• Rhyon •

"Rhyon come down here", I heard my mother call to me from downstairs.

I sighed as I popped the cassette tape inside of my cassette tape player. The sun was slowly, but finally setting and we had just finished eating dinner, BBQ ribs with collards and cornbread.

I wasn't really that hungry because I was more so excited to hear what Ren has recorded and given to me.

"You hear me chile?", she screamed louder. "Get down here!"

"Damn wait a minute", I mumbled under my breath as I walked to my room door.

I huffed as I swung my bedroom door open and slowly walked down the steps. Whatever she's calling me for it better be good. As I walked down the steps, looking at my feet as I walked I answered my impatient mother

"Yes ma...Daddy!!!" I screamed as I ran and wrapped my arms around my dad tall frame.

He laughed as he wrapped his long arms back around me. I missed my dad so much since he accepted to be a truck driver. It required for him to be gone all the time, but he made good money.

"Girl...almost knocked all the wind out of me", his deep voice said, followed by a loud laugh.

"What are you doing here?", I smiled brightly up at my dad.

"What you mean?", he said with a slight frown. "Last I checked I live here Rhy Rhy"

"Oh, stop Curtis, she aint mean it like that" my mom laughed as she playfully smacked his butt.

"Aye" he jumped as he cut his eyes at her. "that shit aint coo now" he said quickly.

I let my dad go and we started talking about school and how I have a knack for poetry. He told me if I keep it up, one day I'll be able to publish my own poem book making millions of dollars. I honestly never seen this as a career for me as an adult.

But I'll keep it in mind.

After sitting down with my folks for a little bit in the living room, laughing and talking my dad told me he'll be home for at least four days so he wants to spend as much time with us before he goes back on the road.

"Aye dad I'ma go upstairs and finish writing" I say as I stood up then kissing him on the cheek.

"Alright baby girl..." he smiled back as he wrapped his arm around my mom shoulder and bringing her closer to him. "Make sure you stretch your hands so you won't get arthritis"

I giggled as my mom scolded him, telling him not to tell me stuff like that. I knew he was just kidding but I'ma stretch them anyway, since they do tend to cramp up.

The weakness for a hard writer.

After I entered my bedroom and softly closing the door behind me, I walked over to my cassette player and pressed the play button.

"Yo...mic check one two one two...is this thing on?"

I laughed, covering my mouth as I listened to Ren doing a microphone check on the tape. It was so weird to hear someone on a cassette, besides famous singers.

"Umm...yeah this my tape...so Rhyon this for you aight?"

I heard some shuffling before a small melodic beat came on. My eyes widened in complete shock. This kid had a little demo going on and I must admit; I am very impressed.

"If I was your best friend, I want you 'round all the time. Could I be ya best friend, if you promise you'll be mine"

I covered my face as I felt butterflies swarm around in my stomach and my cheeks get steaming hot and red.

"First we get to talkin, then we get to touchin

If we get past the phone games we'll be humpin

I kiss like the french do, I put my tongue in your ear

Do it like the dogs do it girl and pull on your hair"

"Oh...my...god", I shrieked as I covered my mouth at the words I just listened to.

Ren continued to flow on the beat like he's been an artist and was born to do this. My chest heaved up and down as continued to cover my face and smiling from ear to ear.

I've never had anyone do something like this for me and it all started with us writing together every chance we got. What really got me is he is telling me he like me, in a song.

"I sit and think of things to say that may make you smile

Or give you gifts from my heart to reflect my style"

I sighed in pure bliss as I listened to my "For Rhyon" song and plopping down on my bed then covering my face with a pink and white rabbit stuffed animal.

I wish I could see Ren right now, I thought to myself. He deserves another kiss after this.

Wait.... he's supposed to be my friend; friends don't kiss each other or does that kiss mean me and Ren is more than friends?

After listening to the tape 5 more times, I decided to go sit on the porch and write something for Ren.

I mean, that's the least I can do since he made a whole tape for me. I got off my bed and grabbed my note book and headed downstairs to go sit on my porch.

