I WOULD FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU, BUT I CAN'T
______ die with you.
GHOST MUMBLED ALONG to the rap music blasting in his ear "Call him, tell him you'll be home real late. Now sing the break." He loved music, it was his passion, an outlet of some sort.
He stood on the corner of a local convenience store, observing the broken down impoverished neighborhood that he called home. Something that he frequently did, observe.
Talking wasn't Ghost's strong suit, he's more of a listener. People often thought the boy was shy which was far from the truth, he's simply a quiet and alert person. But living the life he lived, he didn't have a choice but to be alert at all times.
Shaking his head with a sigh, he wanted better but money was tough which lead him to the position he was currently in.
Ghost nodded as a regular customer approached him, he adjusted his pants just for them to fall back into a sag like always.
"Wassup Max." Ghost greeted
"Sup dude." Max gave him a crooked smile "Let me get a three-five."
Ghost hummed, acknowledging his request before reaching into his hoodie pocket. The two did a handshake, simultaneously passing the items to one another.
As Max walked away, he pocketed the money and ran a hand over his pierced face. Business was slow today but he was fine with that, he sometimes preferred it.
The boy looked up at the sound of footsteps coming toward him but soon rolled his eyes in annoyance. Ghost nodded at the man with wild hair, somewhat baggy clothes, and a little bit of white powder around his nose.
"Dope boy, dope boy, yeah that's youu." The local crackhead, Bonnie but known as BoBo sang with a smile "Playa pimp, what you got for me?" He asked
"The regular." Ghost shrugged "Still waiting for that new shipment."
"Californian Kush." Bobo whispered to himself, licking his lips at the thought. He paused his fantasizing, staring at Ghost weirdly.
Ghost's face scrunched "What?"
"Girl," Bobo's eyes squinted as he held his hand up to Ghost's face "Be calm."
The drug dealer rolled his eyes, aggressively snatching the money out of Bobo's hand and replacing it with a baggy of weed.
Bonnie giggled, doing a little happy dance of appreciation for Ghost's services "I'll see you tomorrow nephew!"
With that, the crackhead pranced away. Leaving Ghost in a state of surprise, he never knew what to expect when interacting with Bonnie. It was always something different.
Ghost dreadfully patted his pockets, cursing to himself when he realized he was out of product and becoming even more agitated once his phone rang.
He fished it out of his pockets, analyzing the number that flashed across his screen with furrowed eyebrows "The fuck does he want?" Ghost rolled his eyes, hesitantly answering
"Aye." Hakeem's voice called through the phone
"What's good?" He nodded his head as if Hakeem could see him
"Not shit but there's some girl on your porch. She keeps asking to see you." Keem explained curiously, shrugging his shoulders
-
"Yo relax!" Hakeem sucked his teeth, stuffing his hands in his pockets
"I am very relaxed but you're being mad difficult for no fucking reason." Kenji rolled her eyes
"Man you black bitches always gotta do the most." He whispered, shaking his head
Kenji arched an eyebrow "Oh baby there's no need to whisper. If you gone talk shit then say it with your chest."
"Gone on somewhere. I don't argue with females." Hakeem waved her off, ignoring her presence
"Yeah, like I thought." Her face scrunched at him
Before Hakeem could snap back with an insult, a matte black Dodge Charger revved and sped down the street, immediately catching the attention of the two.
"Finally." Hakeem groaned in relief, hopping off the porch
Kenji rolled her eyes at his response, pocketing her phone. She despised being mean to people but she also despised letting someone run over her like she was a punk and a punk is something she would never be.
The muscle car swerved in the driveway, almost knocking the mailbox over in the process. That action made Kenji giggle quietly.
Soon, the door opened and a pair of purple Bathing Ape sneakers stepped out. Hakeem quickly went over to the car, speaking in a hushed tone as Kenji stood there confusedly.
Ghost squinted his eyes at the panicked boy standing in front of him. He didn't care for anything Hakeem was saying, he wholeheartedly just wanted him to leave.
"The bitch is weird as fuck yo!" Hakeem exaggerated pitifully
Ghost's eyes twinkled, resisting the strong urge to laugh but all in all, his face stayed neutral. He cleared his throat making Keem silence.
"Yo word to my dead's, you agitating the hell outta me right now. So I need you to get the fuck out my face before I black on you." He said deeply
Hakeem sucked his teeth, looking at Ghost like he had lost mind "You trippin'."
Ghost shrugged his shoulders, glancing at the awkwardly standing girl on his front porch. Their eyes connected while his twinkled and she offered him a friendly but delicate smile.
"That's why I don't like black girls. And then for you to sit here and get mad at me is wild as hell." Hakeem stressed, "Pray you ain't becoming like those sensitive bitches on the net."
Ghost sighed, reluctantly focusing his attention back on Hakeem. He slowly blinked, thinking of different ways to get away with murder.
"There's nothing but rocks and hot air in that skull of yours, isn't it?" Ghost interrupted with raised eyebrows
Keem paused, gulping at the menacing look in the other's eyes "No...?"
