by J Peach
“Oh, shit! I still forgot about getting her ass a present. So what’s the story? Coincidence?” Sam questioned, making me roll my eyes. “What? You the one that didn’t want nobody to know we kick it.”
“I was not scared I just didn’t want anybody to think—”
“We’re fuckin’?” He stated.
Rolling my eyes, I closed my car door then locked it. “Oh, it’s like that. Wasn’t it just yesterday you—”
I already knew what he was going to say so I hurriedly cut him off.
“Shut up before somebody hears you. Yeah, I didn’t want anybody to think we were, but now that I made it officially clear I’m done with Blaze, I don’t care. Then again, we not fuckin’ so what is there to care about? We’re friends,” I explained and Sam nodded his head.
“We’re friends, okay,” he said and I stopped him from walking away.
“Sam, about yesterday…” Trailing off, I let out a sigh.
“What about it? Feeling bad?” He asked.
Shaking my head, I groaned. “No, I don’t. But Sam, he’s your best friend and we can’t do this. I’m trying to get over him, believe me. Yesterday was amazing, just hanging out with you. Even so, you’re his friend and I can’t do that to him. We can’t,” I explained. I liked Sam as a friend only.
Plus, with him being Blaze’s best friend, it wouldn’t work. That fact would always hang over me and I’d never be able to fully let Blaze go if I really started messing with Sam.
“I don’t regret it or feel bad about what happened, but I wish we hadn’t, we just can’t do him like that.”
“I agree. It was sneaky and I don’t like sneaking around, I’m grown. Blaze is not stupid, he’s far from it. But I was going to tell him, I just wanted to talk to you first. Blaze and I don’t keep secrets, we’ve been boys too long for all that,” he explained and I looked at him like he was crazy.
“Sam, you can’t tell him. Did you not see how he flipped out in there? You can’t.” I was scared for him.
Laughing, Sam shook his head. “Yeah, he’ll be pissed and we’re going to come to blows, but we’ll handle it. So you paid three-fifty for this damn necklace?” He asked, changing the subject.
“Sam, you can’t—”
“Peaches I can and I am. Now, you paid three-fifty for this?” Again, he questioned.
I could already tell from the look in his eyes I wasn’t going to win, so I let it go. “Okay, you know what you’re doing. I’m letting it go. So you not mad I beat your girl’s ass?”
Laughing, Sam shook his head. “I told you we weren’t together, I have no reason to lie to you about shit. Our relationship been over for a while now,” Sam said, looking behind me. “Come on, my moms looking over here. She thinks I like yo ass.” Sam saying that had me remembering about earlier and I punched him in the arm. “What the hell you hit me for?”
“Because you told your momma I almost shot your ear off.” Ending my sentence, I hit him again.
“You did, it wasn’t a damn lie,” he said.
“Because you bumped into me and called me a bitch.”
Sam shook his head. “I apologized—”
“Not until King told you to,” I cut him off.
“I did, when my mouth touched yo pussy that was an apology,” he said and I hit him. “Ain’t nobody gon’ hear me, chill.”
“Asshole,” I mumbled.
“I play with those too,” Sam said.
Laughing, I pushed him away from me then walked away from him to the tables.
“You, what the hell was that about?” Bianca asked, coming to sit next to me.
“I went to tell her to chill out and she muffed me hard. I had to defend myself, momma.” Bianca hit me after I said that last bit.
“I’m against men hitting women, but you should’ve knocked her ass out,” Bianca told Sam, making him laugh.
“I started to, but my momma up here. I can’t have her thinking I be knocking women out,” Sam said.
“Boy, shut yo ass up, you slapped the shit outda her. If anything, once Tasha called your name that’s when Brandy’s ass got hyped, pissed me off. But I’m happy you didn’t hit her. I do not like that damn girl.” Bianca ass was crazy, she said anything.
“Boon pissed off, he hopped in his truck and left, leaving that dumbass girl here. Ooh, Britt ass better not be like that over a man, I’mma beat her ass myself if she does. These new age women is all kinds of fuck’d up.”
