Chapter six: Study date

The chilling air and fallen leaves signaled that is was late already late November in Woodcrest. The streets were clear and it was dead silent during most days, people simply preferred not to be outside during the colder weather, not even the Freemans.

"What are you doing up so early?" Huey inquired to his younger brother brother, currently lounging around on the couch in his brand new gear that he obtained with not-so-honest money.

"Nigga, cuz I am. The fuck does it got to do wit you?" Riley spat as he surfed the channels. "Why are you up, nigga?"

"I'm a morning person," Huey simply told him. "And you have just ruined my usually quiet mornings."

"Fuck you," Riley flipped him off.

Huey rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch, taking the remote from Riley and looking through the channels.

"Ay! Nigga gimme da remote, I had it first!" The younger Freeman growled, trying to take it back.

"I'm not watching your bullshit," Huey said. "It's too early for that."

"But I had it first!" Riley complained. "Ima tell Grandad!"

"Tell 'em." Huey shrugged.

"Come on quit playin wit me!"

"I ain't playing with you."

Riley jumped up and launched at Huey who tossed the remote in the air, did a back-flip off the couch and roundhouse kicked Riley back into his spot while the remote landed back in his hands.

"Ow! Wait 'til I go to dis karate camp dis summer!" Riley threatened, clutching his stomach. "Den we goan see who get da remote next time!" He then looked at his shirt and groaned loudly. "Aw man, you gat yo dusty ass footprint on mah new beeder." He got up, grumbling curses, and headed to change his clothes right as Huey's phone went off.

"Why are you calling me this early?" Huey rolled his eyes. "Don't you have a life?"

"Huey I need some serious help!" Jazmine whined on the other end. "This physics homework is too hard!"

"You're still working on that?" The young African American arched an eyebrow. "Wasn't it supposed to be turned in Thursday? It's the weekend now."

"I asked for an extension," Jazmine groaned. "Ugh, Physics sucks! Anyone who has an A in that class is either a super nerd or has no life and has dedicated it to studying this crap!"

"I have an A."

"Oh." Jazmine giggled a bit. "Anyway, can you come over and help me?"

"No."

"What? It's not like you have anything better to do."

"I have better things to do than dealing with you."

"Huey," And now the whining. "Please, just for a little while? I really need to get this done."

Huey sighed and stood up from his cough. "Fine, I'll be over in five minutes."

"Bout time, I was waitin' on you ta get off da TV!" Riley yelled coming down the steps holding his Playstation 3. Huey rolled his eyes and grabbed his backpack off the coat rack, now he had a reason to leave.

"Boy where you goin'?" Robert asked from the kitchen, where he was in his boxers. "It's 9 am, ain't nobody trying to deal with you this early."

"I'm just going to the Dubios'," Huey replied. "Jazmine needs help with her homework."

"Right, homework." Robert narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing spoon at Huey. "I'm sure ya'll be doin' homework while Mr. and Mrs. Dubois aren't home."

"I didn't know that," Huey tried opening the door, but Robert acted quickly and snatched him by wrist with his belt.

"Nuh uh!" he said. "Nope can't have it, ya'll ain't studying in an empty house where ya'll could be doin anything for who knows how long!" Riley suddenly erupted in laughter.

"Grandad you crazy!" he cackled. "Huey ain't goan get shit from nobody, especially not Jazmine! I mean yeah she gat some nice titties fo a 14 year old, an I guess she gat an iight ass. Actually, when ya think about it, she seems like da type to go down on-"

"RILEY!" Both Huey and Robert interrupted him.

"Nigga I'm just makin a point!" Riley folded his arms. "If anything, I know fo a fact dat I'llget some way befo' Huey does!"

"Boy yo ass is only thirteen!" Robert rolled his eyes. "Why you even thinkin about sex?"

"Huey only fourteen!"

"Yeah but he be fifteen in December," Robert argued. "And fifteen is really the year when things start happening with girls."

"Grandad," Huey slapped his face. "We're just doing schoolwork."

"Mmhm, I was your age too," Robert reminisced, ignoring him. "My first time was at eighteen, but you kids nowadays get too curious!" He then turned to Huey and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Boy tell me the truth," he said. "Have you ever….you know…..pet the dog?"

Huey's eyes grew wide as he yelled "Whoa! Grandad what the hell?!"

"It's a serious question boy!"

Riley was now on the floor laughing and holding his stomach. "Huey been beatin' his meat!" he laughed. "I wondered why we had mo' tissues in our garbage!"

"Boy shut yo ass up!" Robert hollered. "Didn't I catch yo ass in the act last week?"

