by Nique Luarks
“True!” Nisha called his name with an attitude. “I’m thirsty.”
We know.
I found myself rolling my eyes.
“Jelly…” True licked his lips. “Come in the house so I can rap wit’ you.”
Smirking, I shook my head. “Like you did last night?” Angry tears stung my eyes. I had given True a piece of me not even seven hours ago, and he was flossing Nisha around.
True shook his head. “Is this how you ‘bout to be, man?” He sucked his teeth. “Get out the car.”
I put both hands on the steering wheel. “True, I really don’t feel good. I just wanna go and lay down.” I gave him a fake smile. “I’ll call you later.”
He stared at me for a long time before he backed away from my car. “A’ight.” He shook his head again. “If you need me to swing by let me know.”
Still smiling, I nodded. “Okay.”
“How you gon’ come to my house, let yourself in, not speak, but lay across my bed with your face in my pillows.” My mom slapped my butt. “Chance Breon.”
“I don’t feel good.” I sniffled.
“Mmhm...” She lay down next to me and started stroking my hair. “Your stomach hurt?”
With my face still in the pillow, I shook my head no.
“Your head hurt?”
My head swayed.
“Back?” Her voice softened.
“Heart.” Finally, I looked over at my mommy. She was so perfect to me. Soft features, pretty, sepia brown skin, hypnotizing eyes, and she always smelled like Chanel No.5.
Still stroking my hair, she smiled and scooted closer to me. “Who did it?”
“True.”
She nodded. “What did he do this time?”
I dropped my face back into the pillow. Whenever True did or said something that hurt my feelings, I always came running to my mom. I cried on her shoulder when True told me Jaliyah was pregnant, whenever he said something unnecessarily rude, or if he was being unbearably disrespectful. Yes, True and I were close, and we shared a lot of interests, but our differences could be deal breakers sometimes. Most would say I was just a sensitive human being. But only True could get me this worked up.
“Talk to me, Chance.” My mom caressed my back gently. “What happened?”
Facing the wall, I sighed. “He’s just so rude.” Okay, I copped out of the truth. But how could I tell my mom that we’d had sex, he slipped out in the middle of the night, and then showed up to Granny Ann’s with a chick who hated me? My family had known True forever, so I didn’t want to taint their image of him.
My mom sighed and then snuggled up with me. “I know it’s more, but I won’t pressure you.” She sighed. “You know I love True like he’s one of mine, but baby, he’s too much for you. Whatever it is, put it in God’s hands and let it be.”
True
“Where did Channy go?” Love didn’t even let me get all the way in the house.
“Home.”
She put her hands on her hips and rolled her neck. “What happened?”
I shrugged. “She don’t feel good.”
“Chance is always complaining about something,” Nisha added her two cents even though the shit wasn’t needed.
“Aye…” I stopped walking to look down at her. “What I tell you about that shit?” Nisha, just like most of the bitches I fucked with, couldn’t stand Chance. They didn’t like her position in my life. Sadly, after my Granny and Chasity, next came my Jelly. I loved my little sister and the other important women in my life, but Chance Breon… She meant a lot to a nigga.
Nisha crossed her arms. “Okay, True.”
Love laughed as we continued to the kitchen. “You know, Nisha, I never liked you,” she said nonchalantly. “And it’s not because you’re a thirsty, dick-jumping hoe. No, it’s because you don’t know how to mind your fu—"
“Young lady!” My grandmother approached us. “Watch your mouth.” She scowled. “If you can’t respect my house, then you can go.”
“Granny...”
Granny Ann gave her hard look. “Love, go see what those kids are doing upstairs.” Her gaze shifted to me and then to Nisha. “Well, hello, True and Nisha.”
I chuckled as we followed her. “What you cooking?”
“Fish, macaroni, and greens. You staying for dinner?” Granny asked over her shoulder. “Roman already called me and said he’d be on his way in a little while.”
“I’ma drop Nisha off and slide back through.”
