You Ain't My Type

by Nicole Jackson

The duo had decided to post up at another cabana filled with men. They were already taking shots, as the men were surrounding them like vultures. Almost as if there were some sort of censors on Taz and Omari, they immediately noticed.

  “Ooh, shit, they’re headed over to the cabana,” Rye announced.

  Everyone looked on as both Mya and Taraj were quickly snatched up.

  “I told you. I told you. Those hoes love flirting with danger,” Keyasia muttered.

  Rye nodded in agreement. “True.”

  Daynah shook her head. “Key, you talked to Josairah? She’s not coming?”

  “I think she’s coming out when the sun goes down a bit,” Keyasia responded.

  Daynah rolled her eyes. “That’s why her ass shouldn’t have gotten pregnant again. Always showing up late like some old tired ass woman.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Before the conversation could go any further, someone tapped Rye on her shoulder again. Thinking that it was another bouncer, she whipped her head around. “What?”

  Dee tucked her lips into her mouth. “Uh, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Rye narrowed her eyes. “What’s up?”

  Dee shook her head. “I wanna talk in private.”

  Rye rolled her eyes, as she scooted off the couch. After standing up, she stepped around the couch, leaving the cabana. Dee then tipped back a bit, as Rye moved closer, insuring that they were out of earshot.

  “Okay, what’s up?” Rye questioned impatiently.

  Dee shook her head. “It’s crazy that how I watched you interact with a bunch of chicks like you’ve known them forever. But with me you’re always stiff, and cold. I didn’t even know that you laugh like this.”

  “Alright, DeAndra, you called me over here to tell me that?”

  “No, I called you over here, because I’m at a party and think that it’s crazy that my sister is across the way and we’re moving like two strangers. I know that stuff got heated the last time. I can admit that I was wrong. Maybe I’m in denial because we’re talking about my daddy. I was being oversensitive and in my feelings, but at the end of the day we’re sisters. I don’t wanna be at odds with you. I want us to hang, so I can see what those other chicks see from you.”

  Rye gulped, realizing that perhaps she hadn’t been the best sister to DeAndra. “Look, I’m sorry for putting my hands on you. That wasn’t cool. And you’re right. We are sisters and I’m willing to work on us, if you are.”

  “Cool,” Dee smiled.

  “Okay, now, I guess that I’ll introduce you to my niece and her friends.”

  Dee narrowed her eyes. “Your niece?”

  Rye giggled. “Yes, my niece. She’s actually a year older than me.”

  “Oh, wow,” Dee snickered, as they headed back to the cabana.

  Rye took the time to introduce her sister to everyone who was posted up under the cabana, before going back to rocking to the music. She had her second wind now.

  “Yeah that's my dawg for sure. Yeah that's my dawg. Me and my dawg. We gave 'em two in a row. Me and my dawg. We gave 'em two in a row. Deja keep on callin'. She say she ready to pull up. As soon as I get there, walk in. I'ma put her in a full nelson. I'm on my way, I'm goin' fast, I'm comin' home to get you…”

  “Yesss!” Keyasia hopped up, rolling her hips, before rapping to Rye. “Hundred thousand dollars on my neck. 'Nother fifty thousand on my wrist. Every nigga with me real rich. Niggas havin' pressure 'bout a bitch…”

  “Ayyye!” Rye wagged her tongue, as she swayed her hips.

  “Say, come’ere,” Jaylen commanded, grabbing her elbow.

  “Huh?” she gazed up at him.

  “Let me holler at ya.” He tossed an arm around her shoulder.

  Together they traveled away from the cabana.

  “What’s up?” Rye questioned.

  “Aye, I know you like kicking it with the girls and all, but did you just forget about ya boy?”

  Rye’s heart smiled, realizing that he just wanted her attention. “You know I was just giving you space to do your thing. You are at work, technically.”

  “Yeah, but I’m the boss, baby. We did our thing putting this shit together. So, now, I’m mostly just enjoying the party, and watching you cut up over there. I hope you aint straining the baby with all that gyrating you doing.”

  “I’m listening to my body. Trust me.”

  “Oh yeah?” he stepped near the pool.

  “You trying to get in?”

