Auld Lang Syne

It was always the same thing year after year.

"RILEY! Get off that Xbox and help me prepare the food!"

That nigga always getting grumpy around New Year's…just like clockwork. I would admit, Huey is always grumpy, but during this time of year he always gotta get more aggressive than usual.

"What the hell are you waiting for? I know you can hear me back there!"

"Nigga, talk to me when you get yo attitude checked."

Huey looked at me like I was stupid. He always wears that condescending scowl on his face, no matter who he's lookin' at. Didn't matter if it was Jazmine, or if it was the President, he always found something to ridicule anyone.

The doorbell rang. I knew who it was at the front door…it was always the same thing year after year. That's why I knew better to just stay out of the way whenever she decides to come over for New Years…cause I know the gates of hell had just opened up.

"Riley, go see who it is. At least make yourself useful and do something."

I slowly walked over to the front door and peered through the hole in the door so I could confirm the identity of our unwelcome visitor. And lo and behold, it was none other than Jazmine Dubois.

This bitch just askin' fo' an asswhuppin.

I slowly reached over for the doorknob, careful as to make sure Pandora's box wouldn't open at the same exact moment I open this door.

"RILEY!" Jazmine gave me a hug so tight I swore I heard ten of my ribs snap under the pressure. "Happy New Year!"

"Whateva. It's New Year's Eve. Get it straight, Jazzy."

Forreal tho, this uppity bitch forever tryin' me. I swore I suffocated under the weight of her hugs…her nappy-ass hair getting in my face whenever she tries to kill me with those hugs.

"Hi, Huey!" Jazmine greeted my brother. Right on schedule.

"Um…so are you going to my New Year's party? My parents are hosting the party and everybody's invited!"

"Really? Did they also invite the African Americans who live in this neighborhood? Or did they forget that Black people also live here?"

"Um…" Jazmine placed a hand behind her head, "Well, they invited Caesar and you guys…I guess that's it."

My dumbass brother scoffed at Jazmine's proposal. I swear, he don't know how to treat girls the way they should be treated. He has the audacity to give Jazmine trash in return for Jazmine's kindness and consideration. He always finds a hole through her naiveté and makes no attempt to even hide his disapproval.

"Fine, Jazmine. I guess I'll go."

Whoa. That was not on schedule.

"Really?" Jazmine's eyes lit up, "Oh, thankyouthankyou Huey!"

Though that may have been an act of kindness, I just knew Jazmine was just asking for Huey to shred her to pieces. I could feel a storm brewing in the distance, and I sho as hell didn't like it one bit.

I made my way back up to my room so I wouldn't get involved in any of their arguments.

The New Year's party at the Dubois house was boo-ring, to say the least. But at least I got to sneak a few drinks here and there. Of course, the inevitable happened; my brother trying to "enlighten" the forever naïve Jazmine Dubois. This never ended well. I don't even know why Jazmine just keeps trying to impress Huey. It never works. The only way you could ever impress that nigga was if you were an Afro-centric freak like him, which Jazmine was far from being.

That was when I decided to walk into the living room where everybody was drinking champagne and partyin' like it was 1999. Then I saw Jazmine talking to Huey, who obviously didn't look too happy with her. I shook my head when I realized Jazzy was trying to engage in conversation with my brother.

"Why are you so mean to me? I keep trying to give you all of me and you just take it and shove it in the trash! All I ever do is be kind to you and you return it by being such a…an asshole!"

Oooh, Jazmine finally found the guts to stand up to my punk ass brother.

"You know why Jazmine? Because life is like that. You can be kind to life however much you can, but it will always come back to bite you in the ass. You're not a ten year old child anymore Jazmine. You need to start acting like you have some sense in your life."

Jazmine looked as if she was about to go nuclear on Huey's ass…her face contorted into a look as if she was trying to formulate a verbal beat down for Huey. But at the last minute, something inside Jazmine broke down.

And instead of giving what Huey deserved after all these years, she decided to cry.

She cried her lungs out…a flood of tears came down from her eyes like a human version of Niagara Falls. Everybody in the room began staring at Huey and Jazmine as she began to make a scene in the middle of the room.

Huey got up and nonchalantly made his way across the room, acting as if his ass wasn't the reason why poor old Jazzy was crying.

Like I said, my brother knows no such things as emotions. He could be considered a walking encyclopedia, but that dumbass don't know shit about talking to girls. Hell, he considers me the dumbass of the household, but even I know better than to treat a fragile girl like Jazzy like that.

And that's why I made my way over to her. I had enough of this…it was like this for the past five New Year's. Jazmine would always try to please Huey, but she ends up failing miserably. The result? The past five New Year's have been torturous for her. I couldn't just stand there and let that happen anymore. No girl ever deserves to be brought down by a douchebag like my brother on New Year's Eve.

