, dang, stop with the questions. You giving me a head ache. It’s too early on the morning for this.” I rubbed my hands over my eyes and took a deep breath.
“Just tell me where ya going? What are you hiding Derek?”
“Nothing”, I yelled to her. “I'm going to see my pops okay. Is that okay with you?”
She looked guiltily at me. She knew all the things that went on with my dad and me. “I'm sorry”, she whispered looking down at her feet. “I'm tired of arguing. Why can't you just be open with me?”
“See, you not tired of arguing, if you was then you wouldn't ask so many stupid questions”
“It wouldn't seem stupid if you were open with me”
“You want me to be open with you?”
“Yes”
“You really want me to be open?” I smirked at the happy look on her face. I was tired of her questioning me.
“Ye---”,
Before she could get it out I sneered lowly, “Go to hell”, then I walked away. I wasn't in the mood.
“Well, you know what Derek. You can ---”, I'm pretty sure she said something pretty inappropriate but I stopped listening as I opened the door and went to my next class.
About twenty minutes into the class I got bored and walked out. As I walked out I heard my teacher yell out that she was writing me up, as if I cared.
I went to my car and drove the hour and half to my dads’.
“Hey pops”, I yelled when I got to the screen door that was locked. The door was open so he could hear me through the screen.
“Hey boy”, he yelled out as he sat his gun down and came to open the door.
“Cleaning guns again”, I asked nodding my heads toward them. I guess he collects them.
“Yeah, trying to keep my mind off---”He cleared his throat then continued. “Things”, I knew he was gone say drugs. “Tryna stay busy, nobody cares about me enough to keep me busy”, he said giving me a look that said he was talking about me.
“Get a girlfriend. She'll keep you busy”
“Women bring problems. Problems that will lead me back to you know what so, I'm staying away from them for right now”, he sat down in a lounge chair. I sat across from him on a couch.
“Other than the rehab, what else could there be?” I asked confused on why I had to come see him today.
“I---uh---I got lung Cancer”, he said the last part while rubbing his hand over his eyes to wipe away what was no doubt a tear.
I don't understand how he could have it. My dad is 44, yea that's old but it's not that old. He has a lot of life left to live.
“They can help you though right?”
“I guess. They caught it pretty early so---I don't know I just wanted to be the one to tell you. Not your mama”
“I understand”, we sat in comfortable silence for a while. He likes golf so we watched it for a few hours before I got bored out my mind and stood up.
“I gotta go pops. Homework and stuff”, I lied.
