Page 3 of Breaking the Rules

THREE

Noble roamed off his private jet, finding Sincere standing outside of a blacked-out truck. For the first time in his friend’s life, he was on time. While his return home wasn’t joyous and he was sure he’d never feel that joy again, being back around familiarity felt comforting.

“The world got to be ending if your ass is on time,” Noble stated with a small smile on his face.

“Look at this boy! You been up out in Majestic Heights and got all East Coast on me?” Sincere questioned as he greeted his best friend with a brotherly embrace. “It’s good to see you, Deuce.”

A breakout star from 80 th and Mecca, Noble would always be Deuce to the people he came up with.

His father’s junior – his namesake. No matter how far he traveled from home, he was still Los Oceania through and through.

Here, he wasn’t Noble Paulson Jr., he was Deucey Deuce, the boy with the hot head who used his ability to get him and his family out of the hood.

A hearty laugh left his lips as he took in his childhood best friend, turned rap phenom.

A laugh he needed, considering the last week of his life had been no laughing matter.

“I know you not talking shit about me, and you’re still wearing your daddy’s hard-bottom church shoes?

And with jorts and a leather jacket at that? You ain’t hot, nigga?”

“First of all, nigga,” Sincere laughed and tapped the shoe against the pavement. “These are Ameechii’s. My daddy was wearing Tracey Ellis or some shit like that. The hoes love these hardbottom’s and jorts.”

Noble laughed harder. “Nigga, I don’t know if you’re a Crimson Heart or a choir boy playin’ gangsta.”

“I’m me, nigga. Sincere. The bitches love Sincere.”

“Until they find out Sincere lovin’ everybody,” Noble stated, before kissing his teeth. “Why am I talking about your ass in the third person!”

Sincere shrugged with a cool smile on his face. “Shit just rolls off the tongue, don’t it.”

“Yeah, just like your damn lies. Get me to the crib, man,” Noble stated, taking a stride toward the awaiting car. “It’s too damn hot out here.”

“Yeah, yo’ ass gettin’ blacker by the minute.”

Noble flipped him the bird. “And you ain’t?”

“I’m a handsome nigga and you know it. You just hate admitting you like me.”

“I’ll whoop yo ass out here,” Noble retorted, making Sincere throw his hands up.

“Oh no, don’t beat me!”

“Fuck you,” Noble grumbled, unable to stifle his laughter.

“I got to say, I ain’t never been prouder of you. I’ve seen you make grand slams but nothing tops you whopping that niggas ass for violating you,” Sincere complimented. “Almost forgot you were the one running the streets.”

“The world don’t need to know shit about my affiliation. I keep that shit tucked away,” Noble stated, handing the driver his bags and climbing into the back of the JoyRide. When Sincere joined him, Noble made a point to say, “we just kickin’ tonight, right? No bullshit?”

Sincere released an even, “Yeah. You said no wild shit then it’s no wild shit. I mean it’s your thirtieth birthday, if it were me, I’d be surrounded by the baddest hoes in L.O.”

“You’re surrounded by the baddest hoes every night though,” Noble rumbled, not believing his friend at all.

Being in the middle of a contract negotiation, Noble didn’t want anything to ruin his chances of getting traded from the Majestic Heights Mavericks to the Los Oceania Royals.

This week’s drama brought his mission back to the forefront.

The mission was to take care of his family the way his father intended.

A product of a single parent home, his father taught him everything he knew.

How to protect and provide. For Noble, it was easy – make sure his sister and his niece had everything they needed.

Every month, he made sure he sent money, made sure the bills were paid, his niece’s daycare was taken care of, and the car his sister drove was regularly maintained and whatever else she needed.

But putting his eyes on her regularly, outside of a random facetimes from his niece or his sister when she needed something done was the extent of his duties.

He needed it to be more; the gravity of his father’s charge weighing on him.

Being across the country wasn’t going to work. Not anymore.

While his thirtieth birthday was hours away, he was more concerned with making sure everything went through the way it needed to so he could do what he needed to do. Be a man. His father’s words rang in his ears as if he were whispering from beyond the grave.

“A real man takes care of his family. Not boys playing men.”

There was something about L.O. he was running from that he couldn’t run from anymore.

The responsibility. Sure, there were players like Kendrick Saxon, who were the cities heroes but Noble had a responsibility to 80 th .

To the people who looked after him and his sister.

The people who supported his father. The people who helped him through his journey.

Returning home almost a year ago to lay his father to rest, the reality hit him like icy rain on a Majestic Heights winter night.

It was time to step up to the plate, and it all started with his trade to the Royals.

“You right, I am. But sometimes I just want a real chick, you know? Someone that’s going to see through the bullshit.”

“And then…” Noble started, knowing his best friend.

“I be gettin’ bored. I need that excitement, you know. Slice my tires, bust my windows, then fuck me like you hate me type shit.”

“You gon’ have some excitement, you keep on playin’. What happened to that crazy chick that busted the windows out of your cars?” Noble questioned, making Sincere stroke his beard. “Don’t say it.”

“Man, every now and then, I got to dip back just for an adrenaline boost.”

Noble dropped his head back in laughter. “You hell, boy. She gon’ try to kill your ass.”

“She crazy but she ain’t that damn crazy. Remi be looking for a reason to knock bitches out. Speaking of which, she said she’ll fly out to dog walk shorty.”

“Yeah, you fuckin’ around and you about to find out.” Noble sighed. “I’m not calling Remi to do nothing. She’s going to fight and then start cryin’, her tender ass.”

“She’s a sensitive gangsta, you know that.” Sincere chuckled and cut his eyes over to Noble. “And don’t talk your shit, Deuce. Who was the girl you had stalking you when got to Majestic? Remi had her ass gone in a snap.”

“Brooooo, fuck you,” Noble whooped. “I went out on one date with shorty, and she started trippin’.”

“Date? Nigga, you fucked her, took her to get pizza and ghosted her.”

Noble groaned and palmed the top of his head. “You know what, you right. I was drunk as fuck too. And to think about it, it was your fault.”

“You always blaming your poor decisions on me. Since kids. You got to cut that shit out,” Sincere said with a cackle. “Mecole wasn’t my fault and whatever you do tonight, ain’t my damn fault.”

“Tonight? I just asked you, nigga.”

“Your slow ass believed me. You got to stop that shit too. Nigga, I lie from time to time. You think I’m going to be sitting around all night lookin’ in your beady ass eyes?

Hell nah. It’s your three-o. You gon’ forget this shit with your ex, you getting drunk and you gon’ have some damn fun.

If the deal goes through, I’m throwing another party,” Sincere shared.

“I should’ve known better.”

“Should’ve.”