by J Peach
God I hope he does not hit me in front of these people.
“Nigga, she is grown. The fuck type of question is that? Folks, you better cool that shit, because you ain’t gon’ touch her. So all that jumpin’ and shit ain’t even called fah,” Blaze told ’em and my body slightly relaxed because you never knew with King’s crazy ass.
Nodding his head, King stared at him, then me. “You gon’ swing up on me because of this nigga? That’s how we doing it now?”
There was no winning. What was the point of me even having a life if every time I went against him, he used the fact he was the only living relative I had. And as bad as I didn’t want to admit it, at the end of the day he was right.
“I hit you because of you, not Blaze. King, it’s not like that and you know it,” I explained, my voice not as strong as before. I knew what was coming and I didn’t want it.
“What it’s like, Peaches? Huh?” He questioned, stepping toward me.
I didn’t say anything, he was silently telling me to choose.
“Now yo ass can’t talk?” He yelled at me and again I jumped.
“Leave her the fuck alone, she ain’t gotda say shit. Who the fuck is you?” Blaze asked King and he looked like he wanted to kill Blaze.
“This ain’t got shit to do with you.”
“King, let’s just go.” He got on my fuckin’ nerves, but he was my brother.
“If it involves her, it got everything to with me.” Blaze moved around me to get to King.
“B, let’s go,” Sam said. Blaze quickly pushed Sam off him as he stepped to King again, making him laugh.
“What you think, ‘cause you done caught feelings she yo business? Fuck outda here nigga. I told yo ass from jump don’t start liking her. You ain’t what she need and you ain’t gon’ have her.” King mugged Blaze hard. And I knew that was the reason he was having a hard time accepting what I felt for Blaze.
It seemed as if a part of him knew, but by him not wanting this life for me, he couldn’t accept it.
“King, let’s go.”
“Peaches, shut the fuck up—” Blaze socked King hard as hell, making him fall from the hit.
“Yo ass ain’t gon’ keep talkin’ to her like that. Fuck you wanna do, bitch? We can pop, it ain’t shit, nigga.” Blaze pulled his gun, cocking it, seeming even more pissed now.
“B, chill—”
“Get the fuck off me.” He was pissed as he pushed Sam down then walked up to King, kicking him in the face. “Fuck ass nigga. Bitch you gon’ talk shit. And I got her, fuck you mean?” He spat as he smacked King in the face with his gun.
“Blaze, stop! Get off him.” I tried pulling him off King, but he kept pushing me back before he started hitting him again. “Blaze, get the fuck off of him!” I snatched the back of Blaze’s shirt, about to jump in and help my brother.
“Let me the fuck go!” His arm swung back fast and hard, causing the back of his fist to hit my mouth. It felt like my teeth had been knocked out.
My hand quickly went to my lips as I tasted blood. He didn’t even notice as he went back to hitting King. I went to jump on him, but Bellow pushed me out the way as him and Sam jerked Blaze off King. As soon as they did, King got up and rushed them, knocking all they asses down. The side of King’s head was bleeding, but his ass wasn’t stopping. King was rocking all their asses like it was normal. Whichever one tried getting up he hit, whenever they swung, he swung harder and seemingly faster.
This was that bullshit.
Bellow finally managed to get from under King and made a move to hit him. Grabbing my gun, I pulled it.
“If you touch him, I’ll kill you!”
“Bitch—” I shot. “Whoa, what the fucks wrong with you?” Bellow asked as I shot by his foot.
“I missed on purpose and don’t call me a bitch.” Why whenever niggas hear shooting they stop what they doing to look? That’s exactly what King did as well as the two idiots he was on top of. Taking in King’s distracted state, Blaze socked his ass.
He pushed King off of him. Blaze got up and then looked at me. Shaking my head, I turned to King.
“King, let’s go.” Grabbing his arm I pulled him up before spitting the blood from my mouth. Once King got up, he looked at me, his eyes quickly going to my busted lip, taking it in. “King stop, let’s just go, please. Kimmy, let’s go.” I couldn’t even look at Blaze knowing I was about to walk away from everything we had or could’ve had.
