Turned Out Saga

by Angel M. Hunter

  “Why are you so into what they’re saying?”

  “Because one of the people they’re talking about is a good friend of mine.”

  “Who? Thomas?”

  Alexis was surprised to hear him say Thomas’ name. “Yeah, how did you know?”

  “I didn’t, I was just guessing. Plus, he’s from around here. As a matter-of-fact, he and I sponsored a few little league teams together. He’s a decent guy.”

  Alexis didn’t know what to say because all she was thinking was, This is a small-ass world.

  “So, are you dating him?” Gavin wasn’t one to beat around the bush. He wanted to know where he stood with her, if he even had a real chance.

  Alexis didn’t lie. “We’ve seen each other a few times.”

  Gavin knew what that meant. He knew because of the way her eyes looked and her body shifted when she said it.

  “Are you two serious?”

  Alexis looked him dead on then and told him, “If we were I wouldn’t be here with you.”

  Gavin, relieved, raised his glass and said, “I’ll drink to that.”

  The waitress came with their food and as they ate, they talked about themselves, how they grew up and where they saw themselves in the near future.

  “I used to be holy and sanctified,” Alexis told him when they got on the subject of religion.

  “Get the hell out of here.” Gavin just could not see it because when he thought of holy and sanctified, he thought of women in long dresses, no makeup, no jewelry, shouting in the aisles. “What happened, did you backslide?” he joked.

  “I don’t really know what happened. It’s like all of a sudden I started living my life in a different way and started slipping away from the church.”

  “Do you not go at all now?”

  “I haven’t been. Sometimes I wonder if it’ll make that much of a difference in my life if I did. Because honestly, when I was going, I wasn’t that happy.”

  “Well, are you happy now?”

  That was a question Alexis was really going to have to think about. There were moments when she was content. She thought she was happy when she was with Khalil and now, well, she was just going through the motions.

  Before she got a chance to respond, the waitress approached with another drink.

  “I didn’t order that,” Alexis told her.

  “I was told to deliver it to your table by the gentleman over . . .” She turned to identify the person who sent the drink. “Where is he?”

  Gavin turned to look in the direction she was looking in. He wanted to see who the hell was disrespecting him but no one was there.

  “What did he look like?” Alexis asked.

  “Tall, slim, brown-skinned.”

  Alexis and Gavin waited on a better description and she gave them none.

  “Is that it?” Alexis asked.

  “Well, that’s all I could remember.”

  “Well, shit,” Alexis said, “that’s half the black men in here.”

  Gavin picked the drink up off the table and told her to take it back. Alexis didn’t even stop him because she agreed.

  Standing up, Alexis told him, “I’m ready to go.”

  “So soon?”

  “I don’t feel comfortable now.”

  Gavin told the waitress to bring the bill.

  “Do you want to do anything else, go anywhere else?”

  “No, I just want to go home.”

  The waitress returned, Gavin looked at the bill, pulled some cash out of his pocket and gave some to the waitress. “Keep the tip.” He placed his hand on Alexis’ arm. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know Gavin. I hope I’m not being paranoid, but I think someone is watching me, that I’m being followed.”

  They were heading toward the door. “What? Are you sure?”

  “No, I’m not sure. It’s just a feeling.”

  “Is there anyone that has something against you, that’s angry with you?”

  “Not enough to stalk me.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

  “No, I’m going to call my girl Champagne and see if she’ll stop by.”

  “Well, I’m going to follow you home.”

  When they were standing in front of his car, Alexis turned around and kissed him on the mouth gently. “Thanks for showing me a good time.”

  Gavin took her hand and told her, “If you need me I’m here for you, as your friend or as whatever you want me to be.”

  Damn, this young boy not only has all the right moves but he knows just what to say as well.

  Alexis climbed into her car and drove off with Gavin following close behind.

  Chapter Fifty-five

  Know when to go, know when to stop, and know when to pause.

  Shamel was pacing the floor and his boys were watching him.

  “Yo man, what’s with all the pacing.”

  He looked at them. It was Big Tone, Ronnie, and True. He wondered how much he should tell them. Should he tell them he thought he was in love with Alexis? Should he tell them how far he was willing to go to get her?

  Fuck it, they were his boys, if they said some wild shit and got out of hand, he’d just punch them in the fucking mouth.

  “Yo, I think Alexis is the one. I’m considering making her my woman.”

  “Who? That chick you had Ronnie watching? The one who had that other ni–”

  Shamel cut Big Tone off. “Yeah, man, that’s the one.”

  Big Tone, his main homie, who was sitting down, jumped up and said, “Oh, hell no, are you serious man? What happened to players for life? What happened to getting all the pussy you can?”

  “Yeah, man,” True interrupted, “she must have put it on you.”

  Ronnie knew better than to open his mouth, so he just stood there. After all, Shamel paid his bills and he knew not to fuck with the man in charge.

  “Ronnie, True, leave me and Big Tone alone.”

  True stood still, acting like he didn’t want to move.

