"Thank you, Ms. Smith. For everything." Shea assured quietly before placing another heaping spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Jimmy sat beside her at the table with his own bowl; watching her carefully from the rim. Stephanie smiled from behind her coffee cup; a genuine concern for the girl. "You don't have to thank me, Shea baby and call me Stephanie! For the millionth time!"
Shea just smiled kindly and took another bite of breakfast. Jimmy's mom had helped her get her hair blown dry after a quick shower and put it in a pretty French braid down her back. She looked better than he'd found her but he knew her better than anyone and could see through her forced smile.
"Mike's taking me out tomorrow night on a date! Do you think you could watch Lily for me? Who knows when we'll be home."
"Sure, Ms… Stephanie." Shea assured with her fake smile; glancing over at Jimmy who had a stern look of concern on his face. "We gotta head to school, mom. Thanks.., for… you know."
Stephanie smiled and saw them off as they made their way out of the trailer park to catch the bus to Warren Elementary. "You don't have to babysit for her ya know. You don't owe her nothin'."
Shes glanced over at Jimmy as they walked towards the bus stop where David, Bob, Issac and Sol were waiting for them. "I know. I don't mind doing it though. You gonna be home?"
"Yeah. I'll be there. You know once you start it'll be an every weekend thing, right?"
Shea nodded; turning her attention to their friends. Future was the most energetic of the squad; running over to slap hands with Rabbit before playfully shoving him into Shea. Cheddar Bob was hot on his heels trying to fit in wherever he could while Sol looked like he was asleep standing up and his skinny brother DJ Iz was scribbling in a note pad; probably writing poetry about oppression.
X
Detroit, 1990
"Shaaay!"
Shea stumbled through the Smith's trailer quickly; peeking in on Lily as she stood up in her crib and wailed out her name again.
"Shh. Shh. You don't wanna wake up big brother do you? It's only 4am."
"Big broffer." Lily assured as Shea lifted her up easily and placed her on her hip; turning back into the hallway quickly. "You thirsty?"
"Yeah!" Lily squealed excitedly; looking over Shea's shoulder to the fridge. She waited patiently as Shea grabbed a cup from the cabinet and then the jug of milk - giving it a quick sniff before she poured some into the cup and handed it to the excited toddler.
She found herself at Jimmy's house almost every night - unless Stephanie was at home and then they were both at her house hiding out in her bedroom while his mom entertained various guest. He wasn't joking about the whole baby sitting thing. Shea had to explain to Lily that she wasn't her mommy several times so Stephanie wouldn't get pissed - even tho she was the one always asking if she could watch her and disappearing for days at a time.
Shea watched as Lily's eyes began to droop once her cup was empty. Silently thanking God as she walked her back into her mothers room and placed her in the crib easily; holding her hand on her back for a moment before sneaking away. She stepped into Jimmy's room carefully trying not to wake him; the bed squeaking with her weight as she laid back and closed her eyes.
"She okay?" Jimmy asked; his voice rough with sleep. "Yeah. Thirsty." Shea assured him quietly as he turned so he was facing her in the bed. He couldn't remember exactly when she started staying with them - sometime between her moms second and fourth husband but he wouldn't have it any other way. It was his job to protect her and he'd die trying.
He slid his arm around her; pulling her closer to his chest as he drifted back to sleep.
x
When he woke up again they were tangled in each others embrace; chests nearly touching and his dick distractingly hard between them.
Jimmy leaned into her; burying his face in her hair as he took a deep needed breath. "Shea…" He groaned as she ran her fingers up his back - meeting his desperate gaze as his mouth crashed to hers. He kissed her with a lifetime of pent up desire - wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest; causing her own muffled groan between them as his dick pressed into her thigh.
They had never done anything like this before. Their relationship strictly platonic for the past twelve years despite their friends comments and accusations but no one knew how much he loved this girl. How he thought of doing this very thing every waking hour but never finding the nerve to bring it to life.
Shea ran her fingers back down to the hem of his shirt; pulling the soft fabric up his body as he helped her remove it and then went to work on ridding himself of his sweats and then hers.
