by J Peach
“It’s cool. Oh, and I grabbed a couple cases of pop, water, juice.” I pointed towards my car. “It’s in the trunk, I’ll have one of the guys get it out.”
Nodding, she flipped the burgers on the grill.
“Okay, pass me that pan.”
I handed her the pan, pulled out my phone and sat down on the bench, calling Ebony to see if she was almost done getting her clothes.
“Peaches, can you please go in the gym and tell all them lazy ass men to get they asses out here and help do something other than play basketball? Britt and Marcus should be here in a half hour and I’d like to have the damn decorations and balloons up.” You could hear the frustration in Bianca’s voice.
I wasn’t even gon’ go in there because they ass wasn’t gon’ move besides running up and down that court. And nine times out of ten they asses were betting on who was gon’ win. They weren’t leaving that gym until the game was over.
“Hey, Peaches, hey momma,” Tish called out, waving as she, an older version of herself and a brown skinned chick walked over to us.
“Hey Tish. Tasha, what happened to yo ass last night?” Bianca hugged Tish then glared at Tasha.
“Rod surprised me yesterday with a day for just the two of us. It was really nice. He took my phone, turned it off, no interruptions. It was fun,” Tasha went on to explain.
Tuning them out, I turned to Tish who tapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, Tish, you came just in time to help me setup these tables,” I told her, grabbing the table cloths and pushing them to her.
“I came here to eat, not work, what the hell?” She looked at me with a raised brow as if silently asking if I was serious.
“Yo ass wanna eat you gon’ help setup them damn tables,” Bianca’s loud voice came.
I pressed my lips tightly together so I wouldn’t laugh. Tishana hit me with a roll of her eyes.
“Oh, Tasha this Peaches. Peaches, this my girl Tasha,” Bianca introduced us.
Smiling, I waved at her. “Hello.”
“Why does that name sound so familiar?” Tasha asked.
“Because it’s the name of a fruit?” I stated and Bianca hit me, laughing.
“Shut up, Peaches. She’s the one that beat Boon’s ass that one time—”
“And almost shot my damn son’s ear off,” Tasha said, glaring at me.
With a raise of my hands, I took a step back because she looked like she was about ready to whoop my ass.
“That was self-defense. Yo son knocked me down and called me a bitch. When I told him the word he was looking for was excuse me, he called me another bitch. In fact, he called me about five of them. I warned him, he didn’t listen. I’m not going to be disrespected by no one, especially not no man. So the bullet that grazed Sam’s ear was his fault, not mine,” I explained, kinda surprised he told his momma just like Blaze did.
What the hell is wrong with these grown ass men telling their mommas on me? I can’t wait until I see his ass.
“Samuel called you a bitch?” Her hip cocked to the side as her arms crossed under her chest.
I waved her off. “It was handled as you already know, but we’re like best friends now,” I said with a wave of my hand, smiling a little too hard. But I couldn’t help it as yesterday’s events came back to mind. ”I can’t believe they told on me, that’s crazy.” I started laughing, tryna make it seem like that was the reason for my smile.
“For a minute I thought he liked you. He’d come over and I’d ask Sam if he was hungry. His response every time was, ‘I already ate at Peaches’. First he didn’t wanna tell me where he was eating, so I kind of thought you know, but then he started coming back to the house like normal so I thought nothing of it,” she stated with a shrug which had me clearing my throat.
“Yeah, I’ve made a lot of money off of him, that man can eat. I swear I never, and I mean never, have leftovers when Sam comes over. He’ll eat his food, whatever I didn’t eat, and take the rest,” I told them and they started laughing harder than needed.
“That’s because Brandy dumbass can’t cook. Oh shoot, I can’t believe this,” Tish said, laughing hard as hell. “Trick can’t do shit, but wanna act like she better than some damn body. I do not like her.”
It was kinda of funny, but it made me feel bad hearing her name because of yesterday.
“Don’t be mean, Tish, even if we don’t approve we still support family. So shut up,” Tasha said, making Tish roll her eyes.
“If you say so. Come on, Peaches, lets’ setup these tables.” Tishana grabbed me and the girl she brought and started pulling us towards the tables. “Peaches, this’s my friend Whitney. Whitney already knows about you and seen your videos. Anyways, I need your help,” she whispered while putting a table cloth on the picnic table.
