“We have to go down to Foot Locker ’cause Bryant wants me to get him a pair of Jordans,” I said proudly.
“Damn, didn’t you meet him yesterday?” he said, putting his change from his shoes into his man bag.
“Yeah, so what.”
“Why is he asking you for shit? He doesn’t even know you.”
“We know each other pretty well, I might say,” I bragged.
“Well, you know what they say…”
“What?”
“You shouldn’t buy your lover shoes cuz he’ll walk out of your life,” he said, grabbing his bag from the counter. I giggled and we walked toward the door. I looked down at the floor and began smiling, thinking how last night was a perfect evening and how I couldn’t wait until later tonight.
With Anthony leading the path we walked out of the store and onto the street. Two teenage boys ran over quickly to us and began waling on Anthony with balled-up fists. I began to scream as the other two boys ran toward me. I quickly threw up my guard as fast as I could before they began punching me in my face and stomach.
I managed to free myself, only to see Anthony lying on the ground and the other two boys kicking him non-stop. People began to crowd the scene in front of the sneaker store as all four boys scattered. I held my face to stop the pain as I kneeled down to Anthony’s body. His head lay pressed against the concrete.
“Somebody call an ambulance,” I yelled with tears welling in my eyes. People continued to stand around speechless and motionless.
“Anthony,” I yelled. I didn’t really want to move him but I did want to check to see if his heart was beating. The crowd began to grow as I heard police sirens in the distance. The wind began to blow as Anthony’s body shivered. I rapidly took my jacket off to cover his body. In minutes the paramedics bombarded their way through the crowd.
I stood up and out of the way so the medics could do their job. They worked on him for about five minutes before placing a brace on his neck and positioning him on the stretcher.
“Are you with him, sir?” the Caucasian man asked who helped to place him in the ambulance.
“Yes, I am,” I said, grabbing Anthony’s belongings and hopping in the back of the van.
After about two and a half hours at the hospital and after I had been examined I was allowed to go in and see Anthony. Doctors said Anthony was lucky considering the type of beating he had suffered. God had given my friend a second chance at life. He had suffered a broken rib cage, a broken jaw, and a dislocated shoulder with a few minor cuts and bruises.
I walked into the room where Anthony lay asleep. I said a silent prayer to God thanking Him for sparing Anthony’s life. He was the only family I had. I walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. I would be back to visit him first thing in the morning.
It was half past one when Trudy buzzed the intercom to tell me that Bryant was downstairs. I told her to send him up.
Being as though I was officially seeing him now, there was no need for me to be fully dressed. I met him at the door wearing nothing but a T-shirt and a pair of boxers. He walked in wearing a gray-and-black sweat suit and carrying flowers.
“Hey, Bryant,” I said with a semi-smile.
“Hey, Baby. These are for you.” He handed me the bouquet of fresh cut roses and calla lilies.
“Aww, Bryant, thank you,” I said, reaching up and planting a kiss on his soft lips. He walked in and sat down in the dimly lit living room. I went into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase of water, with him following behind. The light in the kitchen was much brighter than the light in the living room. I knew it was only a matter of time before he saw my face so I sat the flowers down on the counter. I quickly turned around to get the questioning over.
“Damn, Baby, what happened?” he said, examining my jaw.
My eyes began to fill up with tears again. “Me and my friend Anthony got into a fight today down South Street,” I explained. I looked down at the floor and then back at his face.
“Shit. Are you okay?” He grabbed both of my arms and stared directly into my eyes. I tried to hold back my tears but I couldn’t.
“I’ll be okay, but my friend is hurt badly,” I confessed while sobbing hysterically. He grabbed me with both of his arms and pulled me toward him. The weed smell from his breath was replaced by the scent of his cologne. I grabbed his back and held him close as tightly as I could while letting my tears flow.
“J.J., it’s gonna be okay, I promise you,” he said as he continued to hold me. I felt so calm while in his arms. I trusted every word he said as I held him tighter.
