He's Just a Friend

by J. Nichole

  Before we could get lost inside of each other, we decided it’d be best to get dressed and moving or Phoenix would be calling threatening us.

  But it was Phoenix who opened the door with a huge grin. “Just in time,” she said as she ushered us into the house. “Food is set on the table.” She looked at my hand and asked, “And what’s that?” I told her only the best pastries in town. “Ooh hide a few for me. I’ll save them for my study session later today.”

  “Ugh, hello,” I heard Brooklyn say from the kitchen, and I looked to Phoenix who was beside me.

  “My boyfriend,” she whispered. Great, now Brooklyn definitely wouldn’t share our good news. She’d never want to steal Phoenix’s shine. I put a hand to Phoenix’s shoulder, because although we would have to hide our connection while we sat through breakfast, I was glad Phoenix was finally dating.

  “Josiah,” Mama Davison said as I entered the kitchen placing the box of pastries on the counter. “I’m so glad you could make it.” Her arms wrapped around my neck. “And now we can eat,” she announced to the group.

  The food honestly smelled better than edible as I started piling biscuits and gravy, bacon, grits, and scrambled eggs onto my plate. “You threw down today, huh?” I said towards Mama Davison. She smiled and I was happy to see it.

  “But before you dig in,” she said as I had my fork hovering outside of my mouth, “can you say grace?” I agreed and blessed the food. “Thank you, Josiah.” Except her smile had disappeared and her eyes became distant. I looked across the table at Brooklyn who seemed to notice it too.

  “Phoenix,” I said looking at her, “Are you going to introduce me?” Her mouth flew open and she apologized before introducing me to her boyfriend, Derek. “Nice to meet you, Derek.”

  Derek didn’t say much during the breakfast; he did devour a couple of plates of food though. I laughed and asked, “Brooklyn, remember our starving college days?”

  The words that Derek did decide to say left the entire table shook, “Oh so y’all have been together since college?”

  Brooklyn quickly answered, “No.” But left it at that.

  Then her mom added in, “They still act like they don’t belong together.” She winked in my direction. Neither of us corrected her, but at least her smile had returned. “Derek, I have plenty of biscuits left. I’ll fix you a plate to go.” Derek’s eyes lit up.

  Before we left that morning, I sat outside with Derek, giving him the “you better not fuck with my little sis” talk. When it was all done, he asked, “So that’s your girl?” My head cocked and I looked at him for a minute.

  Then I said, “Why you ask?”

  He shrugged with a sinister smile before he said, “It’s pretty obvious, man.”

  I thought about that as Mrs. Davison made a plate of biscuits for me too. When I gave her a hug, she pulled back and winked at me before I said, “Thanks for breakfast.” Phoenix was last on my stop before Brooklyn and I left. “Seems like a decent dude.” Her smile spread showing her little dimple.

  “He is, Josiah. He is.” I nodded and gave her a quick hug before I found Brooklyn in the kitchen whispering with her mom. She looked up at me as I stood waiting for her and her smile was just like Phoenix’s, even down to the dimple.

  Brooklyn sighed as she sat in the passenger seat looking out the window. I knew something was on her mind. So when she said, “I think she knows,” I laughed because she sounded defeated.

  “I figured that.”

  Thirteen

  Brooklyn

  “I just watched the video on YouTube. It said to put a bucket under the pipe,” I said holding a small red bucket in front of his face.

  “You kids and your YouTube.” He scoffed. “Hand it here.” I handed him the bucket as I looked over his shoulder. When he unhinged the pipe and showed me the funk built up inside, I frowned.

  With my hand on my hip, I told him, “I told you I could do this myself. It’s not even that hard.” He shook his head. “I’ve been playing handyman for years. Fixing all types of shit around my mama’s house before moving into this fixer upper.”

  Josiah laughed. “Oh, is that what we are calling your place now?” I nodded my head. “Just ‘cause you’ve been doing it yourself for years doesn’t mean I can’t help you now.” And why did he say that? The little firecracker in my head went off.

