Chapter 7: Pinky swears and promises
It wasn't long before the chilling breeze of November came and went and were replaced by the shivering cold snowy December weather. Winter in Woodcrest was usually Huey's favorite time. Not because of Christmas, he actually didn't like that holiday very much, and not because his birthday was during the winter, he truly despised his birthdays. He just happened to prefer cold weather, it usually meant no one would bother him or come knocking on his door at 9 am.
Then again, it also meant that he'd be forced to tag along with Jazmine whenever she went out, seeing as Tom didn't like her going anywhere alone and Jazmine didn't want her father following her everywhere. Which is where Huey comes in. So now here he sat, with mild protest, at the food court in the mall with Jazmine, Riley and Cindy.
What a joyous group that is.
"So, any of you want anything special for Christmas?" Jazmine spoke up, sipping her latte.
"Shit, nuthin' different than what every playa wants." Riley smirked. "Money, clothes and hoes."
"I don't know what I want, pretty much gat errthang I need." Cindy shrugged. "Well havin' a new phone wouldn't be so bad. Neither would gettin' me a new chain."
"What about you Huey?" Jazmine asked.
"I don't care," he said. "I don't really need anything."
"You gots to be da lamest nigga on the planet," Riley said. "You don't even want a new phone, dat damn dinosaur you got is pathetic man."
"Shut up Riley," Huey said not looking up from his magazine.
"Well I'm definitely wanting those new Jimmy Choo shoes," Jazmine said proudly.
"Ooo," Cindy said excitedly. "You talkin 'bout da ones in red?!" The moment she said that, everyone at the table gave her rather perplexed looks. "I-I mean, Jimmy Choos? Nigga I fucks wit Jordans!"
"Of course," Huey rolled his eyes.
"Anyway ain't Ceasar s'posed to be comin' back when skoo out?" Riley asked.
"Yeah, he said sometime at end of the semester." Huey answered. "Semester ends next Friday so we might see him between then and New Year's."
"Semester ends next Friday?" Jazmine suddenly looked horrified. "Oh no! That means mid-terms start this week!"
"Why you stressin'?" Cindy asked. "Yo grades is straight, hell you doin' bettah dan me an I gat A's and B's."
"I've got one lousy C though," Jazmine said. "Physics."
"Why you take at class anyway?" Cindy folded her arms and shook her head. "You shoulda stuck ta integrated science like I did."
"I took that in 8th grade," Jazmine said. "Besides Huey was taking it so-"
"So you figured it'd be an easy A," Huey finished for her. "Jazmine, you're really an idiot."
"No I'm not!" Jazmine protested. "And that's not the reason I took the class!"
Cindy rolled her eyes and looked at Riley. "Ima bout ta go get mah munch on," she told him. "Ya'll want anything?"
"Get me some curly fries from dat Arby's ova dere." Riley said. "Extra large."
"I gatchu," Cindy said. "Jazzy? Huey?"
"Um, I'd like a milkshake."
"That doesn't make sense, you're eating ice cream during the winter." Huey interjected.
"So what? I want ice cream." Jazmine said sticking her tongue out at him. Huey just shook his head and went back to his magazine, if she wanted to freeze even more, then let her.
"Hey I just realized," she spoke up suddenly. "You've gotten a little taller."
"Really?" Huey asked sarcastically. "Because I thought I was getting shorter, you know how those growth spurts work."
"No need for the sarcasm," she snapped. "So exactly how tall are you now?"
Huey shrugged. "I don't measure myself like Riley." He said. "Poor guy is just wishing he'd grow an inch."
"Fuck you," Riley told him absentmindedly as he was too busy watching a bunch of girls walk by them.
"Isn't your birthday this weekend?" Jazmine asked, to which she received a slight nod. "You're so lucky, you get birthday gifts and Christmas gifts!"
"That's not how it works, especially with Grandad," Huey responded, sipping his coffee some more. "Hell, I'll be lucky to get socks from him."
"Still, that's two good things to celebrate in one day."
Huey simply responded with a shrug and turned back to his reading material. Jazmine sighed, wondering to herself why she even bothered trying anymore.
It's already been two months, she thought, He hasn't even brought it up, God I wish he'd just get it over with.