"Leave." He stared into the other's eyes plainly
Hakeem shook his head, shoulders slumped as he walked away with embarrassment and shame written all over his face. He believed that he wasn't scared of anyone but when it came to the hotheaded drug dealer, he couldn't do anything but cower in fear.
Ghost sighed, stretching as he stepped out of the car. He eyed the girl that stood on his porch before making his way toward her.
"Wassup." He mumbled, jogging up the brick steps. Silently observing her anxious but annoyed body language, he could read her very well.
Kenji waved, frowning at him "Siah please control your friends."
"He's not my friend." Ghost grunted disapprovingly "But I'll handle it."
Hakeem actually wasn't his friend, he's said it multiple times, it just doesn't quite register in Keem's head. If it was up to Ghost, the guy would've had a bullet in his skull by now.
Ghosts eyes widened as though something finally clicked. He narrowed the striking black and brown orbs at the girl standing in front of him.
"Fuck is you doing over here?" He hissed
Shifting her weight to her left leg, Kenji nervously handed him a brown, leather wallet "I wanted to give you this..."
He stared at the wallet, taking it from her hands with a nod before placing it inside his pockets "Thanks."
"Of course." She explained, fiddling her thumbs
Massaging his temples irritably "How did you get here?" He questioned, closing his eyes
"I walked." Kenji hesitantly answered, trying not to stumble over her words
"Estúpida, estúpida chica. Simplemente no escuchas jodidamente." He whispered to himself
Kenji's eyebrows furrowed, she didn't understand what the problem was. But she did feel as though something was missing, something she had forgotten.
Ghost released a hard breath, peering down at the confused girl "I'm taking you home."
Kenji drew her back, shaking her head "No thanks, it's okay. I prefer to walk back and enjoy the lovely city as it is." Giving him a small appreciative smile
He cocked his head to the side "There is nothing lovely about Brooklyn fucking New York. I always knew you were a little deranged but I didn't think it could be this bad."
"There is love within everything even if it's not visible to the naked eye." She preached, tapping her foot
Ghost straight-faced her, cracking his knuckles "Get in the car."
"No." Kenji refused "Did you not hear anything I said?"
"I heard you. I just won't acknowledge it." He shrugged
Before Kenji could reply, she was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown over Ghost's shoulder with ease. She shrieked, wiggling in his strong hold.
"Josiah what the hell is wrong with you!" She yelled, feeling a bit embarrassed
Many insecure thoughts floated around in her mind but only one stood out most, was she heavy? The girl even felt as though sucking in her stomach would take a few pounds off of him.
"You buggin' the fuck out if you think I'm letting you walk home. What type of man would I be to do some wild shit like that?" His face scrunched at the idea "You did something for me now I'm returning the favor."
Ghost wasn't exactly the best man around but he knew how dangerous it was for a woman to be walking by herself on the Eastside of Brooklyn and that just wasn't a risk he would willingly take, especially when it came down to the girl he secretly adored.
"Put me down!" She pounded on his back
Nearing the car, he ignored her demand but instead opened the passenger door and calmly placed her inside.
Kenji returned to a peaceful state once her butt hit the seat. She breathed in and out, eyeing the boy standing in front of her and the interior of his car.
Biting his lower lip with a groan "Fuck it. You wanna walk, let's walk."
-
On nights like this, it's shown why New York is labeled as The City That Never Sleeps. It really lives up to that label.
"What's your favorite color? Or is it still black?" Kenji asked, squinting her left eye as she captured a beautifully shaped cloud using her Polaroid camera
"Brown." He answered simply, standing beside the photographer
"My favorite color at the moment is red." She shrugged, shaking the picture "Is it just me or does that cloud look like an ass?"
"It looks like a peach." Ghost scrunched his eyebrow "Are you done?"
Kenji hummed, nodding her head while placing the picture inside her purse. She was probably going to hang it up on her wall later.
"Yeah. Why is brown your favorite color?" She questioned, walking beside him "That's different. Most niggas say blue or some shit."
"The shades are appealing." The boy shrugged his broad shoulders
"Which shades are your favorite? I feel like your answer has a double meaning to it." She looked up at him, squinting her eyes "Is there a double meaning?"
"No, I genuinely like the color brown." Ghost insisted, grabbing her hand as they passed a group of men
Ghost nodded at the men silently, them doing the same. He was well known and greatly respected on the East, something he took pride in but still remained humble, in a way.
Failing to notice the tight grip on her hand, she looked up at him "You didn't answer my question."
Sighing, Ghost shook his head "All shades are beautiful, neither one is better than the other but if I had to choose it'd be between mocha, chocolate, and copper."
Kenji paused abruptly as a strong smell hit her nose, stomach immediately growling with need. Her eyes glanced around for the source before stopping at a small Latin deli located on the corner.
"Can we get something to eat?" She asked, hesitantly looking away from the deli
Ghost sucked his teeth "Qué diablos."
Scrunching her nose, Kenji rolled her eyes "I ain't even ask you to come with me."
"Fuck up." He mumbled, mushing her head playfully as the two neared the restaurant
Leading her inside the small deli, Ghost politely held the door for her before following. His eyes accidentally going from the floor to the pair of thick thighs that held up an even thicker ass.
