Cameron

by Jade Jones

  Poca loved to be in the center of drama and now was a perfect opportunity for her to have a front row seat to enjoy it.

  Suddenly, Pure Seduction came stomping out towards the bar.

  "Which one of ya'll hoes touched my shit?" She yelled.

  "Aye, chill," the bouncer said trying to console her.

  However, the minute our gazes locked she automatically assumed I was the culprit behind the "hate crime".

  "Bitch, you did this shit! Didn't you?"

  Before I could open my mouth she came charging at me. Quickly dropping my belongings on to the floor, I was more than prepared to work with that bitch.

  However, she didn't get a chance to reach me since the bouncer had quickly snatched her up.

  The loud rap music had instantly subsided and everyone's attention was now fixated on us and the wild scene we were creating.

  "I'ma beat ya ass, Hypnotic," she cursed.

  "Let her ass go!" I hollered.

  "Man, get outta here with that bullshit!" The bouncer yelled at me. "It ain't gone be no fight!"

  Pure Seduction was thrashing about wildly in the bouncer's embrace and I really hoped he would just release her so she could get the ass kicking I desperately wanted to deliver.

  Just when I thought she couldn't piss me off any more than she already had, she suddenly snatched off one of her six inch clear high heels and launched it right at me.

  Her shoe collided with my torso and I immediately lost it!

  "Beat her ass!" Poca cheered as I ran full speed at Pure Seduction.

  "Aye, chill! Chill! Chill!" The bouncer yelled--

  But it was too late! When I reached her ass, I grabbed her up by her 16 inch and began reigning blows on her face and head.

  The bouncer had no choice but to let her go as he attempted to subdue me.

  “You fucking bitch! See, I told ya ass!” I yelled as my fist connected with her skull repeatedly.

  The bouncer grabbed me from behind and pulled me away, but with my hand locked tightly around Pure Seduction’s locks she was forced to be dragged along the dirty floor of the club on her knees.

  I kicked and stomped at her as the bouncer tried his hardest to pull me away from her.

  She should have felt fortunate that I had decided to wear my gladiator sandals instead of the pumps I usually sported.

  Blood leaked profusely from her nose and made a trail on the grimy floor. I could feel her tracks slowly tearing away from her scalp as I dragged her.

  A crowd had quickly formed to witness the ass whooping I was putting on Pure Seduction and from the corner of my eye, I caught Poca run up and snatch Pure Seduction's Crown Royal drawstring bag off the floor.

  I was able to get in a good two or three kicks before the burly bouncer finally lifted me up over his shoulder.

  Shouting out all types of obscenities and threats, I was escorted right outside.

  The bouncer put me down once we exited the club. "You ain't have to do ole’ girl like that," he said with a slight smirk.

  "Oh, yes I did," I told him. He had no idea.

  I was sure that Pure Seduction's ass got the message after that ass kicking. She now knew not to fuck with me and most importantly not to fuck with my man!

  Poca was hyped as hell when we climbed into her Challenger.

  "Damn, you whupped that bitch's ass!" She yelled. "And look what I got," she said holding up Pure Seduction's money bag.

  "Damn, Poc, you had to take the bitch's money?" I asked.

  Although, I couldn't stand Pure Seduction, I would never stoop so low as to steal from her. That wasn't me. An ass whupping would definitely suffice before I had to do some shit like that.

  Pocahantas ignored me as she eagerly fished through Pure Seduction's money bag. "Well, I'll be damned," she said. "This bitch made some money. I see some twenties...and some fifties, and--"

  Tap! Tap! Tap!

  Poca and I quickly diverted our gazes to the man standing at the passenger window.

  I frowned once I realized it was Wallace, the same nigga who had pinched my ass earlier.

  "What's up? Where ya'll going?" He asked.

  I expected for Poca to ignore him and pull off but knowing her, her curiosity quickly got to her and she immediately saw dollar signs.

  After rolling her window down she said, “What’s up?"

  “Me and my niggas trying to kick it," he said staring at me specifically with a lustful look in his eyes.

  “How much ya’ll paying for us to kick it?" Poca asked.

