She Used to Be the Sweetest Girl

by Briann Danae

  “This is not a discussion we should have in the shower. Can you hand me the soap that you knocked down?” she said, not even bothering to face him.

  “Get it yourself. And the next time you want some dick, you better not call me, since you acting childish,” he said, letting her neck go and climbing out the shower. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he walked out his room and headed to the guest bedrooms’ bathroom. Pierre wasn’t about to beg Carissa to talk. Shit, he asked her ass more than once, and that was doing enough already.

  Bending down to get the bar of soap, Rissa began to wash up. As much as Pierre had claimed he fucked with her, he still didn’t know what pissed her off. True, she didn’t tell him, but to her, he should have already known. She wasn’t going to bring up the conversation of a relationship anymore. She was gone do her and make Pierre wish he would have cuffed her when he had the chance.

  Once she was dressed, Carissa gathered her things to meet up with Brix’s hungover behind. She had called her when she got out the shower, and instead of answering, Brix sent her a text saying, I feel like shit. That was to be expected though. She was dumb lit last night and was paying for her actions today. Picking up her clothes from the night before, she tossed them in her overnight bag she pulled from the trunk, then slipped her Ugg boots on. She was in such a rush to get here last night, the only thing she changed was her shoes once Lexi dropped her off.

  Walking out the guest room, Pierre walked toward his room. Seeing Carissa dressed and ready to go instantly put a frown on his face. He was for sure she’d be over whatever it was going on, but was indeed wrong.

  “So you not gone go get breakfast with a nigga like we normally do?” he asked, while leaning against the dresser, watching her every move.

  “Nope. That’s not my job homeboy,” she said, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

  Chuckling at the fact that she just called him homeboy, Pierre replied, “Cool. Hit me up when you get out your feelings ma.”

  “Don’t wait on it.”

  With that, Carissa walked out the bedroom and down the steps, out the door. Hopping in her ride, she called Brix again, hoping she answered.

  “Whaaat,” Brix whined, answering her phone.

  “Ooh bitch. Wake up! I’m on my way over there. This nigga Pierre done pissed me off!”

  “Mhm, call me when you get here,” Brix said before hanging up. Carissa was too damn loud and it was making her head hurt even worse.

  Hitting her steering wheel in frustration, Carissa got mad all over again. The one dude she wanted to be with, wasn’t ready for no relationship, and she wasn’t feeling that shit at all. It was all good though. She planned to boss up on Pierre real quick like and hurt the little feelings he did have for her.

  * * * * *

  On the other side of town, laid up in his bed, Shemel was waiting for Brix to text him back. They had been texting since this morning when he hit her line, after not receiving a call once she made it home. Now he was playing the waiting game. When he texted her this morning, she sent back a screw face, indicating she wasn’t feeling well. He already knew though. Mel would have felt the same way if he had gone as hard as she did.

  He had saved his name in her phone as “Your Type” with the smirk face emoji. Brix didn’t even care to change it and just smiled because last night he was indeed her type all the way. Smiling, he remembered how she was up rapping to Future. Mel was planning to have her rapping his lyrics soon and she didn’t even know it. The little attention she gave him last night had him gone already.

  It wasn’t like he couldn’t get any female, but he didn’t want just any female. He wanted Brix McQueen and planned on cuffing her little ass. Looking down at his phone, he saw he had a text come through.

  B McQueen: I’m so hungover. This is not fair :(

  Mel: Want me to bring you some medicine?

  B McQueen: What! No, no. Ri is on the way over here.

  Mel: Who is Ri?

  Mel wanted to make sure it wasn’t some nigga pulling up on her. Shit, he didn’t even ask if she had a man or not. Not like that would have mattered.

  B McQueen: Lol! Carissa silly. Let me find out ...

  Mel: Shit. I’m just making sure it wasn’t no nigga. Lol

  B McQueen: Mhm. I hear you.

  Right when he was about to reply, his doorbell rang, making him grab his gun that lay next to him. It didn’t matter that he was in the house with the doors locked; niggas were savages out here and would do anything for a come up. They’d murder Young Mel and all his friends. Family and fans would be repping him on a t-shirt in no time if he was caught slipping.