I had to agree with her on that a lot of these young woman act as if they couldn’t do shit for themselves. They needed a man for every little thing, fuck that, I liked being independent.
“Blaze not gon’ let her have no man, every man she like going to go missing,” Sam said, making Bianca laugh.
“True, Blaze and that damn Marcus. He brings his ass in the room the other day talking about, ‘BooBee, I think it’s time we have the talk with Britt. She getting older and I don’t want any of these young niggas tryna take advantage of my baby girl’.
“I started to smack his ass, but we talked to her. I thought my baby was gon’ cry having the sex talk with Britt. He says she growing up too fast which is why I think he didn’t push Blaze about that damn car. Shit, I don’t wanna have to drive her worrisome, whiny ass around with me all the damn time. They spoil the shit out that damn girl, makes my ass hurt.”
I just started laughing. Bianca’s ass was so funny, I swear she was. Whether Blaze and I worked out or not, I wasn’t letting that woman go. I was in love with that lady.
“You should come to the house tomorrow with us. I’mma pick Britt up in the morning for breakfast then we just gon’ hangout at my place, you should come. My girls will love you,” I told her, watching the smile slowly leave her face as her brows furrowed. Her eyes went to my left. Glancing in that direction I saw Sam’s ass sitting there shaking his head, really fast.
“Momma, them girls crazy. You don’t need them in your life.”
Smacking my lips, I muffed Sam. “Shut up, no they’re not. Anyways, you should come,” I said.
“I’ll be ready, I stay strapped so I’m not worried about no crazy chicks. Sam, you mind if I talk to Peaches for a minute?” Bianca asked.
“Gon’ ‘head, I gotda go find Britt anyway.” Touching my shoulder, he walked away.
“What I do now, Bianca?” I asked.
“I’m Bianca now, huh?” Laughing, I shook my head.
“No, you’re like a second mom. Seriously, no matter what happens between Blaze and I, nothing is going to change. I’m going to be at your place and you’re always welcome to mine. I mean that,” I explained to her, meaning every word.
“Good, I didn’t have to say anything. I don’t blame you, he is stupid. I told him to stop fuckin’ with her and that you was going to be done with him. Ain’t no messy bitch gon’ suddenly stop being messy, especially if you haven’t made it official with her. That bitch knew what she was doing when she came up here.”
“She knew you were going to be here, but I fault him for even telling her where he was going. Boo, you’re young, live your life. Wait until you about thirty before you decide to settle, if he can’t get his shit together, fuck ‘em and continue as you are. But know, if I’m adopting you, I can’t have you messing around with my son,” Bianca said, making me laugh.
“We’ll, its best you not adopt me. I might slip, momma, yo son knows how to put it down. I’m going through detox now.”
Standing up she hit me. “Yo nasty ass, I don’t wanna hear that shit. Eh, I done lost my damn appetite. Come on.” She looked at me like I had two heads or something.
“Don’t be like that, knowing you and Marcus still be bumping skins.”
“That’s different, we married.” Bianca held up her ring finger, showing off her sparkly diamond ring.
“Okay, I see you momma. But I was playing about the detox.” Her lips twisted sideways and had me laughing. “I was—”
“Peaches!” Tish called.
Where the hell have they been?
Tish, Whitney, and King’s ass seemed to have just disappeared.
“Where you been? Have you seen King?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’s in the gym with my dad, Marcus, and Bellow playing dice. My mom was just in there telling us what happened. What the hell? Bitch, I’m pissed, why yo ass didn’t scream or some shit? I would’ve helped beat her ass, damn. I’m so mad!” She fussed.
“Why the hell would I scream for? She shouldn’t have muffed me. But it’s over, just like their relationship. You were right about that.” I shrugged, going to make mine and King’s plate.
“So y’all played basketball, what did you say to him?” Tish asked.
“I said she liked him. Sam said he’s known her since she was ten. He can’t mess with her, she’s like a sister to him,” I told her truthfully.
“Oh, well she not gon’ give up just because of that. I think they’re cute together,” she said, pointing towards the gym where Whitney and Sam stood laughing about something. Shrugging, I went back to making our plates. “What’s wrong with you?”