"Shea… are you sure?" She could to only nod against his lips - their tongues meeting again and that was all the reassurance he needed; hooking her panties with his thumbs and bringing them down until there was nothing between them but a desperate need to be together. Jimmy lifted her hips; hesitating for only a second before he was inside of her - cussing under his breath to keep from waking his sister and mom and whatever asshole she'd brought home from Bingo last night.
Shea groaned as he filled her completely; opening her eyes once the initial pain subsided and he began to move. "Is.. this okay?" He whispered against her mouth as she nodded her head and wrapped her arm around his neck; desperate moans escaping her throat as he thrust into her again. "Fuck Shea… you feel so good… I fucking love you…"
"Jimmy…"
He closed his eyes tightly trying to savor the feel of her before it was over all too soon. "Jimmy…."
"I love you baby…"
"Rabbit!"
Jimmy opened his eyes with a start; the wonderful dream disappearing as quickly as it began leaving him aching in all the right places. Shea stared down at him from the doorway; a sweet smile on her pretty face - oblivious to his dark thoughts. "I love you too, now come on we're going to be late for school." That said she disappeared down the hall leaving him alone in his room clinging to her pillow as a groan escaped him.
x
"Morning Rabbit." Stephanie assured as he made his way into the kitchen grabbing a slice of toast from Shea's plate as he kissed Lily on top of her head and grabbed his book bag from the chair beside her. "Mornin'."
Shea watched him move through the house; grabbing his signature beanie and pulling it over his head before nodding to the front door. "Bye, Ms. Smith. Thanks for breakfast." Shea whispered following Jimmy out the door quickly.
"Hey. Wait up!" She was significantly shorter than her best friend and he seemed to be on a mission to get to school or keep his distance from her, two things she'd never seen before. "You good?"
Once they fell in stride together he glanced over at her; nodding quickly. "Future said something's going down at lunch today, Sol and Wink are putting a few battles together."
Shea shifted her book bag as they walked, talking about their classes, Jimmy's past two winning battles and their friends, Future, Bob, Sol, Izzy and Wink. Rabbit had skills like she had never heard before, and even though she'd never let him know it - she knew he was going to go far with his talents. A smile crept to her lips as she glanced up at him. She could only hope he'd take her with him when he did.
"Who you up against this time?"
"Some guy Future knows. He thinks he's hot shit.. it's going to be great slamming him."
"Well you know I'm there in the front seat."
Jimmy nodded, smiling at her before waving towards a guy who was sitting outside of the high school. The three one three squad sat on the steps in front of Detroit Capital High School, a bag of weed in Sol's lap as he rolled a joint - oblivious to any authority figures around him.
"Yo, man you gonna get caught with that shit and sent off." Shea assured, grabbing the half-empty bag of marijuana from his lap. The legal system in this part of Detroit was something to laugh at, luckily.
"Hell no girl, this shit is for my glaucoma." Sol assured with a laugh, smoothing out the rolling paper. "I got a prescription." Jimmy slapped hands with Future and the rest of his friends, laughing at Sol. They had all been friends since before they could remember - and that's how it was always going to be.
"Yo you good B? You look… distracted." Future asked with a grin; following his friends gaze that fell on their mutual friend Shea who was busy playing keep away with Bob, Sol and the bag of weed. "What?" Jimmy asked after a minute - turning his attention back to Future.
"You good, homie? I can't have your head somewhere else while you're battling this punk Marcus - you hear?"
Jimmy let his eyes fall from Shea who had been captured by Sol - squealing as he lifted her in the air and snatched the bag of weed from her gasp as she giggled and squirmed away from him. "Yeah. I got you." He assured; glancing up at the school as the late bell rang.
x
"Can I have the attention of the class?!" Mr. Cocas yelled, slamming his book down onto his desk. The rowdy kids ignored the middle-aged man, talking and throwing paper through the classroom.
Shea sat in the back, drumming her fingers on the desk as she glanced around. It would take a while for the teacher to gain control of the classroom.
