Wilson James Taylor

"Alright, man," one of the guys said to me.

I looked up from the wheelbarrow and pounded fists. "Get home safe," I said, knowing he was going to the bar.

"Can we go now?" Hunter emphasized from inside the truck.

I hung my head in frustration. "You're annoying."

"I'm fifteen," he replied, not looking up from his phone.

"Yeah," I mumbled, dusting off my hands.

I wiped my forehead with my arm and looked straight ahead through the glass where I saw the Sydney girl from earlier dancing around.

I laughed at the sight and followed the hose to the house.

Standing there, I let myself continue to watch her like she did to me earlier in the day.

After a while, she spotted me.

I finished rounding up the hose and smirked, leaning against the house.

"Okay, creep," she spat, cracking the door.

"Back at you?" I returned.

She brought her tone down and laughed at herself.

"You got that one," she allowed, twisting her mouth.

Sydney, huh? She was pretty. Her hair was brown and thick, pushed back by a headband which made her look younger, innocent. She had brown eyes, and a little upturned nose and a pair of dimples. I wasn't complaining about her figure in that tight pink dress, either, she was built like a model with long less and an hourglass frame.

Shit, I forgot what I was saying, I thought in my head.

"What, you want another lemonade?" her low but girlish voice spoke.

"It wasn't that good, don't flatter yourself," I shot back.

She dropped her jaw. "Well you sure did gulp it down."

"I was just hot," I claimed.

"So, what do you really want, or is playful banter your thing?" she questioned, folding her arms.

I popped a shoulder and pushed off the house. "Guess I don't want anything."

"That's too bad," Sydney spoke.

Is she flirting?

I felt my face trying to form a smile and I wiped it away.

HONK! HONK!

I looked over my shoulder and saw Hunter behind the wheel, rushing me.

Jesus Christ.

"I'll see you... next time," she talked. "try not to wake me up again."

With that being said, Sydney flipped the hair over her shoulder and shut herself back inside her aunt's home -- my family-friend Tom's girlfriend.

I got situated inside the platinum 2022 Ford F150 'Lightning' and headed home finally.

"You stink,' I joked with Hunter.

He just looked pissed at me.

"What?" I chuckled, coming up on a 'stop' sign.

"You couldn't let me finish a perfectly good chicken fajita, but you can flirt with her?" he taunted, shaking his head.

"Man," I side-eyed him, laughing it off. "shut up."

"--Feel me?" Damian spoke on the phone.

"Yeah, I get that," I said, adjusting my pants in the chair.

I looked over and Hunter was sleep on the couch.

Tired of Big Mouth on tv, I got up and raided the fridge for something to eat.

"I'm just not even worried about women right now," I told him after a burp.

He sucked his teeth. "Said no man ever."

I laughed a little at that. Damian and Wes were the two always encouraging me to date (Omar was "saving himself" after that last heartbreak a year ago.) Wes more so just wanted me to have multiple hook-ups, while Dame actually wanted me to settle down.

"I mean not right now, anyway. After Anna, nah."

"Facts. I'm sorry, but I hated that bitch. Ain't no pussy that good to make me take care of somebody else little brother like that," he remarked. I didn't let him know the truth, that Hunter is actually Anna's son. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, too.

"You don't need to be sorry, you're right. But that's over," I made known.

"Yeah, i'ight," he sounded.

I stood upright and raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"Fuck you think it mean? You said that at least four times before and ya ass stayed with her."

"It's not like that, we weren't together - haven't been in a while."

"Just don't fold this time. I mean it, get outta that cycle; shit damn near toxic."

I nodded as if he could see me and didn't say anything back for a minute.

With a sigh, I rubbed my hand down my stomach and stretched.

"Yeah, bro, you just gotta meet someone new - get out more," he advised.

"I do get out, I'm just not impressed," I replied, unamused.

"Eh, well, you gotta pick the best of a bad bunch. Look at Wes, he got with Casey and we all used to think she was dirty," he chuckled.

I laughed, too. "But why do I have to settle? I don't wanna meet a girl that's just okay and be like 'welp, this will do.' Besides, everyone got baggage and I'm tired of being the one they dump it on."

Dame yawned in the phone. "That's what strong people have to deal with. No one's perfect, especially these females. You'll find someone."

"I'ma just move to Brazil," I concluded, making him laugh.

"Man, what's in Brazil."

"The women. And hopefully she doesn't know English, we don't need to talk."

He was hysterical. "Shut up, yo, you stupid. Aye, remember what you said when I got you high? It was, u-uh, freshman year in college, or some shit. Yeah, I can't forget it, I lowkey thought that shit was poetic, for real."

"Nah, I don't remember."

"You said you wanted a wife, some kids, a little house on the hill..."

I blinked. "Yeah, well, one day."

"Sooner rather than later, I hope."

"Shit, yeah, before thirty. My mom's been on my ass about bringing someone home," I talked.

"Will, ya moms don't like nobody. You gon' have to bring her home a lawyer or a bitch that saved ya life for her to be impressed," he joked. No, but he's right.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Loud pounding on the front door woke up Hunter, scared.

I looked to my right and saw on the cameras that it was Anna.

With a groan, I closed my eyes tight, not wanting to deal with her ass.

"Will?"

"Yeah, I'll call you back, bro. There's something at the door," I said, hanging up.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walked over and cracked the door to speak to Hunter's mother.

"What," I bellowed.

"Where is my son?" she fumed, trying to push her way in.

"Anna, go away," I pushed.

"YOU WILL NOT KEEP HIM FROM ME," she argued.

"Now you want him?"

"FUCK YOU," she barked. "Let me in!"

She finally forced her way inside and looked around for him furiously.

Hunter crept into the kitchen and made his presence known.

I tried pulling him behind me but Anna snatched him up.

"He's mine!" she shouted, her warm breath hitting my face.

"It's fine, Will," Hunter whispered to me.

Anna then dragged him outside and I followed down the driveway.

"No, it's not fine-"

"You got everything, babe?" Some big, bald white guy asked Anna.

"Babe?" I repeated, my face curled. But I let that go for now.

Anna pushed Hunter inside the black SUV and slammed the door.

I grabbed Anna's arm to stop her from leaving but her fucking bodyguard stepped in the way.

I could throw some punches and I'm no punk, don't get me wrong, but that guy looked like he had nothing to lose, and he was packing.

I clenched my jaw, looking defeated.

"Try to keep him from me again and I'll call the cops," she threatened.

"What are you gonna tell them, Anna, that you're a fuckin' abusive alcoholic?"

She began to laugh almost comically. "No," Anna hissed, "that you like being with little boys. Think about that: what does a grown man want with a fifteen-year-old he has no relation to?"

Oh, I could've hit her. That made me absolutely tick. I loved Hunter like a little brother, nothing more or less.

"Stay away from us-- from him," she snapped, walking around the car.

Her friend grinned at me then winked and hopped in the car, speeding off, literally leaving me in the dust.