Page 10 of Tangled Hearts

Rock played in Knycole’s hair while she slept, her scowl set in deep like she was fighting battles even in her dreams. He could tell she was carrying something heavy, something that didn’t let her rest. Normally, she’d be up already getting ready for school, but he didn’t wake her.

Let her have a moment before facing the world.

His eyes were red from being up with her all night after leaving Shakeisha’s with a confused heart.

He was never in the house that early on the first, especially not at Mae Lou’s.

But Knycole’s presence shifted him. She could get him to do things he wouldn’t normally do, things that felt foreign but right at the same time.

Mae Lou’s voice carried down the hall. “Tell Knycole I cooked some breakfast if she’s hungry,” Mae Lou announced as she walked past the room door.

Chuckling to himself, he shook his head.

Mae Lou hadn’t cooked anything for him in God knows how long, but as soon as Knycole stepped foot in her house, she wanted to be nice.

It was beyond comical. He respected it because for one reason or another, his granny took a liking to her.

Knycole had that type of power over everyone she came into contact with.

She was rare. That alone made him even more upset with her bitch ass daddy.

“Why you watching me sleep?” Knycole asked while wiping her face.

He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re pretty as hell, girl.”

Her chin creased when she smiled. “I know, right?”

Jokingly, he mushed the side of her head. “You want to talk about what happened last night?”

“Nah, I’m good, but I heard Mae Lou say she cooked. I didn’t eat last night, and I need to put something on my stomach so I can take a pain pill for these damn cramps,” she dismissed him.

Rock grabbed her arm when she got out the bed. “You know you ain’t gotta act hard with me, right?” he asked.

Her eyes connected with his. “Yea, and I’m good. I promise.”

There was something in her eyes that told him she wasn’t, but he didn’t push.

Besides, he was just as messed up as her and really couldn’t offer much advice on a subject where he wasn’t equipped with much knowledge.

Instead, he decided to leave it alone until she was ready to talk about it.

In the meantime, he was going to close his eyes before the block started jumping again.

He’d watched her sleep all night, and it was catching up with him.

Knycole sat out on the porch letting the setting sun’s rays hit her skin and warm her heart. She was too young to be dealing with what all she had going on. Her life as a sixteen-year-old was more than a grown adult could deal with, and she did that shit gracefully.

“You okay out here, baby?” Mae Lou asked when she stepped out on the worn porch, causing it to creek.

She looked back at the well-aged, round woman. “Yes, ma’am. Just sitting out here thinking.”

“Mind if I ask, what about?” Mae Lou pried. She was nosey, but there was something about Knycole that had her smitten with the intelligent hood princess.

Knycole didn’t really feel like talking, but it wouldn’t hurt to get it all out. “I feel like I’m being punished, and I don’t know what I could’ve possibly done to the powers that be. Like, Nick is on drugs bad, but he ain’t never did me like that.”

“You’re looking at the situation all wrong.

Whatever Nick has going on, has nothing to do with you, and the Man up above ain’t punishing you.

Look at where you are now… not on the streets.

You have a roof over your head and food in your belly.

Look at the positive things and stop focusing on the negative.

Your future is bright, baby, and this is only showing why you need to keep your nose in them books. ” Mae Lou rubbed her back.

“But I’m here because of Rock. I don’t want to have to depend on him forever because he don’t always do my heart right. You know what I mean?” Knycole confessed.

“I know exactly what you mean, and you’re right to feel that way.

Don’t depend on him so much, baby. He’s only a man and a man will let you down.

Look to God, and He’ll guide you. That’s my grandson, and even though he thinks I don’t, I love him.

But I also know he don’t know how to love you right.

Y’all are young right now, so I won’t get on y’all too much.

Just don’t let this be the soundtrack of your life.

Go to school and do better than all of us.

If you continue to do that, you’ll always have a home here…

just don’t bring no babies up in here. You on birth control, right? ”

Knycole laughed. “Yes, Ms. Mae Lou.”

“Good, baby. See, you ain’t as dumb as I thought.” She laughed.

Knycole looked at her upside her head and laughed with her. Ms. Mae Lou was alright with her. The mean woman had always been nothing but sweet to her.

“What y’all laughing at?” Raquel asked, walking up from the bus.