Huey took noticed of Jazmine's staring and said "What you've never seen a black man before?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry."
"Whatever."
"Man just get it ova wit already," Riley said looking at the two of them. "I mean, even I can feel dis atmosphere."
"Again you surprise me with your ability to use bigger words," Huey told him. "I think I should by a box of cookies, just to give you one every time you get past that ghetto vocabulary of yours."
"Whateva, avoid my question all you want," Riley grinned turning back to the ass he was staring at. "Ay look at dat flat board of an ass, I know she don't get no action!"
"Riley, why are you judging girls on their butts?" Jazmine asked.
"Cuz, mane." Riley said. "If a bitch ain't gat an ass den she ain't got nuttin, I don't care if she got double d on her chest, if she flat she ain't all that." He gestured to the girl he was talking about. "It's all about da asses, an I ain't just talkin about black folk either, white folks are startin' ta appreciate ass mo' dan titties now a days."
Jazmine rolled her eyes good naturally. "So what about mine?" she giggled, making actually look at her this time.
"What?" Huey spit out some of his coffee. "Jazmine, why do you need to know?"
"Cuz nigga she want to," Riley waved him off. "Stand up fo me." Jazmine did as she was told and turned around a bit. "I like it, it's gat da perfect roundness fo' someone yo' age, like half a basketball. I'll bet when you get older, you could make some bank off it."
"Really?" she asked. "I thought I was rather flat."
"Nah, nah," Riley said. "See yo' momma wasn't all dat flat, she gat herself a nice body too. Like even yo' titties is pretty big fo' yo age." He gave her another look over. "Damn Jazzy, if you keep growing yo goan be a fine ass chick."
"Hmm, I never knew that." Jazmine smiled. "Thanks Riley."
"Why are we talking about this?" Huey asked chin still dripping from the coffee he'd just spit out.
"Well what do you think?" Jazmine asked giving him a view of her backside. "Do you like my butt, Huey?" The young African American could tell she was just doing this to tick him off, but he nearly came close to telling her what he really thought of her physical appearance before Riley interrupted.
"Dayum!" He suddenly yelled out. "Look at dat fine ass right there!"
Both Jazmine and Huey looked over to see who he was referring to, there was a girl standing in line in front of an Arby's wearing some blue basketball shorts with a white T-shirt. The sight of her ass even made Huey arch both his eyebrows and drop his jaw slightly, looks like he was going to have to chalk that one up to his 'nigga instincts'.
"Hold up, ima bout ta holla at dat." Riley announced getting up and hurrying towards the blonde.
"Wait a minute," Jazmine tapped her chin. "Wasn't Cindy wearing exactly what that girl is now?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it." Huey narrowed his eyes. "She's wearing the same ponytail too, and shoes, and..." He trailed off at the sudden realization and looked at Jazmine, both of them started chuckling slightly and turned back to where Riley was headed.
"Hey lil mama, wats dat age?" Riley asked the girl.
"Reezy?" Cindy turned around, giving him a weird look. "What are you doin'?"
Riley's eyes widened as he backed away slowly. "C-Murder?!" he said. "Say swear!"
"Whuz you tryna holla at me?" Cindy asked eyebrow arching.
"N-Naw, ya see I thought you whuz sumbody else an-" Riley was at a loss as words as Cindy smirked slightly.
"You crazy Reezy," she chuckled. "Next time, pay attention to what yo' homie be wearin' befo' tryna holla at a chick."
Riley, feeling stupid as hell, walked back to his table to see Huey and Jazmine trying to hold in her laughter.
"Shut up!" he yelled blushing. "I ain't know it was her iight?!"
"Sure Riley," Huey grinned. "You know you wanna tear dat ass up." Riley growled at the role reversal Huey just played.
"Ay at least I can appreciate a nice ass when I see it," Riley said. "Shit, you cain't even tell yo own girlfriend she gat a nice ass. Gatta have yo lil brotha do it fo you."
"Yeah that would be a bad thing," Huey groaned his smile gone for the day. "If she were my girlfriend, but she isn't."
Though I wish I were, Jazmine thought bitterly. Jerk.
"Nigga is you blind?" Riley asked. "Whether you know it or not, ya'll been datin' since yaw wuz ten years old!"