  “Josiah, I’m not some girl who needs her man to play Captain Save a Hoe.” He mumbled something about me not being a hoe as he continued removing pieces from the drain. I huffed before I added, “I knew this would happen.” His head popped out from under my bathroom sink. “Every girl you’ve ever been with has been someone who needed you. Someone who asked you to do everything.” He watched me as I continued. “I’m not that girl.”

  He handed me the wrench he was holding in his hand and said, “You know what Brooklyn? It’s not even that serious. You needed the sink fixed and I’m here to help.” He stood from the floor. “If you want to take on every challenge in your life alone, go for it.” He walked out of the bathroom and didn’t look back.

  I looked down at all the pieces he had pulled apart and shook my head. My damn mouth got me into some of the worst shit. I pulled out my phone and turned to the video I had watched earlier then sped up to the part I needed. I continued removing pieces from the sink till everything was on the floor around me.

  Hours passed, much longer than the video said it should take to put the sink back together. I started the water and watched the pipe for any leaks and when I saw none, I exhaled deeply. I put my hand on my forehead then looked back down at the mess around me.

  With everything piled into the bucket for me to take out to the dumpster, I walked into the living room and jumped when I saw Josiah sleep on the couch. I put the bucket on the counter and walked over to him. “Hey,” I whispered. He looked up at me and nodded his head.

  I was slightly surprised he hadn’t left. When he sat up, I sat beside him on the opposite side of the couch. “All done handy woman?” I nodded my head. “Good.”

  “We should talk about that whole situation,” I said leaning forward.

  With a smirk he agreed. “We should.”

  “You know I’ve always been...” He finished my statement saying I was independent. “Yeah, but not just independent, but resourceful. I pride myself in being able to figure shit out, then getting it done. Not asking anyone for help.”

  “Like that time you were on the side of the road for a few hours? How’d YouTube work for you then?” he said mockingly. That time on the side of the road was a whole mess. I had a flat tire, and a spare. After countless numbers of cars passed willing to help or call AAA, I finally had to give in when night fell and I was no closer to being on my way.

  I groaned. “Listen, I didn’t claim a one hundred percent success rate.” He laughed at me.

  “But it’s in the attempt that counts?” he asked with his hand to his chin. I cocked my head ‘cause although he was sexy as hell, he was inching under my last nerve. “But really, you do know that’s what a partnership is about, right? Not doing life alone?”

  I hadn’t considered all of life with Josiah, but the thought was intriguing. “Life?” I asked with a smile.

  “You said there was no turning back, right?” I guess I did say that, but I just meant we couldn’t return to being friends. “Did you not consider we could be it?” He crooked his head, causing me to inch closer to him like he was some hypnotist.

  I didn’t respond, instead I climbed into his lap. To hell with being independent.

  “You think you can just avert my question with your kisses?” he asked after parting from my lips.

  “No?” He shook his head. “They aren’t like magic?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Make you forget the issues of the world and have you thinking everything was somehow right?” He stared at me. “That’s how they make me feel.”

  “In that case, let’s live in the moment a while longer.” His lips were on mine again and our
tongues dancing to a melody we created. I could have kissed him all night but of course my body wanted more, and from the poke I felt in my thigh, his did too. “Ehmmm,” he moaned as he wrapped his arms under my legs and picked me up. I giggled through our kisses as he carried me to the bed.

  He laid me gently on my back and looked down at me from the side. “If our kisses solve world hunger, what does our love making do?” He looked at me with a finger to his chin and I burst out laughing.

  “Our love making ends decades old wars, gun violence, senseless killings.” His smile grew and I just knew he was about to laugh. But he didn’t. The way he stripped off his clothes gave me whiplash.

  He tugged at my shorts and swiped my panties to the side. “Here’s to the end of the wars,” he said, licking his tongue between my folds. “Gun violence”—another lick—“and senseless killings.” I moaned out as he continued licking, swiping his tongue in nooks and crannies, devouring me as if it was his last deed on earth.