  “Maybe just a few steps at the most. I know you aint trying to get your hair wet and shit.”

  “Okay.” She pulled away from him and stepped out of her Jordans. She then lifted her jersey over her head with no shame. She wore a multi-colored string bikini top that crisscrossed over her breasts, which also left her protruding belly fully exposed.

  Jaylen looked at her with adoration, until she tugged at her shorts. “Nah, nah,” he immediately spoke up. “Keep them shorts on.”

  She sucked her teeth. “Why? We’re at the pool, Jaylen.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t care. Them shorts aint coming off, girl. End of discussion.”

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes.

  Wearing Gucci swimming trunks, he stepped into the pool. After the third step to the bottom of the pool he sat down, bringing Rye down on his lap. Boldly, she wasted no time gripping his chin, before slipping her tongue into his mouth. Jaylen hungrily kissed her back and the party goers looked on.

  “I don’t know why you had me come over here with you,” she whispered to him. “You know how I can get. You get to touching me, and I’ma want to fuck.”

  He smirked. “Then let’s go in the house. You can sit on it.”

  She giggled. “Nope. It’s plenty of time for that. I’m bout to go back over there with my girls. I knew that’s all your nasty ass wanted, anyway.”

  “Nah,” he quickly denied. “I just wanted to kick it with my best friend. Am I wrong for that?”

  She pecked his lips. “Not at all.”

  “Yeah, okay. But anyway, was that your sister I saw sitting over there?”

  “Yeah, that was her. She apologized.”

  He nodded. “That’s what’s up. I’m glad yall talked. She is your family, after all.”

  Rye sighed heavily. “I know.”

  He furrowed his brows. “Why you say it like that?”

  “I guess I just realized that our drama hasn’t been completely one-sided like I thought in my head.”

  “I mean, I figured that, after I thought about it,” he admitted.

  She eyed him. “How so?”

  He licked his lips. “Well, before anything between us popped off, she was nowhere on your IG. Yall are close enough in age to at least hang out some time, but you were moving like she didn’t exist. And you never really talked about her, beyond how your supposed daddy treated yall differently.”

  “Yeah,” she breathed. “I think that’s where the problem lied. After a while, him treating us differently impacted our relationship. It was different when we were little and didn’t know any better. But once I was old enough to see the favoritism, it dictated how I handled her. Then when I would complain about him, she’d always defend him. It was because we weren’t experiencing the same person. I mean, I can’t really blame her. If I had been his favorite, I probably would feel the same way. It’s hard to look past what you feel about somebody to understand how another person may feel. Anyway, I stopped letting her follow me around. I didn’t want her being in my personal space. All I knew was that she got treated better, and never stopped to think how that wasn’t her fault. My issue with Dewayne should’ve remained between me and him, but I couldn’t help myself. And maybe that’s why it was so easy for me to dismiss the fact that she’d been with you. I had stopped caring about her feelings.”

  Jaylen nodded. “I hear what you saying. Most of it, anyway. But you know damn well that you was fucking with a nigga, regardless. Close with your sister or not. So, stop bul
lshitting with yourself.”

  She playfully shoved him as she tittered. “Stop playing with me.”

  He chuckled, before growing serious. “No, for real. From what I can tell, your sister aint that bad. And I think that you need to mend the relationship. The world is filled with too much bullshit to be at odds with your own people.”

  Chapter 25

  “What’s up, stranger? You finally decided to stop by, huh?” Ray-Ray greeted at the front door.

  “I’ve been meaning to come over. I’ve just been tied up,” Rye responded as she ambled into the house.

  “I heard. You been trying to get your salon together?” he questioned, as he flopped down on the couch.

  “Yep.” She sat down next to him. “I never realized how much work it would be. Thankfully, Jaylen has been helping out, otherwise I don’t know what I’d be doing. Probably pulling my hair out.”

  Ray-Ray nodded in satisfaction. “That nigga is carrying his weight, huh?”

  She smirked. “He does his part.”

  “That’s good to hear, otherwise I’d be getting on his ass. He’s been treating you right?”

  Rye nodded.

  “Good. And you know that you can always call me for help, right? I’ll come down there and do whatever you need me to do.”