"Back," Cindy said suddenly. "What I miss? Besides the fact that Reezy tried to holla at me."
"Huey and Riley are arguing again," Jazmine explained. already tired of it.
Cindy giggled, in an extremely girlish way, interrupting the argument and making everybody stop yet again and stare at her again.
"Cindy," Jazmine said. "Are you alright? First you're getting excited over shoes now you're giggling. I think something must be wrong with you."
"I concur."
"Fo sho."
"Y-Yeah I'm iight," Cindy told tjem. "Prolly just feelin' a lil lightheaded from dat weed I hit yesterday." Jazmine narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her friend as she handed Riley his curly fries.
"Cindy, can we talk?" Jazmine asked. "Alone?"
"Well actually I'm tryna smash dese-"
Jazmine grabbed her arm and pulled her out of hearing range from the two boys. "Ay nigga," Cindy growled. "Why you goin' and tearing a nigga away from her food?"
"You're turning into a girl," Jazmine smiled smugly.
Cindy's face deadpanned. "Well ah think I've been a girl for 15 years so-"
"No I mean like a girly girl!" Jazmine said. "Like me!"
"W-What?" Cindy jumped back. "N-Nigga you crazy, I'm a hood nigga I ain't no girly girl."
"Really?" Jazmine asked grinning. "Then may I ask what did you buy today?"
"A-A chain!" Cindy said, clutching her bag defensively. "Wit a big C on it, plus I ain't buy it I stole it!"
"Let me see it then," Jazmine smirked.
Cindy didn't budge at first, but then she gave in handed her the bag hanging her head in defeat, Jazmine victoriously looked inside the bag and almost squealed.
"You got the new Jimmy Choos I was talking about! With the receipt!"she said excitedly. "You are girly! Finally I'm not the only real girl in this group, no offense." Cindy looked extremely embarrassed and covered her face with her hands. "What's wrong?"
"Look," the blonde began, in a completely different proper tone. "I'll admit I am getting a tad bit…ugh…..you know. But see, this ain't gonna work, I mean if I become like the stereotypical white girl then Reezy won't hang out with me anymore. I mean I still like smoking weed, and I'll never quit smoking blacks, but I also wanna dress in some tight jeans that show off my nice ass and cute shoes and stuff like that."
"Ohh," Jazmine was still trying to get over the fact that Cindy wasn't talking like a gangsta. "So you're still a wannabe gangsta, but you're a girly wanna be gangsta?"
"Who's says I'm a wannabe?" Cindy asked. "Anyway, that's not the only reason I wanna do it."
"Oh there's more?"
"See it all started a few weeks ago when I turned fifteen," Cindy said. "It's like a spell came over me, I stopped watching gangland so often, I began giggling and getting excited over a pair of stupid heels, hell I even started talking "properly" and not like a gangsta anymore! But the worst thing of all is that I started…..getting attracted to guys."
"Well that's normal." Jazmine said. "Actually, for a while I thought you'd end up liking girls. I mean, you did watch that girl on girl video with Riley."
"What? It was hot, I can see myself getting down with another chick," Cindy shrugged. "Anyway, we're not talking about that. We're talking about me liking guys, one guy in particular." She took in a breath. "This may come as a shock to you, but I like…..well I think I wanna go out with….ya see a certain someone has perked my interest an-"
"You like Riley." Jazmine said.
"How'd you know?"
"It was obvious," Jazmine explained. "I saw how you were around him, how you always followed him, did everything he did."
"Like you and Huey?"
"Yeah like me an….hey!"
"Chill out, I've know for about a few months." Cindy laughed. "You've liked him since we were kids."
Jazmine sighed and nodded. "So I guess we got a thing for the Freeman brothers."
"Mmhm," Cindy agreed. "I mean you have to admit, they are cute."
"Of course!" she said. "Drop dead gorgeous in my opinion."
"You've got it bad, girl."
Jazmine folded her arms and tapped her chin. "Hey I have an idea," she said. "Let's pinky swear."
"Pinky swear on what?"
"That before the end of next year, we'll make the Freeman brothers ours," Jazmine said.
Cindy thought it over and nodded approvingly. "Sounds good," she said linking her pinky with Jazmine's. "But we also promise not to tell anyone about what's going on with me."