Jimmy was at the desk beside her - holding his head up with his hand; desperately trying to remain awake. Sol, Future and Cheddar Bob were to his left, trying to hide the bag of weed from prying eyes as they made their profit.
She shook her head, laughing to herself - unable to understand how any of them had managed to make it to their senior year.
"Ms. Williams? Perhaps you can answer the question on the board." Mr. Cocas asked, narrowing his eyes at the class. She glanced down at her notes and back towards the teacher, "Twenty-seven?"
"Very good - I'm glad to see SOMEONE is paying attention."
The class snickered around her, "None of us can afford to pay attention!" One mystery student yelled causing what little control Mr Cocas had to fall between his fingertips. The class erupted with laughs and noise.
Shea met Jeanine Scott's glare from across the room, narrowing her own eyes. Jeanine had been a bitch since the first day of kindergarten long before Jimmy had grown into his teeth or Future and Sol had broken out of their shy spell. Once Jimmy no longer represented his namesake Jeanine had tried to sink her teeth into him every chance she got but thankfully he never gave her a second glance. The petite and almost perfect girl turned back to her fake ass friends and giggled, occasionally glancing at Shea from the corner of her eye.
x
"Ten freaky girls!"
"Oh my god why do you keep saying that?!" Shea demanded; glaring at Sol as he laughed loudly and headed towards the cafeteria repeating the line several times. "Your friends are stupid." She added with a grin; glancing at Jimmy. "My friends? You introduced me to them!"
She shoved him playfully in the side and glanced up as Jeanine and the bitch squad made their way down the hall towards them.
"I hear hear step dad beats her." Jeanine whispered as she leaned against her locker, looking down the row towards Jimmy and Shea. "..and her mother is never around. She's a real whore across 8 Mile."
"I think her and that Smith guy have something going on. They are always together.. someone said he was her cousin and they sleep together and everything! It's disgusting!" Renee, one of the bitches assured with a laugh. "She's probably a whore just like her mother!"
Suddenly, Shea slammed her locker door shut, lifting her book bag onto her shoulder. She wasn't going to let some dumbass bitches like Jeanine and Renee get to her.. she wasn't.. she also wasn't going to let them stand there and talk shit about her anymore.
Shea moved down the hallway slowly - never letting her eyes fall from Jeanine's.
"Look, Renee.. trailer park trash thinks she can speak to us in public."
Jimmy winced as his best friend reared her fist back and punched Jeanine hard in the face - causing her to fall back into the lockers and cry out as Shea advanced on top of her, never letting up with her fist. Jeanine grabbed a fist full of Shea's dark brown hair and jerked with all her might.
"Oh, shit! Fight!" Future yelled through the halls, followed by Izzy and Bob as a crowd gathered around the two girls. Jimmy let his books fall to the ground, pushing through the thick group of people. Once he made it to the fight, Shea was wrestling Jeanine on the ground - each getting their share of hits in.
"Ease up, scrapper.." He whispered, wrapping his arms around Shea's waist as she fought against him, throwing another punch that caught Jeanine in the jaw. She jerked out of his arms and slammed Jeanine into her locker, "You better watch your fucking back." She threatened as Jimmy grabbed her again and turned her towards him. He held her by the shoulders trying to bring her back from her rage.
"You gotta stop.. she ain't worth this shit. We got less than a month at this shit hole. Don't get suspended."
Shea was breathing hard; eyes searching and Jimmy was taken back - she had never been more beautiful to him.
"Fuck you, bitch." Jeanine assured once she saw Shea was distracted by Jimmy only to have her jerk from his grasp and slam her fist into her face again. "Yo! Fut!? Some help!?" A minute later Future made his way through the crowd; shoving bystanders out of his way as he grabbed Shea off of Jeanine and drug her backwards into the mass of people. "Yo! Balboa! Chill the fuck out!"
x
Luckily between Jimmy and Future they'd got Shea out of the hallway just in time and not wanting to be labeled a snitch Jeanine kept her mouth shut about the fight assuring them she "fell" and yelling about suing the school if they didn't leave her alone. "Get ya girl out of here, B." Future muttered as he kept watch at the end of the hallway and Jimmy slipped into the girls bathroom with Shea - motioning for her to go into the larger handicap stall.
