Be home in half an hour, Mo. If you’re not here, I’m putting word out to have you brought home. It will be much less embarrassing if you head home on your own.

Ethic pressed send and swiped his face in exasperation, as he blew out a sharp breath. He didn’t want to be that guy. It disappointed him that he had to result to such strict tactics to get through to Morgan, but the only way to keep Morgan safe was to keep her removed. He had seen firsthand how the streets of Flint could swallow a girl whole. It had happened with Raven. He couldn’t sit back and let the same happen to Morgan. If he had to be uncool in her eyes… so be it. He knew his ways were overprotective, but it was a byproduct of losing Raven. Or was it a result of losing his mother? Or was it a reaction to losing it period? Did he hold on too tightly out of fear of losing the women he cared for? Ethic didn’t know, but at that moment, he didn’t care. He lacked patience when it came to her safety, and there was no leniency when it came to that. He just wanted Morgan home; and if she didn’t walk through the door in the next half hour, Ethic had no qualms about sending word to the block to retrieve her.

The smoke from the Kush-filled blunt danced in the air, as Morgan grooved to the vibrations of the speakers that sat behind her. The fact that she couldn’t hear the music made her love to dance even more. Other girls danced to the beat, in a predictable way, trying too hard to be cute, swaying to the music more for attention than enjoyment. Morgan was completely different. The way her hips rode the beat was awkwardly beautiful but natural. Even though she didn’t seek attention, it came to her effortlessly. She bopped to the beat of her own drum, using the heavy bass that vibrated her chest as her guide, while snapping her fingers between the rotations of the blunt that was being passed around. She closed her eyes, as the pulsations from the music traveled up her spine. She was in a vibe. She may not be able to hear the music, but she could feel it. She was standing in a circle full of pretty faces, but she was the only one that shined.