“Hey,” I waved at her then turned back to Tish’s crazy ass. “Help with what? If it’s anything illegal, then no. I don’t wanna go to jail and my brother will kill me,” I said, making her glare at me. “I’m playing, Tish. What’s up, babe?” I asked moving to the next table.
“Whitney likes Sam—” She started saying.
That got my attention and I kinda size her up.
“You like Sam?” What Tish was saying didn’t even matter because I thought I was jealous. No, I was jealous and felt stupid about it so I smiled at her, trying to make it seem like it was nothing. “You know he got a girl, right?” Who the hell was I to question someone when he was just eating my pussy yesterday?
“Yeah, I like him, I really do. Tish said him and his girl was having problems, so why not?” Whitney, pushed her dark brown hair over her shoulders, with a shy smile.
I turned to look at Tish.
“Don’t look at me like that, I don’t like that bitch. She needs to go and Whitney’s a good girl, she has her life in order. Sam need someone like that, not no fuckin’ whiny, leeching ass bitch.” The attitude in Tish’s voice didn’t go unnoticed.
I was already shaking my head, “No, what’s going on between them is their business. It doesn’t have anything to do with me so I’m not getting in the middle. I’m sorry, Tish, but if Sam wants to be with her that’s him, you can’t change that,” I explained before looking at Whitney. “You liking him, that’s your business. Step to him if you want, I’m just not getting in the middle.” Shrugging, I started taping the cloths to the table.
“Peaches, come on. Just think about it, if this was King, you wouldn’t want a good for nothing ass bitch bringing him down. I just want my brother to be happy,” she pressed.
Groaning, I continue to shake my head. “You’re wrong. If King has a good for nothing ass chick, it’s because he wants her. Sam is far from dumb, believe me. What you’re saying about Brandy he already knows and who’s to say that’s not what he likes? Maybe he likes feeling depended upon? I don’t know nor do you.
“They been together since they were teens, he knows her. If it doesn’t work out, great. And if he wants it to, great. But that’s on him, not you. What your tryna do is messy as hell and if it don’t work, she’s,” I pointed to Whitney, “gonna be hurt in the end. So no.” I was such a hypocrite because a part of me wanted to help just to figure out if what he said yesterday was true.
“We know that and that’s a risk she’s willing to take. Peaches, we’ve talked about this, we know the possibilities, but that’s the risk. Do you have any idea how long she’s liked Sam? Now that there might be an opening, I think she should take it,” Tish told me.
I opened my mouth to decline again, but she cut me off.
“Before you say no again, don’t. You don’t want to get involved, I get that. But please just this once for me. Please, Peaches, please. You don’t even have to do much, just kinda hint or send his attention this way. Ask him about who she is, something like that. I don’t know, you’re smart, so you’ll think of something. I’ll finish this, you go,” she said, taking the tape from me.
“I didn’t even say yes,” I started saying, but she
cut me off.
“But you got that look that shows you’re irritated and you know I’m not going to stop asking until you say yes. Please, Peaches. Please!” Tish continued to beg.
I hate her!
I looked at Whitney, taking in her look once more. She was a pretty girl, a few inches shorter than me. She stood about five-one, slim, shoulder length, brown hair. A pair of pretty light brown eyes stared at me behind a pair of glasses.
Rolling my eyes, Tish let out a squeak, hugging me. “Thank you.”
“Get off of me, you got a hundred balloons to blow up and tape around this area. Have fun,” I gave her the fakest smile ever before looking at Whitney. “I hope you have two hundred dollars and can play basketball,” I said, looking down at her feet to see that she had sandals on. “You came cute, you need gym shoes.”
“I have my running shoes in the trunk, I’ll go get them,” she said then walked off.
“What you got planned?” Tish asked.
“Nothing, I’m taking her to play basketball. Make sure she has two hundred dollars.” I didn’t stay to hear whatever else she had to say, I made my way to the gym.
Damn, I didn’t want to do it, but who was I to stop her? I wasn’t his girl, Sam could do as he pleased with whomever he pleased to do it with.
