😝

It made me want her even more, something I wanted to refrain from happening. Something I've been trying my hardest to not happen. She's too much like Chelsea, I can't have a repeat over again. I can't afford to lose somebody else I care about. I don't think my heart can take another loss.

I took a perfectly rolled blunt from my beanie "Yo Dom, you mind?"

I held up the blunt slightly as he looked at me through the rear view mirror

"Nah bro, go ahead."

I eased up and took the lighter from out of my back pocket. I immediately lit it as I took a nice hit.

Yeah, I like her.

Next day

"What about him?" I asked looking at her sitting in the recliner as I laid down on the love seat with a bowl of popcorn

"What's his name again?" She asked tapping her chin

"Chr—"

"Chris! Yeah, that's his name." I rolled my eyes

"Again, what about him?" I asked scrutinizing her

She was acting funny and I'm not liking it, she was beating around the bush.

"I felt tension when he came over to the booth when were in Burger King. Wassup with y'all?" She paused the random Netflix holiday movie we were watching and sat up in the recliner looking at me.

I kissed my teeth and rolled my eyes as I sat up from the love seat. I set the popcorn on the coffee table and closed my legs pretzel style.

"I'm listening."

"I don't know Jas. When I moved over here and met the boys you saw at Burger King and two other girls you'll meet sooner or later—well I don't know if you'd wanna meet one of them specifically but that's a different story, Chris been giving me the cold shoulder, and when I say cold shoulder I mean ultimate pettiness. He'd ignore me like I don't exist while his other friends talk to me." I looked up at her to see if she was still listening

She motioned for me to continue and I did "But then when he's high it's like he's a different person. He talks to me and acknowledge me which really annoys and confuses me. One time I had him over 'cus he was tutoring me and we ended up kissing. He left the house right after that. I like him Jas and I thought he liked me too but then when I saw him in school the following Monday he completely ignored me."

She started to nod, taking in everything I just said.

She then looked up at me and sat back in the recliner "Sounds like he has his own problems to handle. I say leave him alone until he start acting right. Don't stress him Trin. What and more specifically who you need to be stressing is that boy Dominic. It's pretty obvious he's feeling you, the way he tried to calm your ass down is a prime example. And he cute! Girl what are you doing?"

"Dominic is a fine piece of specimen, I'm not gonna lie. He's so nice and sweet ugh. He kissed me twice but that's it. I don't know when it comes to him, I love the attention he gives me, its refreshing. It's something new."

"Ooh Trinnnn, you out here being a hoe! I see how you move now."

"Please don't do that, it's not even like that." I said embarrassed "All he did was kiss me on the cheek, calm down."

"You still a hoe though." She said giving me a smug smile

"Anyways." I dragged on changing the subject "It's Christmas eve what are we gonna do?"

"Do you wanna b—"

"No."

'''

"You put the carrot on the face and I'll put on the scarf." She said waving the black scarf around in the air

"How about I put the scarf on, I feel like you're gonna just mess everything up." I reached for it but she snatched it out of my grasp

"It was my idea to build a snowman, get out of here."

"Grow up." I said laughing

The front yard was full of snow so I just sat there watching her enjoy the snow, considering its her first time ever playing in it. She's so calm when she doesn't feel threatened. So peaceful, It's like looking at two different people from Burger King to now. She most definitely have grown since middle school. She used to argue with anyone who stares at her for too long, now she only argue if she has a reason to. A prime example, last night at Burger King. I mean it used to be so often that she'd argue with a girl for staring, they'd usually stare because she's obviously pretty.

"Trinity...?"

"Uh, yeah?" I looked up at her

She looked at me funny "I've been calling you for a minute, your little friends coming up the block. I spotted the light skin one's head shape a few houses ago."

"Oh my god." I snorted laughing

I turned around in my seat and saw Michael and Dominic walking in the middle of the street. They both had on Canada Goose jackets with Nike tech pants and the mens weather proof Ugg boots, in different colors obviously. I chuckled and smiled at them as they spotted me, New York boys are all so basic.

Michael face grew into a grin as they both walked on the sidewalk and stopped in front of my gate, leaning on it. Dominic waved at Jasmine and gave me a small smile.

