by Eric Pete
“Hey.”
“I was wondering if you were going to get out and come over . . . or if you were going to sit there pretending not to see me.”
“I’d never do that. I was just talking over some things with Akhet . . . uh, AK. How have you been?”
“You’d know if you called me,” she said as she slid her fedora back, letting me bathe in those jade eyes again. Her sculpted arms showed from the white sleeveless blouse she wore that was tied in the front. I had forgotten about the number she had handed to me that day at Akhet’s place. She reached up to plant a kiss on me. At the last second, I turned to the side, causing her lips to brush the edge of my mouth before landing on my cheek. Like a goof, I nervously scanned the crowd to see if someone who may have known Val was watching.
“No, he did not do you like that!” Roxie proclaimed loudly in front of their clique, obviously fellow students. I watched Alexis cringe in discomfort as her friend’s mock laughter rang out. “So, he does everything but kiss!”
“Look, I—”
“Don’t worry about her,” she said with an air of dismissal about her. “She’s just tryin’ to show off in front of our girls.”
“I ain’t tryin’ to show off,” Roxie said as she walked all up in our conversation. She lowered her lavender-lensed Guess sunglasses and gave me the once-over before turning back to Alexis. “I can’t help it if I got with The AK all night while you got poked in the kitchen by him. Hell, I almost didn’t recognize him with his pants up.”
“Yeah, Roxie,” Alexis said while stopping me from saying something. “That’s why AK is over there ignoring you while Lance is here with me. Say somethin’.” A chorus of ooohs rang out from their girlfriends while they slapped high-fives at Alexis’ put-down. I smiled also at how she had my back even though I had been a little distant in front of her friends.
“Thanks.”
“No thanks needed, cutie. Roxie will run all over you if you let her. She’s harmless though.”
“So all your friends know about—”
“Us and y’all two,” she said, cutting me off again. I could tell Alexis was uncomfortable with Roxie’s revelations. “Yeah. Roxie likes to kiss and tell. Actually, she likes to brag. That’s not my style.”
“I just want to let you know that what went on . . . that’s not normally my style. I mean . . .” I hated fumbling for words.
“I get it, Lance. Relax, boo. Breathe.” We laughed. “Ready to start this over?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I chuckled.
“Think we can check out a movie or that play over at the Saenger Theatre?”
“The Michael Baisden one?”
“Yeah, I think Alan Payne is so fine. Mmmm. Not finer than you of course.”
“Yeah, right. Yeah, I guess we could do that. But, I need to let you know something though.”
“I’m listening.”
“If we go out it can only be as friends. I’m kinda . . .”
“Involved?”
“It’s a little complicated, but I’d have to say yes.”
“Oh.” Alexis bit her bottom lip and contorted her face as if trying to figure out what to make of me. Her girlfriends who had become oblivious to us had now suddenly taken an interest again.
I prepared to lower my voice to explain about Val. I really liked this young lady, but couldn’t risk any further confusion from thinking with my dick first. But things don’t always go as planned and everything was turned upside down by an untimely arrival.
“Get me out of here, Lance,” she said, appearing like she always did—without warning and always with a demand.
“Huh?”
“Get me out of here.”
“I’m kind of busy right now, Kyne,” I said, looking over my shoulder at my friend who had inappropriately chosen to drape herself over me. I guessed it was intentional on her part.
“So. This little high schooler can’t do nothing for you but get you in trouble. Let’s go, baby. C’mon.” A kiss from her on my neck told me she was tipsy and had probably said something to piss somebody off nearby. I smartly scanned to see if any spurned hustlers were in pursuit of her this time.
“High schooler? I know she didn’t say that,” Roxie shouted, leaping to her friend’s defense, but in her own as well. Threatening or dismissing a woman’s maturity level can be dangerous.
“Kyne, look. Don’t come around here starting shit.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Alexis asked, getting tired of being ignored and insulted. She had spread her arms to halt her girlfriends who had begun rushing in Kyne’s direction. Roxie was the lead one instigating things.
