College Lessons

"Say. Heard you and Cassie go out. Niiiice," Toni' says entering the room. I look up from my studying and watch as a girl goes into our restroom.

"Bro wha-?" He shushes me and waits till the door closes.

"She's some bitch I met this morning. I'm pretending I like her just to get some ass. Bitch seems gullible." He tries to hand dap me but I shake my head and look at my book.

"Should I leave man?"

"I mean..Shit. I was hoping. I'm tryna get a lil bit of some head if I'm lucky."

"Thanks for the info bro," I grab a random pair of Nikes and head out the room. I start walking toward Cassie's dorm hoping shes there. I hadn't seen my baby since the day before yesterday. She had to learn new dances for the team.

I knock three times on the door and wait for someone to open it. I watch as Loca answers and curse in my mind. This bitch gives me a headache lately.

"Cassie will be back soon if you would like to come in," she says before I ask her.

"Uh...sure." She opens the door a little and I walk in noticing their place is clean and has a wild look to it. Loca's fashion stuff, Hannah's odd art and paintings, and Cassie's dance pictures showing weird movements are covering the room. Its funny how they're all best friends and are into different types of things.

"Is Hannah here?" I turn and watch as Loca closes the door. But damn. What she was wearing.

She had on tight jean shorts revealing her nice sized ass and a white v neck showing a little of her C cup tits. Fuck. I had to get out of here.

"So how are you treating my best friend?" She sits on top of the clean computer desk her smooth legs dangling. I lick my lips and look toward the walls.

"Its dope. You know. I like her."

"I see," she mumbles.

"Yeah," I say hating the awkward silence and feeling I was getting from her. Mostly Loca's personality turned me off. But she was being too calm and something sexual was radiating off her.

"Mikey, sweetheart? I'm going to ask you a question."

"Sup?" I watch as she gets off the desk and stands her 5'4 self in front of me. She licks her lips and runs her finger down my chest slowly.

"I'm better than Cassie. You want me not her. I can give you everything you want. Everything. Remember that." She stands on her toes and gives me a kiss on the cheek and saunters to the bathroom before I can say anything.

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened. Loca was trying to seduce me and betray her best friend. Should I tell Cassie? Naw, she might assume I did something with her while we were alone. Rawry? Nigga has a big mouth when hes drunk.

"Babe? Baabbee..Babe!" I jumped as I heard Cassie. She was sitting across from me at a small get together happening in Main Hall. People were holding drinks and chatting. Some even smoking and dancing a little to slow songs. It was a chill thing Cassie had begged me to go to." What are you thinking about? Have you heard anything I said?"

"Yeah," I lied.

"You're lying," she frowned and looked at me sadly." Don't lie to me.Please."

"Well, I found out my ma once again stole my Granny money and used her when she went for a visit. I should have been there." That was the truth. I couldn't tell her about Loca. That was her best friend and who knows whose side she would have taken.

" Mikey, baby, you have to let your Granny make her own mistakes. She'll eventually realize what your mom is doing." She put her hand on my face and softly strokes my chin. I smile at her and she gives one back.

"Shes been doing this for so long. Granny knows better." I look down at the floor and think of a memory I hadn't thought of in a long time.

It was Christmas and I was 8. Granny had invited the whole neighborhood to her house for her party and family members I didn't really know. At the time, Granny was getting over her breast cancer and was still trying to figure out how she would raise me. My mother was her only child. And she turned out to be a mess.

"Baby, I just got a phone call. You won't believe it," she says squeezing my cheek. I smile and move from her. Her cheek squeezes were still weird and annoying to me.

"Whats up Granny?" She claps her hands and I see her eyes watering.

"Your mothers coming. And she says she got help."

I knew my mother had lied. But Granny seemed so happy, I didn't want to hurt her feelings. My mother was a compulsive liar. She lied to get everything she wanted. Whether it was money or even a gram of cocaine.

My mother came over in a dress that was too big for her skinny frame and was stolen I bet. Everyone whispered about her and said how she had look different. She was a druggie they could tell. What happened to the gorgeous Noel who won prom queen and Ms. Popular? How did she turn to such a pathetic thing?

Granny ran to her and introduced her to everyone. She was the only one who believe my ma was fine. She finally bought my mom to me. My mom gave me a soft smile and bent to my height.

"I got-got you a gift b-b-baby." She was high. She stuttered when she was high. How could Granny not catch that? She pulled a hot wheel toy car from the inside of her skirt pocket. Still wrapped in the box and a four dollar price tag on it.

"Thank you," I mumbled. I put it by the Christmas tree with many gifts and avoided my mother for the rest of the party. I played with cousins my age and kids from the neighborhood. We decided to play hide and seek. I ran knowing I was running out of time before the counter would find me. I finally thought of the perfect place. Granny's room under the blankets in her closet. I ran into Granny's room where the door was closed. I opened the door to see something that broke my heart.

My mom was on the bed not clothed with a guy who was known to be the neighborhood dealer.

"Mom?" I mumbled. The guy jumped and pushed my mom's naked body of him. He zipped up his pants and glared at my mom.

"What the fuck Noel! Who is this little nigga? Bursting up in here! This is why I didn't wanna deal with cho' ass." He tried to walk out the room but my mom grabbed his ankle.

"My coke! You promised me coke! That's why I came! You promised me!" He kicked my mom in her chest and she let go of him. I heard the door closed but all I could stare at was the woman who birthed me on the floor crying naked, her bones showing and her chest going up and down fast. I watched as my mom started shaking harder and harder. She fell backwards and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

Lucky for me, my Granny came in at the right time. I had woke up the next day in my room. Granny said I blacked out and my mom would be alright. I didn't hear from my mom till I was 10. And she had scammed my Granny. The same cycle.

I came out of my memory and noticed Cassie was hugging me and I had my arms wrapped around her. I hadn't even noticed it.

"It will be OK. Promise," she whispered in my ears.