That stupid lump grew thick quick in my throat and I had no control over the tears that fell from my eyes.
“Peaches…” Kimmy started. Shaking my head, I quickly wiped my eyes. “King, you is such a bitch! She’s fuckin’ grown.”
“Bitch, shut the fuck up. Peaches, go get yo ass in the car,” King snapped. I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to walk away. ”You don’t hear me talking to you? Go get yo ass in the fuckin’ car.” King pushed me hard and I stumbled into Kimmy.
“She ain’t gotda go no fuckin’ where. Touch her again, I’m putting one in yo forehead. Touch her.” Blaze’s gun was already pointed and King walked to it, pressing his forehead to it.
This mothafucka was crazy, I hate him.
“Peaches, go get yo ass in the fuckin’ car,” King snapped again as his eyes stayed locked with Blaze’s.
“Not without you, now let’s go, King.” Grabbing the back of his shirt I pulled him, but he snatched away from me. “King, you made your point. Now let’s go.”
He spat a wad of blood by Blaze’s feet before he started walking backwards. Glancing at me, he stopped.
“Y’all done, Peaches. Give ’em his shit back.”
I looked at him like he was crazy. “I don’t have nothing—”
“Give ’em the fuckin chain back,” he snapped and my hand quickly went to it.
I was already shaking my head no.
“King, fah real, y’all can do this shit at home. Out here though? You bogus as fuck. Peaches, let’s go.” Kim took hold of my wrist and started pulling me toward the parking lot, but King snatched me back.
“This ain’t got shit to do with you,” he told Kim, glaring hard at her before looking back at me. “Peaches, give him his shit.”
“King, you can’t make me do that,” I whispered to him. He was taking it too far. I’d do whatever he said, but I wasn’t giving the chain back. I couldn’t.
“Peaches,” King called and I jerked away from him.
“I fuckin’ hate you.” I jerked away from him and as I did, my fist shot out, hitting him in the face before I took off running. I was not about to give the chain back and knowing King, he was gon’ try putting his hands on me or snatching it off, which would’ve only lead to another fight.
Giving the chain back only made what I was doing official and I wasn’t ready to be done with Blaze.
I loved him.
But King always had to fuck something up.
I hate him so much.
Chapter 22
Peaches
“I just don’t know what he expects me to do, you know? Like, I can’t even live without his monkey looking ass just, just, just there. I hate him so much.” A belch suddenly left mouth as I blabbed to some random at Frank’s. It was a liquor store in the front and a small bar in the back where a bunch of drunks sat, drinking and listening to blues music. It was a cool little place and the last spot King or anyone else would come looking for me.
Covering my mouth, I laughed.
“That was so nasty, but you look like you’ve been through some shit in yo lifetime. So what I’m supposed to do? Because I don’t know,” I questioned the older, bald man beside me who had a large cut on the side of his face.
“Give it a few days, it’ll blow over,” was his bright idea and I wanted to slap him.
“What kinda advice is that? I’m convinced all men are stupid. Becoming a lesbian is not sounding bad, but bitches crazy too. I have a friend that’s gay for a girl and I have a friend that sister is gay. My friend
and my friend sister supposed to be messing around, but I don’t know because my friend sister is a hoe. But my friend like her. If I knew dating was this bad I would’ve became a nun when I was still a virgin. Now I’m not a virgin or got a boyfriend no mo… I’m just… I’m just lonely.”
Picking up my tequila shot, I threw it back before slamming the glass down on the bar. “Three more and I’m done,” I lied. I said that about twelve shots ago. Quickly tossing the shots back, I took a deep breath as the shots felt like they wanted to come back up. As I motioned for the bar man once more, my phone started ringing.
Clearing my throat, I answered. “Peaches phone. Sorry I’m not taking calls right now, but if you leave your name and number, I might call back. Beep.” I tried being quiet but ended up laughing. “That shit was funny, I bet they like, ‘she ain’t answering’.” Laughing, I hung my phone up and sat it on the counter. I picked up my Heineken, taking a long drink. Once again my phone started ringing. “Peaches phone. Sorry—”
“Why the fuck you playin’, Peaches? Where you at?” I rolled my eyes as I looked at the boring bald man next to me.