  As my body climaxed, he sucked on my clit. My eyes closed tight, toes curled, and I gripped the covers tightly in my hand. Before I could collect myself he had already secured the condom and removed my panties. The tip of his dick sat at the entrance of my pussy. I opened my eyes to look at him.

  He took a deep breath and entered as he exhaled slowly. My thighs wrapped around his waist and he held my ass as he steadied himself between strokes. He landed kisses around my neck and chest, pausing to take a nipple into his mouth. The pleasure combination caused my body to shake as I tried to hold out, tried to wait for him to reach his peak. “Brooklyn, I love you,” was all it took to make my body release.

  But he didn’t stop there, he continued stroking till I felt him shudder inside of me. “I love you too,” I whispered as he collapsed on the bed beside me pulling me into his chest.

  I was drifting off to sleep until I heard him say, “Ending world wars isn’t as important if we are battling with each other.” My eyes opened and I stared at him. “I don’t need you to need me, but I want you to want me.”

  “Josiah,” I said sitting up on my elbow. “I do want you. I want you in every way possible.” He nodded his head. I kissed his chest and closed my eyes again.

  Hours later, I woke to an empty bed. I looked around the room for Josiah and didn’t see him. My apartment was quiet, minus the refrigerator that always made a soft hissing sound. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand to call him, but saw a text instead.

  Josiah: Went home to get some work done for Monday morning.

  Josiah: Tried to wake you but you wouldn’t budge.

  It was late, but because of my extended time with the bathroom I skipped lunch and dinner. The growls from my stomach added to the refrigerator music, and I decided I needed to eat. I climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen. The refrigerator was bare; in the cabinet I at least had a jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers.

  As I sat spreading peanut butter on the crackers, I decided Josiah was right. I had to do a better job of taking care of myself. Especially if I expected him to not worry about me. So as I devoured each cracker I made a list for the grocery store.

  The plan would be to pull together a dinner for the two of us the next night. My cooking skills were rudimentary but nothing a YouTube channel couldn’t teach me. I laughed to myself as I realized how dependent I was on YouTube. I finished my crackers and headed back to bed.

  The next day, my kitchen was stocked after my hours long grocery store visit. I spent half the time looking for the ingredients to a recipe I never cooked before and could only hope would taste as phenomenal as it looked in the Pinterest picture where I found it.

  My phone was propped on the counter, serving as my guide to the meal and my background music. The aroma from the sautéed garlic, onions, and bell peppers smelled heavenly. But the noodles didn’t seem al dente. In the video, the lady’s seemed firm to the touch and mine were a little squishy.

  Nonetheless, I continued—threw in some spinach, sun dried tomatoes, shrimp. With a scoop of the broth on a spoon, I tasted it, and damn. I patted myself on the back. The baguette was in the oven and I was just waiting for Josiah to walk through the door.

  When I heard the knock, I looked down at my cleavage to make sure it was sitting just right then I practiced my sashay to the door. I opened the door wide and said, “Hello there, Mr. Mitchell,” in my sexiest voice. Josiah’s eyebrows bunched together as his eyes met my tits.

  He placed a finger down the crevice and repeated, “Hello to you, Ms. Davison,” then pecked me on the cheek. “What’s that smell?” he asked as he made his way past the door and me. I caught up behind him and told him it was my surprise. “Where’d you order from?” he asked looking around the kitchen.

  “I cooked it,” I announced proudly. I pointed to the counter and told him to sit down. “I’ll fix our plates.”

  “Okay.” He sat at the counter then said, “If the food is good I could get used to this.”

  “Hmph,” I mumbled as I handed him a plate of the Tuscan Shrimp with a slice of the baguette. “This shit is going to be the best thing you’ve ever eaten.” I winked at him. “Just watch.”

  With a forkful of food hovering in front of his lips, he said, “I guarantee it’s not the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” He licked his lips as I sat my plate beside his and joined him at the counter. “It’s definitely not the best thing, of yours, I’ve ever eaten.” I was about to argue with him till I realized he was no longer referencing food.