  I looked over at her and made a face. I hated when she just assumed I was down for whatever she was.

  Wallace sucked his teeth. “Pay?" he repeated sarcastically. “Shit ya’ll already cleaned the house out tonight. Ya’ll want a nigga to pay just to kick it?"

  I rolled my eyes and looked over at Poca again. She quickly started the car up and snatched the gears into reverse.

  "Fuck ya'll bitches!" He shouted before we pulled off.

  ***

  "Hey, Cameron? Cameron? Wake up. Class is over."

  I heard the voice but I still tried to ignore it...well at least up until someone began shaking me violently.

  "Wha..." I grumbled peeling my forehead off the desk.

  My friend, Tiffany stared at me and made a face. "You...uh...you got something..."

  I quickly wiped away the drool, I knew she was referring to. I was tired as hell. I barely had gotten three hours of sleep last night. I couldn't avoid using my Math 87 class as an opportunity to take a nap.

  "Did you get the notes?" I asked her.

  "Yes, but Cameron, you gotta stop--"

  "I know. I know," I said waving her off as I stood up from the desk. "You know I work late."

  Tiffany frowned. "You need to quit playing and just get a job on campus. You know Element's Food Bistro is hiring?"

  Sucking my teeth, I told her, "Girl I am not about to settle for some punk ass two or three dollars an hour."

  I followed Tiffany out the classroom.

  "Sometimes it ain't all about the money, Cameron.” She handed me a sheet of notebook paper with notes scribbled on it. "And besides you know you were snoring loud as hell? The entire class heard you."

  I quickly gasped. "Swear?"

  Tiffany burst out laughing. "I'm just messing with you, but you should've saw your face.” She pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose.

  I let out a sigh of relief before joining her in laughter.

  Tiffany and I had been friends since freshman orientation. She was the complete opposite of me but it was our obvious differences that fueled our friendship.

  “Well, I’ll catch you later, girl. I gotta run to the tutor center. Holla atcha’ later,” she said.

  “Okay then. See ya.”

  “And don’t forget to study!” she tossed over her shoulder.

  Chapter 4

  Tapping the end of my pencil against the desk in my dorm, I tried my best to study the notes Tiffany had given me. I knew if I had not taken that much needed nap then the task at hand would not be so difficult for me.

  I sat at the desk staring at the numbers and symbols in my text book forcing myself to understand the Binomial Theorem.

  Suddenly, my cell phone began vibrating. I didn’t know if I should have felt happy or irritated by the interruption. Poca’s wide smile filled the screen of my cell phone. For the first three rings, I debated whether I wanted to answer the phone or not. Although I wasn’t having much success at it, I knew I really needed to study. However on the fifth ring, I finally gave in and answered the phone call. Knowing Poca she wouldn’t stop calling until she finally got through to me.

  “What’s up?” I answered.

  “Hey girl!” she sang into the receiver. “What ya ass doing?”

  “Nothing. Sitting here trying to study.”

  “You sound like you’re bored. You wanna come to the mall with me and X?”

  I flipped a page in my text book. It felt like I
was staring at a foreign language. Math was definitely not my strong point.

  “I don’t know. I think I’m gonna have to take a rain check.”

  Poca sucked her teeth. “Girl, I ain’t clocking ya ends or nothing but I know you made enough money to at least go shopping with me.”

  I sighed heavily as I debated her offer. “Alright. Gimme twenty minutes.”

  Just as I was disconnecting the call, Silk’s number was beeping in.

  “Hey baby,” I cooed, answering on the second ring.

  “What’s up sexy? What you doing?”

  “Getting ready to go to the mall.”

  “Oh for real? What you about to get daddy?”

  I smiled into the receiver. “I don’t know. What you want?” It was funny how my anger towards him dissipated so quickly. Just last night, I hated the man’s guts after he put his hands on me but now he was my baby all over again. I guess that’s just how me and Silk’s relationship worked.

  “Surprise me,” he said.

  ***

  “You need to let his big butt walk,” X said. “That’s why his behind is so spoiled now.”

  I shifted X’s 3 year old son, CJ to my left hip. “Leave lil’ man alone,” I said. “Besides, you know I love me some kids.”