My mom and dad weren't in the living room, so I am assuming they are upstairs since their room door was closed. Yuck.

Opening my house door, I left it cracked before sitting down and opening my notebook as well. It felt so good on this Thursday evening as the warm wind blew onto my skin and the pink arrays of orange, yellow and a hint of red strokes across the sky.

My next-door neighbors played music by The Spinners in their backyard, giving me a funny feeling because they were singing exactly what I was feeling.

"Say you feel the same way too and I wonder what

It is I feel for you

Could it be I'm falling in love (with you baby)

Could it be I'm falling in love (ooh)

Could it be I'm falling in love

With you, with you with you, with you"

This was the weirdest feeling ever, except that weird feeling "when you have to present in front a classroom with your half-prepared presentation, hoping for the best" type of weird feeling.

As I begin writing, I heard some yelling from the neighborhood kids telling their friends they will see them later.

I usually would go outside and hang by Kelly park with Melissa and Paris, but after that Kiss with Lorenzo, I decided to stay in and sort out my feelings.

"You mad black though Ren and you stink"

"Fuck you with yo big ass" I heard Ren voice say back, causing me to look up.

He was walking with Chaz, Roger and few other neighborhood knuckle heads that lived on the other side of the neighborhood.

He continued as they started walking closer towards my gate, "You hide bologna and spam in your jacket you fat nigga", he laughed.

They all started laughing, causing me to chuckle a little as I watched them from my Porch. I bit my bottom lip as I watched his eyes connect with mine, making me smile.

"Yo, ima catch up with yall", Ren says as stopped and leaned on my gate.

"Why?" Roger said as he looked up at me then smirking. "Oh, Ren girlfriend is here"

"You and Rhyon go together?", Chaz says then smacking Ren arm. "Oooh you a coo nigga"

And honey you'll always be the only one for me

Meeting you was my destiny

You can be sure I will never let you down

When you need me I will be around

I gave a small wave as Ren shook his head and laughed, then opening my gate. His friends continued to joke each other until they made it down the block.

"Wassup Rhyon"

I looked up at Ren as he sat next to me, smiling a little. My heart was beating so quick, I felt like it was going to give out at any second. Gosh he is so cute, I thought to myself

"Hey..." I smirked as I rubbed my shoulder. "I listened to your tape"

He quickly glanced at me, then looking down at the ground before rubbing his palms up and down his thighs.

"You like it?" he said in low tone, as if he was embarrassed.

"Mhm...I do" I smiled, causing him to look up at me.

"Fo real?"

I nodded. "Mhm...a lot"

"Like A lot A lot?" he asked excitedly.

"Like this much" I leaned my face into his and planted a small, soft kiss on to his lips.

I slowly pulled away and looking away, trying not to smile too much.

"Oh, it's like that..." Ren said as he scooted closer to me.

I giggled as I turned my face to his and placed my hand on his thigh before kissing him again, this time he slowly took my bottom lip into his mouth, followed by me palming his face with my hands.

I heard a tree branch fall on the porch causing me to stop kissing him and jumping.

"Oh, my god!"

Ren laughed as he stood up and dusting his pants off. "Maybe we shouldn't be doin that I aint ready to be a daddy yet"

I raised a brow. "I'm just playing I know you can't have babies from kissin...but ima go home fo my momma come outside wit her belt lookin fo my ass again"

I laughed as I stood up, "Thanks Ren...thank you a lot for that it was sweet"

"No problem Rhy" he says as he quickly pecked my lips and jogged out my gate and up the street.

"well" I sighed as I grabbed my note book. "so much for writing"

I grinned as I walked into my house and heading up to my room to listen to my song. It was a little fresh, but it meant something to me.

The sun finally set and I continued to listen to the song over and over as I wrote in my book;

Sometimes, I find it hard to concentrate

Because thoughts of us together fill my head

When you're away, it's hard to sleep at night

So, my pillow, like my thoughts of you, I hold tight

I turned the volume up a little louder on my cassette as I continued to write in my book. This feeling is so brand new, but I like it and I look forward to this feeling from now on.