  Hopping out the bed with nothing but some basketball shorts on and his dreads swinging wildly, he jogged down his steps toward the front door. Walking through his kitchen, he checked the security camera screens and sucked his teeth. Putting a pep in his step, he finally made it to the door and swung it open. The wind slapping against his chest pissed him off.

  “Man. What you popping up on a nigga for?” he asked Reilyn, as she walked through the door, not even waiting for him to welcome her in.

  “Well good afternoon to you too, Shemel,” she replied sarcastically. “What, you was gone shoot me?”

  Tucking the gun in his waistband he replied, “Yep. Straight head shot.”

  “Ugh, whatever. I came by because I wanted to let you know what a good job you did last night.” She could have easily called or texted him to relay the message, but she didn’t. She stopped by to see if he had brought anyone home, mainly Brix. She didn’t give two fucks about popping up on him. Mel used to do her like that all the time.

  “And you couldn’t just text me that?” Shemel asked, already hip. He knew her like the back of his hand. She was jealous and didn’t want a female to be at his crib. She knew Sundays were his chill days, until he went in the studio.

  “Now what type of friend would I be to not personally let you know how well you did? Text messages are so overrated,” Reilyn grinned before following him through the kitchen and up the steps.

  “I’m saying though. If I had a chick over here, your little feelings would have been all hurt,” Mel told her as he climbed back in the bed after removing his gun and tucking it underneath the pillow.

  Folding her arms over her chest, she rolled her eyes. “You don’t even bring females here. You would have taken her somewhere low-key. Don’t try and be funny.”

  “You smart,” he replied, imitating DJ Khaled. Reilyn was absolutely right. Mel was not bringing a chick to his crib if he didn’t know her longer than five months, if it even got that far. They’d start acting just like Rei, popping up uninvited.

  “You get on my nerves,” she laughed, before removing her Louboutin sneakers. Slipping her Miss Me jeans over her hips, she let them fall to the carpet, then walked over to climb in bed with him.

  “You always do this shit Rei,” Mel said.

  “What are you talking about Shemel?” she asked, sliding underneath the covers.

  “This. Coming over here when you want, acting spoiled as fuck and expecting to get your way man.”

  “But I am spoiled and I always get my way,” she shrugged, scooting her body closer to his. She didn’t know why he always brought up her being spoiled. It wasn’t like things were ever going to change.

  “Nah, stay on yo side of the bed,” Shemel said, mushing her head.

  “Stooop. My feet are cold and I need to rub them on your legs,” she whined, while wrapping her arms around his muscular frame. If there was one thing Rei loved more than Shemel’s personality, it was his body. He looked like he lived in the gym, which was somewhat true. He’d go every now and then, just to tone up.

  “How you know I ain’t have shit to do today?”

  “Because, if you did, you would have been gone already. Glad I caught you before you left,” she chuckled, getting sleepy. The heat was on full blast and the Egyptian sheets had her comfortable as ever. Rei felt like that was where she belonged. S
hemel, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling it. It was cool having someone to lay up with, but not when you were wishing it was someone else. He was finally texting Brix back and was hoping she hadn’t fallen back asleep.

  “Yeah whatever.” Brix wasn’t texting back quick enough like he wanted, so Mel sent her another text, asking if she was good.

  “Who are you texting?” she asked him, not even bothering to lift her head from his chest.

  “My new chick,” Shemel chuckled, but was dead ass.

  Lifting her head up, Reilyn looked at him with a mean mug. “Don’t be disrespectful.”

  “I’m just fucking with you man. Take yo ass to sleep,” he laughed, before smacking her ass, and then rubbed it. The gesture made his dick jump, but he didn’t even feel like blessing her with the pipe. That would give her another reason to pop up on him. Although he wouldn’t mind, he knew it would cause too much drama. Placing his phone on the dresser since Brix didn’t respond back, he got underneath the covers as well. Rubbing Rei’s juicy thighs and ass, he fell back asleep in no time, which was much needed after waking up at nine that morning.