I couldn’t even begin to tell her. Now that the day and last night had calmed down, everything was finally getting to me. The whole thing with Blaze, Krystal showing up there, Ebony and King’s drama.
Everything was settling inside of me and I wished I was at home. I just wanted to go to bed and cuddle. Who I cuddled with didn’t even matter. I just wanted to be held as I fell asleep.
“Nothing, everything’s fine. Hey, Bianca, do you have any foil?”
“Nope, cover it with a plate. I have some bags if you want those,” Momma replied, pointing towards the extra bags.
Nodding, I put plates over our food then grabbed the bags from her. I putt our stuff in it, then turned to Tish. “Hey, I’ll be back.”
Tishana nodded as I walked off toward the gym.
Chapter 16
Peaches
Once in the gym, I went to the bleachers where King sat with Bellow, Marcus, Britt and another man talking. Sitting our food down, I sat next to King and tucked myself under his arm.
“Why you out there fighting, man?” King asked.
“She muffed me,” I mumbled while getting comfortable against him.
“What’s up? What’s wrong with you?”
Not answering, I just closed my eyes. I just wanted to go back to sleep and forget everything. Today, yesterday, hell, those past few months. Just everything that those months brought with them.
I wanted to cry, a girl could only play touch for so long. After a while it became hard, just tiring. And all because of him.
Blaze.
No matter how much I yelled and screamed or constantly thought I was done, when everything settled in, it all just mustered up to being hurt, which I was. I wanted to forget and the way I was thinking about forgetting would only hurt me more as well as the ones I would use to help me forget him.
“Peaches?”
I just wanted to crawl into a hole and sleep forever.
Why did it have to be like this?
Why did I have to fall for him?
Why couldn’t I just let it go, let him go?
Why did the numbness I felt yesterday and most of today suddenly leave? Only to be replaced with this unbearable pain?
A fuckin’ actress, I am.
If he only really knew the pain I actually felt.
I don’t want anyone else.
I want Blaze.
I love everything that is him.
Even knowing what my body, mind, soul, and heart wanted, I wasn’t gon’ give in. I would rather feel the pain, cry myself to sleep and pretend that I was over him than to be blind. I was going to do me and pretend I didn’t care. If getting head from different men was what it took to feel that numbness, I was going back to my old ways with no regrets.
I just don’t want to feel this anymore.
“Peaches?” My body shook as King called my name.
“Hm?” Humming, I moved closer to him.
“Come on so I can take you home, you can talk to me on the way.” King, let out a breath and I opened my eyes.
Once I did, I jumped back. “What? Why are you in my face?” When my eyes opened, they met with Blaze who was sitting in front of me, staring like a freaking creep.
“Shut the fuck up before I slap yo stupid ass,” Blaze snapped. If he only knew. “Britt, you want your present now or later?” Looking away from me, he asked Britt.
“Now! Did you really need to ask?” She got up and I remembered her gift.
“Britt, wait, here.” Moving from under King, I handed my gift to her. “Happy birthday, I hope you like it.”
That girl wasted no time pulling the box out of the bag. “Thank you, Peaches. I love it, it matches the necklace Sam gave me. Here, put it on me. You know it’s because of you I like colorful shit. Then you turn around and buy this. Thanks!” After putting it on, she hugged me.
“Sam wanted to be like me and picked up the necklace,” I lied, glancing over at him. I didn’t want to use Sam to forget like I had yesterday because I didn’t want to hurt him. Even so, I couldn’t deny he had managed to make me forget so quickly. Why did he have to be Blaze’s best friend?
God, I could use that numbness right now.
“I’m about to go show mommy. Blaze, come on,” Britt said, pulling at his wrist.
“I’ll be out there, gon’ head.” Letting him go, Britt ran out of the gym and Blaze turned to King. “It’s out there?” He asked him.
“Yep, around the block, I’ll go get it. Peaches, you good, you wanna come?” King was such an ass, but he was a great brother.
“I’m okay, just tired is all. I’ll wait until you come back before I leave.” Nodding, he got up.
