Page 52 of Love & Streetball

Sitting outside on the steps two days later, I watched a kid’s birthday party down the way. They were frying fish, kids were jumping in a bouncy house, and the older folks were cutting up to the music. The projects could be a place of happiness at times, but I could never forget how it took my best friend.

My head turned to the left when I heard a car coming. That was my first instinct now. I was paranoid and anxious all the time since Vani’s death. My shoulders relaxed when I saw the white Bentley.

“There go yo’ lil’ boy frieeeend,” one of the hood niggas teased. “That lil’ nigga got it bad.”

I frowned. “You got it all wrong.”

One of the guys named Justin spat onto the grass. “Nah, you in denial, Slim,” he chimed in. “That nigga don’t care how rough it is over here. He don’t care ‘bout getting hemmed up and niggas jacking him. He still come over to see you. Nigga got heart.”

Kane pulled up, the engine purring. All the niggas had their eyes set on it. Kane climbed out, dressed in simple black joggers that hung off his hips and he was shirtless. The sun bounced off his silver chain around his neck. A pair of Griffey’s were on his feet.

“Nigga basic and still clean,” someone chuckled.

Ignoring the stares, Kane bopped over to me with a grin on his face. I mean showing all perfect thirty-twos as I he didn’t violate the other day.

“Hey, Slim,” he spoke before nodding his head at the guys. They all spoke back, one even joking asking him if he could take a spin in the Bentley.

“You be just popping up over here,” I told him without greeting him back.

Kane sat beside me and shrugged. “I know you’ll be around.”

“I could be busy,” I shot back.

He turned to me, his brown eyes digging into mine. “Busy doing what?”

“Stuff,” I mumbled.

“Let’s move around. They finna have a lover’s quarrel,” Justin joked, causing the guys to break out into laughter. I refused to entertain them.

Kane pointed at the moving bodies. “What they meant by that?”

I shook my head and picked my phone up. “They just talking. What you doin’ over here?”

“Why I always come over here?”

Our eyes met again when I cut my eyes in his direction. The front door open.

“Oh, hey, Kane,” Mama said through a yawn.

“How you doin’ Mama?” he replied, smirking at me. I nudged him with my elbow.

“Doing good. You ate?”

I turned around and eyeballed her. “You didn’t ask me if I ate.”

Mama waved me off playfully. “I know you did with that bowl sitting in my sink, Scottie.”

Kane snickered. “No, ma’am. I had breakfast on the way. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, baby. I’m about to mop my floors, Slim. Stay outside for a while.”

I mumbled out an, “Okay,” and she closed the door.

“You want to go riding?” Kane asked, standing. “It’s too hot to just be out here.”

“You don’t even have a shirt on, nigga,” I cackled. “Coming over here like that.”

Kane looked down, running a hand down his bare chest. “I look good, don’t I? All fit ‘n shit.”