Shea jerked her arm away and glared at him; standing dangerously close to his chest as she tried to calm herself down. "I'm sick of that bitch running her mouth about me! I'm going to fucking kill her!"
"Shea. Calm down. Jeanine ain't worth it. Who gives a fuck what she thinks?"
"I do! I fucking care that people say I'm trailer trash and I'm fucking my cousin! Doesn't that shit bother you?!"
"No. Cuz I know it ain't true. Fuck those bitches. All I care about is you and the crew, Shea. Everyone else can kiss my white ass."
Shea shook her head in disbelief; a smile escaping her pissed off mood. "I got some good hits in on her though, right? She won't open her bitch mouth for a while?"
It was Jimmy's turn to grin. "She might have to get that shit wired shut after what you put her through. Where'd you learn how to fight like a man? The trailer park or your cousin?"
Shea slapped his arm away as she laughed; "Fuck you." She muttered; looking up at him as he closed the space between them in the bathroom stall. Jimmy grinned as he searched her eyes; a seriousness falling between them. His gaze fell to her parted lips as she swallowed hard; bracing herself as he leaned into her.
"Yo! Rabbit? Coast is clear in the hall. Shea alright?"
Future's loud voice echoed through the empty bathroom causing Jimmy to stop inches from Shea's lips; cussing under his breath. "Y-yeah. We good. Be right there." Shea never moved - still anticipating his kiss. Jimmy searched her eyes for a long moment - trying to find any sense of reason between them as he moved in again only to have the bathroom door bang open.
"Yo! Bunny rabbit? Lunch about over, dog. Y'all good?"
Shea finally stepped back giving them some room as Jimmy cleared his throat and opened the stall door - slipping out quickly. "Yo. I said we coming - shit." Shea finally took a needed breath; bewildered at what almost just happened between them.
X
"Yo dog. I've been seeing you eye balling Shea the past few days. You remember the pact we made in third grade? The one that was your idea?!" Future muttered as they walked home - Shea and Cheddar Bob in front of them sharing the headphones to his disc-man as they walked close together. Jimmy didn't even realize his fists were clenched at his sides. "What? She's like my sister man." He assured; shrugging Future off.
"Yeah well I know how you white boys feel about your sisters and we all made a deal not to ruin the squad by crushing on Shea. She's one of us."
"I know that." Jimmy muttered, getting angrier at the minute as Cheddar said something that made Shea laugh as she shoved him away with her shoulder breaking the connection with the headphones. "Alright man just don't fuck up what we got going on with feelings and shit."
Jimmy moved past Future and put himself between Cheddar and Shea causing her attention to focus on him now. Future just shook his head turning down his road.
"Catch you tomorrow, Robert." Shea teased once they were at Cheddar Bob's house - slapping hands with their only other white friend and then it was just her and Jimmy the rest of the way.
"So, we good?" She asked suddenly causing him to stop in his tracks. "Yeah? Why wouldn't we be?"
"What was that shit in the bathroom today?" She continued ignoring his question.
"What shit?"
Shea narrowed her eyes. "You don't think anything weird happened while we were in there?"
"No."
Jimmy continued on his way causing her to have to catch up with him again. "Okay. Whatever."
"I was just trying to keep you from going back out there and ripping Jeanine's head off. Don't let that trick get to you. The fuck you care what she thinks."
"I'm not talking about Jeanine, Jimmy. I'm talking about us. You were going to kiss me."
Jimmy stopped walking and turned to face her quickly. "No. I. Wasn't." Shea nearly crashed into his chest; causing him to grab her arms to steady her. "Yes, you were." She whispered between them as he ran his fingers down her arms - never letting her eyes fall. "Well, you were going to kiss me back."
"No I wasn't."
