It's been a couple days, so I made this chapter a bit longer.


"'Kay, babe. Love ya too." Michael spoke down the phone before hanging up.

"Ay, buddy! Whasssaaaa'!" Trevor shouted as he walked over to Michael with open arms.

"C'mon, man, chill out." Michael replied.

"Bah, this guy's dead inside, Frank!" Trevor boomed.

"Whatever, man." Franklin shrugged, before turning to Michael. "That your wife, Mike?"

"Eeyup." Michael answered. "Anyways, let's have a few more beers."

"Now that's what I like to hear, Mikey boy!" Trevor cheered.

As the minutes passed after Franklin, Michael, Trevor, Lester, Paige, Rickie, Karim and Packie drank several more beers, Lamar needed to take a piss, so he did the normal thing a friend would do and went to piss on the road.

"Man, I gotta take a wizz..." Lamar whispered to himself as Franklin's stereo played. As Lamar sneaked off, Michael began talking to Franklin as the rest of the group chatted. Michael and Franklin walked some ways away so they could hear each other.

"Look, kid... You know Tracey, right?" Michael asked, to which Franklin slowly nodded. "So, what I'm tryin' to say is..." Michael thought for a moment, before he sighed. "Look, I'm gonna just text you her number. Take her out to do something normal, all right? See a movie, have a few quiet drinks, anything."

Franklin raised his eyebrows involuntarily. "Um... okay?"

Michael went on. "I mean, she's been brought up in the second half of her life with parties, casual boyfriends, drinking, all that crazy stuff. I know I can't undo that shit, but maybe you could. Ya get me?"

Franklin's eyes darted side to side in confusion for a second. "Um, okay, I get it; mellow her out so she becomes a more acceptable member of society... Right?"

"Yes!" Michael blurted out and pointed his finger at Franklin as if to say 'eureka'.

"Okaaay, but, why do ya want me to do it? She barely knows me! What about Trevor - she loves Uncle T, right? Hell, what about you, man? You're her dad." Franklin somewhat argued.

Michael rubbed his eyes with his hand, with a sort of awkward embarrassment. "I'm just gonna tell ya straight; she likes ya. A lot. Plus, she's never had a boyfriend, so to speak. Just some pricks that like her for her looks for a couple days, then move on. Ya know what I'm sayin', kid?"

"Yeah yeah, man, I got it." Franklin then took another sip of his beer. "Man, I just hope my girl don't get jealous or nothin'."

"Agh, Frank, I thought you said you were single!" Michael complained, making Franklin chuckle.

"Man, I'm just fuckin' wit'cha, dawg." Franklin chuckled as he held his hand in front of him. Michael rolled his eyes and slapped Franklin some skin, before doing it again with the backs of their hands, and finally ending the bro-shake with a fist-bump. As they laughed it off, Michael took out his phone and sent Tracey's number to Franklin. "A'ight, I'll be in touch with her, bro."

"Good." Michael then took the last hard swig of his beer, before grabbing Franklin's collar without warning and dragging him up to him in one swift motion, getting into his face. Franklin became anxious to say the least; as he looked into Michael's eyes with fear and shock, Michael glared into Franklin's soul with a wrath. "Don't let me down." Michael told Franklin in his intimidating, raspy monotone.

Franklin responded with a slight nodding of his head. "Shit, man - you can trust me, Michael." Franklin said as casually as he could, with this being one of the few times he calls his mentor by his full forename. After a few awkward seconds, Michael's threatening expression became a small, but genuinely trusting smile, as he let go of Franklin's shirt and instead put his hand on Franklin's shoulder.

"I know I can, Frank." Michael smiled. "Now, let's party, man! Hell, another reason to celibrate, right?!" Michael shouted as he and Franklin returned to the party.

"Shit, dawg, I heard that!" Franklin concurred.


Several minutes later, Jimmy and Tali were in the back of the latter's van.

"So..." Jimmy began.

"Yeah?" Tali replied as she took a small bite out of her little spacecake.

"That was a blowjob then..."

"Yep." Tali replied again, still without looking at Jimmy, just staring in front of herself.

"Didn't it... taste weird?"

"Nope."

"Huh. But, you also kinda enjoyed it though, right?" Jimmy asked, now more bold being a bit stoned, and not to mention only just having his first sexual encounter with another person.

"Yep." Tali answered with a smirk.

"Wanna... make-out again?" Jimmy asked boldly, making Tali turn her head to his direction beside her; she looked at him with a raised eyebrow for a sec.

"Yep." Tali answered as she got on her knees and grabbed the bottom of her black shirt, pulling it all the way over her head in one quick motion as she got on top of Jimmy.


Jimmy and Tali returned to the party shortly after. Several hours after that, and lots of booze later, Tali dove off with Packie, Karim, Rickie, Paige, Lester and Trevor. Michael and Jimmy got a taxi back home.

"Man, that was a good party, Franklin..." Franklin said to himself.

"Shit, nigga, you talkin' to yourself now?" Lamar teased. Franklin rolled his eyes in response. "Ay, you finna let a nigga crash at yo' new pad, homie?"

