As I locked my door, I saw the girl from the other night entering hers. She noticed me looking at her and stopped. We said nothing but she glanced at my foot and walked into her house.

She was real pretty, but she didn't look a day over eighteen and I'm twenty-two. Not that I wanted her, she was just cute. She had a nice body and I always had a thing for a woman who could stay in shape. I also always had a thing for shorter girls.

I thought she was strange. She always seems to leave when I do and we have these weird staring matches with each other. I also noticed that when she returns, its with weird items.

She'll buy a bag of chips, and a sponge. What type of weird shit?

I somehow always found myself staring at her and she continues to catch me in the act. I probably come off as a pervert, but it's not even the case. I'm utterly intrigued by her quietness.

She was never neighborly to begin with. She helped me once and then started to ignore my existence. I mean people in apartment buildings don't usually always converse and talk to each other, but she had talked to me before, so why couldn't she make an effort now, not that I even wanted her to.

I made my way down the hall and got into the elevator.

My thoughts traveled back to Chanel.

She should have never came over. She's my weakness and I'm hers. That's why we broke up. My mama always warned me that she was going to be toxic.

My mom didn't hate her, she was always nice to her; but she saw what she did to me.

She saw how she made me act; She saw how she made me change. Have you ever been extremely happy and extremely sad at the same time? Probably not, but I have.

If me and her wouldn't have broken up, I would have lost my basketball contract. We don't know how to help each other. No doubt, I love her. We're just not meant to be together in a physical sense.

Friends? maybe if we stop having sex every time we run into each other.

I'm surprised she stopped it last time, she usually was the one who wanted it. She must have a new nigga but I won't trip. If I wanted her back all I needed to do was snap my fingers. That girl was more confused than she realized.

That's exactly why I never tripped over her ending things.

After I came back from my doctors appointment a crashed on my long comfortable couch. I remember when I hated this couch and now it's been my bed for the last week. I like sleeping on it better because I can elevate my leg up on the arm of the couch. It's comfortable.

I ran threw some reruns of Fresh Prince and Martin before my eyes slowly began to lower and eventually gave in.

"Cam, get up man!" A felt a light slap to my cheek and my eyes opened. Devin was standing over me next to Tj with a bag in his hand. "Food." He said lifting it a little.

Once I got up and did my daily hygiene, I made my way into my kitchen where Tj was staring at Dev with a amused smile.

Devin was tearing into a plate of breakfast like he'd never ate before. He reminded me of Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. Who's been starving this nigga?

"When's the last time you ate nigga?!" Tj asked making me burst out in laughter.

"Y'all always hating on a skinny ass nigga." He mumbled.

He looked up and almost choked. "What have you been doing? Nigga you look horrible." He said with a chuckle.

I sucked my teeth. "Fuck up, I don't go out a lot. I hope I heal fast; I hate sitting on my ass like this." He nodded.

"You'll be back at it soon enough. You only had like two cracks right?" Devin asked looking up.

I nodded. "The doctor keeps saying its broken. "I said gulping down some of my orange juice.

"Man, don't even stress yourself out over this. This team has your back and we gone hold it down till you get back on yo feet." Tj pointed out as he slid me my food.

"Thanks."

He nodded. "Them niggas been hit you up yet?" Devin asked tossing his plate in the trash. I laughed.

"Hell yeah we did." Tj shouted.

"All of them. Being irritating as fuck."

He laughed. "They said they was gone do it."

"They ain't lie."

The doorbell rang and I looked at Devin. I motioned my head towards the direction of the door. "Get that for me."

He nodded and stood up, wiping his mouth before disappearing from the room.

He appeared back at the door and sent me a puzzled look. "Uh, it's a female."

I have him a look. "Wrong door?"

"Nah, she said 'the man with the crutches.' that would be you my nigga."

I nodded. "What she look like?" Tj asked wagging his eyebrows.

This nigga.

"Short, long brown hair, pretty ass eyes. She's fine as fuck dawg." I sighed and got up making my way to the door behind Tj.

It was the girl down the hall. She looked up at me and bit her lip. "Hey.."

I nodded. "What's up?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Why was she here?

