Page 5 of Standing In The Sun

Big Lunar - the man everyone ranted and raved about. The man everyone seemed to have a piece of, except for him. Because she knew better than anyone, she threw him a lifeline. “Apple ain’t come out with you?” Her question switched the mood.

“She over there with her fake ass nigga,” Lunar scoffed, swallowing the last of his drink. “Lame ass nigga,” he added making Noodle snicker which pulled a smile from him too.

“That’s what’s wrong with you?” Bu asked with a knowing look on his face. He loved to tease his friend about being a lover boy. Lunar wanted to give and receive love so bad that it made him make hasty decisions, like wanting to wife Apple up.

Lunar gave him the middle finger. “You think this shit funny… Apple acting like I want too much too soon and you over here with the supposed love of my life.”

Noodle spit out her drink, cracking the hell up. “Lunar!”

“Nah, don’t stop him now,” Bu added fuel to the fire. “Man, you gotta let that go. She was always supposed to be mine.”

“Okay, but damn, you ain’t even let me get a chance,” Lunar laughed at his own pain. He loved messing with Bu and Noodle about the childhood crush he had on her that never went anywhere. He loved her with his boy and would never do anything but support them and cheer for them from the sideline.

Still, his feelings of everyone else settling into love had his chest tight. Meeting your forever person at a young age seemed to be the reoccurring theme of his family. He was created by some forever puppy love type shit that didn’t get to reach its full potential because of death. But even with his mom and stepdad, they were young when they met and after twenty-two years, they were still holding on…madly in love. His eyes went to them on the dance floor. Just like he thought, Tiny was all over Maverick like she’d just fallen in love with him for the first time.

Then his eyes shifted to the other section with Apple and her lame ass basketball playing friend, Bently. The fuck kinda name was Bently anyway? Some lame ass shit that made Lunar scoff.

Bu’s hand landed heavy on Lunar’s shoulder, grounding him for just a second. “You gotta let that hurt go, my boy… Noodle mine and Apple…” His gaze trailed after Lunar’s, locking onto the girl in question. He exhaled through his nose. “Apple just out here living her life. You probably gotta let that go too.”

Noodle squirmed knowing the true reason behind Lunar’s somber mood. He’d been that way for a while now. Well, he’d always yearned for pieces of his daddy but lately since he planned to put out one of the greatest albums the world had ever heard, he was really feeling a lack of connection.

Lunar sat up, running his hands down his face. He was high and feeling great off that liquor. Standing to his feet, he went to the table to grab a bottle. Just as he twisted the top off, the beat to Clouded by Brent Fiyaz shook the club. Bottle in his right hand, he lifted his arms over his head.

Aku came out of nowhere, yanking him to the dance floor knowing this was their shit. Noodle knew he needed the reminder that he wasn’t alone, so she hopped to her feet and made her way behind them.

“I gave it all up for a fantasy,” Aku hollered with a cheeky grin on her face from the weed she’d been smoking.

Noodle bumped Lunar’s shoulder.

All eyes were on them. They were in Emerald City surrounded by rich and well-off people so they didn’t have to worry about someone trying anything stupid. They had the freedom to just have a good time amongst family.

Lunar couldn’t help but sing along. The perfect singing voice gene skipped him but his tone still sounded pretty good. He tilted his chin up, throwing his hands in the air singing “If I go tonight, I doubt the world’ll change,” as the bass shook the floor.

“I just pray they don’t forget my name.” Noodle sang after him, cheesing as she knew her legacy was solid, and the world would never forget her name.

“How much?” Aku hyped him, feeding into the moment.

Lunar flicked his diamond watch into view, waving his wrist in front of his face. “Ten thousand… twenty thousand…” He smirked as Javen and Maverick joined in, with Bu following close behind.

“Thirty thousand,” Noodle flicked her wrist too.

Javen - never one to be outdone even by his people, tossed his platinum, diamond encrusted watch that dazzled even in the dark with his matching bracelet in the air too. “Forty thousand.”

Luna smiled hard, loving when her husband was able to be himself. She got teary eyed looking at Little Lunar, the spitting image of her brother, stirred up memories. There was never a time when she didn’t miss her twin. Many a night, her and Javen still dreamed of a world where Lunar was there to see all he’d poured into them come into fruition. Swiping the tears from her face, she smiled when Javen wrapped his arms around her.

He always seemed to know what she needed without her having to say it.

Tiny fixated on Lunar, her heart twisting because she could tell something was bothering her son. She saw it—the struggle behind Lunar’s bravado. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and shield him from the world, pulling him close protectively but she resisted ‘cause she knew with the men of their family was where he needed to be. Their bond subtly letting him know they were in his corner and the world was in the palm of his hands.

Everyone crowded around him, just vibing.

Always impulsive, Lunar’s eyes locked back onto Apple and her new man of the week, his grin turning downright sinful. Pivoting, he rolled his body towards them, mouthing the lyrics like a taunt. “Fuck her on the floor, like I don’t give a fuck ‘bout it.” He smiled when Apple’s mouth dropped while her eyes held a glint of knowing what was up with him. “…my family wish I stop wildin’.”

Aku rested her arm on Lunar’s shoulders as they yelled the next line out loud. It seemed to hold so much truth. “I’ve been fuckin’ superstars since I was nineteen!”

“Now, wait a minute!” French cocked his head to the side at Aku.

Noodle laughed, swaying in Bu’s arms.

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