  A little over an hour later, Reilyn woke up with one thing on her mind, Mel’s cell phone. She knew he was in a deep sleep by now, cause his ass was snoring. Slowly sliding her arms from around him, she leaned over his body to grab his phone from the nightstand. Almost slipping, she straddled him to play it off. Shemel, being a man, he wrapped his arms around her when she stopped moving.

  “Shit,” she said under her breath.

  Reaching over, she scooted the phone toward the edge and lay back on his chest once retrieving it. She didn’t have time to be getting caught putting it back. Clicking the home button, she tried entering the code she remembered him having, but it didn’t work. Not wanting to lock the phone up completely, she swiped the screen to the right and scrolled the tab at the top of the screen down to see his notifications. He had a few texts from Pierre, one from his mama and two from Brix.

  “Hmm, B McQueen is it,” she said, pulling her phone from her bra. She was planning this the whole ride over. Since Shemel didn’t have a girl over, that saved her from having to show out, so she immediately went to plan two, once they got to the room. Placing his phone back on the stand, she used her phone to scroll to her auntie Latoya’s name. Her aunt worked as an administrative clerk for the police department and had exactly what she needed.

  Rei: Hey Auntie. Can you look up the last name McQueen for me please?

  Auntie: What’s the first name?

  Rei: Um, dang. Idk. Look it up for me and I’ll try to remember. Her name starts with a B.

  Her aunt could lose her job if she was ever caught snooping through people's business, but she made sure to be extra careful. Plus, she loved her neicey pooh and would do whatever for her.

  Auntie: Okay... there’s a Brooke, Brittany, Brenda, Belinda, Brix, Breonna, Briana, Bailey, Bethany, Bernice. Child it’s hella B names. Help me, help you.

  Looking over all the names, she tried to think hard of the name Neka had told her when they were at the show. Neka had seen Brix around a few times with Carissa and Lexi, and being the nosey person that she is, she had stalked Carissa's Instagram.

  Rei: Try Bailey.

  Auntie: Okay, what am I supposed to be looking for?

  Rei: How old is she?

  Auntie: 30, with two kids and lives alone.

  Sucking her teeth, trying to control her anxiousness, she decided on another name.

  Rei: Ugh, that’s not her. Let’s try Brix. See how old she is.

  Auntie: 24, lives with her mother, works at a bank.

  “Bingo,” Reilyn whispered, grinning. The name sounded more familiar than the others, she just thought it looked weird spelled out.

  Rei: Yassss! That’s her. What’s the address to her job?

  Auntie: I’m not giving you the full address heffa. It’s on Watson St.

  Rei: That’s good enough! Love you!

  Auntie: Mhm, love you too.

  Cheesing big as hell, Reilyn slipped her phone back in her bra and got comfortable on Shemel’s chest. She didn’t know when, but she was definitely going to be paying Brix a visit. Shemel belonged to her and she wasn’t about to share him with anyone, especially with a girl with a name like that. Chuckling at her devious plans, she drifted back to sleep with revenge on her mind.

  * * * * *

  “Quiet down some Rissa. My head is hurting,” Brix complained. Carissa had made it over there in perfect timing. As soon as she pulled up, Mrs. Carla pulled into the driveway as well.

  “Sorry, but foreal, this nigga got me fucked up. He don’t want to be with me, but always wants me to be available when he wants to have sex or when he wanna chill. Is that all I’m good for? Damn,” Carissa fussed, flopping down on the bed. She had been pacing back and forth across the carpet since she arrived, explaining what took place with Pierre this morning.

  “I understand your frustrations, I really do, but aren’t you the one who said you didn’t want a relationship? You can’t really be mad at him for giving you what you asked for.”

  “Yeah, but things are different now. I mean, shit, I done caught feelings and I know he has too, but it’s like whatever we got going on isn’t going to be more than what it is now,” she said, laying her head down next to Brix.

  “You sad best friend?” Brix asked, grinning.

  “Bitch, yes. That nigga dick is too good and got me all in my feelings, but whatever. He don’t want to be with me, so I’ma find me a man that does.”

  “Mhm, and watch him mess you up,” Brix said and they both laughed.