Riley stopped. "Ay Grandad why yo gotta put a nigga on da spot like-…. I mean nigga I was pissin!" he then scrunched his nose up. "Plus, why you openin the doors when a niggas in da bathroom?"

"You were makin' noises I thought you done cut yoself ah sumthin'!"

"Nigga I said I was pissin!" Riley yelled back, clamping his hands on his ears. "Ahhh why we even talkin bout dis! You a gay ass nigga!"

"Call me dat one mo time!" Robert took off his belt and cracked it on the floor.

Thankfully for Huey, a knock at the door tore him away from the conversation. He sighed in relief and answered it as Robert and Riley continued arguing behind him.

"If you've come for a noise complaint you'll have to-" Huey stopped when he saw it was Jazmine standing there holding his books.

"You didn't show up." She said quietly. "And I kinda heard you and Mr. Freeman yelling."

"You didn't hear what he was talking about, did you?"

"Well….not exactly." Jazmine told him, blushing slightly.

"Not exactly?"

"I only heard up to the part where Riley started laughing."

Huey slapped his forehead. "Just, come on let's go up to my room before these idiots realize you're here."

They walked past Grandad and Riley, who were still arguing, and up to Huey's room. "Come on Grandad, I was just playin'." Riley cried running around the living room with Robert chasing him and swishing his belt.

The two finally managed to reach his room, well their room. Though he's protested about it enough, and there's the fact that he's almost fifteen years old, his Grandad still won't give Huey his own room. So every time he opens his door he has to deal with Riley's messy side.

Jazmine plopped down on Huey's bed and held her books in front of him. "Teach me, now."

"Don't order me around," Huey told her sitting down with her. "Before we start, what exactly do you not get about physics?"

"Just about everything." Jazmine threw her hands up.

"Well, I can't see why you have a hard time with this, it's kinda like math," Huey said. "And you're better than me at that."

"I don't see math anywhere in this," she pulled out her worksheet that had about two things written on it, one of them being her name. "Look how empty this is, I've been working on this since Tuesday."

"Okay, let me look this over." Huey took the paper from her and skimmed over it. "Well first of all when you-"

"Ay nigga!" Riley suddenly burst into the room. "Where's mah….aw Jazzy in here? Damn nigga you should keep yo door locked if you goan be doin all dat."

"Riley we're not doing anything." Huey sighed.

"Riight," Riley said winking at him. "Well if ya ain't doin nuthin then you won't mind if I sit here wit ya'll."

"Actually I think I'd be better if you went somewhere else," Jazmine said quietly. "Don't you think Cindy wants to hang with you?"

"C-Murder on her way now," Riley shrugged. "She bringin' our essentials."

"Like we don't know what that is," Huey said rolling his eyes before muttering "Potheads."

Riley just grinned as Jazmine raised an eyebrow. "Since when have you two started smoking?"

"Since last year, keep up wit ta times!" Riley said. "Nigga you know I stay wit a box of blacks! Matta fact I need ta freak one right about now." Riley went over and opened his dresser pulling out a black and mild. "Don't mind me."

"Riley get out." Huey growled.

"Nah nigga, you don't own me!" Riley said. "Plus dis mah room too!"

"I'm trying to help Jazmine," Huey said getting a little angry. "You're being a real distraction."

"Nigga we both know whatchu really wanna do," Riley smirked. "Ain't dat right Jazzy? We know what he up to." Jazmine blushed scarlet, covering her face with her book.

"Riley!" Huey yelled jumping at the younger Freeman.

Riley moved out the way and jumped on top of his older brother punching him in the sides. Jazmine sighed in annoyance at this, all she wanted was a little peaceful study date with Huey.

"Get off me, damn it!" Huey yelled throwing Riley over his shoulder.

Riley hit the wall and quickly scrambled up. He picked up his baseball bat and swinging it, Huey managed to dodge all the swings but he wasn't prepared for a swift kick to the groin from Riley.

"That's low!" Huey groaned in pain falling to the ground.

"Nigga ain't no such thang as a fair fight!" Riley yelled charging at him once more. This time, Huey acted quickly and jumped up, kicking Riley hard in the chest and sending him flying toward the door that just flew open.

"Ay wats crackin mah-..Whoa!" Cindy dodged the airborne Riley as he fell into the hallway. "Da fuck goin' on in here?"

"Nigga you ain't gonna get away wit dat!" Riley scrambled back up to attack again, but before he could move, Robert grabbed him by the wrist.

"What the hell is goin' on up here?!" he hollered.

"We was just wrestlin'," Riley told him with a fake smile. "Ain't nuthin' serious goin' on."

"Wrestlin? Well ya'll bettah quit befo' I bring out the title belt!" Robert warned, heading back downstairs and grumbling "Wrestlin' in mah house, shoot I wish a nigga would."

