Right now I just wanted to lie down, so I left Ty sitting in the living room alone, talking on the phone to Chanel. I felt a headache coming on from doing too much thinking again, so I grabbed a bottled water before heading upstairs to take a couple of Tylenol.
Chapter Twenty
Jakiyah
I managed to make it through the next two weeks without pulling my hair out. I recruited Yessenia, Keem, and Ty to help me get my place move-in ready, so the work was done pretty quickly. With everything I had going on, I was lucky to have my friend April to take care of putting my things in storage for me and selling my car. My mother wasn’t too happy about me moving, but she handled it better than I had thought she would. I thought her handling it so well might have had something to do with the fact that Tamia was visiting again. She had the wool pulled over all their eyes, but I knew something was mentally off with her ass. I couldn’t for the life of me fathom what her attraction was to my mother, and it bothered me, but what could I do about it? My mother wasn’t trying to hear anything I had to say about the psycho.
Yessenia told me that Qua had been asking about me, but given that I was in the process of getting my place together and getting back to work, I hadn’t got the chance to reach out to him until today. We had agreed to meet up to talk. I felt good about that, because I really missed him. When I got to his house, I started to get nervous and was second-guessing if I really wanted to be there, if it made sense to give him another chance to hurt me. I was still feeling some kind of way about how he had handled the situation at his house and at the movie theater, so who was to say that his ass wouldn’t play me again? I decided to get out of the car, at least give him a chance to say what he wanted to say to me, and then to proceed from there.
When he opened the door, he was wearing his signature basketball shorts and his college T-shirt, which was his norm, but it didn’t stop me from getting that aroused feeling that I always got when I saw him. I had to tell myself to focus. It seemed that my mind was always on getting between the sheets whenever I was in his presence.
“Thanks for coming,” he greeted, hugging me.
“No problem,” I responded, keeping it short with him because I didn’t want him to know just yet that all was forgiven.
I walked inside and headed over to sit on the sofa, and he came and sat beside me, his leg rubbing against mine, making me feel a tingling between my legs. I wished his ass would go and sit on the other side of the room. I crossed my legs, telling myself to focus again, but it was really hard with him sitting so close.
“Jakiyah, first, I want to apologize for the way I treated you the night Tamara came to visit. I had no idea that she had family in New York. If I’d known that, I would have never let her stay here.”
“I’m not going to sit here and say that my feelings weren’t hurt. They were, because I thought we were friends before anything. I never would have made you feel as if I was choosing someone over you. I felt you could have handled the situation differently, especially since you had me thinking that the two of you were more than just friends,” I admitted to him.
“Again, I apologize if I made you feel that way. Trust me, it wasn’t like that,” he assured me.
“It wasn’t just that incident, Qua. The whole movie theater scene was fucked up. You showed up with her, and instead of coming after me to explain, knowing what I was thinking, you just let me leave.”
“Jakiyah, I didn’t know how to handle that situation, and even though I knew that it was innocent, I knew it looked like something more, but it wasn’t. I didn’t come behind you, because at the time, it wouldn’t have been right to just leave her standing there.”
“Qua, you wouldn’t have had to leave her standing there if you had just pulled me to the side and explained that what I was thinking wasn’t the case,” I said, getting agitated.
“You’re right. I handled the situation ass backward, and I regret the shit,” he replied. “I knew that she still had feelings for me, and that she wanted more than a friendship. I should have never allowed her to stay in my home, knowing that I was trying to be with you. I’m beating myself up about it now. All I was trying to do was be a friend, and she betrayed me in the worst way by putting something in my drink, forcing herself on me, and sending you the video. Yessenia told me that both of you watched the video, and now believe me, I just knew that you would never speak to me again.” He put his head in his hands.
I could tell that he was really fucked up about what she had done. He had trusted her and had never thought that she would do something like that to him. She had violated him, and although we wouldn’t expect a man to feel some kind of way about a female taking the dick, he was pissed and frustrated at the same time. His father had warned him early on, when he first started playing basketball and had a chance to be drafted into the NBA, that females would try to trap him. For that reason, he had always used protection—no matter what. He said that he had got tested since the incident and all was good, but he was still beating himself up about the situation because of what could have happened. I felt bad that this had happened to him, and I believed that he was sorry about how he had handled the situation with me. And so I was going to give him another chance to make it right.
“Qua, you good?” I asked him.
“I’m good. And again, I apologize. I hope that you’ll give me another chance to make this right,” he said, lifting his head and looking at me.
“Qua, I forgive you. I’m sorry that this happened to you, but I believe that all of this could have been avoided had you just kept it real with me. I’m not trying to make light of the situation, but I bet you’ll take my advice next time I say to send that bitch to a hotel,” I told him.
“Trust me when I say there will not be a next time. And I promise from this moment on that I will keep it real with you,” he said, then kissed me on my lips, causing an inferno between my legs again.
As much as I wanted to pick up from where we had started the last time I was at his place, I decided that I wasn’t going to take it there. I knew that I had forgiven him, but I just wanted to take things slow, because he had to prove to me that he really wanted to have a relationship with me.