  Poca sucked her teeth and tossed her weave over her shoulder. “Shit, I love they ass from a distance. That’s why my daughter with my mama now. I don’t do kids.”

  I rolled my eyes at Poca’s heartless remark. She had a two year old daughter whom she barely ever referenced. However, in Poca’s case maybe it was for the best that her child be raised by the grandmother. Poca and motherhood were two things I couldn’t possibly imagine coinciding.

  “Oooh, I wanna see what they got in Express,” Poca said changing the subject.

  As soon as we stepped inside, Poca immediately ran over to the jean section while X and I decided to check out the summer dresses.

  “Damn. Thirty percent off? I need to get in on this,” X said. “A sale was just what I was looking for. Shit, after paying up the bills and the car note I’m surprised I even had a little money left to splurge.”

  “Girl, you know I got you if you need it.”

  “No, I’m good girl. But thanks for offering. That’s why you my girl.” Suddenly X looked over in the direction of where Poca was standing. She held a pair of skinny jeans to her waist while she used her shoulder to keep her cell phone to her ear.

  X opened her mouth to say something but CJ’s whining interrupted her. Evidently, he wanted me to put him down. “He must be sleepy,” X said holding her arms out for him.

  Before she brought him to her she turned him around sniffed his backside. “Boy? I know you ain’t just pee on yourself. Why you ain’t say you had to pee pee?”

  “I guess that explains the crying,” I said.

  “Girl, I’ll be back. Lemme go and change this boy.”

  “Okay.”

  After sifting through a few more summer dresses, I finally settled on a royal purple halter dress.

  I headed over towards Poca to get her opinion on the dress. She had a smile from ear to ear on her face, apparently pillow talking to whoever was on the opposite end of the phone.

  “Alright bay. Lemme call you back,” Poca said once I reached her.

  “Who was that?” I asked.

  “Oh just some trick ass nigga I been fucking with lately,” she answered.

  “Shit the way you was over here grinnin’ and chinnin’ ain’t seem like you was talking to no trick,” I teased.

  She giggled. “Girl that ain’t nothing but a fake ass act to get into these niggas heads and ultimately get into they pockets.”

  Shaking my head, I told her. “You’re a trip, Poca.”

  ***

  “Cameron?”

  I was standing in line at Villa Pizza when I turned to see who was calling me. My cheeks quickly flushed in embarrassment as I recognized the familiar face approaching me.

  “Cameron, is that you?” he asked.

  I forced a fabricated smile as an old fling approached me. Tank was a one night stand I had over six months ago. He was also a male stripper who danced at Pandora’s Box, the same club Silk performed at whenever he had a show in Cleveland. At the time, Silk and I were going through some shit and I had been extremely vulnerable.

  I had met Tank at Pandora’s Box, while supporting Silk during one of his shows. I was sitting at the bar, enjoying the performances when Tank approached me, spitting the lamest game I had ever heard...However, he was easy on the eyes, and judging from the seductive show he put on, I could tell he knew what he was doing in the bedroom. In attempt to get even with Silk for cheating on me, I slept with Tank the next night. It was a one time thing and I didn’t bother to keep in touch so I couldn’t figure out why he seemed so surprised and excited to see me.

  “Hey,” I greeted.

  Tank was a pretty attractive guy, but he didn’t look anywhere near as good as my man. He reminded me of a darker version of the actor, Brian White.

  “What’s up, Cam. You lookin’ good I see,” he smiled.

  Tank had the audacity to pull me into an embrace as though we had been long time lovers. Awkwardly returning his affection, I said, “It’s been a while.”

  Unfortunately, Poca and X were in line at Chick Fil A. With them not around, I was sure he was getting ready to initiate some boring ass small talk. And seeing me alone gave him all the more reason to do just that.

  “Yeah too long,” he agreed. “Damn you smell good too, ma.”

  “Prada Infusion,” I told him.

  “Well damn--”

  “What’s up Hypnotic?”

  Tank and I turned our attention towards the guy who had suddenly appeared alongside us. My heart instantly sank to the pit of my stomach. I didn‘t think it was possible for things to get even more uncomfortable.

