“Inhale that shit boy I swear you young lungs be wasting good smoke every time we have one these smoke session,” Mike explains.
“Since when you became the big chief smoker. Chill boy,” Ronnie replied.
“No need to get hostile I’m just saying all that”.
“All that what bro. Yo slow down and make the block that looked like Marie big fine ass walking down the street. She probably going to the store.”
“Man you cracked that yet? How long you been talking to her?”
“Naw and 3 years.”
“Wait. What the… 3 years? Like your girl say ‘I know you lying.’”
“I don’t have a girl.”
“I know. But you never know Marie might be that lucky lady. I doubt it. That’s me thinking out loud.”
“Damn just like true homeboy congratulate you and hate on you all in one sentence.”
“Somebody got too to do it. Just fucking with you bro,” Ronnie replied in a joking manner.
“Pull up on her don’t hit her damn get it together Ronnie Andretti geez wiz.”
Ronnie eased the car up to the curb, slow, cool. Mike shook his head, blowing smoke out the cracked window.
“See, that’s what I’m talking about. All those years of practice and you still drive like you failed the road test twice.”
“Bruh I got my license the first try, unlike somebody I know”.
“Don’t start.”
“Don’t start. From the shit starter”.
Marie was posted up outside the corner store, phone in one hand, plastic bag swinging from the other, laughing at something on her screen.
Ronnie’s whole demeanor shifted sat up a little straighter, cut the radio down without even thinking about it.
Mike caught it immediately. “Oh you bugging. You ain’t slick.”
“I don’t know what you talking about.”
“Bro you turned the music down. For what? She can’t hear the music inside here.”
“I like it quiet sometimes.”
“Yeah. Three years of quiet.”
Ronnie pulled up alongside her and rolled the window the rest of the way down. “Ay, Marie. You need a ride or you good?”
She looked over with that smiled that had Ronnie head messed up since the eleventh grade. “I’m good, Ronnie, it’s like two blocks.” She replied.
“I know. I’m just saying case you didn’t wanna walk.”
“Uh huh.” She looked past him at Mike, who was doing everything in his power to keep a straight face. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing,” Mike said. “You know Ronnie being Ronnie.”
She laughed, shook her head, kept walking. Ronnie watched her for a second too long before pulling off.
Mike waited exactly three seconds. “Three years, my boy. So in all of the three years and ‘case you didn’t wanna walk’ is the best you got?”
“Man shut up and pass the lighter.”
To be continued…