“So, are you chilling with a nigga tonight?” he asked, playing in my hair, causing me to smile.
“It depends on what you have in mind, because I have my own crib to chill in now.”
“My bad. Congrats on the new place. Keem told me they helped you with getting the place ready to move in. I wish I’d been invited to help, but I know I fucked up my privilege to be in your personal space at that time.”
“I should have invited you to punish you by having you clean some toilets, mop some floors, and maybe do some yard work.”
We laughed.
“Anyway, I was thinking we could order in and watch some Netflix together,” he suggested.
“Don’t you have to be to work in the a.m.?” I asked him.
“I do, but so what? I want to chill with you tonight.”
“Okay, as long as you don’t be blaming me for keeping you up all night. And you have to order me some hot buffalo chicken and stuffed cheesy bread with spinach and feta from Domino’s,” I said to him.
“I will not be blaming you for keeping me up all night,” he said, picking up his phone to place the order.
After the food was delivered, we sat and ate and watched The Da Vinci Code, enjoying each other’s company. At some point we both fell asleep. I really enjoyed hanging out with him, and the next morning, when we awoke, I didn’t want him to leave to go to work. He worked for sanitation, so it was, like, 6:00 a.m. when he had to get up. He told me that I didn’t have to leave, and as much as I wanted to stay, I had an appointment later. I was finally going to get back to work, and to be honest, I couldn’t wait. I was tired of just sitting at home, doing nothing, every day.
I had worked as a home health aide in Georgia, and I really missed my patient, Ms. Wilson. I was her aide for about a year, a
nd she really grew on me. She was my first patient, and she used to give me hell because she was an old and cranky lady, but as time went on, she turned out to be a really nice lady. I called her prior to letting the agency know that I was leaving, and she was sad, but like I promised, I had been keeping in touch with her. She had a new aide now that she liked, but she said that no one would ever replace me. I got out of the bed to go into the bathroom to handle my morning hygiene. I didn’t even remember what time we went up to bed. All I remembered was falling asleep on the couch last night.
“Jakiyah, you sure you don’t want to stay?” he asked, walking up on me while I was brushing my teeth.
“No, I can’t stay. I put going back to work off long enough,” I answered after rinsing my mouth.
We walked out together. He escorted me to my car, hugged me, and thanked me for spending the night with him. His ass was wearing jeans, a hoodie, his orange and green sanitation jacket, and some black boots, but he still managed to look sexy to me. I was definitely taking a cold shower when I got home or pulling my vibrator out for a temporary fix, until I was ready for Qua to put it down in the bedroom. I kissed him on the lips and told him, “Anytime,” before getting in my car and pulling out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Tyhiem
I was on my way to pick up Chanel from her crib. I had invited her to hang out with me tonight at the bowling alley. I was just hoping all went well tonight, being that German and Tamia were going to be there. Jakiyah had said that she was okay with this as long as Tamia didn’t start no shit with her. Jakiyah had invited Yessenia and Keem out tonight, so that was another reason I didn’t want nothing to pop off. Yessenia was a ticking time bomb with her crazy ass.
Chanel and I arrived at Whitestone Lanes at the same time that German and Tamia were heading toward the building. I noticed that they had Tamia’s sister with them, or at least I assumed that was her sister. She was a pretty chick, a shade darker than Tamia, but she had the same build as her sister. I guess big asses and breasts ran in their family.
When Chanel and I caught up with them, I gave German dap, shaking my head. He already knew what I was thinking, but he didn’t talk about it; he just hit me with the head nod. Tamia introduced her sister, who looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen her before. Tamara was standing a little too close for comfort as she openly flirted with me, like she didn’t see Chanel standing there. I had to take Chanel by the hand and walk off, because she was about to check Tamara. This chick was definitely trouble, just like Jakiyah had said she was.
When we walked in, I saw Qua’s jaw tighten when he saw Tamara walk in with us. He walked toward her, but Jakiyah said something to him that stopped him. I had to say he was better than me: if I caught up with the bitch who did that foul shit to me, she would have been a dead bitch. I saw that they had already started a game, so Chanel and I walked over to get our shoes, order some food, and get me a drink. I knew I was going to need a few. I didn’t know what was going on with German and Tamia, but it looked like they were having a disagreement about something. His girl, his problem, I thought as I kept it moving.
Chanel and I took a seat and waited to be called to pick up our food order. I could tell that she was still salty about what Tamia’s sister had done earlier, but I told her that she needed to let that shit go, because I wasn’t sweating that bitch.
“What’s up with Tamia’s sister just sitting there, staring at your sister like she’s got a beef with her?” Chanel asked me after watching her.
“Jakiyah’s dude is her ex-boyfriend,” I told her.
“Well, she needs to get over it, sitting there like she’s about to go postal,” she joked.
“Nah, Jakiyah already had to tap that ass, so I doubt if she wants to go there again.” I laughed.
“I just don’t get the point of sitting there, being creepy, instead of enjoying herself. I would never let the next female know that I’m bothered,” she said, rolling her eyes.