“None yo’ damn business, gul,” Mae Lou teased.

Raquel rolled her eyes before looking at Knycole. “I thought I heard you last night, but I was too tired to get out the bed to see. You staying with us?”

“Yea, for a little while. You cool with that?” Knycole smirked.

“Yea, as long as you let me wear your stuff and don’t try to take my place with my granny.” Raquel put her fist in the air.

With her hands up in mock surrender, Knycole agreed. “Deal.”

The three of them sat out on the porch laughing while talking about people who walked by.

For Knycole, it felt good to somewhat feel like a teen again.

The peace and serenity she got from Ms. Mae Lou’s house was something she wasn’t ready to give up yet, and she hoped she could enjoy it a little longer before Nick came back to get her.

Rock and Hov hugged the block like they usually did.

Although the first of the month had come and gone, the smokers were still out in abundance.

Some trying to get something on credit, while others hustled up the money and were willing to give a leg for the potent drug.

The two of them copped most of their work from a guy a little older than them named Christian.

His drugs were the best in the city and kept the clientele growing.

“You trying to fall through the club this weekend?” Rock asked, puffing on a fat blunt.

Hov passed a baggie to one of his customers before responding. “Probably not. That shit ain’t even my scene, plus, it’s so much money out here when niggas like you be hugging the walls at the club.”

“Aye, why you always acting like an old ass man? Like nigga, you act older than Mae Lou,” Rock asked.

“I’m out here acting like I don’t ever want to be hungry again.

I know we’re making a little bit of money now, but I want the whole world in my hands.

Look at that nigga Christian. He’s only a few years older than us and has the city on lock.

I want something like that. I never want to know what it feels like to not have a dollar to get a loaf of bread again.

So, y’all niggas go out and have a good time.

I’ll be out here serving all y’all customers with no regard. ” Hov looked Rock in his face.

All Rock could do was respect what his friend was saying.

No matter what, he was still going to go out and enjoy himself from time to time.

Since Knycole was living with him, he was going to take her to the mall to get an outfit to go out with him in.

That was what he lived for. He wanted to take care of her and his sister—wanted to provide them with all the materialistic things they desired.

“Look at this nigga,” Rock spoke as his nostrils flared.

Nick scratched himself as he approached the two young men. His face was still swollen from Hov punching him. “Can I holla at you, Rock?”

“Nah, we ain’t got shit to talk about.” Rock dismissed him.

“I just need to get something on credit like old times,” Nick tried to reason.

“You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. You ain’t concerned about where your daughter at?” Hov asked in disbelief.

He cut his eyes at him. “Rock, you know I’m good for the pay back,” he said, ignoring Hov.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Rock pulled his pants up, about to give him more than what he came for. “I’d hate to have to beat the fuck out of my girl’s pops. Nick, get the fuck off my block, and I better not ever see you again.”

“Aye, if I catch any one of you niggas serving him, it’s gonna be a problem,” Hov announced.

Nick’s mouth dropped as his heart broke. In a matter of seconds, he went from sad to angry. “You gon’ regret that… I swear you will.”

Rock bucked at him, causing him to stumble a little. “Get the fuck on… last warning.”

Knowing when to fold, Nick left with malice in his heart and a plan on his mind. What he was about to do was going to shake up their worlds, and he couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces.

After a long night of hustling, Rock walked into his room at his granny’s house and plopped down on the bed. He’d purchased Knyc a new phone earlier in the day, and she was on it texting away.

“The fuck you texting?” he asked, humor in his voice.

“Noir about the homework for today. I think I might stay out tomorrow too,” she said, never looking up from her phone. Her legs swung in the air while she laid on her stomach across the bed.

“Shiid,” he said. “You ain’t about to be missing all these days from school.”

“Nigga, you ain’t my daddy,” she sassed.

Whap! He smacked her on the ass. “Something like it.”

Knycole’s hand went to her rear immediately. “Ouch! What the fuck, Rodrick!”

The smile on his face disappeared when he saw her jump to her feet, ready to square up with him. “Chill out ’cause if you hit me, I’m hitting your ass back. Real talk.”

“Why would you slap my ass when you know my body is sensitive when my period is on? You play too damn much, and now I’m about to get my lick back,” she announced, face scrunched up in anger.