“What does it look like? I’m his woman and you’re his trick, little girl.” Kyne jabbed her manicured finger in the air toward Alexis. I grabbed it and pulled it down right as Alexis and her friends lunged forward. Somebody’s flailing fingernail scratched my face before I managed to clear some space between the warring factions.
“I’ll talk to you later,” I said apologetically to Alexis as I pulled a taunting Kyne away. I muttered harshly for my friend to shut up before an all-out catfight broke out on the lakefront. Kyne, as brash and sassy as she was, would have been seriously outnumbered even with me trying to shield her. I turned my back to the curses and threats being hurled in our direction and moved quickly between the cars in traffic to where Akhet was parked.
“I didn’t expect to see you out here. Where’s your car? You’re taking me to your car, right? Gawd, I want to get outta this place.” She stopped when she caught her heel on something.
“I didn’t drive. Move,” I said, shoving Kyne along. I don’t know about Alexis, but I could still see Roxie coming after her.
“Where are you taking me then?”
“Over there by AK. What have you done now? And where’s your car?”
“It’s not mine anymore. I left it with that asshole jerk just now. Hmph. Thinks he can just talk to me any old kinda way,” she said as she continued on her rant. “He can take that Mercedes and shove it up his ass.”
“You didn’t have to play games back there just now.”
“Relax, boy. You know me. What? You don’t want me to be your woman?” she said mockingly as she wrote an imaginary V for Valerie in the air with her finger. “That girl back there was too young for you anyway.”
“Don’t do that shit again,” I said as I yanked her by the arm. Her response was only to flash an innocent smile. Akhet was just backing out of his parking spot when we ran up on him and jumped in.
“Hey! Hey! Don’t run up on me like that. Whatchu doin’ over here anyway, Lance? I was about to join you and Roxie ’n ’em.”
“Drive. Let’s get out of here.”
“Uhh. Lance, what’s Kyne doing here?”
“Didn’t you hear me?” she said sternly. “Go!”
“What is it with you always trying to give people orders ’n shit?” he said gruffly. As annoying as Kyne could be with her demands, men would fuss but it would all be in vain. In the end, most of us still did what she wanted. I had been one of the rare ones in the “other” category, but my recent experiences had added me to the list.
Akhet looked at me for some sort of explanation. “She just showed up,” I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.
“Well, I’m not leavin’ ’til I’ve hollered at Roxie, ya dig?”
“You may not want to do that just now.”
“Nooo,” he said in a hushed tone.
“Yeah, bruh. She and her crew are hopping-mad right about now.”
“Tell me this didn’t mess with our flow,” he said, motioning with his thumb back at Kyne.
“This has a name. And don’t you forget it.”
“I should forget your name and everything about ya, Kyne. Serve ya right if I leave your ass stranded.”
“But you won’t.”
Akhet grunted to clear his throat. “Only as a favor to my boy here. Don’t get it twisted.” As he put the gearshift back into reverse, he turned
up his music loud enough to rattle everything including our heads. And after his posturing was over, Akhet drove us away from the lakefront just as Kyne had instructed.
18
“Turn here.”
“I know where my boy lives. Man, I hate backseat drivers.”
Kyne and Akhet had been carrying on with their verbal sparring the entire trip home. She started it off with countless questions about Roxie and Alexis then really started teasing when she figured out that Akhet had fooled around with Roxie. “You mean the one with the bulldog face?” she had asked him, which sent him hurling profanity-laced insults at Kyne in response. They were two of my best friends, but right now I had a headache that wouldn’t quit.
“Stop,” I shouted as we turned into the complex. I had forgotten to get Saturday’s mail out of my box by the office and was looking for an excuse to escape anyway. “I’ll just get out here. Thanks.”
As I exited, looking back at them was so strange. The two of them had ignored me as they argued but were now looking lost, knowing that I was no longer going to be in their midst. If I weren’t so drained, I would laugh.
