Growing Pains by Dwayne S. Joseph

Author:Dwayne S. Joseph [Joseph, Dwayne S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, African American, General, Urban
ISBN: 9781599831794
Google: AcemNm0_GHYC
Amazon: 1601622465
Publisher: Urban Books
Published: 2011-02-22T00:00:00+00:00

13

Yo . . . sup B . . . You down?

Brian clenched his jaw and deleted the text message he’d just received from Tyrel. He’d gotten numerous messages from Will. This was the first correspondence he’d gotten from Tyrel since their near blowup at Will’s house. Brian slid his phone back into his pocket.

Was he down?

To rip off Old Man Blackwell. A man who knew his mother well. A man who’d always given him smiles and respect.

Was he down?

To disrespect Old Man Blackwell in order to respect bonds of a friendship that went back so far he couldn’t remember a time without it. Tyrel and Will. The two musketeers in their three-musketeer tandem. One for all and all for one. No blood existed between them, yet to say they weren’t brothers just didn’t make sense.

Was he down?

Blackwell or his comrades, who struggled to survive in the war of life.

Brian shook his head, dragged his hand down over his face, and exhaled heavily through flared nostrils. He shouldn’t have had to make a decision like this.

“Hey, Brian.”

Brian looked up. His teacher, Mr. White, was standing in front of him. He’d been so caught up in his thoughts and dilemma that he’d never even noticed his teacher approach him. “Hey, Mr. White,” he said, his voice low.

“Do me a favor and hang out after class, OK?”

“I have something to do,” Brian said.

“Just give me a few minutes. Maybe fifteen, tops.”

Brian opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it. “OK,” he mumbled.

His teacher nodded and then walked off. Brian frowned and wondered what his teacher wanted. Hopefully it had nothing to do with his mom.

Despite the fact that Mr. White had insisted he’d had no intentions with his mother, Brian still had his doubts. He’d watched their interaction at the dance from afar. He’d seen the look of interest in his teacher’s eyes. He wanted his mother whether he admitted it or not. Although Brian liked and respected, and even trusted to a certain degree, his teacher, that want in his eyes bothered him. He took a breath and let it out slowly. He had enough on his mind as it was. He didn’t need any more shit to deal with.

His cell phone buzzed again. Another message. He pulled it out from his pocket, held it beneath his desk, and looked down at it. It was a note from Carla.

My mother had to go into work to cover for someone. I need to talk to you. Come over after school.

Brian texted back: Talk about what?

Thirty seconds passed, and then: Just come over. It’s important.

Too much shit, Brian thought.

He replied, OK, and then slid his phone back into his pocket. Fifteen minutes later, the bell rang, letting everyone know that the school day had ended.

While the students rushed out, Brian remained seated. When the room was empty, Mr. White approached him with a paper in his hand. He put the paper down in front of Brian. Brian looked at it. His exam. With a C- on it.

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