Jimmy closed the space between their bodies; grinning as Shea tilted her head to him and he leaned down to place his lips inches from hers - her breath catching in her throat as he whispered "yes.., you were."
"Fuck you." She grumbled putting some space between them as she stomped off towards his trailer. "You want to?" Jimmy asked with a laugh; following her inside as she dumped her book bag and moved on into his bedroom. "I know about your stupid pact too, by the way. You know Cheddar can't keep his mouth shut about anything AND Sol asked me out twice last year. So that's all bullshit. You wanna be rappers need to get over it."
"Wanna be rappers?!" Jimmy yelled; reaching for her across the small bed as she squealed and dodged his advance. "Who you calling a wanna be rapper?" He demanded with a laugh; jumping onto the bed and grabbing her around the waist as he pulled her down with him. Shea struggled in his grasp as she wrestled away from him; pleading that he stop tickling her.
After another minute of torture Jimmy let up; caging her in his arms as she caught her breath - looking up at him slowly. Before she could register what was happening his mouth was on hers and her fingers were in the back of his hair - pulling him into her as their kiss deepened and a groan passed between them.
Shea arched her back as Jimmy ran his hands down her sides and up her shirt; holding her against his chest as he lost himself in her - kissing her until his lungs burned and he pulled away just enough to take in a needed breath; his lips hovering over hers.
"I knew you wanted to kiss me…" She whispered with a grin; gasping as he let his weight sink into her - his dick rock hard between them. "I want to do more than kiss you." Jimmy whispered; burying his face in the bend of her neck as he tried to steady his racing heart.
"Okay."
He lifted his head quickly and looked at her; eyes going wide. "What?"
"You heard me."
Jimmy moved his face down to her ear; his lips grazing just below to her neck. "Don't fuck with me Sheanna Nicole." He groaned against her jugular feeling her squirm beneath him. His rough voice causing goosebumps to form on her skin as she sat up slightly and removed her shirt - laying back in her lacy white bra; reaching up to pull him back to her waiting mouth.
He kissed her slowly; savoring the taste as she worked with her blue jeans - sliding them down her thighs and his mouth moved to her neck; hands moving under her bra to caress her breast before unclasping the hook - freeing his prize as he pushed himself up enough to really look at her. The look on her face alone nearly unmanned him - hair wild around her face; chest rising and falling as her fingers grasped the band of his sweat pants - working them down his legs. He helped her; removing his shirt then her panties - running his hands down her thighs as her back arched to him and he found her mouth again.
"A-are you sure about this, Shea?" He whispered against her mouth as she nodded; running her nails up his back as she pulled him towards her. "Please, Jimmy…." That was all the reassurance he needed - pushing himself inside of her soaked center as they both groaned with pleasure. "Holy shit…" She cussed; eyes closing as he filled her completely - arms going out at the feel of her tight untouched pussy. "You okay?" He whispered against her ear and she nodded; groaning as he pulled out and thrust inside of her again. "You feel so fucking good Shea…" His closest friend was lost - head back in pleasure as he quickened his pace; praying to whatever God that would listen he wasn't dreaming again.
Shea wrapped her legs around him; causing his own string of four letter words to escape his throat as he poured everything into her and she tightened around him; clutching his back as she tried to muffle her moans against his shoulder.
"Did you come?" He whispered; kissing her desperately before she answered him with another spent nod. "Fuck…" Jimmy grabbed her hips; thrusting into her deeply as his own release came over him and he fell forward burying his face in the bend of her neck; breathing heavily against her as she ran her fingers over his back. "Holy shit, Shea. Are you alright?"
Jimmy lifted his head to look at her; a sly grin on her beautiful face as she pushed her hair from her eyes. "I didn't hurt you did I?"
"No. That was…"
"Fucking amazing."
Shea laughed; nodding slightly as he pushed himself up and grabbed their clothes - pulling his sweat pants on quickly as the front door of the trailer opened with a bang and Lily ran inside hunting for them. He threw Shea's clothes at her and disappeared through the house; grabbing Lily who squealed with delight.
