The Pimpmasters

𝟒.𝟏𝟔 || 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞

𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐚

All fucking day! All fucking day I tell you! This girls been acting like she hasn't seen Jake in years. She's just been wallowing around the house, sulking excessively then saying "I miss my man." She has a cold so she can't go to school. Luckily for her, I love her, so I called Preston and made him aware of the situation, asking if he could bring Jake.

"Jalen?" I answered the back door with surprise, not wanting Maya to hear. Beside him stood Jake and when I looked over at Jalen's car, I could see Preston in the back seat, sleeping. "Uh" I looked at Jalen, "what's going on with him?"

"I don't know," Jalen shrugged, "niggas starting to have a drinking problem." Jake looked up at Jalen, "I like that word!" he beamed. "Nigga, nigga, nigga!" I went wide eyed as Jalen found that comical. Not only was Jake only eight years old, but he was also white as hell. "You" I pointed at Jake, "can't say that." He cocked an eyebrow, "why not? Maya did it once, I think. She said she heard you say it." I scoffed. "Maya is dark sand colored" I answered my little sister's boyfriend with a sarcastic smile. "She's a black girl with braided pigtails, a bulb nose, and all over the place teeth. Clearly, she isn't mature enough to understand what she's saying, Jake."

"She's not black!" Jake insisted, "she's brown." He was being literal. Maya was like, a variant of caramel, I guess. I was mocha, a little darker given I was only Maya's half sister. We had very similar facial features though: almond eyes, full lips, diamond shape faces with chubby cheeks. "Okay," I gave up, "she's brown." Jalen shook his head with a smile as he handed me flowers and a candy bag. "This is for Maya," he said, as I handed it to Jake. "You know where her room is, right?" I asked my little sister's boyfriend. He nodded before speeding off. Jalen was about to leave, but I stopped him.

"Are you not worried about Preston?" I asked Jalen. "He's been drinking all of a sudden. But, you're his man, so I assume you know more than me." Jalen looked at me funny, "I'm not his man," he replied, to which I rolled my eyes. "Are we still on this closeted shit?" I asked my friend, "we're not judging you." Jalen sighed as I could hear Maya and Jake running.

"Mila," he started out, "I can't be with Preston for real." I squinted at Jalen, turning my face just a little bit, "and why not?" I asked. The early fall, middle of September air rushed by as I did so. "Because now that I know that I have a chance in the league, I've gotta keep up a certain image. I cannot go into the league gay." I shut my eyes for a moment.

"That's what you're worried about, Jalen?" I asked my friend. "What the league might think if you're gay? Them people do not care." Jalen shook his head, "they do" he argued, "it's the NBA, not a 9 to 5 at Walmart, Mila. You're sharing showers and locker rooms with other men. They know you like men, they'll want to be as far from you as possible. Some might say they feel uncomfortable or boycott. Then what? Eventually you're just out of a job. That's the reality. They might not be verbally homophobic, but they still are mentally."

𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐚

"Remember that time when we kissed?" Jake asked me. I nodded, "I do!" Jake nodded too, and he looked like he was about to kiss me. I stopped him, "no!" I yelled, "I'm sick babe." Jake rolled his eyes, "so?" he said, "I'll be sick with you. Then we can stay home together and be all alone!" I smiled, "I like the way you think! That's why we're dating."

***

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬

"Where's Preston?!" Mila asked, storming into Sane'ya's home. She had invited us all to watch a movie, but Mila informed us that she'd be running late. "I need to have a word with you!"