  “Yo, I said step.”

  True turned and walked out of the room behind Ronnie.

  Once they were out of the room, Big Tone asked, “What’s up with your boy?” He was talking about True.

  “He wants me to let him manage a club.”

  “So he’s acting like a little bitch because of it?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “You know you’re going to have to handle that shit.”

  “Yeah, I know and I will, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”

  “What you wanna talk about, this chick you got Ronnie following? What’s up with that, man? Ain’t no honey worth all the trouble.”

  Big Tone was Shamel’s homeboy from childhood and he knew he could tell him anything. They went as far back as diapers.

  “Yo dog, I guess I should have told you that I’ve been getting tired of this player shit. Ever since I spent the holidays with my family, I’ve been feeling like there’s a void in my life. I want some little Shamels running around.”

  “Well, you can have that without getting serious with someone.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to do it that way.”

  Big Tone, who was once married and vowed never to entertain that shit ever again saw that his boy was serious and decided that he would not clown him, but support his decision. “Man, if that’s how you feel. You know me and my selfish ass. I felt that we were going to grow old banging pussy, smoking weed, and running these clubs.”

  “I’ll still be doing that, but I’ll have my main girl at home waiting for me.”

  Big Tone laughed at this because although Shamel spoke of change, he didn’t think he was really ready for commitment.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Speak!” Shamel yelled.

  “It’s me Shamel.”

  “That’s shorty?” Big Tone asked. Obviously he recognized the voice.

  “Yeah,” Shamel answered.

  “I thoug
ht you weren’t dealing with her anymore.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Come on Shamel, let me in!” the voice yelled through the door.

  Big Tone looked at Shamel who gave him the nod yes.

  Big Tone went to the door and opened it. “What’s up Diamond?”

  “Hey Tone, what’s going up?” she responded while looking at Shamel the whole time.

  “I guess I’ll leave you two alone.” He walked out and closed the door behind him.

  “What should I call you? Diamond or Shay?” Shamel asked.

  “You can call me whatever you want.”

  “How about an underage liar?”

  Shay stepped up to Shamel and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You mean to tell me, you honestly didn’t know I was underage?”

  He pushed her back. “Bitch, I ain’t R. Kelly.”

  Shay dropped her arms. “Why I gotta be all that? Why I gotta be a bitch?”

  Shamel turned and walked away from her. He went and sat behind his desk. He knew she didn’t really expect an answer. “Why are you working here if you’re still in school, what’s up with your home life?”

  Shay dropped her eyes and told him, “I don’t have a home life.”

  “What, are you telling me you’re homeless?”

  Shay didn’t answer him.

  “How come you haven’t been to school?”

  “What are you, my father?”

  Shamel didn’t even bother answering.

  “What the hell I got to go to school for? I need to make a living. What, you fucking Ms. Houston now? You don’t want me anymore because of her old ass.”

  Shamel narrowed his eyes and told her, “Don’t go there and who I’m fucking doesn’t concern you.”

  Shay walked behind Shamel’s desk and sat in front of him. She was wearing a jean mini-shirt with a yellow formfitting T-shirt. She opened her legs and he wasn’t shocked to see she didn’t have any panties on.

  “You mean to tell me you’re going to give up this sweet, young pussy for hers?”

  “Close your damn legs girl. I got business I need to take care of.”

  Shay didn’t listen. She placed her hand on her pussy. “Look at it Shamel.” She put her finger inside and pulled it out. “You know you want to.”

  He looked and his dick got hard immediately.

  “What are you gonna do about it?” Shay was teasing him. “What are you gonna do about this tight young pussy?”

  Shamel didn’t say a word. He just stood up, unzipped his pants, pulled out his dick, pushed her back, and shoved it in her pussy. Even knowing she was underage, he couldn’t stop himself.

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Fuck me Shamel.”

  Shamel placed his hand on her throat, “Shut up!” He continued to ram inside her pussy, making his dick go as deep as it possibly could. If he could have gone through her he would have. “Shit!” he called out as he pulled his dick out and came on her thighs.

  “I knew you wanted this pussy.”

  Shamel pulled open the top drawer on his desk and pulled out a box of tissues. “Here, wipe off and let’s talk.”

  Shay climbed off the desk and did as she was told.

  Shamel fixed his clothes, looked at her and said, “I have something I need you to do for me.”

  “What am I going to get in return?” She wasn’t doing shit for free, especially since he fired her ass.

  “Don’t worry about that. Just know that I’ll take care of you.”

  “All right, what is it you want me to do?”

  “It involves Alexis,” he told her.

  Shay rolled her eyes and said, “I should have known.”

  “I want you to go back to school.”

  “Back to school? For what?”

  “Because you need your education.”

  Shay laughed out loud about that one. “You know damn well you don’t give a damn about my education.”

  “I need you to do this so that no one’s on my back about you. I don’t want the police called and shit.”

  “Why would someone call the cops on me? I ain’t nobody.”