Riley shot a glare at Huey, who matched him with his own, and said "Dis ain't ova bitch."

"Chill out Reezy, you niggas be fightin' too much." Cindy shook her head. "Ya need ta relax yo' nerves, luckily I got somethin' just for dat." She then turned to Huey. "Ya'll tryna hit it wit us?"

"I like my braincells where they are." Huey said sitting down.

Jazmine looked a little curious but then said "No thanks."

"Shit, mo weed fo us den Reezy." Cindy said slapping Riley on the back. "C'mon nigga."

"Man we need ta get Ed and Rummy though." Riley suggested. "I ain't tryna face dis blunt."

"Aw nigga you soft," Cindy teased him by grabbing his ear. "You cain't take da weed."

"Nigga I ain't soft!" Riley defended smacking Cindy's hand away. "You da one dat be goin to sleep afta' smokin'. Plus we hittin' dis shit at yo house, yo peoples don't give a shit what we do, and you got mo' food."

"Whateva nigga, let's just go."

"Finally," Huey said as the two left them alone. "Now as I was saying-"

"Huey," Jazmine interrupted.

Huey glared at her, but Jazmine didn't pay any mind. "What?"

"Is what Riley said true?" she asked suspiciously. "About your 'intentions'?"

"What? No!" Huey seemed slightly flustered. "Why the hell would I want to do that with you?" He then cursed himself for how that came out.

"Oh I see," Jazmine predictably seemed offended. "You think it'd be the most disgusting thing in the world don't you?!"

"I didn't say that," Huey told her. "It's just…I'm only fourteen so I….damn it Jazmine stop looking at me like that!" Jazmine rolled her eyes at him.

"It's okay I understand," Jazmine said smiling all the sudden. Huey gave her a dumbfounded look, but shook his head and decided to chalk that one up to her volatile personality.

"Anyway," he looked at the textbook again. "Back to the homework assignment-"

"You wanna kiss?" Jazmine interrupted again, almost making Huey fall off his bed.

"What?!"

"You heard me," Jazmine spoke in her innocent tone. "I mean yeah we aren't dating, yet, but why can't we kiss?"

"Best friends don't kiss just out of the blue," Huey talked as if she were insane. "Well at least I don't. And exactly what do you mean by yet?"

"Since when have we been best friends?" She countered with her own question that Huey wouldn't comment on. "Come on you big baby it's just a kiss, we've kissed before."

"No we haven't."

"Yes we have."

"I'm certain we haven't, aside from the two you sprang on me out of nowhere," Huey tapped his chin. "Nope, we definitely haven't."

"Remember last Christmas?" Jazmine reminded him. "You, me, mistletoe. It's kinda hard to forget."

Huey fell quiet at that memory, now he remembered why he hated mistletoe's so much. "Okay once, but-"

"And my thirteenth birthday!" Jazmine added. "Remember, you kissed me and said that that was my gift because you were too cheap to buy me a real gift."

"Jazmine I wish I had a father that showered me with money too," Huey said sarcastically. "Besides you told me that's what you wanted to make up for it, so that you wouldn't stay mad at me."

"So you see my point then," Jazmine concluded. "With our history, what's one more kiss?"

Huey sighed, he knew she was never gonna shut up about this. "Fine, but only one kiss," he said. "Then no more interruptions, just homework."

"That's all I ask," Jazmine smiled warmly making Huey feel that tightness in his chest again. Slowly, she crawled over to his side of the bed until she was inches away from him.

"Well?" she said almost in a whisper. "You gonna do it?"

"Shut up," Huey growled leaning just enough so that their lips touched slightly, just a little peck.

As he was about to pull away, though, Jazmine grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a stronger and deeper kiss. Huey's eyes shot open, as he tried to fight against her grip without hurting her. Eventually, he decided to just give her what she wanted and began kissing her back.

This girl, she always has to be so difficult, he thought to himself, Whatever, it's not like this is bad. When she relaxed her grip, he took that opportunity to pull away from her, and made sure to give her an extra hard glare to which she responded with a smack of her lips.

"You taste like chocolate," she laughed, looking him over. "Dark chocolate."

"Was that a racial joke?" he asked seriously. "And yes, I did have some candy earlier. Can we get on with this homework?" Jazmine nodded. "Good, now what I was trying to explain was-"

"Boy, it got quiet up there for a moment. I hope you ain't doin' nuthin you ain't supposed to!" Robert called from downstairs. "Don't let him seduce you, cutie pie."

Jazmine giggled as Huey groaned and slapped himself on the forehead.

A/N: Not really much to say, just keeping it going. Until next time.

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