I knew that last statement was for me, because one of my jump-offs had called her the other night and told her crazy shit, and she had handled the call rather well. But when she got off the phone, she’d gone ham on my ass. So, she was already feeling some kind of way about that, and now this shit with ole girl flirting with me had her in her feelings again. I knew she was mad that I didn’t let her check the bitch, but she needed to understand that she couldn’t go at every female that flirted with me. If she did, she would be fighting every time we went out together.
I knew that I needed to stop playing games and make her wifey. She had proven that she loved me: even though she knew that we weren’t exclusive and I still fucked with other bitches, she had remained loyal to me. She was still sitting with the mean mug, so I kissed her on her lips to let her know again to just let the shit go and enjoy herself. Before she got to answer, I heard a commotion. It just so happened to be Yessenia popping off, so I hurried back over, with Chanel following me, to see what was going on. All a nigga wanted to do was come out and have a good fucking time without all the extra bullshit.
“Bitch, flirt with my man again like you don’t see me standing here,” I heard Yessenia say to Tamara, trying to get at her.
“Bitch, I wasn’t flirting with your man. He was flirting with me, so take that shit to him!” Tamara yelled.
I knew that Keem hadn’t been flirting with her ass. She had just openly flirted with me, knowing that I was with Chanel, so the bitch must have done it again with Keem. Boy, was she being messy.
“Trust when I say that my man wouldn’t touch your thirsty ass,” Yessenia yelled.
“So why you mad?” Tamara asked, then stuck her tongue out, taunting her.
“Bitch, I’m mad because you’re a disrespectful ho and a grimy ho, one who has to take the dick because a nigga didn’t want to fuck with your stank pussy,” Yessenia said, causing Jakiyah and Chanel to laugh.
Tamara didn’t like that. She tried to lunge at Yessenia, but German pulled her back and led her away. Tamia walked behind them.
“I wish the fuck you would, because I promise you, I will be the last bitch you run up on,” Yessenia yelled after her.
“Yo, Yessenia, chill, before we get kicked out of here,” I said and laughed, shaking my head. She was so mad that she was shaking.
“Here, sis,” Jakiyah said, handing her a drink, like she really needed another drink.
Chanel had to open her mouth about Tamara doing the same shit to her, causing Yessenia to get hyped all over again. I just looked at her, like, “Really?” We had just got Yessenia to calm down and agree that she was going to leave the shit alone, and now Chanel was riling her up again. Tamara, Tamia, and German walked back over, but no words were exchanged. Tamara and Tamia both had drinks in their hands, and they were talking among themselves. I asked German if he was good, and he said that he was. That was all that mattered. I didn’t give a fuck if Tamara and Tamia didn’t want to hang with the rest of us.
We continued to bowl, drink, listen to music, and have a good time without anything else popping off. When it was time to go, I had to go take a leak. Everyone followed suit except for Tamia and Tamara, who waited until the other girls had come out of the restroom before they went in. Once we all left the building and were in the parking lot, out of nowhere Yessenia ran up on Tamara and punched her in the face. The shit happened so fast that nobody saw it coming.
The fighting grew intense, and Keem stepped in to try to break it up. I saw Tamia run over, and before she could even jump in the shit, Jakiyah ran up on her, grabbed her by her hair, and pulled her down on the ground. I couldn’t even stop Jakiyah from fighting. I had to help Keem. He was having a hard time breaking up Yessenia and Tamara’s fight. I was punched in the face, and I saw red as I pulled Tamara’s ass and flung her, telling her to get in the fucking car. I saw Qua pushing Jakiyah and yelling at her to get in the car, so I told Chanel to get in the car too.
“You pussy bitch, you wait until m
y back’s turned to pop off,” Tamara yelled, trying to get around German to get at Yessenia.
“Fuck you!” Yessenia yelled, trying to get back out of the car.
Keem finally spoke up, because he was pissed. “Yessenia, get the fuck back in the car.”
I waited a few minutes, just to make sure that my boys had shit under control, before pulling out. One of those women had scratched the shit out of my arm, and that shit was burning. I got pissed off all over again. I knew one thing. I wasn’t hanging out with none of their asses again. I should have known Yessenia wasn’t going to let that shit slide. I should have just told German to take them home and assured him that I would chill with him another time. I drove home, not even saying two fucking words to Chanel. I was kind of pissed with her for egging that shit on when it was already done.
“You okay?” Chanel asked me once we got home.
“I’m good now, but you didn’t have to tell them that she did the same thing to you. All you did was hype Yessenia’s crazy ass up again,” I said to her.
“Well, I didn’t know she was going to get hyped up again,” she said, laughing.
“Don’t think I didn’t see your ass pull that girl’s hair.” I laughed at her ass.
“She’s lucky that’s all I did to her, with her disrespectful ass,” she said.
“You damn females are too much. I got fucked up, and I wasn’t even involved in the fight,” I said, shaking my head.
I wasn’t even mad anymore. After all, her ass did deserve that ass whupping, because that shit was disrespectful. I looked at Chanel’s ass in them jeans and was ready to get it on in the bedroom. Yes, I had gone from being mad at her to wanting to bend her ass over and fuck the shit out of her until I had her screaming my name.
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