“I’ight, I’ll be right back. Blaze, don’t be fuckin’ with her either, nigga,” King told him before looking back at me. “Peach, you got yo shit? You might have to shoot his whiny ass.”
I started laughing after King said that.
“Bitch, shut the fuck up. Ain’t nobody whining over her dumbass because she ain’t going no fuckin’ where,” Blaze stated while looking at me.
“Hold up, King, you can run me up to the gas station I need to get a swisher,” Bellow said, getting up. Why was he leaving? They asses was not about to leave me there by myself with Blaze. Hell no.
“Nuh-uh, sit yo ass down, ain’t nobody here so you can talk to me now. No yelling or hitting, talk to me.” Catching my left elbow, Blaze pulled me back down on the bleachers.
I didn’t feel like arguing with him, no less talking to him. But he wasn’t going to let me go, that I already knew.
“There’s nothing to talk about, I said what I had to. Plus, I’m just a hoe tryna fuck yo friend, so why would you wanna talk to me,” I stated dully.
“What’s wrong with you?” Blaze asking that caught me off guard because it wasn’t being asked in a defensive tone, it was more so concerned if anything.
“Blaze, nothing is wrong with me, okay. Isn’t your girlfriend around here somewhere?” Why did it have to be like that? Why did I have to fall in love with such an arrogant ass man?
“Man, cool that shit, Peaches. She ain’t my girl, i’ight? Tell me what’s up with you.” Again he asked in that same concerned tone.
“There’s nothing to tell. Look, I’m about to go, I’m not about to sit here.” I stood up and he did the same, bringing his hands to my waist. “Blaze—”
“Shut up, I know you, Peaches. What’s the point of lying to me?” He questioned.
“If you know me so well then you’ll know I want to be left alone. Can you please let go of me?” I was just so tired.
Lifting me off my feet, Blaze sat down then placed me on his lap.
“Blaze, let me go, damn. For such a tough mothafucka yo ass clingy as hell, dang. Let me go,” I complained, trying to get out of his hold.
He laughed at that while pulling me up his lap.
“I’m only lik
e this with you. Hell yeah, I’m clingy as fuck when it comes to you. Peaches, you think I’m such a heartless mothafucka when I’m not. I fuck up a lot, man, I get that Peach—”
“No, no you can’t do that, Blaze. Not to me, you can’t.” He was so wrong for what he was doing and he knew it.
God!
“What? Admit that I’m wrong? Apologize to you for fuckin’ up. What the fuck are you talking about, Peaches?” Blaze asked, looking confused.
I glare at him as I tried pushing out of his hold but he wasn’t letting up.
“Yes, doing that. It’s not okay for you to do this, you don’t get to apologize and expect me to forget like nothing happened. Like you haven’t just told me you wasn’t gon’ stop fucking with her until you found someone else that could suck your dick like she does. Fo’real? No! Fuck you and that bitch. I’m trying to let you go, why you have to make it so fuckin’ hard! It’s over— Blaze, stop, damn.” That nigga was crazy. I was sitting there talking to his ass and he was trying to kiss me.
Who the fuck does that?
“Yo ass better stop slapping me,” he said, pinning my arms to my side.
“Then let me go.” I was trying so hard not to cry, but Blaze was making it hard. Doing that, not wanting to let me go confused me as well as hurt me.
If he cared about being with me he would let that girl go. But he’d just told me himself that he wasn’t, not until he found someone to suck him like her.
Fuck him!
“Peaches, calm yo ass down, man, damn. I’m tryna apologize to yo ass,” he said, holding me tighter. Rolling my eyes, I let out a heavy sigh as I stopped moving. “Why the fuck you crying, Peaches? Stop that shit, man.” He let my arms go as his hand came to my cheek and I pushed it away. “I said stop.”
I looked away from him and wiped my eyes.
“Bae, I ain’t tryna hurt you. Peach, stop crying, I’m sorry i’ight,” Blaze said, grabbing my chin and I jerked away from him.
“It doesn’t even matter no more, so let’s just forget about it.” I just wanted to get away from him.
“You still mad?” Blaze asked and I shook my head no, lying to him. I didn’t want to keep going through that. “Then why you still crying?”