Breaking the quiet, Akhet bellowed, “We’re taping for TV Wednesday. They gonna be filmin’ us while we do the next video from the album. It’s gonna be straight fire, bruh. Holler atcha boy.”
“Alright. I’ll do that.” I smiled. “Kyne, you want to get in the front?” I asked while holding my door open still.
She was still looking lost and fidgety as she got out of the backseat. “Umm. You can’t give me a ride home later?” As much as she dreaded her ride home alone with Akhet, there was something else. She wanted to talk . . . probably wanted to explain what had gone down on the lakefront. Part of me was curious and wondered if she wanted a little more than just my company from me just then. I thought back to the unused whip cream and unintentionally licked my lips. As I looked beyond to my apartment building, I saw a car I knew all too well parked in front of Renika’s place. It beckoned to me.
“Go on with AK. Let him bring you home. I’ll talk to you later. I promise.”
Kyne gave in when she saw there was no changing my mind and that I needed some time to myself. I held her hand as she lowered her feet onto the ground. Her white pants she wore so elegantly slid back down over her ankles. Akhet was leaning back in his seat straining to get a look at her ass.
“Uh-huh. As fine as you is, I might let you be seen with me more often. You just gotta shut up though. Damn.”
“Pig.”
“Fo’ sho, fo’ sho!”
The sole piece of mail in my box was my new coupon book for the student loans I was still paying on. Sallie Mae was more like “Sallie Pay” because that was all I ever did with them. Akhet and Kyne were just turning onto Manhattan, their arguing probably having already resumed. I watched them drive away then headed across the street to my place.
I slowed my walk just enough to confirm the Kia in front of Renika’s was indeed Val’s. It made sense that she would visit her best friend. I resisted the urge to see her and kept on walking. Even when I heard the sound of women’s laughter as Renika’s door opened, I kept on walking.
“Lance,” Renika called out upon noticing me. If only I had walked faster.
“Hey.” I glanced back, avoiding eye contact with Val but acknowledging Renika. I escaped to the sanctuary of my stairs and disappeared up them.
I slammed my front door shut—I had done a lot of that this day—and threw my keys against the wall. I picked up my Jaguar Wright CD from the coffee table and stormed into the bedroom. After placing the CD in my stereo and throwing my clothes in the corner, I jumped on the treadmill to try to run off some tension.
I was beginning my warm-up when I thought I heard the doorbell over the sounds of Ms. Wright’s soulful wailings on “The What If’s.” Torn between wanting to see her and hold her in my arms and wanting to avoid the sort of hurt, disappointment, and drama I had gone through earlier, I caved in to the latter and cranked up the speed on my run.
Sweat began to form across my chest as I approached the one-mile mark and by the time the remake of “Love, Need And Want You” had come on, I was beginning to rethink my actions. The doorbell rang this time. I was certain of it. I jumped off the treadmill, leaving it in motion, and rushed to the front door. I caught myself and went back for a towel to dry myself off. I was still rushing, but trying not to look it when I opened the front door.
“Didn’t think you were going to answer.”
“Hey.” I tried to hide the disappointment from my face that my heart felt.
“You said that already when me and Val saw you. Not talking today?”
“What’s up?”
“I should be asking you that.” Renika chose to invite herself in. “Working out?”
“Just a little running,” I answered as I closed my door. I looked downstairs. Val’s Kia was gone.
“Running from what?”
“. . . What do you want?”
“Just to talk,” she said as she made herself comfortable on the couch. “Come here. Sit.”
I hesitated, considered telling her I had to finish my run, but that was just an excuse. I went to turn off the treadmill, then plopped down on the end of the couch opposite her. “What do you want to talk about? I’m kinda busy.”
“I could see that the way you blew us off. What’s going on with y’all two? I thought everything was back on track.”
“There’s always something coming in the way. Like today with that punkass, Robert.” I caught myself, not knowing how much Valerie had shared with her best friend.