Nisha smacked her lips. I didn’t give a fuck about her attitude. Wasn’t no chick sitting down to eat with my family besides Chance. Not even Jaliyah or Quindelle could sit at my Granny’s dining room table and enjoy a meal. The shit felt too much like family time, and my best friend was the only one with that much clout.
Granny chuckled knowingly.
“Did Quindelle drop Chasity off?” We entered the kitchen and I pointed at the island, letting Nisha know to take a seat.
She switched to a vacant chair, staring down at her phone.
“Yes. With an attitude of course.”
I frowned. “For what?”
“’Cause you aren’t answering the phone.”
Quindelle, my second baby mama, was a bitch on wheels. Her ungrateful ass was never satisfied. She let me get and see Chasity whenever I wanted, but every time we linked, I had to yoke her up. Just like Nisha, she was always tossing Chance’s name around. It seemed like these bitches were obsessed with my Jelly.
“I ain’t answering ‘cause she stay trippin’”
Granny’s head bounced up and down. “And I told her that. I explained to her if she wanted to co-parent successfully then she needed to get that chip off her shoulder.”
“Or find her own nigga to bother,” Nisha mumbled.
I took my keys out of my pocket and tossed them onto the counter. “Go wait in the car.”
Nisha knew what was up. Regardless of whatever me and my BM’s went through, they came right after family and before any bitch. Jaliyah and Quindelle stressed a nigga out on the daily, but they had given me my seeds and they took good care of them. For that reason alone, no matter what, they were straight for life. Disrespecting the mothers of my shorties was like spitting on my kids.
I was about to cancel Nisha’s dumb ass. Pouting, she hopped down from the stool, grabbed the keys and left the room without a word.
“I don’t know why you keep fooling with that girl.” Granny washed her hands. “She’s so full of drama.”
Nisha was still around because she was a down-ass bitch. Not only that, but her mouthpiece was brazy. We’d been fuckin’ off and on for a couple years. She knew about all the hoes I fucked with, but she was still rockin’. Nisha was a down-ass bitch despite her fucked-up attitude.
“Daddy!” Hearing Chasity behind me made me turn around.
“Wassup, wookie?” She jumped into my arms.
Chasity hugged my neck. “I called you.” She let me go and twisted her neck. “Why you didn’t answer?”
I held her with one arm as I took a piece of fish from Granny.
“I keep tellin’ you, you aren’t grown.” Granny Ann gave Chasity a stern look. “Don’t be questioning grown folk. You hear me?” she asked with her finger pointed at my daughter.
“Yes, ma’am.”
I took a bite of fish and started out of the kitchen. “Granny, I’ll be back.”
“Okay. Please be safe, True.”
I nodded.
“Daddy, where you goin’?” Chasity asked lowly and then glanced back at the kitchen.
“To take somebody home.” I finished off the rest of my fish and put her down. “You wanna ride?”
She nodded quickly before taking off. “Let me get my shoes. We can go pick up Chance while we’re out,” Chasity said like she had the final say. “Chase!” she yelled as she climbed the stairs. “We’re going to get Chance!”
I shook my head. Another thing I loved about my best friend was she loved my seeds li
ke they were hers. It didn’t matter that Quindelle tried to make her life a living hell or Jaliyah acted sometimey with her. Chance looked out for my shorties and went out her way for them without my asking all the time. I just hoped what we did this morning wouldn’t fuck it all up for us.
6
Don’t change
Chance
“Chance, why are you pouting now?” My best friend, Morgan, asked. We were FaceTiming while she started on a wig for one of her clients. “What did True’s punk ass do this time?”
Hugging one of the fluffy pillows on my parents’ bed, I grimaced. “Morg, stop.” I hated that she and True didn’t get along. She was my best female friend, and he was my male BFF, but could never be in the same room together for very long.
“Well...” She stopped what she was doing and picked up her phone. “What did he do? Your eyes are puffy, and your face looks dry.” Morgan stared at me intensely. “Is it Nisha again? I’ll be back home next week so don’t even trip off her washed-up ass.”