  Shamel knew now was the time to throw on the charm. He touched her face and said, “That’s where you’re wrong. You mean more to me than all these hoes I got working up in here.”

  “Then how come I can’t keep working here?”

  “Because I want bigger and better things for you. I want you to work in my office, help me with my books and shit.”

  Shay may have been naïve when it came to him, but she wasn’t that naïve. “So basically, you want to keep fucking me and make good with Ms. Alexis so you can fuck her too?”

  Shamel was fed up with her asking questions, so he walked around her to the door, opened it and told her, “Get the fuck out and don’t come back.”

  Shay didn’t want to leave. She wanted Shamel any way she could have him and if that meant going back to school, she would but it would only be for a short while.

  “All right, all right Shamel, I’ll do it but remember you said you would take care of me.”

  He closed the door, “Come and give daddy a kiss.”

  Shay walked over to him slowly and wrapped her arms around him, “I love you Shamel. I’ll do anything for you. You know that, right?”

  Shamel could care less. He didn’t want to hear those words from her, a high school student. He wanted to hear them from a grown-ass woman; a woman named Alexis.

  Chapter Fifty-six

  Why be afraid of the Unknown? You won’t know if it’s your cup of tea unless you try it.

  Alexis waved to Gavin as she walked through her door. He followed her home just as he said he would. She didn’t invite him in.

  She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and sat down on the couch. She dialed Champagne’s number.

  “Hello?”

  Alexis could hear people talking in the background. “Hey, where are you?”

  “At a get-together.”

  Alexis was about to ask her, how could she be at a get-together while Thomas was locked up, but then again, Thomas wasn’t Champagne’s man, Zyair was. What am I so upset about? I don’t go with Thomas, we’re not exclusive. There’s no reason for me to care so deeply. Alexis tried to convince herself, but she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone but herself. She found herself on more than a few occasions wondering what Thomas was doing, who he was with, and if he was thinking about her.

  “Why? What’s up?” Champagne asked.

  Alexis opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, instead she started crying.

  “Are you crying?” Champagne asked once she heard a sniffle.

  “No, no. I’m okay. It’s just that . . .”

  “Just what sweetie, talk to me.”

  “I . . .” She didn’t know what she wanted. She didn’t want to ask Champagne to leave where she was at having a good time and come sit with her miserable ass.

  “Come where I’m at,” Champagne said.

  “Nah, I don’t want to rain on your parade.”

  “Girl, come on. It’ll take your mind off of whatever it’s on and as you know there’s nothing like girlfriends getting together. Plus I have someone I want you to meet.”

  Alexis looked around her empty house, then at her watch. It was still early and she didn’t feel like being alone, so why not. Maybe the company of women was just what she needed.

  “All right, where are you?”

  After Champagne gave her the address, Alexis picked up her purse and opened her door. Before stepping out, she looked up and down the street to make sure there wasn’t a car parked anywhere with someone sitting in it watching her. She was relieved to find that there wasn’t.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Alexis pulled up to the address Champagne gave her, parked and called Champagne on her cell phone. “I’m outside.”

  Less than ten seconds later Champagne was walking out the door, waving her in.

  “So, whose hou
se is this?” Alexis asked.

  “Sharon’s.”

  “Who’s Sharon?”

  “The girl I was telling you about.”

  “What. . . .” Alexis didn’t even have to finish her sentence because it hit her, it was “the girl”. “The lesbian?” Alexis whispered.

  “Shhhh. Come on in and meet her. She’s having a get-together.”

  Alexis followed her inside and prayed to herself that she wouldn’t be uncomfortable or feel out of place. She’d never purposely hung around a group of gay women and wondered if anyone would try to come on to her.

  When they entered the home, Alexis felt welcomed immediately. Some of the women in attendance approached her with hugs and introduced themselves.

  “I’m Sharon,” one of the most attractive women there said. “Make yourself at home. Any friend of Champagne’s is a friend of mine.”

  “Thank you.” Alexis followed her into the living room where over twenty women were gathered drinking wine and having a heated conversation.

  “Does Zyair know you’re here?” Alexis whispered.

  “I’m here as a friend not a lover and all he needs to know is that I’m getting together with a group of women.”

  “She’s very attractive.” Alexis was talking about Sharon.

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Alexis just stood there and took it all in. She didn’t even notice when Champagne walked off with Sharon.

  “Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?” a voice whispered in Alexis’ ear. She turned around to see who it was. It was a woman named Lana who helped her when she was out one night having a drink by herself.

  Alexis knew she’d had one too many drinks but she didn’t feel drunk, therefore she figured it was okay to drive home. Out of the bar she walked, but the second she stepped out the door, she felt herself stumble.

  “Uh oh, maybe I am a little tipsy,” she said out loud. “This is not a good thing.” She felt on her shoulder for her purse and realized it wasn’t there. Just when panic was starting to set in, she heard someone yelling, “Ms., you left your purse.”

  Alexis turned around. “Oh my God, thank you. I was just about to panic.”

  “I tried to catch up with you before you walked out the door.”