Chapter 11
Peaches
I stopped at the gym doors and took a few deep breaths before I pushed the doors open.
“Hell n’all, you some cheating ass mothafuckas. King just elbowed John in the nose. Hell n’all, double,” Wayne snapped, pissed off.
“King did hit that nigga hard as fuck, yo. Probably broke that man’s shit.” Blaze laughed loud and hard, shaking up with King.
“Accident, that nigga was all on my ass. When I turned, my elbow hit ’em, accidently of course.” Even I knew he was lying. “Fo’real tho, y’all lost.”
“Because you cheated. Now double, or you scared they might actually beat y’all?” I stated, walking into the gym.
Everyone turned, looking at me. Always the same, King, Sam, and Blaze against Bellow, Wayne and… Damn, I never did get the other dude’s name.
“His shit broke, he need to go to the hospital,” came a masculine voice from behind me.
“Damn, he can’t stuff that shit with some tissue until we finish?” Wayne asked, serious as hell, making everybody laugh.
I do not like him.
“Y’all would probably have a better chance of winning if you weren’t on your team. Let’s face it Wayne, nigga, you suck. Basketball isn’t your sport so quit playing and stop betting knowing yo dumbass gon’ lose,” I told Wayne.
I really don’t like him.
“Peaches?” It came out as a question.
Looking over my shoulder, I couldn’t stop the stupid smile from coming to my lips.
Dude laughed before walking to me. “Peaches Johnson, yo ass still short as hell,” he said, making me laugh.
“And yo ass still blacker than mothafucka.” Once those words left my mouth, I threw myself at him and I hugged him tightly.
“Oh, so you got jokes, huh?” He laughed.
Laughing, I shook my head. “You know I love yo dark skin, it’s crazy seeing you. I swear the girls and I were just talking about you last night.” I let him go then I hit him. “Ron, why you didn’t come see me when you moved back?”
“Oh, I had every intension to, trust and believe that. But I had to get settled first. I went by yo apartment the other day, but you not there no more. So I went to Leon to find you, but ran into King at Voodoo. And I see yo ass don’t know how to answer the phone or call nobody. Why you been dodging me?” Jerron’s face turned serious.
My mouth opened then closed as I watched him lean against the wall. As I took him in, his question was forgotten.
Ron was a sexy, chocolate man. Just looking at him made a woman automatically think model with those deep ocean waves, that flawless, dark skin, full lips, goatee, and those dangerously sexy hazel eyes.
“What the fuck?” I snapped, coming from my little daze as something hard hit the back of my head.
“Don’t yo ass think you smiling and staring too mothafuckin’ hard over there?” King asked with a playful laugh.
“And that made you throw a damn ball at me?” Why did I seem so surprised?
“I didn’t, Blaze threw the ball,” King said. Grabbing the ball, I threw it back at him.
“Don’t be throwing shit at me with yo ignorant ass,” I snapped at him. I was over Blaze and his petty ass drama.
“Yo ass lucky that’s all I did.” Flipping him off, I turned back to Ron.
“Sorry about them, you already how King is and just ignore the other one,” I told him.
“Ignore dude that’s walking over here?” Ron asked, smiling. I didn’t even look back, just rolled my eyes. “Who is he, your dude?”
“He was my dude, but you should come by the house one day, the girls would love seeing you.”
Laughing, he shook his head. “The girls would or is that just an excuse for me to come and talk to Ms. Sweet?” I started laughing at the name he gave my pussy.
“A little bit of both, that is if you’re up for talking with her.” Biting into my bottom, lip I trailed off, only playing.
Ron laughed, “You ain’t right, you tryna get me killed. Look at how King looking at my ass,” he stated, his smile not fading once.
“So that’s a no?”
“It’s a maybe, I’ll give you my new number then you can text me the address and we’ll talk.” Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I handed it to him. Once he put his number in my phone, I hugged him again.
“You can call me, too. I promise I’ll answer this time.” Ron laughed, hugging me back, giving my body a tight squeeze which I gladly returned. “Ron, I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Letting me go, Ron smiled at me before looking over my shoulder. “You better call me.” Just as Ron said that, I was roughly grabbed by the arm and pushed into the door which caused the door to open. Once it did, Blaze continued to push me outside the gym.