“She told me about that. She said you were hurt.”
“Nah, I wasn’t hurt by that shit. Just pissed. Surprised and pissed. How can he just step in and try to take everything? And what is she doing even listening to his bullshit? Part of me wonders why I agonize over all this.”
“Because you love her.”
“Damn straight.”
“She only wants what’s best for Bobby.”
“Is that why she’s considering moving to Carolina with Robert?” I snapped in Renika’s direction. “She’s sick if she thinks that would be best for the boy.”
“She’s not really considering it, Lance. She’s just . . . confused. That’s all.”
“Hmph. She better get her mind right.”
“Did you know she came by looking for you?”
“She could have called me on my cell.”
“She tried. She thought you weren’t answering it on purpose.”
“She was right,” I admitted with a little bit of embarrassment that brought a smile to Renika’s face.
“You are terrible,” she chuckled.
“You should know.” I leaned across the couch to swat at her and she grabbed my wrist triggering a playful wrestling match. I slipped off the couch and landed with a thud on my butt. Renika was laughing until I flipped her from her perch. Her fall was just as awkward. We just lay there on our backs looking up at the ceiling until the laughter and heavy breathing died down.
“Ouch.”
“Don’t even pretend to be hurt. You’ve got plenty cushion back there.”
“Don’t mean I want it bruised,” she said as she socked me in my shoulder.
“Thanks for the talk.”
“Sure. Help me up?”
“I guess.”
After helping her to her feet, Renika noticed my music still playing. “That’s a CD?”
“Yeah. Want to check it out?”
Renika followed me to my bedroom where I handed her the CD from my stereo.
“So, I finally get to see your bedroom. Nice.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed a shirt, then handed her the CD case too.
“It needs a woman’s touch though.” I didn’t know how to answer it, so I said nothing. She read over the song titles on the back of the CD case. “Oh! I heard this one on the radio,” she squealed. “Can I burn a copy of this?”
“Sure.”
“You better. Remember. I know where you live.”
“Yep. You know where it is. And you’re welcome down there anytime, baby,” she said with devilish eyes as she giggled.
“Don’t play like that, Renika.”
“It’s just harmless flirtation. You used to not be so stuffy.”
I laughed. “Get outta here.”
When Renika was leaving to head back to her place, a shout rang out from down below.
“Neek!”
I knew who it was.
Renika, startled by the voice, looked nervously downstairs in the vicinity of her place. I thought back to when we were young when I tried giving her that nickname. Renika used to despise being called “Neek.”
“I . . . I’ll talk to you later, Lance. Okay?”
“Alright, neighbor.”
I leaned over the railing on my patio and watched Renika as she hurried down the stairs and onto the sidewalk to a waiting Vaughn. He had probably just come home and gone looking for his “Neek.” I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I watched her show him my CD, then motion back in the direction of my apartment. I saw him smiling, but got the distinct impression that whatever he was saying wasn’t as friendly as his expression. He then scooped her up in one of his arms and tongued her down. I guess she’s happy, I thought to myself. I was feeling a bit like the voyeur, but kept watching.
When they got to her apartment door, I saw him swat her on the ass again. As she scurried back inside at his urging, Vaughn looked up and noticed me. I gave him a nod and waited for him to nod back or wave. He raised his arm up and I began to smile. As his hand opened, all of the fingers suddenly folded up . . . except for the middle one. He held it there for emphasis, making sure I read it loud and clear, then he joined Renika inside.
I was beginning to not like Vaughn.
19
“Yeah, bruh. I’ll be out there tonight. Right after I leave work.”
“If anybody gives you any lip, just tell ’em AK said you could be there. Ya dig?” He tried to hide it, but I could tell he was really excited about the video. A big director out of New York had been flown in to give AK’s new single, “Realer Than Ya Know,” the star treatment. They had been filming some of it in the studio, but tonight was the big outdoor finale. Phat Phat ’n All That was there during the shoot and the video would be premiered on their show Friday night.