“I had sex with True,” I blurted out while I had the confidence to confide in her.
I’d known Morgan since freshman year in high school. While I was timid, she was obnoxious. I liked to read and listen to neo-soul and she loved gossiping and twerking to trap music. People who knew us separately always wondered how we clicked. I was Dr. Jekyll and she was Mr. Hyde.
“You what?” Her eyes grew big. “Run that by me one more time.” She sat down.
I sat up straight and glanced at the bedroom door to make sure no one was in the hallway. “I had sex with True.”
“True?” she asked in disbelief. “You fucked rude, inconsiderate, disrespectful, selfish, violent, hoe-ass, smug True Jones?”
I cut my eyes at her. “Morg...”
She shrugged. “Where’s the lie? But that’s beside the point, heffa.” Morgan grinned. “I’m lost for words.”
“Me too.”
“I mean was it good? Is it big? Did you cum?” she rambled. “I knew it was gon’ happen.” Morgan laughed. “True finally got that ass.”
I turned the volume down on my phone. “It was so unexpected, Morg. He came over drunk, ate me out and then bent me over the counter.” I closed my eyes. Sex with True was mind-blowing.
“Damn, you over there daydreaming about it.” Morgan snickered. “That answers all of my questions.”
I opened my eyes.
“So, why are you crying? He’s acting funny?” Morgan frowned.
“He left while I was dozing off and then when I pulled up to Granny Ann’s, he showed up with Nisha.”
“Awww, friend,” Morgan pouted. “Fuck True.”
“Morgan...” I groaned. I didn’t let True disrespect her, so I didn’t appreciate when she disrespected him.
“Look...” she rolled her eyes. “You and True have been in love for how long?”
“You mean we’ve loved each other.” I corrected her.
“Uh...no. I said what I said. Y’all are just so damn stubborn and weird. He sees you in your bra and panties. The nigga rubs your feet, you play mama to his kids, and let’s not forget who gave you the money to start your own business.” Morgan snapped her fingers like she’d just remembered something important. “Have you ever worked a regular job?”
I rested my back comfortably against the headboard.
“Since I’ve known you, True has always looked out for you. And you’ve always looked out for him.” Morgan stood up, sat her phone up, and went back to working on her wig. “That corny shit he pulled today was a defense mechanism.”
I sighed.
“He probably wasn’t expecting the pussy to be fire.” She laughed.
My cheeks burned from embarrassment. Why were all my female friends so ornery?
“Jelly put that ill nana on him.”
I giggled, shaking my head at her.
“Just imagine if he had felt it without a condom. You think he’s acting funny now.” She busied herself with a needle and thread. When the line went silent, she stopped what she was doing and turned slowly towards the phone all dramatic. “Biiiiitch!”
I hung my head.
“You let him hit it bare back?!”
My eyes shifted to the door.
“Chance Breon!” she yelled. “Did True bust in you?!”
“Morgan!” I cringed at her choice of words. “You need to wash your mouth out with soap.”
She sucked her teeth. “Girl, bye. Answer the question.” Morgan pointed towards the phone with a needle.
“Yes,” I admitted shamefully. “All three times.”
“Oh my God!” she squealed. “Y’all asses were getting it in.” When she started winding her hips, I cracked up. “Damn, best friend...” She joined in. “I remember you mentioning you wanted a baby, but you weren’t playing, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that.” Frowning, I paused our conversation to read the text Chasity had sent from her phone.
Chassy: We come to get u.
She was the only five-year-old I knew who texted more than she called.
“Morg, let me call you back.”
“Don’t forget! I need to tell you about Silas’ cheating ass.”
I clicked back on our FaceTime. “What? What happened now?” Silas, Morgan’s husband, was a serial cheater. They’d been together since middle school, but they’d only been married for about a year now. They shared a son, but Silas had four other kids.
