Checkmate 3: Playtime's Over

by Tiece

  “Is that right?”

  “I wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t true.” He stated. “I enjoyed last night and am looking forward to seeing you again soon.”

  “How about if I call you when I get out of school and we figure something out for tonight? You know since I don’t have a Valentine’s Day date. I don’t know why cupid is being so mean to me.”

  Brendon smiled. “Me either, but hopefully his attitude towards you will change as the day progresses.”

  “I hope,” she teased.

  “And about tonight, that sounds like a plan to me.” He agreed.

  “Okay well I’ll call you after one or so.”

  “Cool,” Brendon said. “Talk to you later.” They ended their call. He smiled, already thinking of what the night could turn out to be. It wasn’t about him wanting to have sex with her; he just enjoyed their time together and wanted to continue it no matter what.

  **********

  Candy parked in an empty parking spot at school. Brendon flooded her thoughts. All she wanted to do was see him. She couldn’t believe that he’d taken her mind off of Monty so quickly. It tickled her to know that he fell for the oldest trick in the book. Her calling him and hanging up, just for him to actually call her back.

  She got out of the car feeling pretty good that she’d spoken to her prince charming. She brushed off her skirt. She couldn’t go inside the class with Bo-Berry biscuit crumbs all over her. She looked up as she heard someone calling out her name.

  “Yoo-hoo! Candy, hey girl wait for me,” Payton called out. Candy looked up and smiled. Payton was over the top. Candy liked that he had his own style and didn’t care what people thought of him. He caught up to her as she waited on him.

  “I love your sweater.” She said. His sweater was hot pink and it read Born this Gay. He rocked the skinny-leg plaid purple and pink pants and his hot pink Chuck Taylors. To top it off the curly wide strip of hair in his Mohawk was also dyed pink. “You’re nuts with it.” She looked him up and down. “But I must admit, you have such a unique style.”

  “Thanks Chy! You look fabulous yourself. I see you rocking those do-do brown Burberry peep toe boots. Girl, I woulda had me some of them too, but they didn’t have my damn shoe size!” Candy burst out laughing. Payton was really silly and she liked every minute of it.

  “Let’s get in this classroom. I hope that my Boo is here today.” He grinned. Candy didn’t know who his Boo was, but she wasn’t asking questions if he wasn’t telling. They headed toward the school building. Payton’s phone began to ring. “Hold up, Chy. This is my home girl calling.” He answered the phone.

  “Hey Biooootch!” Candy laughed to herself because he was truly a trip. She walked listening to Payton as he chalked it up with his homegirl. “Chy, what you talkin’ ‘bout,” he said then grinned as if his friend had said something funny. “Well you know if it ain’t about money then Karen ain’t having it.” He listened for a minute then… “When Chy?” He quickly stopped in his tracks and threw his hand up in the air. “JESUS! She ain’t got enough of fucking with that nigga?” By this time, Candy was all ears. She’d heard Karen’s name and wanted to know more about what they were talking about. She leaned against the wall grinning a little at Payton’s comments. She didn’t wanna look him right in his mouth and make it seem as if she was being nosey, but it was hard not to. “Well I know she don’t want Bruce big ass no more because she told me out her own mouth, but that don’t mean that he won’t act up if he heard about her and that nigga messing around again. Just because his big ass is locked up don’t mean nothing.”

  What nigga? Candy thought. I know he can’t be talking ‘bout Monty.

  “Well you can’t hate on the bitch because she knows how to pick’um. Either they look good and got money or they ugly and got money. Either way a nigga paid.” He fell out laughing then continued walking. Candy didn’t skip a beat as she carried on walking with him as if they never stopped. “A’ight Chy, I’ll call you after class.” He grinned. “Bye Bitch!” He then ended the call.

  Candy didn’t want to seem anxious and dig all up in his conversation so she tried to play it off.

  “You and your homegirl sound like me and my home girls.”

  “Yeah that’s my bestie Meela. She a trip Chy,” Payton said.

  “I see,” Candy said. She was thinking of ways she could be nosey without seeming like she was being nosey. “Uh… how old is she?”

  “She’s twenty-eight, three years older than me, but we been besties forever. We grew up in the same neighborhood.”

  “Me and my best friend did too. I don’t really have any other friends like that, just my cousin Dee.”

  “Chy, I don’t fuck with people like that either. I only fucks with a handful of people. I think I mentioned I have another home girl name Karen. Now she is really funny. You’re gonna have to meet her one day.” Candy frowned, but played it off with a smile.

  “Yeah maybe one day.” She said with a smirk on her face.

  He looked at Candy. She was wearing the hell out of a pair of dark brown J brand skinny stretch jeans and an off-shoulder burnt orange Justsweet sweater with a high waist brown belt. Her hair was flowing in the wind and her walk was sassy as hell. Payton shook his head as he looked at Candy’s butt.