"Hey baby. Did you have a good time at school today?"
"It's not school, Wabbit. It's pre-school!"
Stephanie walked in a minute later carrying a paper grocery bag full of food; watching as Shea walked out of Jimmy's bedroom quickly - glancing around. "Hey Shay shay!" Lily giggled; squirming away from her brother to run to Shea. "Hey pretty girl. How was pre-school?"
"See! Peeee-school!"
Jimmy turned to Shea in the small hallway; studying her carefully as she moved with nervous energy - brushing her unruly hair with her fingers as she pushed past him and towards the door. "You staying for dinner, Shea?" Stephanie asked; placing the groceries on the counter. "No. I should, uh. I should go check in on mom. It's been a few weeks since I've seen her."
"What? You're leaving?" Jimmy asked; closing the space between them. Something amazing and confusing as hell had just happened between them and she was leaving? "Yeah. I gotta go check in with mom."
"Why? Fuck her."
"Jimmy!" Stephanie protested; glancing to Lily.
"She's still my mom, B. I'll see you tomorrow." Shea assured; forcing a smile as their eyes met. The look on his face was overwhelming; confusion mixed heavily with desire. "Are we good?" He whispered between them and she nodded. "Yeah. Of course. I'll talk to you later."
Jimmy and his family could only watch as she turned on her heels and left the trailer.
X
Jimmy tapped on Shea's bedroom window an hour after he'd got Lily to sleep; watching as she sat on the worn bed with her disc-man bobbing her head to the beat in the headphones. He waved his hands in the air getting her attention; watching as she slid from the bed and made her way to him.
"Hey."
"Hey."
She stepped aside to let him in; closing the window behind him. "Why'd you leave earlier?" He asked; turning to glare at her. He'd spend the whole evening freaking the fuck out and horny as hell. "I just had to come check on mom."
"Bullshit, Shea. You hate her more than I do. Are we good? I don't want this shit fucking us up."
Shea turned to face him fully; letting her shoulders fall. "Of course we're okay, Rabbit. Today was… amazing. I just kind of got in my head about it with your mom and Lily showing up. Plus… Future's gonna kill us both. You know how he feels about the squad. Doesn't want anything to come between us."
Jimmy closed the space between them; running his hands down her arms as she looked up to meet his eyes. "Nothin's gonna come between us, Shea. We won't tell Fut."
"So I'm just your dirty little secret?" She narrowed her eyes; taking a step back. "What? No! Fuck, Shea. I wanna… be with you. We can tell people just not Future. Or Sol.. or Bob. Fuck."
"Future knows everyone this side of eight mile. He probably already knows." She muttered; rolling her eyes at the thought. "It's better if we just forget it happened and go on with life the way it was."
Their eyes met again; Jimmy's brain working overtime to figure out how they could be together without causing animosity within their group. Shea had been off limits since they were twelve but he had always been closest to her. He had loved her since they were kids and after today? There was no going back.
"Jimmy. I just don't want any trouble between all of us. Especially me and you. You know I love you but if we let feelings get involved we're gonna fuck everything up."
He could only stand before her going over the words she was saying in his head.
"So we just forget it ever happen?" How the fuck was he suppose to do that? He could barely think straight since the second he was inside of her and the need to feel it again was consuming him from the inside out. Shea could only stand before him; searching his eyes carefully. "Never let it happen again?"
"Yeah…" She whispered as he finally nodded. "Alright, cool. I can do that. Better this way - don't want to fuck up the squad with our shit."
Shea let out the breath she'd been holding and nodded; watching as he turned back to the window. "Rabbit, are we good?" She watched as he reach for the window; his back stiff as he stopped in his tracks - thinking for a long moment before he turned back to her and closed the space between them quickly; running his hands into her hair as he brought her mouth to his.
Shea matched his energy; deepening the kiss as she pulled him towards her bed - straddling his lap as he pulled her down to him.
"Fuck the squad." Jimmy groaned - watching with wide eyes as she pulled her shirt over her head and found his mouth again.
X