In the middle of writing, I heard my room door bust open with my father standing in the doorway.

"Dad!" I yelled as I hurriedly turned down the radio. "Why didn't you knock"

"What was that garbage you were just listening to?" he said in a stern tone, squinting his eyes.

"What are you talking about?", I said, trying to play dumb. "I wasn't listening to anything"

He walked over to my cassette tape, turning the volume knob up.

"If we get past the phone games we'll be humpin

I kiss like the french do, I put my tongue in your ear"

"Dad...that's private" I whined as I covered my face in humiliation.

"What's goin on in here?", my mom says as she appeared in the door way.

"Loretta, do you not here this bullshit?!" he roared as he turned and looked at me, pissed off.

My mom glanced at me quickly as I pouted and crossed my arms, now clearly upset. I have no privacy around here and my dad knows better to bust in my room.; what if I was naked?

I watched my dad stop the tape player and snatch the cassette out and reading it.

"For...Rhyon? He read as he glared in my direction. "Who gave you this shit!", he spat

"Curtis calm down", my mom softly spoke as she walked up to him and rubbing his back. "Rhyon...who gave this to you...it sounded like Lawrence"

"Lorenzo", I corrected.

"Lorenzo" my father looked confused then getting quiet. "Lorenzo? The only Lorenzo I know is Yvette nappy headed son; Lorenzo Patterson and his bad ass siblings aint it bout 5 of them.... his disrespectful ass gave you this?" he screamed in shock.

"He's not nappy headed", I spat back as I looked out the window.

"You better shut up Rhyon" my dad roared as he pointed a finger. "Yo ass already in trouble, talking bout humping and licking you and shit.... And yo ass!" he screamed pointing to my mom.

"Yo ass probably too busy smoking like a goddamn chimney and drinking that booze with racoon eyes Maddy and Yvette hosting them damn card games after I SAID to stop that shit", he roared and waving the tape in the air.

"I don't want them in my house while I'm gone, or when I'm here" he spat as he pointed at my mom. "You heard what the fuck I said...."

My mom snarled. "Yea" she replied, then storming out of my bedroom and followed by her slamming the bathroom door.

"Yo little fresh ass better stay away from him"

"For what daddy?" I shouted, standing up on my bed. "You are trippin"

"Girl...ill whip yo little ass who you think you talking too like you lost yo damn mind?" He mugged me standing in my face, grabbing my arm and yanking me down on the bed.

"You do what I say and the next time you talk to me like that ill show you who grown"

"I'm going to see him...I go to school with him and he's my friend", I screamed at the top of my lungs and turning red in the face.

"Oh...oh you gonna see him righ?" he laughed as he stuffed the cassette into his dark pants pocket. "You aint gonna see shit... cause I'm sending yo ass to Oakland wit ya grandma!" he screamed.

"W-what?" I said as my voice cracked. "You-you can't do that...that's not fair dad THAT IS NOT FAIR"

I felt my eyes sting as huge tears started rolling down my cheeks while I ran my fingers through my hair, crying.

"I don't wanna go....and I aint!"

"Yo ass aint gotta choice...now deal with it!"

My dad walked to my bed room door and opened it before turning back and looking at me.

"I told yo ass ima show you who grown, wanna be a fresh disrespectful ass like Lorenzo now ima send you to someone who gonna straighten that ass out....and get the packing you're going tomorrow after school"

He slammed the door before I could respond.

I let out a loud high pitch scream before buried my face into my pillow and belted out an agonizing cry.

"I HATE YOU", I screamed into my pillow while sniffing. "I wish he never came back home"

------

sorry that this chapter is long as hell, I didn't realize until i looked at the word count

but ummm; lemme know what yall thinking; was Rhyon father right for barging into her room like that?

more importantly; is he right for trippin as Rhyon said. is it really that deep?

But thank you for reading; I am really liking how this book is going so far ; Next update coming sooner than ya think

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