"Lance Ely." I say assuming that it's the office calling.
"Baby?" It's Ari.
Surprised I lean up in my drivers seat to talk as if she were right there in front of me. "Yeah babe, hi!" Usually I hold back my excitement but at this point I want her to know in excited to hear from her.
"I miss you, I want to come home." She says lightly.
"Yes baby please come back, we will work everything out I promise! I'm in the city I can come pick you up right now. Where are you?" I haven't been this excited for anything outside of my son for a very long time.
"I'm at Bobbi's, I'll get my stuff ready."
Before I go off to Bobbi's I stop at 7-Eleven to get us some slurpees. Both Ari and I love slurpees with a passion but who doesn't? I buy some gum as well anticipating a kiss that I've been longing.
As I pull up to Bobbi's place I get nervous like I'm on a first date. I park my car, take three deep breaths and get out. As I make my way up to the door I can feel my heart pounding and I begin to feel sweat develop. I take out a napkin and wipe my head as I ring the doorbell expecting Ari to open the door and fall into my arms.
"Heyyyyy Lance!" It's Bobbi.
"Hey Bobbi where's Ari?" I ask unbothered by her presence.
"Oh she in there. You want to come in?" She asks loudly.
"No not really I just want Ari to come out." I say.
"Well she wants you to come get her stuff anyway so you might as well come in." She says turning and walking back into her townhouse and up the stairs.
I take another deep breathe and follow, closing the door behind me. As I get upstairs I see Ari sitting on the couch consoling Luke, Bobbi's little brother.
"Everything alright guys?" I say concerned.
"Hell nah man!" Like raised his head up to speak.
"What's the problem?" I say moving closer to him.
"My pop wants me back in North Carolina. I'm just getting used to it here. I ain't trying to leave now. I was even thinking about going to college up here next year!" He tells me.
"I see. When does he want you to come back?" I ask.
"Man as soon as the school year is over and that's in a few months." He says dropping his head back down.
"Well you can always finish your last year of school there and just come back for college." I try to reassure him.
"Nigga you don't know shit!" He said standing up and quickly going down the stairs leaving out the house.
"Whoa, what was that?" I turn to ask Bobbi.
"Lance he really doesn't want to go back." Bobbi tells me.
"But why not. It's a year with his pop. Wouldn't you let him come back and stay with you so he can go to school?" I'm puzzled, not seeing the problem.
"Of course I would. He's just scared to go back. I told you before the reason he's up here is because that he got in some trouble." She says also turning her back to walk away.
"What the hell kind of trouble?" I ask her.
"Don't worry about it Lance." She says.
"Bobbi just tell him, I'm going to tell him anyway if you don't." Ari chimes in.
"Ugh. A couple of years ago Luke and a few of his friends went to a party and they got in a fight. It was late at night. Him and his friends went to their car, it was three of them, one came back out with a gun and shot back towards the group they fought and hit one kid. He didn't die fortunately but you know how the streets are, eye for an eye. One of his friends are in prison for the incident and didn't give any names but says he wasn't the shooter. The other guys spent a long time looking for Luke and his other friend but they can't find them because they both left after their friend was locked up."
She says before turning to go in the kitchen once again.
"Wow. So why would his dad even want him to come back?" I ask still very much confused.
"His dumbass thinks it's blown over now. I try to tell him that nobody is going to forget someone who shot them in two years. They're still kids, I'm sure they still want revenge. Especially since the guy in prison says he wasn't the shooter. They want the shooter and if Luke goes back what do you think they'll think?" She says apparently wiping a tear from her face.
"You're right. What are you going to do?" I dont really know what to do so I keep asking questions.
"I can't do anything, I'm not his legal guardian." She says.
"Where'd he go?" I ask another question.
"I don't know, sometimes when he gets upset he likes to go for walks." She tells me clearly uneasy about the entire sutuation.
"Well look, if you want I'll try to talk to the father if you think it'll help." I say reluctantly but I do want to help.
"I mean I'll ask but he's such a stubborn guy. I think it would help though so it's worth a try." She says looking a bit relieved to be offered some help.
"Well good, everything should be fine I'm sure. But I have to do what I came here to." I say grabbing Ari by the hand to lead her downstairs out the house.
"See you girl." Ari says to Bobbi before leaving.
As we get in the car I see that the slurpee have melted. "Well I tried to get us a little something but I didn't see that issue coming so yeah."
"It's okay baby. I just wanted you." Ari said gesturing her finger to come here which I gladly did as I finally was able to kiss her after a long month.
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