"Okay then."
Meanwhile, while the girls talked more, Riley and Huey were still sitting at the table with the former starting to have a mild freakout.
"Man I swear!" he gasped, clutching his chest. "I think…..oh mah God it cain't but true…I think I'm startin' ta like Cindy! Aw hell naw I just called her Cindy!"
Huey, while it was rather amusing to him, sat there sipping his coffee. "How's that a problem?" he asked. "I can admit that she's pretty cute, and she's not that bad of a girl minus the wannabe gangsta attitude."
"Who's a wannabe? Listen nigga," Riley pointed a finger at him. "Cindy, see there I go again, ain't just no gurl. Ats mah ride or die nigga, the nigga dat been dere since I was eight, man! You ain't gat a clue how it is to start likin' someone dat been yo best friend fo a long time!" Huey's face deadpanned at Riley, who immediately realized his mistake. "Aw, my bad. You know exactly what I'm goin' through."
"Yeah, I do." Huey sighed. "It ain't pretty."
"Sho ain't, man I don't wanna like C-Murder! We drug dealin' weed smokin' car stealin' police hatin' niggas fo life. I don't wanna fuck dat up!" Riley groaned. "And here I thought I wuz neva goan fall fo only one gurl!" He let his head hang from the chair, sitting there in silence for a while. "So, what we gonna do?"
"Well, you could just wait." Huey said. "That's what I've been doin' in the past couple of months. Waiting to see if the feelings just go away."
"How's dat workin fo you?"
"Not good, hell they're probably stronger now."
"So I guess dere's only one solution." He said. "We gatta…..date 'em."
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Huey said. "Let's not be hasty, I mean what if it don't work out?"
"Den we fucked nigga," Riley said. "I ain't no pussy ass nigga iight. Ima go afta what I want, and what I want is Cindy Mcpherson ya feel me?"
"But you can't just expect me to walk up to Jazmine and be like 'I wanna go out' all the sudden." Huey told him. "I mean yeah she pretty much told me the same thing but-"
"Huh? She said she want you?!" Riley said. "Nigga why ain't you say yes den?!"
"Because I still don't understand how I feel about her." Huey reminded him. "Besides, you know how I've always been to her. How am I supposed to just changed how I've been around her for almost five years?"
"Dats some ol' bullshit!" Riley yelled. "Nigga you just told me you liked her, an now a nigga goan change da story? Nigga please!"
"Riley you just don't understand I-"
"Oh I understand iight," Riley interrupted. "A nigga scared of pussy! Nigga yo dick prolly little, no homo, an you don't won't nobody dat see you errday ta find out!"
"That's got nothing to do with it." Huey shot back.
"Den what?" Riley asked. "What exactly is makin' you say no to a fine piece a ass like Jazmine? Shit she da came up ta me wit all dat Ida been done said goan an do whatcha gatta do, but yo bitch ass all like 'I don't know' like some ol' bitch nigga! I'm ashamed to be yo brotha! Yo little brotha!"
Huey sighed, slapping his hand over his head, he knew Riley was completely right, well minus the accusation he made. "You're right."
"What? Yo dick lil? Nigga I don't wanna know about-"
"No!" Huey said. "I'm talking about everything else. Look, I'll make a deal with you."
"Iight, I'm all ears."
"By the end of the semester, we'll decide whether we want Jazmine and Cindy or not." Huey suggested. "How's that?"
"Man I already know I want Cindy!" Riley protested. "You da nigga dats unsure."
"Oh yeah?" Huey challenged. "Tell me, do you want Cindy to be your only girlfriend or just your fuck buddy?" Riley opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly paused. "That's what I thought."
"Iight, iight." Riley said. "But if you bitch out, I'm tellin errbody dat you whuz watchin basketball wives yesterday!"
"I was flipping through the channels!" Huey said.
"Dey don't know dat." Riley grinned evilly. Huey rolled his eyes and shook hands with his younger brother. They sat back down in silence for a bit.
"Nigga where dem chicks at?" Riley said. "We look hella gay sittin' hur by ourselves."
"Riley shut up."
A/N: This was probably the chapter I had to revise the most. Oh well, until next time.
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