“I’m glad that you’re here,” I said, letting him go and standing back so I could look in his eyes. I never remembered seeing a pair of eyes so beautiful. This man looked like an older model of Lil’ Bow Wow.
“Are you sure that your jaw doesn’t hurt, Baby?” he asked.
I put my hand gently over my face. “Yeah, it hurts a little bit but I’ll be okay,” I responded and wiped my eyes.
“Naw, Baby, I got something that will help take that pain away. Do the police know who did this?” he asked, turning around and walking back into the living room.
“No, they don’t. I don’t think they even looked, to tell you the truth.” I turned around to the flowers when I heard the front door slam. I ran to the door. “Where are you going?” I yelled down the hall as he stood in front of the elevator.
“I’m going to the car to get my stuff. I’ll be right back, J.J. Go inside; I’ll make you some tea when I come back up.” The elevator bell rang and he stepped on. I tried to smile but the pain on my swollen face was intense. I ran inside and proceeded to put my beautiful flowers in water. I couldn’t find a vase that was big enough to hold the flowers so I placed them on the counter. I could use these flowers to take to the hospital in the morning. I know Ant sure could use some cheering up.
“Ayo, J, I’m back,” Bryant announced closing the door behind him. I went into the living room and sat down on the couch.
“Yo, get the ashtray,” he said, positioning himself on the couch next to where I sat. I went into the kitchen and brought back the ashtray and sat it down in front of us. I then went over to the stereo to turn on some music. Maybe a little Will Downing will help complete the mood, I thought as I placed the CD into the tray. I went back to Bryant where he was splitting the Dutch open. I watched him as he disregarded all of the blunt contents and replaced it with his killer weed. I prepared myself for the relaxation that Bryant had brought to me. As the events of today played over and over in my mind, Bryant’s stimulation as well as our passionate night of lovemaking quickly replaced my thoughts.
I continued to sit there as he prepared our relaxation, but before he closed up the Dutch he gently poured a few clumps of white substance throughout the grain of the blunt. Afterward he neatly patched up the Dutch and burnt it so that it would hold. He lit that muthafucka and we cruised, and with each puff, I was enjoying the ride.
I placed my hands down by my side as Bryant placed the blunt in between my lips. I then inhaled softly as I let the electric relaxation take over my mind. I leaned back on the couch watching him take a few puffs. All of a sudden he looked ten times better than he would normally look. I became erect instantly as he passed the Dutch back over to me. I grabbed my hard-on to let him know that it was on and poppin’. My dick extended through my boxers as he smiled. He knows what time it is.
I got up and walked in the direction toward my bedroom. It felt as if I was floating on a cloud. The furniture seemed smaller than its normal size and the hallway leading to my bedroom seemed longer than normal. I anxiously walked into my bedroom with Bryant following behind. I stumbled a little because I thought there were steps leading from the hallway to the bedroom.
“Are you okay there?” he asked, trying to help me regain my balance.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Let me get another pull,” I demanded as I fell onto the bed with him falling right on top of me. I needed to do a double-take
because for a minute I thought he was Darnell. I could smell his presence.
“C’mon, J.J., you gon’ make me drop it,” he said, putting the blunt in between my lips. I took a long pull as I let the smoke sit in my mouth for a hot second before I exhaled.
I knew that Bryant was exactly what I needed because all of a sudden the pain in my face was gone. He’d given me exactly what the doctor had ordered. He took a long pull of the blunt and placed his lips against mine as we performed the shotgun.
I could not let his lips go. As we began kissing our tongues seemed like they had a mind of their own as they began to wrestle. I gripped him around his neck and pulled him in closer to me as he tried to drop the Dutch in the ashtray that sat on the nightstand.
“Damn, Baby, you missed me that much?” he asked, continuously kissing me non-stop. I could feel his “Daddy dick” poking me through his sweats. I grabbed it and I could feel the blood rushing through the veins as he made his dick jump continuously.
