The faint tug at his scalp was oddly soothing, a rhythm Kareem had grown used to over the years. He sat on the floor in front of Tasha's couch, legs stretched out, as she worked her way through his hair with practiced ease. The TV played some reality show neither of them were paying attention to, filling the silence with background noise.
"Stop movin'," she muttered, comb in hand.
"I ain't even movin' like that," Kareem shot back, half-heartedly. His eyes stayed on the TV, but his thoughts weren't there.
Tasha gave a soft laugh, low and familiar. "You always got somethin' to say, don't you?"
He didn't respond, leaning his head back just enough to let her work without complaint. They didn't need to talk much, and that was what Kareem liked about her. She didn't pry.
When she finished the last braid, she tapped his shoulder lightly. "Done."
Kareem reached up, fingers brushing over the neat cornrows she'd just finished. "'Preciate it," he said, standing up and adjusting his shirt.
"You know you could learn to do this shit yourself," Tasha teased, crossing her arms as she leaned against the back of the couch.
"Yeah, well," Kareem shrugged, grabbing his hoodie off the chair. "You ain't complainin', so."
She smirked but didn't push it. He nodded at her once before heading out the door, pulling his hoodie over his head as he stepped into the evening air.
The air outside was cool, a slight breeze ruffling the leaves along the sidewalk. Kareem stuck his hands in his hoodie pocket, his mood as even as the sky above him. The quiet didn't last long, though. His phone buzzed.
Santi: Yo, you busy?
Kareem stared at the message, chewing the inside of his cheek. He debated leaving it on read, but something about Santi made that hard. His finger hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he typed back.
Kareem: What you want?
A response came almost instantly.
Santi: Damn, that's how you greet me now? Aight, Papi, pull up.
Kareem scowled at the screen. He didn't ask for details, didn't say no either. Against his better judgment, he headed for his car. Going to locating Santi dropped.
Santi was waiting outside the corner store when Kareem pulled up. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the block, highlighting the casual way Santi leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets. He looked up as Kareem stepped out of the car, that same smug smile plastered across his face.
"Look at you," Santi said, pushing off the wall. "Fresh braids and shit. Who you tryna impress?"
Kareem rolled his eyes. "You texted me for this bullshit?"
"Nah, I just like seein' you." Santi smirked, stepping closer.
Kareem's eyes narrowed, but he didn't move back. "What you want, nigga?"
Santi tilted his head, studying him for a second. "You always this mean, or you just saving it for me?"
"Take a wild guess," Kareem shot back.
That earned a laugh from Santi, a low, warm sound that Kareem hated how much he liked. "Aight, tough guy. I was tryna see if you wanted to grab somethin' to eat or chill for a minute, but if you tryna bark all night, I'll let you get back to whatever you was doin'."
Kareem hesitated. He didn't know why he hadn't just said no. He could've driven off, gone home, and kept to himself like he always did. But instead, he found himself shrugging.
"Whatever. You payin'."
Santi grinned. "Aight, bet."
They ended up at a spot down the street, some hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint that smelled too good to ignore. They didn't talk much at first, the silence between them heavy but not uncomfortable.
Santi finally broke it, leaning back in his chair with a lazy smile. "So, how come you never smile, Papi?"
Kareem glanced at him, deadpan. "'Cause niggas like you be askin' dumb ass questions."
Santi laughed again, shaking his head. "You somethin' else, Kareem."
"Yeah, and you annoying as hell." But Kareem didn't sound as mad as he wanted to.
Santi leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His voice softened, just enough to catch Kareem off guard. "You like hangin' out with me, though. Don't lie."
Kareem's jaw tightened, but he didn't deny it. He just shook his head and looked away, his lips twitching like he was trying not to smile.
Santi caught it, though, and his grin widened. "Knew it."
"Man, shut up and eat," Kareem muttered, but the tension in his shoulders had eased just a little.
For the first time in a long time, he didn't hate being around someone. And that was almost more unsettling than anything else.