“This Ha’Keem stupid ass,” I whispered before getting up and walking outside.
“Peaches—”
“Nuh-uh, Ha’Keem. I hate you. I can’t even believe you did me like that. You know what? I can because you always do stupid shit like that. You gon’ fight my boyfriend because he pushed me? Then embarrass me by tryna make me choose. Yo ass is so wrong, like why would you do me like that, Ha’Keem, when you know I love him?
“Yo ass acting like my fuckin’ man and not my brotha. Like what the fuck, dude? I don’t know what your problem is with me growing up, but you need to get over it. I’m not a kid anymore and you can’t keep treating me like I’m one, dang…” Tears just started pouring from my eyes as I began to cry.
“Peaches, is you drunk?”
“Yes and it’s your fault. I don’t know what to do. I love you, but I love him too. And, and, and I want him but you messed me up. I was gon’ tell him that and, and you just had to go play daddy, right. I hate you—”
“Peaches, where you at?” King asked and I shook my head as I started walking back toward the door.
“I’m not telling you. And you know what, Ha’Keem? Yeah, this how we doing it until you stop treating me like a kid and you make things right with Blaze. I’m not choosing between you two, so you make it right or we’re done,” I told him as I opened the door to Franks’. “Ooh, King, remember this song?” I asked excitedly as Johnnie Taylor’s Too Late To Try To Do Right played on the little juke box.
“Remember mommy used to always play this song when Dad did something wrong?” Laughing, I shook my head. That was how I knew every time my dad cheated. My mom would play that damn song and sing it with such determination for hours as she prepared herself to leave. She played the song until he came home. Of course it was the typical fighting, the threats, the packing. But that was it, she never left.
My mom was so lost, so high on him that she forgot herself. Forgot the strong independent woman she was before she got with my dad. She became the dependent, which was why she never left. So high and lost my mom left everything, she lowered herself to be with him so much so that she had nothing at all. And he knew that, which was why he continued to do what he did.
My dad would apologize to make her feel better, promise her he’d never do it again. And even knowing he was lying, she forgave him.
Why?
Because she was addicted to him. Besides King and I, nothing else mattered to her as long as she had him.
I didn’t even tell King bye as I hung up and dialed his number…
“You’ve reached—” Groaning, I hung up and called back only to get the voicemail again. Irritated, I flopped down on the bar stool and it went tilting backwards. A loud ‘eep’ left my mouth as I fell backward.
“Whoa, whoa, mama. You bout to bust yo ass,” said the person that caught me.
Laughing, I righted myself with his help. I turned around so I could thank him. “Oh, God. Not you.” I groaned, but ended up laughing. “Thanks. Max right?” I asked as I sat down.
“I should’ve let yo ass fall. And it’s Mark,” he said before calling the bar man over.
With a hum, I dialed Blaze’s number again and just like before I didn’t get an answer.
“What happened to your lip?” He asked while grabbing my chin. He tilted my head so I was facing him.
“Breaking up a fight and got hit, what happened to yours?” I asked while pushing his hands off my chin.
His brows rose before he laughed. “Keep fuckin’ with me… So what happened to you callin—”
“You part of the reason I’m in this shit. I hate all men, all of y’all are fuckin’ crazy. And now the yellow bitch ain’t answering his phone. You know what, Blaze? Fuck you! Yo ass hear this damn phone ringing. But it’s cool, because when you call back I ain’t answering. So don’t call me back!” I snapped into the phone before looking away from Mark. “Please call me back.” Hearing him laugh, I quickly put my phone down.
“I thought y’all were a just in a moment type thing?” Groaning, I ordered two more shots.
“It was, but my stupid feelings had to get involved and now, and now everything is messed up. I can thank you for some of that.” Grabbing the glass, I threw it back then got two more.
“What I got to do with that? You ain’t even call me, which is fuck’d up.”
I took my shots, slammed the glass on the counter then turned to face him. “First off, Mark, I didn’t call you because you’re a liar and fuck ass nigga that’s tryna be low with getting at his… Whatever the fuck you are to Blaze, you low for trying to get his girl.” I took another shot before I held up two fingers.