He began to kiss me on my neck and started to work his way down to my nipples. I made an exotic moan to let him know that whatever he wanted to do I was willing. He licked over my entire chest and worked his tongue down my torso. He made his way to the top of my boxers as my dick stood brick.
“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout,” he said erotically as he yanked the top of my underwear. He pulled my boxers down slowly licking his way through my angel hairs. My body felt limp on the bed through complete darkness. He stood up and commenced to removing his shirt. Then he went back to what he was doing. He played with the head of my dick with his tongue. I could feel my nut ejaculating prematurely as he slurped every drop.
Then he downed me like a Popsicle on a summer’s day. His mouth grew wider and wider as he deep throated my manhood. I grabbed the back of his head and pumped my thug into his mouth. He worked my meat like a pro. After he was done servicing my dick, he began to suck on my balls. I sighed heavily as I watched the room spin in different directions. I rubbed his braids back and forth, watching him go to work.
This is my bitch, I thought to myself as I pumped my eight inches into his brain. He then pulled back up to catch his breath. We both laughed. Oh fa’ real, I thought. This nigga didn’t know what he was getting himself into. He jumped up and stripped down completely before jumping back on the bed and climbing on top of me. He pulled my boxers the rest of the way off and tossed them onto the floor. He gripped the side of my neck with his teeth as he sucked hard, raising my legs above my head and ramming his dick into me.
“Aaahhhh,” I yelled from the pain. I grabbed his shoulders and held tight as he pumped harder in my ass.
“Damn, this shit feels good, J,” he whispered into my ear. I let my body go onto his and relaxed as he put me to work.
“C’mon, work that shit, boy,” he yelled. I started to groan louder. I could feel him banging into my spine. He pumped faster and harder. I sucked on my index finger and made it as wet as I could before I passionately entered his back door. My finger began to rise through his anus when I decided my other finger would join in. The deeper I went into him the deeper he went into me.
“Go ’head, boy. Go deeper,” he said. By then my fingers were all the way in. I couldn’t go anymore.
“Make a nigga nut,” he said continuously to pump harder. “What’s my name?”
“Bryant,” I whispered. He moved his torso faster and then in circles.
“What’s my name?” He yearned louder. I grabbed the back of his head and held tighter. The fluids started to shoot from my dick as I willingly let him take over my body. “Bryant,” I yelled again with my body trembling from the smash I had busted.
“C’mon, boy, what is my muthafuckin’ name?” he repeatedly said while pumping faster.
“Daddy Dick,” I yelled for the last time as he shot all his man juice inside my body.
“Damn, Baby. That’s good,” he said, sucking in my lips with his tongue. His body lay pressed against mine with love juice sandwiched between. I kissed his sweaty forehead. Thank you, I thought. We continued to lie on the bed as he fell asleep in my arms without removing himself. I listened to his loud snores as I thought about what had happened today. Hmm, today wasn’t such a bad day after all.
The music was bumping as I shook my head to the beat of Nicole Wray’s “Make it Hot.” I was busy doing a sewn-in weave on one my regulars when Bryant entered the shop followed by one of his boys.
“Wassup, peoples,” said Bryant as he held the door for his bull to carry in the box of DVDs.
“We got CDs and DVDs,” announced Bryant, walking past my chair as if he didn’t know me. I tried my hardest not to stare to make our relationship known. He walked around sucking a cherry lollipop and wearing an oversized white tee, a pair of Miskeen capris and a pair of Prada sneakers with ankle socks. Tailing behind him was a light-skinned young bull that had to be no older than eighteen with sandy-brown hair and basically sporting the same gear as Bryant. As the young bull sat the box down on the floor Bryant went over to holla at Kya.
“Wassup, cutie?” he said, licking his lips and twirling the lollipop in and out of his mouth. Kya, who sported a long weave with Chinese bangs, a tight wife beater that read Princess across the chest and a pair of booty shorts, stopped what she was doing and gave Bryant the time of day.
“Nothing,” she said in a shy tone.
“I’m sayin’, shawty, you gotta man?” asked Bryant as if he had some intentions of getting with her. Does he not see me standing here?