  “Both of y’all bitches got them big asses!” He laughed making Candy laugh.

  “You too crazy,” Candy stated. “Why don’t you come over to my house on Saturday? I’m inviting my best friend Mona over and my cousin Dee will there. We can have a few drinks and trip out. They’ll love you.” She said as they reached the classroom and walked in.

  “Sounds like a party to me and Payton don’t miss any parties.” He grinned. In just that little time it seemed as if he’d known Candy all his life. Candy felt the same way, but getting closer to Payton meant knowing what the enemy was up too and she couldn’t resist such a temptation.

  **********

  Rico sat at the kitchen table. He fumbled back and forth with his black ball point ink pen as he shut down his laptop. He couldn’t take his mind off of reading the text message from Monica that had seemed to have been already opened and read by someone else first. With it only being him and one other person in their house he figured that it had to be no one other than Mona.

  Mona woke up with a very cool demeanor which made it hard for him to understand if she was mad or just playing him. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She looked over at him rolling her eyes behind his back and grabbed a bottle of water.

  “So, did you get a good night’s rest?” She asked.

  “Yeah, I slept like a baby. Did you?” He asked.

  “Uh… yeah… I did.” She said. Her mind was still racing from the text message she’d read and it was only making her madder that Rico hadn’t mentioned the fact that Aiden was in Florida as if she wasn’t a part of his life too.

  “I figured you should have, especially with Caylin being over your Mama’s house.”

  “Speaking of Caylin,” Mona said. “All I need to do is slip my shoes on and I’ll be ready for you take me to pick up my car. I need to go get my baby. I miss her.”

  “I miss her lil butt too. Speaking of missing one of my baby’s,” he paused. “Monica took Aiden with her to Daytona, Florida. Her Father is holding some type of event for realtors and asked Monica to join him in lecturing the course. So she decided to go. She’ll be gone for the next three weeks.”

  “Dang, she just up and left like that?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “She called me yesterday and told me, but she was already packed and ready to leave when we spoke.”

  “So she didn’t give you a chance to see lil Aiden before they left?”

  “Yeah, I stopped by for a quick second. I meant to tell you yesterday, but it honestly just slipped my mind.”

  Honestly… She thought. Nigga you couldn’t be honest if you tried.

  Mona slipped on her shoes. “I’m gonna miss him.”
>
  “I missed him as soon as they left.” Rico commented.

  “Have you spoken with her since? You know just to make sure that they made it there safely?”

  “She sent me a message through the night, but I didn’t see it until this morning.” He admitted, hoping to cut down some of the suspicion a little.

  “Oh I see,” Mona said acting surprised. A part of her believed that he was now trying his best to be as honest as possible and she respected that more than him straight up lying, but she was on to him. “I’m ready,” she said grabbing her jacket and putting it on. “Well, if you talk to her anytime soon tell her that I asked about lil Aiden.”

  “I will,” Rico said grabbing his jacket and exiting the house behind Mona. He felt that she knew more than she was telling but he was trying his best to stay a few steps ahead of her. He knew that if he slipped it was over and he wasn’t ready for it to end like that.

  **********

  Brendon pulled up behind Kina at Raven’s. He got out of his truck and walked up to the white Dodge Charger rental car waiting for her to get out.

  “Damn, must you be so slow?” He asked. Kina got out of the car rolling her eyes at him.

  “Must you be a dick?” She asked hitting him on the arm.

  “So do you like the ride?” He asked.

  “Hell yeah! I think I wanna buy one now.” She said following him inside the bar.

  “It’s yours for two weeks. So please don’t get no speeding tickets or get into any accidents because that shit is in my name.”

  “Who gives a shit?” Kina commented. “I know how to drive nigga.”

  “That’s what you said when you drove into my mama’s car that was parked in our driveway.”

  “Whatever! It was raining hard that day.” She explained.

  Brendon laughed. “Excuses… Anyway, did you have a chance to look over the advertisement that’s going to be inside the Augusta Chronicle?”

  “Yes, I did. I actually love it. That chick… Uh MiKayla got down for the get down.”

  “Good, I’m glad you liked it. She was referred by Cuz so I knew she’d be on point.”

  “Call her and tell her to run it so I can be doing my first set of interviews by the end of next week. We need to get on the ball if we’re opening the doors by next month.”

  “I’ll call her today.” He said.

  “So what’s up with the music?” Kina asked as she walked over to the empty corner where the DJ’s booth was to be set up at.

  “As a matter of fact, they’re coming out today to set up the system.” Brendon explained.

  “Okay I can check that off of my list of things to get done. And when is Mrs. Mack… that’s her name right?”

  “Yeah…” He confirmed.