“Second off, I’m not a hoe. I don’t do friends, associates or acquaintances… Well besides that one time Sam gave me head, but it was cut off because I started liking Blaze yellow ass. And it wasn’t even intentional, he forced that on me. Like popping up at my house, coming to my job, beating up my boss. Ooh, blackmailing me, inviting himself to my house to spend the night. He made me like that too because he played with my titties… which I liked.
“I don’t know why, though. It don’t be a we bout to fuck kinda like, you know? But soothing comforting kinda like. He be pinching my nipples, everything, and it still be that same comfortable thing, you know? Hell, I don’t even know.” Sighing, I picked up my phone to see it was still on. Hanging up, I dialed Blaze’s number again, but he didn’t answer. “Whatever, I’m not calling back, yellow bitch.” Dropping my phone on the bar, I got another Heineken.
“You owe me a date,” Mark stated, tapping the bar.
“I owe you a date? Okay, make this our date. You pay my bar tab?” He laughed as he continued to irritably tap on the bar.
“Yeah, I got you. If this is our date then we doing it right. Come on.” My brows went up as he grabbed my wrist, tryna pull me up.
“Nigga, pahlease. I watch ID, you ain’t ‘bout to get me and don’t nobody know I’m with you either.” Mark done lost his damn mind. I was drunk, not incoherent. “Where’s my phone?” I checked my front and back pockets, it wasn’t there. I felt my breasts, thinking I’d put it there, but nothing. “Have you seen my phone?” I asked him as I looked on the floor, it wasn’t on the floor. “Oh, my God! I just got that damn phone.”
“N’all, you just had it. Here, call it,” he said, feeling on his pockets. “Damn, I ain’t even got mine—”
“Man, I swear I just bought that damn phone.” Forgetting I had on flats, I kicked the bar and then groaned as I hurt my big toe. “Ow, damn.” A laugh left my mouth as I shook my head. “I’m ‘bout to go. It was nice running into you, Mark.” Getting off the stool, I stumbled to the side, twisting my right ankle. “Are you fuckin’ serious?” I just wanted to cry.
Mark stood to help me. “I probably left my phone on the seat, you can use it or let me take you home because you
can’t drive,” he said.
“Can you check your car, please?” I asked.
“If you let me buy you at least one drink, I’ll steal you a phone,” he offered with that cute, boyish smile.
I couldn’t help but return the smile. “One drink and that’s it.”
He placed me back on the stool before he looked at the bar man, sliding him a bill.
“Why don’t you go to the back for a minute?” Just like a nigga, I swear. Placing his hand over the money, he slid it off the counter and then walked away.
Mark went behind the bar, washed his hands, then grabbed a clear plastic cup. He put a few pieces of ice in it, then looked at me with a raised brow. “What? Why you watching so damn hard fah?”
Rolling my eyes, I looked away from him for a second, then back. “Just tryna see if you know what you doing, is all.” Popping my lips, I laughed.
“Are you a cherry girl?”
“No, but I have a cat named Cherry in the car. Wanna see her?” I asked him.
“I got a swing in my truck, wanna try it?”
I started laughing at that while shaking my head.
“No thanks, I wanna use your phone. God, I can’t believe I lost my damn phone. You owe me a phone,” I groaned out.
He looked up at me. “How?” He asked as he stirred my drink.
“Because you do. If I hadn’t been talkin’ to you, I wouldn’t have lost it in the first place. So you might as well gimme yours.” Handing me my drink he poured himself a cup of Hennessy then came to sit next to me.
“How it taste?” Shrugging, I smelled it, making him laugh. “The fuck you smelling it fah? Taste it.” Putting the two small black straws between my lips, I took a sip.
“A Mai Tai. I usually don’t drink this because whenever somebody makes it they never put enough rum in it.” I laughed as I took a bigger sip.
“Slowdown, that shit will sneak up on you, especially how I made it. Sip it,” he said, taking a drink from his cup while watching me.
I was drunk, but aware. Maybe it was a drunk act I played, I don’t know. But I could drink so much and act as if I’m sober. I mean, besides my rambling and stumbling, I was very aware of everything.