"Hi guys." I said smiling getting up and dusting the snow off my pants

"You good Trin?" Dominic said looking at me

I smile and nodded, tucking my hair behind my ears

"How old are we?" Michael immediately said as his eyes landed on the snowman behind me

"Shut your ass up." Jasmine said defensively as she sticked a twig in the snowman for his left arm

Michael looked at her about to say something but I changed the topic knowing how reckless both of their mouths are "Where you guys going?"

"We getting shit for Chyna's mom at the grocery store." Dominic answered

I nodded "She having this big dinner for Christmas and she told us to get some shit from the store or we not getting fed." Michael added chuckling "Pull up, we can use the help."

"Who the hell said we wanted to help?" Jasmine asked walking up next to me

"Yo, what is your problem?" Michael said cocking his neck to the side

"You insulted my fucking snowman!"

"Your snowman ugly anyway!"

"You ugly, nigga!" She insulted back almost instantly

"Wow, you're nothing like Trinity." Dominic commented

I looked at him and nodded agreeing and he started smiling, causing me to look away. Jasmine was right, why am I stressing over a boy for that obviously doesn't like me? I should consider getting closer to Dominic. He's not as complicated and confusing as Chris, and show some short of interest.

I looked over to Michael and noticed he started getting annoyed, I saw it in his face. He bent down and started gathering snow in his hands slowly as Jasmine returned to cater to her snowman oblivious to whats about to occur. I calmly took a step or two to the left as soon as Michael got back up from making a snowball.

Two seconds later, Jasmine's hair was coated in snow and Michael was being chased into the street and down the block laughing obnoxiously.

I looked over to Dominic and smiled "You can come in and wait while I put on some appropriate clothes, it's cold out here."

He nodded and walked into the yard and followed me up the front steps and into the house. I held the door opened for him then closed it as soon as he stepped in and wiped his boots on the door mat. Daddy been getting on me for leaving my window open at night when the heater is on, its hot, what can I do?

"Do you want anything?" I asked as I made my way towards the staircase

"Nah I'm good, thanks." He replied playing the movie Jasmine and I was watching before

Jasmine then came bursting through the door out of breath with her hair everywhere "I really don't like his ass." She said kicking her shoes off by the front door and closing it

She walked over to the coffee table and picked up my bowl of popcorn, eating it as she walked to the staircase and skipped up the stairs.

"We'll be down in a minute." He nodded and I skipped up the steps to my room

'''

"What's the point of y'all following us to the store if y'all not gonna carry no damn bags?" Michael asked nudging me out the way causing me to fall back next to Dominic

"Watch where you're going, bully." I mugged the back of his head

Dominic laughed and I mugged him too, causing him to laugh even more. The sun was setting and I never realized how good he looked in dim lighting until now. Wow.

"Stop complaining, damn." Jasmine said moments later as she tucked her phone in her coat pocket

Michael whipped his head in her direction and scrutinized her. I laughed and took my keys out of my pocket as we were approaching the house. The revving of a car engine caught my attention and goosebumps instantly formed on my arms. The hair on my neck stood up and I instantly got a bad vibe. Dominic looked at me worried, but didn't get the chance to say anything because the sounds of bullets ricocheting cut him and the bickering of Jasmine and Michael off.

Everyone ducked but me "Run to the backyard!" Michael yelled

I froze, I couldn't move. Everything slowed down and everything was silent, nothing but my heavy breathing was being heard.

Dominic grabbed my wrist and his touch brought me back. We all ran to the side of my house and into my backyard. My heart felt like it was trying to jump out of my chest, It was beating rapidly, I heard it in my ear drums. I was trembling and shaking to put the key in the keyhole, I couldn't do it. Dominic took the keys out of my hand and unlocked the back door.

We all piled into my kitchen and each sat down at the kitchen island bar stool. Saying that I'm scared would be an understatement, I was terrified. Someone could've got hurt. I sat there quiet and to myself as everyone was talking amongst themselves.

"Hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours since I've been in New York, and niggas already getting shot at." Jasmine said plopping on the recliner

I was wondering why she's so calm, actually everyone was calm but me. I forgot she grew up in Compton.

Michael looked at her and smirked "Welcome to the hood."