She arched a brow. “You was running your mouth?”
I nodded. “Something like that…but I have something to tell y’all.”
“What’s up?” my parents questioned in unison.
I nervously twisted my lips. “I uh…I have a boyfriend.”
I stood back, bracing myself. Then was completely thrown off, as gradual smiles graced their faces.
“A boyfriend, huh?” My daddy grinned. “That’s what’s up…because we was beginning to wonder.”
I frowned in confusion. “Wonder about what?” As soon as I asked the question, it dawned on me. “Wait. Daddy, you thought that I was gay?”
Laughing, he opened his arms. “Hey, what you want me to say? You’re ya mama and daddy’s creation, so you’re fucking gorgeous. Those little boys go crazy over you…but you haven’t dated—”
“At all,” my mama added.
“Right. So, we was thinking that maybe it was a girl you liked or something.”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “That’s definitely not my thing.”
“Okay.” They both shrugged, giving the impression that me being gay wouldn’t have been a huge issue for them.
“Okay…so, I guess that I should also tell y’all who my boyfriend is.”
“Who?” They again both asked in unison.
“Little Sincere,” I huffed out.
“You bullshitting,” my daddy lightly chuckled.
“No. I’m serious.”
“Jah, wait,” my mama goofily giggled. “Wait a minute. Is…is that why Lil’ Sin slapped Jules in the backyard? They was both liking you at the same time?”
I shrugged. “I guess. It was something like that.”
My daddy stroked his goatee. “That lil’ nigga wasn’t playing, neither.”
“Right,” my mama agreed, tapping daddy’s shoulder. “Then he was the reason they had that fight at that party. Checking somebody over her. Now, it all makes sense.”
“Yep,” my daddy concurred. “But yeah…if you’re gonna date, then I’m not mad at your selection. Lil’ Sin is a good one. He aint in no trouble. Got a promising future. And his people got their own money. Shit, he’s family, anyway, and now we aint gotta have no outsiders in the mix. So, hell yeah. This is cool.”
“True.” My mama’s eyes lowered into slits. “But what prompted you to tell us tonight, Riah?”
My stomach twisted into knots, as I thought of what to say. “Because…I’m realizing that y’all needed to know. With him boxing, and me in sports…we don’t be having enough space to just randomly be in the same space, anymore. So, now, I justwant to put it out there, and then I can be honest when I say that I want to go hang at Trinity’s before my curfew.”
Raven’s lashes fluttered. “Why does this sound like y’all was sneaking around for a while? Exactly how long have you and Sin J called yallselves talking?”
I twisted my lips. “Since we were like twelve or thirteen.”
“Say, what? Hell, nawl,” my daddy laughed in disbelief.
“Oh, so this aint new…” My mama narrowed her gaze. “You…you aint no virgin no more, are you?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Mama,” I pouted.
She cut her eyes at my daddy, who had his eyebrows furrowed, seemingly awaiting my response. “Bae, let me take over from here.”
