Franklin arrived back at his house and went down to the back yard to go to his bedroom. However, on the way, he passed Chop's doghouse, where he saw Chop resting.
"Ay, little homie." Franklin said to his dog as he scratched him under his chin, making him pant happily with his tongue out.
Franklin then remembered Lamar giving Chop over to him the previous year, and the talk they had the previous night about the dog. Franklin felt bitter inside when this came to mind, but he pushed it away as he got out his phone to delete Lamar from his contact list. However, as he scrolled, Franklin saw the name 'Tracey De Santa' on his list, and his eyes widened as he remembered Michael wanting him to take her out for a bit. Franklin had nothing better to do, so he gave her a call.
"Hello?" Tracey greeted curiously after seeral rings.
"Ay, Tracey, it's me - Franklin."
Tracey's eyes widened fully. "Franklin?! Wow, hi, how'd you get my number?"
"Your dad gave it to me. So, uh, how'd you like to go out somewhere? Get outta the house for a bit and mellow down a little?"
Tracey blushed and stuttered. "Wooow, yeeeah, awesooome, sounds cool!" Tracey replies, trying to sound casual. "Pick me up whenever, okay?"
"A'ight, sounds good - later, Trace."
Tracey lay on her bed and hung up the phone. 'Omigod omigod, I'm going on a date with Franklin!'
"Mooom!" Tracey called out as she left her room, still in her PJ's.
"What?" Amanda called back from the living room.
"I gotta borrow your make-up again." Tracey called down again. Amanda smirked and rolled her eyes.
Trevor awoke in his bed in is trailer, to his phone ringing.
"Hey, Lamar." Trevor answered the call wearily as he rubbed his eyes.
"Yo, hey, T. Goood party last night, huh?" Lamar asked.
"Heh. For sure, bro. Hope you're more awake than I am. What're you up to?"
"Man, that nigga Franklin just dropped me off in my hood, but he's actin' like a BITCH. Man, he'd better lighten up. Can't blame a nigga for makin' mistakes, right?"
Treor rolled his eyes. "Uuuh huh."
"Ay, man, check it." Lamar began. "I heard my boy Jimmy gettin' lucky last night! With that crazy Mexican chick - in the back of her own van! Man, shit." Lamar chuckled to himself.
Trevor's eyes now opened fully. "Finally!"
"Ay, man, I'll holla at ya, my nigga." Lamar then hung up. Trevor then called Franklin.
"Frank?" Trevor spoke first.
"Ay, T, whassup? How was the party?" Franklin asked through the speakerphone as he drove.
"Good, man. Hey, listen; somethin' goin' on between you and Lamar?" Trevor asked.
Franklin rolled his eyes. "Man, don't listen to that fool. He just an asshole sometimes. Why, what he say?"
"Meh, nothin' really - was pretty vague." Trevor answered.
"Well, he'll just have to wait - I'm just on my way to pick up a girl." Franklin told a half-truth. Well, a full-truth, but a concealed one.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me; he also told me that Jimmy hooked up last night. Bye!" Trevor added cheerily, before hanging up, to Franklin's bewilderment.
Franklin shook his head slightly as he now reached the front gate of the De Santa residence. He then texted Tracey that he'd arrived. Not a minute later, Tracey came out the front door and gingerly jogged to Franklin's car. She was wearing a white long-sleeved collared shirt, dark blue jeans, and black high-heals, with her hair in a bun; this kind of matched Franklin's white long-sleeved collared shirt and dark blue jeans.
"Hi!" Tracey greeted warmly.
"Hey, girl, how ya doin'?" Franklin asked with a smile as she sat in the passenger seat.
As Tracey shut the front door behind her, Michael and Amanda were watching TV in the living room, with Amanda's head resting on Michael's chest.
"Did ya tell Franklin?" Amanda asked slyly.
"Yup." Michael answered casually as he put some popcorn in his mouth. Michael chewed his popcorn and continued to watch the film as Amanda smiled at him; Michael shoved some more popcorn in his mouth when he noticed her. "What?"
Amanda practically lunged at him and pressed her lips onto his, surprising him. Before parting again, Amanda flicked some of the popcorn with her tongue and into her own mouth.
"Thanks, Mikey." Amanda then rested her head again and Michael smirked.
"Just doin' what I gotta do, toots." Michael quipped.
"So, um, how come my dad gave you my number anyway?" Tracey asked Franklin as he drove.
"Shit, man, I guess he wanted you to go out and do somethin' less... crazy." Franklin answered, caught off-guard.
"Crazy?" Tracey asked curiously.
"Yeah. Like, uh... drinkin' and parties and stuff, you know." Franklin clarified. "So, uh, how's life right now?"
"Oh- oh, good! Thanks for asking!" Tracey answered as she nodded awkwardly, but with a small smile.
"Your parents doin' okay?"
"Yeah, haven't seen 'em this happy in years!"
"Good, good."
"And how's my Uncle Trevor?" Tracey asked.
"Shit, he good. You know Trevor, right? Same old shit with that crazy mofo."
Tracey let out a chuckle and rolled her eyes at herself. "True, ya never know with him, huh? But hey, he's family - even though he's different."
"Huh, shit, different from the rest of the damn planet." Franklin half-joked, making Tracey giggle. Tracey mentally slapped herself.
"And, from what I hear, my parents think of you as family as well - even Jimmy... So, I guess there's no reason why I shouldn't, right?" Tracey smiled, though now feeling awkward. 'Dammit, Trace, you're such a fucking dummy!' Tracey mentally scolded herself.
"Heh, shit, well thanks, Trace." Franklin smiled. "A'ight, this is the place. Nothin' too fancy, right?"
They'd both arrived at the restaurant that he'd had in mind. 'Wow, no kidding! No other boy's taken me to a proper place like this!' Tracey thought.
After their lunch, they both sat on their table in the diner. "Wow, that was really good! Thanks for taking me here, Franklin."
"Hey, nothin' to it - I enjoyed it as well." Franklin replied sincerely.
"Here, lemme pay for my half, since you've been so good to me!" Tracey offered as she reached into her pocket.
"Nah, girl, I'll pay for it, man, it ain't no thang." Franklin responded as he pulled out his wallet, making Tracey blush slightly at the usage of his hood slang.
"Oh, you sure?"
"Please, let me. Besides, I don't want Michael naggin' me about him payin' for my food." Franklin joked with a friendly smirk, to which Tracey smiled back.
Several minutes later, Franklin drove Tracey back home. "Thanks for that, Franklin!" Tracey hugged Franklin around his neck before giving him a peck on the cheek. She then got out of the car and jogged to the front door, looking back and waving to Franklin as she did so. Franklin gave a short wave back before leaving the driveway and driving home. Once he was home, Franklin fed Chop and watched some TV with him.