“Another trip to the fuckin’ clinic.” She crossed her arms. “I told him I want all of his shit out before I get back to the city.”
“Damn, Morg...”
She waved me off before shrugging. “I’m fed up, Chance. Don’t feel sorry for me, it’s my own fault for letting it go on this long.”
“I just wanna choke him for you.” I frowned.
“Girl, I wouldn’t even waste my energy on Silas. You just worry about what you and Mr. Jones got goin’ on.” She smirked.
I laughed.
“Call me later, though. I need to finish this and I have a few heads to do.”
“Okay. Later.”
“Bitch, don’t forget!” she yelled before I ended the call.
I called Chasity and when she answered, I could hear what sounded like Rick Ross blasting in the background.
“Hi, Chance, you get my message?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
“Me and my Daddy and Chase are coming to your house.”
“Tell your dad I’m not at home.” I slid out of the bed.
“I’m outside.” True’s deep baritone rang in my ear. “Come on.”
True
I watched Chance as she exited her parents’ house and closed the door. After she secured the locks, she adjusted the strap on her Louie V purse. She made her way down the walkway and the front door opened. Her pops stuck his head out, and Chance stopped in her tracks and turned around. He glanced at my car, waved, and then put his hands to his ear signaling for Chance to call him. As she walked away, she nodded, mouthing something.
I popped the locks, and she climbed in my truck.
“Hey, Chase. Hi, Chassy.” She closed her door and then turned to face them. They took turns leaning into the front to give her a hug. “Oooh, Chasity, you smell good.” Chance faced forward. “Hey, True,” she greeted me dryly, locking her seatbelt.
“Sup, Jelly?” I backed out of the driveway.
“I wish I would’ve known you were coming.” Chance stared down at her phone. “I made plans with Rel, so I can’t stay long.”
Frowning, I flipped my turn signal. “Plans to do what?”
“Go out,” she answered with her attention still on her phone.
I wasn’t trying to hear that. “Call him and tell him you out for the day.” Chance was spending way too much of her free time with that lame. And wasn’t she supposed to be sick?
She scoffed. “No. I want to go to the movies.”
Licking my lips, I rested my arm behind he
r headrest. “Then let’s hit up the movies.”
“Oh yeah, I wanna go to the movies!” Chasity squealed. “Can we go to Frozen Moo after? Chase told me you went without me.” Her tone changed.
Chase laughed. “’Cause don’t nobody like you.”
“Shut up, ugly,” she shot back.
“Look better than you.” Chase laughed. “At least I don’t have to wear glasses.” He joned, knowing how self-conscious my wookie was about having to wear them.
“Chase, c’mon,” Chance turned sideways to face him since he was sitting behind me. “Be nice. Chasity looks pretty with her glasses.”
I glanced over, giving him a stern look.
“Doesn’t she?” she asked him. “Right, True?”
I nodded. “Wookie, I love your glasses.” And I wasn’t just saying that to make my baby feel better. Her clear glasses were stylish as fuck, and they fit her cute little face. She had begged me and Quindelle to let Chance take her to pick them out since she wore them to read. Even after Chasity’s insurance paid for them, I still had to come out of pocket a few hundred dollars. And they weren’t her only pair.
Chasity sighed. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“Ain’t nothin’ wrong wit’ yo glasses, cry-baby.” Chase smacked his lips. “But it ain’t my fault you can’t see.” He laughed.
Chasity giggled before she passed a lick to him. “You ugly.”
After dinner, I couldn’t find Chance. I ventured around the entire house and still came up empty. Just when I was about to call her phone, I walked past the big bay window in the kitchen and saw her in the backyard. She sat on the swing set, looking down at her feet. Standing at the window, I studied her body language.
Making my way outside, the wind blew hard, causing me to pull the hood of my windbreaker over my head. I approached her and once she felt my presence, she looked up at me. She smiled at me and my dick got stiff.
“What’s up?” Chance asked casually, like I didn’t know the look in her eyes when something was bothering her.