  “You nasty,” I said as I stuffed my mouth with a buttery shrimp.

  “And you love it.” I nodded my head in agreement.

  Fourteen

  Josiah

  “Yo, you know you not as young as you used to be,” I joked as I ran literal circles around Tony. I dropped another bucket and laughed as he watched from backcourt. Instead of playing video games tonight, Tony needed to run off some steam.

  He hunched over and said, “Naw man, my ass just needs to get in more cardio.” I tossed him the ball and he said, “That damn girl is giving me a good reason.” His new girlfriend was also running circles around him, but in their relationship. She was wrecking his normal routine, but I thought he was all for it being wrecked.

  He tossed the ball up but it skimmed the backboard. “Maybe you just need to hit the treadmill,” I said as I watched his head hang. “This obviously ain’t your shit.” He flipped up his middle finger and walked to the bleachers on the side of the court.

  I sat beside him and listened as he complained about not having the luxury of a girl who had known him forever and wasn’t trying to rock the boat. “It’s almost like she wants to see how far she can push me.”

  I shook my head. “You should talk to her about that, dude. She got you out here stressing hard man.” Then he said something I didn’t think he’d ever say. He said he wished Skylar would get her shit together. “Man, what?”

  “I mean, then I’d have what you and Brooklyn have.” I couldn’t even respond. I was shook. “You got it made man.”

  With my hand raised between us, I said, “Naw man, everything ain’t as rosy as you make it seem.” He smirked. “For real, we have our shit too.” I didn’t need to explain to him her independence. He long ago gave up on trying to help her when she seemed she needed it. “She still on her independent shit.”

  He cocked his head and looked at me. “But that’s easy, just stop doing shit for her.”

  It sounded easy coming from him, but that was against everything in me. He was able to do it ‘cause dude wasn’t raised right. “Tell me something that’s a real issue.” I thought about it, and he was right; there wasn’t much else egging me. “See that’s some bull.”

  I laughed and said, “Or maybe Candace just ain’t the one.” He didn’t object. A few other dudes came on the court and we started a game of three on three. I knew I was doomed with Tony on my team, but at least I could get in more exercise.

  It didn’t take long for the ot
her team to mollywop us. In a non-game saving move, I went up for a shot and came down on my ankle. “Fuck,” I screamed out. I knew that shit didn’t feel right. Tony grabbed my hand and helped me limp off the court. ‘Cause it wasn’t bad enough to take an L, I also needed a broken body part to go along with it.

  “Jo, that shit looks broken,” he said as my ankle dangled from my leg. I held it together as he helped me to his car and drove me to the hospital. “Who’s not as young as they used to be now?” he said laughing. “Thought you could go out there and show off with that shot, huh? Pride was starting to hurt from that whooping they were handing us.”

  “Just drive,” I said through a wince.

  Josiah: Headed to the hospital, broken ankle.

  I sent that text to Brooklyn thinking she’d meet us at the hospital. By the time they took me back to an exam room, she responded telling me to keep her posted. I looked at my phone in surprise.

  A nurse entered the room to check my vitals and inform me that the doctor would be in shortly. “We’ll need to remove your shoe,” she said looking down at my foot. Then she looked over to Tony and said, “Could you help me?” I noticed something in his eyes, and it wasn’t a look I would expect from a man who was in a committed relationship.

  Watching them interact was the only thing that kept me from screaming at the top of my lungs when they removed my shoe. But I did shout, “Shit,” when it was finally off. The nurse smiled and I asked, “Do I get some pain meds?”

  It wasn’t my first broken bone, but the shit didn’t hurt any less than the others. “Yeah, I’ll get an IV started so we can get you started on meds.”

  She left the room and I looked to Tony. “What was that all about?” He tried to act naive but I reminded him, “You look like you just experienced heaven, while I’m over here going through hell.” He laughed and shook his head. “To be fair, she didn’t seem opposed to your wack ass.”