  “Wallace?”

  Why was this motherfucker even speaking to me? If memory served me correctly, I could have sworn the last thing his broke ass said was “Fuck ya’ll bitches” in reference to me and Pocahontas.

  “I see you remembered a nigga’s name,” he smiled.

  I opened my mouth to say some ignorant shit but Tank quickly cut me off.

  “Aye, my nigga, you ain’t just see me talking?”

  Wallace quickly looked Tank up and down and frowned. “You must ain’t see that I don’t give a fuck, pretty boy!” he spat.

  Tank gently pushed me out his way. Standing toe to toe with Wallace, he asked, “What’s happenin,’ nigga? You got a problem?”

  Oh, shit here we go, I thought as I inched away from their confrontation.

  “Naw, mothafucka, you da one that’s gone have a problem if you don’t get the fuck out my face,” Wallace threatened.

  Everyone in the food court seemingly stopped what they were doing to watch the heated altercation occurring between the two men. The entire scenario had begun over me and neither one of them knew I already had a damn man.

  “What’s up nigga?” Wallace asked initiating the first shove.

  Tank didn’t bother returning Wallace’s shove as his fist launched right into Wallace’s jaw. He stumbled backwards a few steps and before he could regain his footing, Tank charged at him. Tougher than I had imagined, Wallace held his ground as they scuffled and wrestled in an attempt to drop the other.

  Suddenly a hand grabbed my wrist snatching me a few feet away from the fight.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Poca asked.

  “Cam, we leave your ass for five minutes and you already got niggas fighting over you.” X said.

  I was just about to defend myself when the sudden sound of glass shattering interrupted me. Wallace had just slammed Tank into the glass shield protecting the condiments at Subway.

  A crowd of spectators quickly formed to watch the brawl as if they were at a live Wrestlemania show. The ones who were smart enough to get the hell out of the food court did.

  Wallace d
idn’t even give Tank a chance to recuperate from the impact before he began delivering fierce blows to his body. One right after the other, Wallace’s fists landed deep into his Tank’s kidneys.

  Tank’s knees buckled soon after from the vicious attack Wallace was inflicting and he instantly dropped to the floor. That didn’t stop Wallace from stooping over him and swinging at every body part he could reach.

  I mustered up enough courage to yell, “Aye! Leave him alone!”

  But Wallace’s attack didn’t stop. He stomped and kicked at Tank all up until the mall security tore through the crowd of onlookers.

  “Oh shit! The boys here!” Poca yelled. “Time to roll!”

  Chapter 5

  After Silk and I were seated in a booth inside of Red Lobster’s, I handed him a small Nordstrom’s bag. I had gotten him a little something while at the mall earlier.

  “What you go and get daddy?” he asked peering inside.

  “You told me to surprise you. Remember?”

  A wide grin spread across Silk’s chocolate face as he pulled out the ivory Gucci scarf I had brought him. “Damn, bay. You know a nigga’s taste, huh?”

  Smiling bashfully, I told him, “You know I do.”

  He placed the five hundred dollar scarf back into the Nordstrom’s bag. “Come here,” he said leaning over the table. I stood up in my seat and leaned over to kiss my man. His warm, moist tongue slid into my mouth as he kissed me passionately.

  My clit throbbed as he intimately sucked on my bottom lip. It had been quite a few days since he last laid the pipe game and right about now I was ready for him to take me right here on the table.

  He groaned. “Mmm. Lemme stop. You got my dick harder than a mothafucka.”

  We finally took our seats just as our waitress brought us a bowl of Red Lobster’s signature cheddar biscuits.

  “Do you still need a moment to look the menu over?” she asked.

  “No. We’re ready,” Silk answered.

  After placing our orders we were left alone once again. I debated whether or not to tell him about the crazy fight that had taken place at the mall but fortunately I decided against it. Going into details about why the fist fight even occurred was something I did not feel like talking about. Besides, Silk would flip if I even mentioned Tank’s name to him. He still had a hard time believing that I would go behind his back and fuck someone he knew and worked with.