"Hey Jazzy," I sat next to her, wrapping my arms around the sobbing mulatto.

"Go away." She spoke with pure displeasure in her voice. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Aye, why you mean to me of all people?" I suddenly found my own mouth running itself, "I ain't the one who's bringing yo spirits down."

Jazmine sighed. She obviously didn't want to deal with anyone at the moment. But I didn't want to see her like this. She's suffered from Huey's stupidity for far too long.

"Why do I keep trying?" Jazmine asked herself.

"I don't know, why do you keep trying?" I asked in retort.

"Riley, you wouldn't understand."

"Understand exactly what, Jazmine? That you go to Huey looking for comfort and you come back with a broken heart? You can't keep doing this, Jazmine. You're only gonna keep gettin' hurt."

I know I was never good at this deep shit. I don't even know half the words that were spouting out my goddamn runnin' mouth.

Jazmine continued to weep subtly as she wiped the tears off her face with the back of her hand. I gotta admit, I felt a pang in my chest seein' how a monster like my brother could devastate such an innocent girl.

"You're right, Riley. But I don't know…I don't know why I like Huey so much. I keep telling myself that my heart beats for him and only him. But he just doesn't see it my way."

I shrugged back at Jazmine, "Huey is just an emotionless nigga. He don't know how to talk to a girl like you, Jazzy. He's a perfectionist, he don't like anything that could fuck up his life."

"Do you think he doesn't see me as perfect?"

"Why da fuck do you care?" I sharply asked. I could tell that hit home when she gave an inconspicuous flinch.

"I mean, look. Huey is just lookin' for you to change into something he likes. He don't see you the way other…better people see you. You're sweet and compassionate."

I stopped myself before I told her the rest of what I was about to say. I didn't want her to know that Huey thought of her as a fragile and weak girl. But then again, she may have already known this. She was so insecure of herself…something my brother hated.

To tell you the truth, I liked the way Jazmine was. It wasn't cause she was just this sweet little girl who happened to be undeniably pretty. I was always considered second rate to my brother. He always got the fame while I languished in shame. People come up to me and tell me "why can't you be like your brother? He's gonna be successful…he's gonna have a life…and you won't amount to anything."

But Jazmine saw me as a person, not just a distraught nigga. She saw another side of me, and she appreciated me for who I was. I lived in a world where people looked down on me, and she was the safety net when I was just about to lose it. She helped me back on my own two feet using the two things Huey hated about her; she was kind and she was compassionate.

She didn't need to be the strong woman Huey wanted her to be.

And that was why I liked her for who she was.

"Riley?" Jazmine broke through my thoughts. "How do you measure a year in your life?"

I thought for a second.

"A year in my life means five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred verbal beatdowns that Huey gives to you."

"Oh, ha-ha." Jazmine rolled her eyes. Apparently she didn't find my stupid reference to Rent any amusing at all.

"But on the real, Jazzy. Don't compare yourself to Huey's expectations. You're a very sweet and kind girl, and a lot of people would love to have someone like you. Dere should be no reason why somebody wouldn't wanna be wit chu."

"Even you?"

And for the first time in the past five New Year's I've known her, her eyes lit up. There was a glint of hope lighting up in her eyes.

"Hell, I would consider myself lucky to be with you."

Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And for the first time in so many years, Jazmine looked genuinely happy. I couldn't ever explain this shit. I don't even know why I'm here in this situation. But Jazmine deserves better this year. She don't deserve gettin' beat down for trying to be compassionate to someone like Huey.

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?

And before I knew it, Jazmine brought her arms around me and softly pulled me towards her.

Should old acquaintance be forgot, for the sake of auld lang syne?

And she planted a kiss on my cheek.

For auld lang syne my dear, for auld lang syne. We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for the sake of auld lang syne.

"Happy New Year, Riley."

I couldn't believe it. I shared my first New Year's kiss with Jazmine Dubois.

"Happy New Year, Jazmine."

This is probably the first story I ever wrote in the first-person perspective. To tell you the truth it was pretty tough, considering I had to write in Riley's perspective. I was thinking that Riley could be considered an unreliable narrator considering that I had to keep him in character – and that meant adding the slang to the narration. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the oneshot about a very unlikely Boondocks pairing. Oh, and yes Auld Lang Syne is the music that plays at the stroke of midnight on New Year's.

If you're wondering why I haven't updated Ashes to Ashes yet, it's because I was taking a little Christmas break. But I'm still writing chapter ten…just wanted to let you know.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

Disclaimer: The copyright holders of The Boondocks are Aaron McGruder, the Universal Press Syndicate, and Sony. The author of this story does not benefit at the expense of the copyright holders.