#5 Heart Over Ego, Always...

Krista Cornellion expertly maneuvered her elfin lavender Volkswagen Beetle into a parking spot nestled on the church premises, near several oak trees that resembled awaiting linebackers with humongous afros, as her cellphone rang.

It was her boi Ahanu. Ahanu always brought out Krista's coquettish side and caused the slightly inebriated butterflies that came to visit Krista's tummy, whenever he was near to do backhand springs and 21-gun salutes in appreciation of such a hot dudey.

This autumn, Krista and Ahanu had too many symbolic dishes in their respective sinks to do at the moment to be anything more than just friends, but as our red-velvet-haired, orphan friend Annie once said so encouragingly, there was always tomorrow.

Truthfully, Krista had been a bit wary of Ahanu for a while after he and his best friend Squire turned on each other one day and brutally clowned one another in front of one-quarter of the Ashby High student body.

Because of her abusive upbringing, Krista had a habit of cutting new people off after their first mistake, but her beloved adoptive mother, Momma Dia, taught her that we extend grace to others for their mistakes like Christ did to us. But Momma Dia also stated that when a person's mistakes start turning into disrespectful habits that harm you and they refuse to change them when you point them out, by all means go ahead and fire their behind!

As someone who had been bullied on the regular for her weight, Krista definitely didn't want or need any more negative & mean bullying energy in her life, but there was something special about Ahanu.

Ahanu was prayerful, in tune with God, and always delicate and sweet towards her. He also always made Krista feel safe whenever they ran into each other; therefore, based on his positives, she decided to give friendship with Ahanu a fair chance, and once Krista and Ahanu had lunch and discussed his shady behavior towards Squire, his actions began to make a lot more sense.

According to Ahanu, his dad had always taught him not to let anyone punk him, therefore he retaliated once he felt personally attacked by Squire, but his secret-revealing comeback didn't make him feel any better; it just made him feel like a weak friend to Squire.

Most interestingly, Krista learned that during Ahanu's prayer time the spirit of truth, aka the Holy Spirit, revealed to him that most of the rap songs that he listened to on a regular basis heavily promoted bros one-upping each other and attempting to become number one by any means necessary and that the music was slowly poisoning his mindset.

Ahanu was ashamed to admit it, but his recent behavior with Squire was proof that he had subconsciously picked up some of the negative traits of his favorite rap group: Tha Most Savage.

Now that Ahanu's eyes were fully open to his favorite music's messaging, what his mother Chenoa once told him about his music of choice was also beginning to ring true. She once told him that the majority of the songs that he listened to from 'Tha Most Savage' placed value on self, being the goat, bravado, money, and status over unity, community, charity, and having your bros back.

"Be careful, son. Tha Most Savage's music is all ego; no heart," Chenoa once said aloud during breakfast to Ahanu cryptically.

Ahanu had originally thought that his mom was just too old and out of touch to get his music, but he now realized that his mom had had that fire 'Yoda Wisdom,' about his music all along.

Earlier that week, over pumpkin spice lattes and Krispy Kreme donuts, Ahanu admitted to Krista that he was ashamed of his behavior with Squire and that his gut had told him not to react, but he wanted to appear super-flyy, kool-aid cool in front of his friends, and retaliation over everything had always been hammered into his head by his father, so he went along with the ugly behavior.

Krista was impressed with Ahanu's remorse and willingness to listen to God and the Holy Spirit as well as the wise words that his mother imparted to him.

Apparently once Ahanu's mom learned what happened between Squire and Ahanu from a friend that worked in Ashby High's custodial department, she spoke words of life & love into him:

"Take responsibility for your part in the drama, then don't repeat it again and stand tall, son. Everyone makes mistakes, including me, Ahanu, but don't make selfish behavior a habit. I know your dad always taught you to fight back, but sometimes silence is the best comeback for words. We are here on earth to learn as well as to cherish & help one another, not to berate & harm one another. Please don't forget the mission, son. Remember, heart over ego always, Ahanu!"

After turning off her car engine, Krista grabbed her cell from the empty passenger's seat to her right, then answered it on the fourth ring.

"Heyyy Nu," Krista said with a bit of flirtation in her voice.

"What's good, Krista?" Ahanu asked with a smile in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Nu, but I'm just about to walk into my appointment. I'll have to call you back afterwards," Krista replied expeditiously.

"Alright, bet! Please don't forget Krista!" Nu replied half-way pleadingly.

I could never forget about a hot dudey like you, Krista thought to herself.

"I won't, Nu Nu," Krista said sweetly as she bid Ahanu farewell and hung up the phone.

Krista hadn't told anyone yet, not even her best friend Chrysanthemum, but she had just dropped down to halftime college credits. Her school counseling degree was going to take longer than she expected. Her classes were getting to be too heavy a load for her. For a perfectionist like Krista, things were supposed to be going much, much differently than they were.

Krista decided that she would tell her mom and Chrysanthemum about what was going on with her next month at Thanksgiving dinner; until then, her part-time school status would just be her little solo secret.

As Krista walked up the church steps, she hoped that the answer to her new problems would be behind the oak doors of Olive Branch Baptist Church.

Thx 4 stopping by! Enjoy a little Annie on me! ☺️