  “You’re one to talk. All them niggas who were drooling over you last night. Shemel gone have to put his hands on all them.”

  “Don’t even mention last night. I can’t believe I got that drunk and he made me come on stage,” Brix said, rolling her eyes.

  “You were all over people’s Snapchat and Instagram. At least you didn’t look as drunk as you were. Shoot, I thought you was poppin’,” she said, imitating Cardi B.

  Covering her face with her hands, Brix shook her head. She hated that she got on stage with Shemel. If she would’ve had only one drink, she was sure she could have declined his offer. It was the second Tequila Sunrise that made her brave enough to go up there. The only good thing she could think about coming from this, was more clients for each of her side hustles.

  “Ugh. I hate that. Wait until he texts me back, I’ma let him know that was so wrong.”

  “Yeah okay. Y’all cute Brix, foreal. Just give the man a chance. He is obviously digging you and you feeling him too. What’s the big deal?”

  “Him. It’s his lifestyle, the females, the late nights. I’ve read about it all and I’m just not down for that.”

  “Read where? In them urban fiction books? Girl. For one, them stories are made up. Two, who says y’all relationship will be like those in a book? Let’s be real here.”

  Sitting up some, Brix replied, “I am being real. Those books are based off of real life situations. The characters may be made up, but the stories hit home. It’s also just common sense. He’s a rapper. There are always going to be late nights in the studio, tours, groupies, rumors etc. You saw how crazy last night was.”

  “Yeah and you also saw that out of all those girls, he showed you the most attention. You're thinking too much into this and gone miss out on something good. You and I both know the real reason, but I won’t bring it up today. Just give Young Mel a chance shawty.”

  They both chuckled and began talking about their plans for the remainder of the day. Brix knew Carissa was making a valid point, and her opinion meant a lot to her. She was going to take both her mama’s and Rissa’s advice and give Shemel a chance. Hopefully, it wouldn’t turn out to be a bad decision.

  Seven

  At the warehouse with his brother’s, Shemel was doing what he loved most almost equal to rapping… counting money. Everybody had just gotten paid and he had also bee
n selling tons of copies of his mixtapes lately. It seemed that after the performance a few weeks back, everybody wanted a hard copy. Being the hustler that he was, Mel didn’t hesitate to hit his manager up to get shit rolling. He had income coming in from everywhere. His YouTube account was in the hundred thousands, and they were paying him as well.

  Wrapping a rubber band around the stack of hundreds, Mel tossed it in his duffle bag with the rest. After counting it by hand and running it through the money machine three times, he felt like the count was accurate. He had planned on taking it right to the bank once he left, but quickly changed his mind and decided to stash it in his safe. His bank also happened to be where Brix worked. Ironically, he had never seen her up there. Mel was planning to pick her up from work in the next hour or so and couldn’t wait to see her.

  Brix had finally talked herself into giving him a chance and she was glad that she had. Shemel stayed making her laugh and was so attentive. He pulled out a side of her in the short couple of weeks that no male, including Drew, had in a long time. She did talk to a few guys after his sudden disappearing act, but only on the phone and through text. Nothing more, but definitely less than Shemel was receiving. They had already been on a few dates and Shemel was planning to have her meet his folks.

  Although them talking was still fresh, they had learned so much from each other. Brix had him investing his money into stocks, which he knew nothing about, and as promised, Shemel had Brix rapping his lyrics. They hadn’t done anything sexual yet, which was both of their decision. Brix felt like it was way too soon and would only cause confusion. Shemel, on the other hand, knew he was going to be addicted to her once he got a sample.

  One day last week they were chilling at the crib, while Mrs. Carla went to get her hair done with his mama. As always, Brix was parading around the house with little to no clothes on and Shemel just had to get a whiff of her essence. They were chilling on the bed when he, just out the blue, picked Brix up and sat her on his face. She still had her shorts on, but the wetness that seeped from her slit did not go unnoticed. Shemel put his nose all in it, before biting her pearl, and then laid her back down. Brix wanted to slap him so bad. She was past sexually frustrated, and for him to do that, had her ready to really sit on his face, no clothes involved. Chuckling at the memory, Shemel stood up to leave.