“Peaches, what the fuck is wrong with you? You gon’ do that shit in front of me. You a disrespectful ass bitch!”
Snatching away from him, my palm slapped hard as hell across his face. “I ain’t no bitch and don’t be grabbing on me like you’re fuckin’ stupid. How the hell am I disrespectful? We not together, I can do what the fuck I want. No, Blaze, yous a disrespectful ass bitch, fuck wrong with you? Yo ass done lost yo fuckin’ mind… Boy… Blaze, get away from me!”
I wanted to hurt him so bad, he just didn’t understand. Before I could walk away, Blaze grabbed me again, pulling me to the side of the building. “Let me go!” Jerking away from Blaze, I pushed him away from me. “Don’t touch me. Why are you mad? I’m letting you go, so go to your dick sucking bitch and be with her. Leave me alone,” I snapped at him.
Blaze let me go and ran a hand down his face, then he rubbed his head, seeming frustrated. Taking him in, my eyes roamed over his face. His arms came to my waist and he pulled me to him.
“I done already told you it wasn’t nothing like that with that fuckin’ girl, man. We cool, I said I’ll quit fuckin’ with her. I ain’t even seen her ass since that damn night.”
Staring me dead in the eyes with a straight, sincere face, he lied. I watched Blaze so much I knew when he was being real and not being real. No matter how hard he tried keeping a straight face, he couldn’t fool me. I wasn’t stupid. I loved that man, I knew him. I learned him the moment we met, the moment I realized I liked him. And he was tryna play me like I was dumb, that was painful.
I can’t do this with him.
I removed his arms from my body and stepped away from him. “Blaze, do you think I’m an idiot? I’m not stupid. When did you become such a fuckin’ liar? Damn. Does she suck dick that good you’ll stand here in my face and lie to me? Huh?” Pushing him hard, my hand came up again, slapping him across the face.
“Y
ou letting that bitch leave marks now, Blaze? And you gon’ stand here in my fuckin’ face and lie saying you ain’t seen that bitch, huh?” Punching him hard in his chest, I went to slap him again, but before I could hit his cheek a third time, he grabbed me, pinning my arms at my sides.
“Peaches, calm down, bae. Damn. Boss, that bitch don’t mean shit to me i’ight? In the end it’s you, always gon’ be you, man. You gon’ be wifey, that bitch ain’t shit, Peach. In the end you where I wanna be at, who I wanna wake up and go to sleep next to, so don’t be fuck’d up about that bitch.” He pressed me against the side of the building.
The fuck’d up thing about it was that he was being honest. The space between his brows didn’t crease and he didn’t rub the back of his neck nor did he’s eyes drop from mine to the ground then back, which were the signs of him lying. He did none of that, his eyes stayed locked with mine the entire time he talked.
Closing my eyes, I looked away from him.
“If you’re saying this to make me think it’s okay that you seeing her while being with me is fine, it’s not. For you to even imply that, it shows how much you really care about and respect me. I’ve told you from jump I wasn’t going to be like them and you promised me you wasn’t like that, Blaze, that you wouldn’t hurt me. But you’ve done exactly what you said you wouldn’t do.
“I’m not a cheater is what you constantly told me and I believed you. But guess what, Blaze? You’re a fuckin liar. Letting that bitch suck your dick is considered cheating. I done cried more these past few weeks, hell, since I’ve met you, than I have in my entire life. I love you, but you’re not even worth it.”
Wiggling out of his arms, I moved away from him. “I’m not fuck’d up about her, never have been. But you not being able to let her go shows she means something. I’m done, Blaze, officially done.” Taking the purple bracelet from my wrist, I tossed it at him.
Blaze made no attempt to catch it, instead he let the bracelet fall to the ground. Wiping my eyes, I turned away from him.
“Peaches?” Blaze called, looking at him over my shoulder, I saw he was shaking his head. “I’ll give you yo space, but ain’t no out, not with me. Just like you said, I told you that from jump there’s no out. We rockin’, that’s what you said. And we gon’ continue to, this is just a rough patch, baby girl, you’ll get over it.