  “When’s she having the rest of the furniture delivered?” Kina asked.

  “The next delivery day is next Wednesday.” Brendon informed.

  “So almost a week from today,” Kina said.

  “Yeah, I’m glad you know the days of the week.” He grinned.

  “Haha,” she grinned. “You’re so funny. Le’me check that information off too. She took out her laptop, sitting it on the granite countertop of the bar. “So what’s up with Monty? It would be good to see him.”

  “He just asked about you this morning when I told him that you were in town.” Brendon stated.

  “Oh did he?” She batted her eyes.

  “Sit down! Don’t get caught up to the point to where you can’t focus on your doing your J.O.B.”

  “Shhh, do you smell something?” she asked looking around dumbfounded.

  “No,” a concerned Brendon responded.

  “Well, I smell a hater,” she laughed. “Don’t play with me. I know how to handle myself. Plus, you’re tripping over his baby mama so chill.” She said. “I got this.”

  “I hear ya playa.” Brendon commented. “I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned that small bit of information to you this morning.”

  “You know I was gonna find out anyway. So why not tell me?” She asked.

  Brendon shook his head. “Don’t make this out to be more than what it is at the moment.”

  “I’m not, but you can’t stop the inevitable. That would be you fucking Monty’s baby mama and him fucking me.”

  “If you say so,” Brendon said, shaking his head.

  “Since I can’t have you then I’ll get the closest thing to you; your cousin.” Kina said making Brendon laugh. “Bren…”

  “What?” He answered.

  “What time did he say he was coming over? I need to make sure that I’m on point.” She smiled.

  “He’s probably not going to be on time. So don’t get your hopes up.” He said. “No telling what he’s doing.”

  **********

  Class had ended and Payton was walking Candy to her car. He enjoyed getting to know her better because she seemed like she was good people.

  “Hey, what do you do for fun?” Payton asked.

  “Shop, chill with my home girls, and spending time with my son.”

  “That’s some of the same things that I like to do. However I don’t have any brats, but I must admit that your son is adorable.”

  “He must look like his father?”

  “Yeah he looks just like him. Everybody says it. No one thinks he looks like me, but he does have my dimples.” Candy responded.

  “I noticed that in his pictures.” Payton smiled as they made it to Candy’s car.

  “So what are you getting into later today? Is cupid being nice to you this year?” She asked.

  “Even when I don’t have a man, cupid is nice to me.” His comment made her laugh. “Me and the Boo Thang just might get out for a while. What are you doing later?”

  “I don’t know yet.” Candy confessed.

  “Chy get out of the house. Enjoy your life. Didn’t you say that you and your boyfriend or shall I say baby’s daddy broke up?”

  “Yeah I mentioned that.” She said.

  “Well don’t let him think that you’re missing him. Get out and do something. Hell, let him know that you’re getting out to enjoy yourself. Nothing eats them up more.” Payton stated.

  “Believe it or not I have absolutely nothing to prove to him. It’s over and that’s the way it’s gonna be. I’m doing me now.”

  “You go girl! Damn right, do you.” Payton coached.

  “I am. He should have appreciated me when he had me. Messing around with other chicks should have been the last thing that he should have been thinking about.” She said opening up her car door.

  “Honey that’s how all men are. Don’t feel bad. I tend to be attracted to the men that don’t want other people to know that they like other men.”

  “That’s crazy.” Candy commented.

  “You’re telling me, but I’ll keep their secret as long as they’re paying me too.” He grinned.

  “They pay you to keep the relationship a secret?” Candy asked.

  “Not exactly, but they give me money or buy me things to keep me happy because if I’m mad then I’m unpredictable and no one likes an unpredictable gay cuddy buddy; especially if they’re straight and married.”

  Candy laughed. “Call me later. I gotta get home and get my baby.”

  “I will because I love talking to you.” Payton admitted.

  “And it’s very interesting talking to you.” Candy said as she got inside her car. “We’ll chat later.”

  “Yes we will,” Payton said heading in the direction of his car as Candy drove off.

  Candy picked up her phone and dialed Brendon’s number. He’d been on her mind all morning.

  “What’s up Beautiful,” he answered.

  “Hey big head,” she spoke back with a smile. “What are you doing?”

  “Uh, just wrapping up a few things with Kina,” he responded.

  “Oh okay, well I can call you later.”

  “That’ll be good too, but what are you doing later?” He asked.

/>   “Later when?”

  “Like first dark,” he said.

  “Uh,” she paused, pretending to play hard to get.

  “I got something for you,” he teased.

  “Okay you got me.” She said. “Where will you be at your bar?”

  “Yeah, is that cool with you? I mean we don’t have many spots we can meet at.”

  “You’re right.” She thought about how bad she wanted to see him. “Okay, the spot it is. Just text me and I’ll stop by.”