"God damn." He cursed in a whisper, watching the way her ass moved with each step "Jesús sea una valla."
Immediately looking up once again, he shook his head, ridding away thoughts of all the different ways he could make her feel good.
Kenji looked around the place with wide eyes, this was definitely her favorite restaurant from now on. It smelled incredible on the inside and there weren't any customers, which she was thankful for.
"Peach." He interrupted, breaking the food trance "Go sit in the back booths."
She nodded, giving him a weird look but following his instructions, wondering why he didn't come with her.
When he was sure the curious girl was out of earshot, he pressed the service bell multiple times until he heard footsteps.
"Hold on!" Someone called out, annoyance clear in their tone
"Son hurry ya slow ass up!" Ghost shouted in response
An angry boy emerged from the back of the store but that look instantly disappeared once he realized who that voice belonged to.
"You real fucking goofy." Reece sucked his teeth as the two friends dapped one another up "But aye though, you here for that stuff?"
"Nah, next time. The new shipments coming in next week, make sure you get it sold so Pab won't be on us." Ghost said quietly
"Pablo's crazy ass." Reece sighed, movements pausing when he noticed someone in his peripheral vision "That's you?"
Glancing at the girl as she tapped her fingers to the rhythm of the R&B song booming from her AirPods, he shook his head "I'm just taking her home."
"Bet. Give me a minute and I'll be over there." Reece replied before walking away
At the back of the store, Kenji sat in the booth with her legs crossed, singing along with Brent Faiyaz's smooth voice.
She rolled her eyes at the amount of useless screenshots that took up an unnecessary quantity of storage in her phone, she wanted to delete them but never completing the task in case they someday became useful.
"Talking bout' that pretty brown frame." Kenji sung softly, harmonizing the notes "And I don't mean the impala that you just hopped out of."
She looked up, taking in the sight of Ghost sliding into the booth across from her, a greeting smile appearing on her face.
Pausing her music, Kenji tilted her head "Is there a waiter coming?"
"Yes. I didn't know you could sing." Ghost raised an eyebrow curiously
She hummed in agreement "Yeah. I was uh, in chorus. You would know if you cared enough to learn anything about me... during our friendship."
He swiped under his nose with a tattooed hand, leaning forward, staring at her with dull eyes "I know a lot more about you than you think I do. Just because I don't answer, doesn't mean I'm not listening."
"No you don't, Siah. You don't have to lie to me." Kenji grumbled, a frown forming on her face
Ghost hummed, flopping back down onto the booth, eyes closed within his own relaxation.
"Your favorite food is pasta salad but you don't like it if the noodles aren't rotini. You hate being yelled at, it hurts your feelings. Your celebrity crush is Bill Skarsgard. You're shy as hell. You overthink a lot. You're a hopeless romantic." He paused, taking a deep breath
"You snort when you laugh. You're a people pleaser. Your second favorite food is lemon pepper wings. You think Chick-Fil-A is better than Popeyes. You love Minecraft. Your favorite TV show is Bad Girls Club. You only watch scary movies during the daytime. You never hang your feet off your bed because you think something's gonna grab them and drag you off into the darkness."
By the time he finished, Kenji was staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers "You are so obsessed with me. It's not even funny."
She noticed a small smirk rise on his lips, his deep black orbs opening once again. For some reason, the girl became all giddy inside, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
He leaned forward with both elbows resting on his legs "Who wouldn't be? I mean, you're truly a magnificent creature, misses Carson." Staring at her hungrily
Kenji bursted into laughter, clutching her stomach "Boyyyy! If I'm so magnificent then maybe you should start being nice to me? Sarcastic ass nigga."
"I wasn't being sarcastic. And what makes you think I'm not nice to you?" He inquired, eyebrows furrowing
"Because you aren't." She huffed, looking at him sternly
Ghost bit his lip, face void of expression "I'm nicer to you than I am to a lot of people. The things I say to others are things I would never even dream of saying to you."
Kenji chuckled, digging her thumb into her palm nervously "Sure. Let me take your picture. You look really happy."
"Happy? Fuck is you on about yo?" He stated, running a hand down his face
Her smile didn't alter, instead, it widened "Well aren't you just a happy camper."
"The happiest camper." Ghost said sarcastically, watching as she held the camera up
"Smile." Kenji instructed joyfully
He looked at her with a bored face, lips pressed into a thin line, slowly blinking.
"Smile..." She trailed off, trying to encourage him
"I am smiling."
"No, you're not."
"Yes I am. See, look." He pointed to his straight face "This is me smiling." His eyebrows moved a tiny bit
Kenji tilted her head before shrugging "Eh... that'll do." Quickly snapping the picture
I NEVER HAD A SPOT FOR YOU IN MY LIFE, WHICH WAS TRUE TILL I HEARD YOU CRY
AUTHORS NOTES %
Hello everyone !
Me when I realize I never edited this part of the book and left some stuff in here that wasn't meant to be seen yet
Anyways
I love this book