"I had saw your friends walk by, when I came back home. Can I maybe borrow them?" She said directing the last part to Devin and Tj.

They nodded. "Yeah whatever you need. That's Devin, and I'm Tj." He said kissing her hand. She chuckled.

"What's Tj short for?" She asked with an amused expression. She wasn't even taking him seriously.

"Whatever, you want it to be ma."

She chuckled. "Ok, follow me."

We made our way down the hall and into her apartment. She hasn't even unpacked yet.

Boxes were scattered everywhere and a huge comforter was spread out on the floor. She lead us down the hall and into a room and there was huge box in the center of the I assumed was her bed room.

"What are we doing exactly? What's the box?" Devin questioned.

She laughed. "Believe it or not. It's my bed. You mind putting it together?"

He nodded. "No problem ma." He said opening the box and getting to work.

"What have you been sleeping on?" I questioned. I felt like I knew the answer, but I could be wrong.

She bit the inside of her lip. "The floor in the living room. It's only temporary, I will live." She chuckled.

That didn't honesty sit right with me but it wasn't my place to speak on how she was living. She doesn't even know me; I don't know her.

"I don't have anywhere for you to sit down so you'll probably leave. I promise ill send him back soon. My bed is only like eight parts. I just can't put it together by myself." I nodded.

I helped Devin and Tj as they assembled my bed frame. They got it done pretty quickly or maybe it was because we were talking the whole time. They were funny and really genuine. It was a breath of fresh air to meet people of their nature. I was used to the stuck up life, honestly.

"How old are you anyway?" Tj asked standing up and wiping his hands on his pants.

"21." I said leading him to the door.

"Really? You look younger than that." Devin chimed in.

I sucked my teeth. "I kinda get that a lot. Getting into clubs is a hassle sometimes because of how young my face is. They assume my license is a fake ID and try to tell me I'm seventeen. It's disturbing." They laughed but I was serious.

"Where's your mattress for the bed?" Devin asked.

God he asked a lot of questions.

I ran my hands through my hair. "I ordered it yesterday so it hasn't came yet." I noticed his facial expression change and I sighed.

"Thank you for helping. I owe you guys. If I ever see you again." I said as Devin pulled me into a warm hug.

He was cute.

"You good. If you need anything else, The crippled nigga has my number aight?" I nodded opening the front door.

"See you later beautiful. It was nice meeting you." Devin said smiling. I waved as they walked back down to his door.

I started cleaning everything. If I planned on ordering furniture, I refuse to sit it on a dirty floor.

I made a trip to Walmart to pick up a few grocery items that I didnt have to use cookware to make because I didnt have any pots yet, cleaning supplies and water bottles.

I sat the water in front of my door and life out a sigh of relief because of the weight of it. I sat all the stuff down and frowned looking around my empty home.

I felt helpless. I have a refrigerator, microwave and a stove. They're pretty nice, yet I have no clue how to use them because they are touch screen. That takes me back to square one. I sat on the counter and ran my hands through my hair, pulling it from the bun it was in. I feel so tired all the damn time; it's exhausting.

My dad called this a gift? He buys me a house and then makes a barely five feet three, one hundred and 135 pound girl move heavy furniture in it herself? He needs to face several seats.

The only reason I bother with living here is because of the freedom it grants me.

I moved to Miami but my dad lives in North Springfield, VA. Population a little over eight thousand but its expensive to live there and all the residents are snooty.

I was always in my mind, embarrassing to him. I wasn't stuck up and rich acting. I took trips to the hood every weekend to party with people who genuinely cared for me more than the type of people my father tried to surround me with ever could and that's where his respect has always lied.

I felt more love from people who had just entered my life than I had from a man who had been there from the day I was conceived.

He's pathetic.

A knock came to my door just as I finished mopping the hardwoods floors in the front room. I had to move the boxes to the steps.

It was way to late to be cleaning but I was restless anyhow.

I pulled my hair back up and swung the door open meeting the face of the guy with the broken foot. I don't know his name so ill just call him freckles.

"Hi?" I asked confused. He scratched the back of his neck and his crutch fell to my floor.

We both glanced down at it and I sighed squatting to pick it up.

"Be careful." I mumbled. "Can I help you?"