The Resistance

Chapter 7

When I got home, I wanted to just go up to my room. Of course I couldn't though. Pops and literally bumped into each other. I tried to step around him and head up to my room, but of course it didn't work. I got past him but he didn't just let me be.

"Oh so we walk by old men and don't say anything now? I was just about t-"

He finally looked up and seen my face. I'm not going to lie and pretend like Omar didn't bust my lip. I'm glad I had my hair in a tight enough bun. He still tried to pull my hair though. I was always taught to go for the nose and the  eyes first, not no damn hair. It's never okay for a guy to be pulling hair. Makes him look like the bitch that he high key is.

"Booooy!" He started pacing back and forth in the foyer. "What happened to your face?"

"Oh umm..." Some of my hair fell, so I looped a curl around my finger. "I umm ran into a locker."

As soon as I said locker, he froze into place. He then turned towards me.

"Left or right?"

"What?"

"It ain't no damn way you finna tell me a damn locker did this to you. Did you get hit with a left..." He swung his left hand at the air. "Or a right?!" His right hand followed.

"Pops..."

"No! No. I wanna know what hand they swung with, what color shirt they had on, were their shoes crispy or busted, if they snuck you or you seen it coming... and I want to know who actually did it."

He started swinging at the air again. This man even started ducking as if someone was swinging back at him. He ducked really quick then stumbled back and swung his fist really hard and leaned foward.

I leaned against the wall and shook my head. I wonder what in his thought process told him to start doing this.

"Pops..."

He put his fists in front of his face then leaned back.

I was about to walk away, but he finally stopped boxing the air.

"Jahmir, I'm not done with you." He deeply exhaled. "I just got caught up in whooping some ass."

This man right here... with moves like that, he probably wouldn't last very long. He would make himself tired before he even gets a hit in.

"Come here."

We went into the kitchen. I sat at the island and seen all kinds of junk food. Chips, candy, a pie, a box of Dunkin Donuts. I'm not claiming to always eat clean, but I don't really have a taste for junk food like I used to. I'll eat it sometimes, but not nearly as much as he does. I keep on trying to tell him to cut back on unhealthy foods, but he won't listen to me. I'm tired of even begging him.

"Here, take this."

He gave me an ice pack that he wrapped in a damp wash cloth. I didn't put it to my mouth quick enough, so he helped me out by pressing it on my lip.

"Ahh! Pops!"

He moved his hand as he came around the island and sat next to me.

"Sorry son." He deeply exhaled. "Okay. Time to get serious. What happened?"

I explained to him pretty much everything that had happened. From Omar picking on Faye to Omar being with Nia. With her dusty broke ass. I'm mad at her but I swear I feel so damn stupid. When we first started talking, she acted as if she liked me for me. I kind of wonder if anybody will like me for me. Only me. My personality, not my looks, my pops, or my wallet.

"This boy has been nothing but trouble for you throughout the years. Why do you let him get to you so bad?"

"So you wouldn't be upset if a guy took the girl you thought was your girlfriend?"

"Oh don't be fooled now! That wouldn't happen to me. Jahmir, your grandfather was sexy. Every girl wanted to be with me. No girl would mess up a chance to get with all this." He rubbed his chest, then lightly smiled. "But no other girl could ever compare to your grandmother. Helen was one of a kind."

He went from superficial to sentimental. There's no denying he still misses my grandma a lot. He tried to act so strong, but he's hurting tremendously. When they met, he was eighteen and she was sixteen. Despite her parents wishes, they secretly started dating within two weeks of knowing each other. He married her on her eighteenth birthday. They were married for fifty one years.

Who can really say that they were with the same person for over fifty years? You'd think they would have gotten tired of each other, but look at what all they created with each other. They supported each other. They went after their dreams. They had so many adventures together. Hard times rarely occurred in their relationship. Who wouldn't want something like what they had?

"I miss her a lot, but we have enough memories to cheer me up." It was almost as if he read my mind. "Anywho, answer my question."

"He always picks on Faye. I don't like that. It's not fair that he does that to her. She is very, very insecure. People like him make it hard for her to trust me. She probably thinks I'm her friend to her face, but joking about her behind her back."

"Remember what I told you about bullys?"

Of course I remember. I remember coming home to him and crying. A group of girls were being mean to my best friend. I told them to shut up, but they continued calling her names. I couldn't stop them from hurting Faye's feelings. She was so surprised that I felt that way about her. I guess I never really grew out of it.

"Bullys are only bullys because they don't love themselves. There's no way of controlling what they say, but you can control how you respond to it. If they see that you don't care, they'll eventually leave you alone."

"Exactly. The girlfriend thing. Now that's really messed up. Look at it this way, though. At least you didn't spend too much time with the wrong person. At least you were able to see her for who she truly is. Her and Omar deserve each other." He lightly rubbed my back. "As far as you and Kaelynn... you need to have a heart to heart with her. Let her know that you're still the friend she can always count on. Help her with her insecurities."

I didn't respond to him. I simply stared down at the island. He's right. They do deserve each other. They probably won't last very long though.

"Jahmir. Son. You are only seventeen. You have plenty of time for love. Learn to completely love yourself first. Get yourself through this last year of high school then figure out what it is that you want to do with your life." He stood up and pat my back. "I'm going to go check in on the dealership for a bit. I love you son."

"I love you too pops."

He left me sitting there, soaking in our conversation. I feel as though I've been slipping away from who I truly am.

Things have got to change.