"Fine, if it makes you shut up, man." Franklin shrugged it off. Lamar grimaced coldly as Franklin walked to bed. "Couch, homie. Upstairs." He said bluntly.


Michael and Jimmy walked through their front door and walked upstairs.

"Man, that was the best party ever." Jimmy said sincerely, though not saying why.

Michael perked up. "Good, James! Me too."

After a few seconds, they shared a hug - the first in ages, like they meant it.

"Well, it's late - gotta hit the hay. Night, Dad." Jimmy went to his room.

"Night, Jim." Michael responded, before Jimmy's door shut. "Love ya, son." He said more quietly, before going to his own room, where he found Amanda asleep.


Franklin walked into the strip club during early morning hours, and was greeted by Sapphire.

"Hey, Baby F!" The stripper greeted sweetly as she kissed her friend on the cheek.

"Ay, baby, how ya doin'?" Franklin greeted back.

"You need a good time?" She offered with a naughty smirk, when another stripper approached.

"Oh, who's this hottie, Sapphie?" Peach asked.

"It's just Franklin." Sapphire answered her colleague. Both strippers then gently caressed Franklin's chest. "How 'bout my favourite big boy get a double dance?"

"Sorry, ladies, but I gotta see Trevor." Franklin admitted, though now feeling guilty as their expressions became slightly disappointed. "DAMN temptin' though. Hell, maybe tomorrow night, girls." Franklin politely concluded as he walked through the VIP curtain, making the two strippers smile as they walked off. However, on his way to the office, a stripper came out of nowhere and grabbed him, pushing him onto the chair.

"Hey, Frankie. Long time no see." The stripper greeted seductively as she pushed her naked breasts into Franklin's face, obscuring his vision. After many enjoyable seconds of this, she pulled back; Franklin looked up to see who it was, and found it to be Tracey De Santa, who slowly licked her lips as she began removing her thong.


Franklin awoke in his bed in the late morning. "Shit, man, the hell was that?" Franklin pondered, before remembering that he'd got drunk last night at a party he'd hosted. "Aw yeah, I remember. The hell was that dream, though?"

Franklin couldn't be bothered thinking about why he dreamt that Tracey was a stripper, so he shook it off, had a shower, got dressed, and went upstairs to the living room. Franklin mentally slapped himself when he found Lamar asleep on his couch, remembering that he'd let him crash there. He nudged Lamar several times before he finally stirred awake.

"Get up." Franklin casually demanded. When Lamar finally opened his eyes, he looked annoyed.

"Man, nigga, can't let a homeboy enjoy his rest?..." Lamar complained.

"Not in this house, nigga, now get da fuck up." Franklin practically demanded.

"Shit, nigga." Lamar sat up on the couch. "The fuck is wrong wit'chu?"

Franklin rolled his eyes. "Look, I'll at least drive you back to the hood so you can at least save yo' money, man." Franklin offered kindly. Lamar immediately got up and walked to the front door, with Franklin following.

"Man, shit, nigga - money this, money that. Bitch, I told you, man. Ain't about the money!" Lamar whined. Franklin shut the door behind him and they both got in his car. He then started the engine and drove down the road.

"You're fuckin' ungrateful, Lamar." Franklin said bluntly as he drove, making Lamar turn to face him.

"Bitch, the fuck you on? You upset that I'm just remindin' you where you crawled from, nigga?" Lamar argued.

"Man, fuck you. Fuck you, and fuck Tanisha. Always whinin' and moanin' that I've fuckin' betrayed y'all countless times, when all I'm doin' is usin' the few skills I have to try and get by in this crazy universe. And even after all those times I helped you out, and still got shit in return, you fuckin' call ME an asshole? Fuck you, man. I don't see you chewing Tanisha's ear off about how she left the hood and married some rich fucker, like the fuckin' hypocrite she is. She only did the same thing I did - but guess what? I didn't marry money like she did - I EARNED my keep, so you can shove it, homeboy. I can't have no respect for some asshole who'll choose fuckin' Stretch over the runnin' man you've know for twenny years." Franklin ranted angrily, though not shouting, which weirded Lamar out a bit.

"Damn, nigga." Lamar responded, not knowing what else to come out with.

"Just don't even bother, man. I'm not in the mood for this shit right now. Or ever. So, from now on? Leave me the fuck alone, dawg." Franklin spat. "Man, shit, you always cryin' about loyalty... When were you loyal to me? Simeon, Denise, Tanisha, fuckin' Stretch? Ain't none o' that shit matter? Well, guess what? I got myself some REAL friends, dawg - real homies for life. Michael and Trevor scare me sometimes, but they never stabbed me in the back... and they never will." After some moments, they reached Strawberry. "Peace out." Franklin concluded, looking forward the entire time, not batting an eyelid.

Lamar stared at Franklin, contemplating what he'd just said. Wondering whether he was joking or not, Lamar knew deep down that he wasn't, so he opened the car door and shook his head as he got out. "Whatever, bitch." Lamar responded bitterly as he slammed the door, like Franklin knew he would.