When I Sixty Four Novels & Stories

“I have something to tell you, Vi.” My hand wandered to his thigh, and I massaged the tense muscles as a show of silent support. “I'm listening.” “I'm old.” “What?” My hand on his thigh stopped moving. “I'm old, Vi, very old.” “I know you're old, Brian.” He laughed, the sound was short, punchy, and joyless. “You don't know that I'm a hundred and six years old, Vi.” “What?” That felt like that was all my vocabulary had been reduced to. This was a badly told joke, he looked 26. But somewhere in my mind, I knew this was no joke. I pulled away from him and he let me go. “Explain.”

'Except me young lady, i'd whoop you even if you're sixty'. If there was one thing i learnt in the passing years, it was that the years you past didn't always affect you physically but also emotionally. For every year turned, there was something we remembered it with. The year i had turned sixteen, was the year my world turned upside down again.

Sixty Four Nathan "... At ten, you have a one-hour meeting with the telecommunication company. At twelve, you have a meeting with the Admin of education at South Carolina Uni. At six, you have to show up at charity-" I held a hand up interrupting Marcus. "I have to?" He nodded. "Yes sir. You told me yesterday that I had to tell 'you have to' sir." I hummed trying to take in what he had just told me. "What is the charity function for?"

“Well, I turned forty this morning.” “Wow! Really? Ow, my God, it’s your birthday! Forty. Hey, I still think you’re young.” “Yeah, right.” “I would’ve never guessed. I turned forty-nine earlier this year. So, what do you have planned? Am I invited?” “I planned nothing actually. So, tell me about your day. What’s stressing you this much?” “I’m always stressing. I wouldn’t know where to begin the list. In twenty minutes, I should have a meeting with some…I don’t know.”

I'm curious. "I'm thirty two."

he said with a smirk. “You have no idea,” Six said. “Where you two from?” “Virginia.” “And her?” Six’s lip twitched. “I took her from her boring life in Ohio.” I wanted to object, but he was right—my life was boring. The man nodded. “My drink’s gone dry. Think I’ll head over to the sports bar for a refill and place a penny or two on some ponies.” “Good luck.” He nodded at us. “Night.” Six and I were left alone at the table, the dealer waiting on our new bets. Reluctantly, I pushed a ten out, while Six pushed an entire stack out—almost four hundred dollars.

I whisper and carry her up, face the audience and smile, proudly carrying the greatest trophy I have. My Tabitha… Six’s POV “Still have the powerful performance Dj Six” Drake said as I stepped out of the Dj stage and had some drinks. “We can grow old but not our talents bro” I answered and took a sip on my margarita. “Do you have someone right now? Don't you have any date today? I mean it’s valentines Bro.” he said while looking at the crowd. “I lost my date three years ago” I whisper and smile bitterly.

I swear I see his entire world shift in that moment, like he’s just been insulted in a way no one has ever dared before. “What?!” he shrieks, like I’ve just declared war. “I look my age?” I tilt my head slightly, a nervous pout forming on my lips. “I mean… yeah. You do.” He stares at me for a moment, his mouth opening in shock. He crosses his arms and huffs. "I'm not forty! I’m thirty-nine!” I blink. "Thirty-nine. Aren't they both the same thing?" He glares at me as if I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life..“No, it’s not.There’s a difference. Huge difference.”

I hold the smile and stare into the manufactured warmth of the flash and think about six weeks. Just six weeks.