“Actually I don’t,” she responded. I was getting heated. I couldn’t believe that he would do this shit in front of my face.
“Um, there’s no soliciting in the shop, fellas. Could you please leave?” I demanded, trying to be smart. Bryant looked at me with a smart-aleck look.
“Oh my bad, we gon’ leave.” He turned to the young bull. “Ayo, take that box out to the truck,” he instructed. And the young bull did as he was told.
“What’s ya numba, shawty?” Bryant asked, pulling out his cell phone and punching in Kya’s number. I could sense that Rob could see the fire in my eyes but he, Keisha, and Jeff all had their eyes on Bryant.
“Aiight, I’ma call you lata,” Bryant said. He closed his cell phone and gave me one last look before leaving the shop. By the time Bryant left, Nicole’s song had gone off and B2K was starting to play.
“Girl, he was the bomb. You better not sleep on that, Kya,” screamed Rob as soon as the door shut behind Bryant.
“Huh, you think I am? Oh, no, I need a man. And boy was he fine,” she responded. “I can’t wait to get a taste of that,” he added.
“Girl, I wish I could be a fly on the wall,” teased Rob.
“Excuse me for a minute. I have to make an important phone call,” I said to my client as I placed my comb down on my station and walked quickly into my office and closed the door.
I decided to use my cell phone and not the shop’s phone in case someone was to pick up the cordless.
“Yo,” Bryant said after the first ring. I know he could tell that I was heated.
“What the fuck do you take me for, a fool?” I snapped.
“J.J., what are you talkin’ about?
“How you gonna come up in my salon and disrespect me that way?”
“C’mon, man, you wouldn’t let me grind. You know I need to make some money to feed my seed. Why did you put us out?” he shot back.
“No, I put you out after you tried to holla at Kya,” I spat.
“C’mon now, J, you should know me better than that. It was all game. I can’t let muthafuckas think I’m comin’ in here to see a dude. You gon’ have to cease with that jealous shit, man, for real, if you wanna be with me.” The phone was silent for a minute.
“Well, do you have plans on ever calling her?” I asked.
“Fuck no. Look, I told you. It was game.”
“Alright, I hear you,” I said, trying not to sound stupid.
“Now, is that all
you want? I got work to do.”
“Yeah, that’s all I wanted.”
“Aiight, one.”
The bell rang to let me off the elevator on the fifth floor of Pennsylvania Memorial Hospital. I checked in with the female security officer at the desk to direct me to Anthony’s room. I wondered if any of his family members had come to see him. Probably not because his mother had abandoned him at a very young age, due to his sexual orientation. It’s sad because it seems that gay people as a whole will always get the shaft. I walked down the hall to room 532.
“Hello,” I said, knocking and opening the door at the same time. The TV played on mute and Anthony lay in the bed on his side. “Hey there.” I walked over to him and planted a kiss on his forehead. I put the flowers down on the table that sat close to his bed. “Look what I brought. How are you feeling?”
He stared at me as he pointed to the tube that hung from his nose. I realized he couldn’t talk but he tried to formulate words with his dry, chapped lips.
“No, don’t try to talk and try not to move a lot.” I grabbed his hand.
“Everything’s gonna be okay,” I explained with watery eyes. I reached for a tissue to dab his tears.
“Now I didn’t come here for us to cry. I came here to visit and buss it up with you all day.” He looked at me, trying to crack a smile as his eyes lit up. “Yes, that’s right, all day. This morning I gave Rob his own set of keys and made him manager. He will be calling the shots at Ché Mystic and he will be closing.” I rubbed my hand down the sides of his face. “I’m here, so don’t you worry,” I assured him. I pulled up a chair but before I sat down, I went over to the window to open the curtains to let a bit of sunlight in. I then sat down at his bedside.
“Now, what are you watching?” I said, looking up at the TV where an episode of Montell Williams was on. I looked down to see Anthony’s hand across mine. I looked at his eyes and figured he was trying to tell me something.
In Love with a Thug Page 6