  “No, you’re alright. You’ve done enough.”

  “Shit, you aint nothing like your sisters. When I offered at your age they always accepted. Didn’t mind emptying my pockets.”

  Rye laughed. “Well, maybe I need to get more like them. I just don’t want you feeling like every time you see me I have my hand out.”

  “If you was asking for too much, I’d let you know. Even then, I’d probably compromise. Hell, it aint like your sisters still need anything. I could borrow money from them.”

  “True,” Rye agreed. “Especially Raven. She can flip a coin in her sleep.”

  “Yeah, that girl is a natural born hustler. I give her that. She’s a drama queen too, but I guess she got it honest.”

  Rye smiled.

  “Anyway, what are we having? Boy or girl?”

  Rye sighed heavily. “We don’t know yet. The stubborn baby wouldn’t open their legs when it was time to find out.”

  Ray chuckled. “I wonder where they got that from?”

  Rye scratched the back of her neck. “I don’t know. Probably Jaylen.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “Rayvon, did you eat my damn Oreos?” Roz stomped into the living room.

  Rye glanced her way and was still in awe, like the first time she’d seen her. Ray and the gang had kids, way before their time, therefore they often rivaled people in Rye’s generation when it came to looks. In Roz’s case it was the latter. With her natural hair pulled up into a bun at the crown of her head she resembled a thick ripe teen.

  Ray-Ray stared at the floor as if he were a child, waiting to be chastised. “I think I did.”

  Roz angrily shook her head. “This that shit I be talking about. See, that’s why I need to be single. You always eating my shit.”

  Rye couldn’t help laughing. From all the tales she’d heard about her father, one would expect a certain kind of persona from him. Rye had witnessed him in different environments, therefore, she’d seen him literally strike fear on the streets, his kids respected him, but with Roz…she ran the show. Of course, Rye was wise enough to know that Ray allowed Roz to have her way most times, nonetheless, it was still amusing.

  “What’s funny, belly?” Roz addressed Rye.

  Rye attempted to stop laughing but failed miserably. “Nothing.”

  “Uh huh.” Roz sat next to her on the couch. “No, but seriously, how have you been? Is everything okay on your end?”

  Rye nodded. “Yep, I can’t complain. But what’s going on with you?”

  “Girl,” Roz huffed, as she played with the back of her hair. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  Rye arched a brow. “Try me.”

  “Okay,” she exhaled. “I had been feeling bad lately. You know a bitch is getting old, so I thought that I was just going through the change a lil’ early. I’ve read about that happening sometimes. So, I walked around thinking I’m in the pre-menopause stage. That means that I wasn’t even looking for a period. Anyway, I goes to the doctor and the bastard tells me that I’m nine weeks fucking pregnant.”

  “No,” Rye gasped.

  “Exactly, that’s what I’m saying. Now, I’ma madder than a muthafucka. My old ass aint got no business getting pregnant. Hell, I thought ya daddy was shooting out dust these days.”

  Ray’s head snapped up. “Ion know how the fuck you thought that. I kept telling you that we aint that old. Besides, you need to stop bitching. That baby is a blessing. We gon finally do shit the conventional way. All of us under one roof.”

  Roz pursed her lips. “You forever trying to make up for lost time. But you’re forgetting that we have grandkids and shit.” She thought about it. “Oh, my God. I can just hear Keyasia now. Grandmas aint supposed to spin on the D, ganny.”

  “Well, it’s not everyday that people become grandparents in their late twenties, so I think you’re the exception,” Rye offered.

  “I guess. And Chantel’s ass don’t make it no better. Talking about it was the Geritol.”

  Rye tittered. “You and Ms. Chantel be kicking it tough, huh?”

  “Girl, yea. That’s my girl. I think we’re cut from the same cloth and have been close since I met her way back when.”

  Ray-Ray shook his head. “Yall like to get together and be messy. Chantel never did know how to mind her own business.”

  Roz playfully rolled her eyes. “That’s good. She keeps everybody honest.”

  “Yeah, if you say so.”

  Roz laughed. “Oh, yeah, Rye, how’s your mama been doing?”

  Rye sighed heavily. “Honestly, I don’t know. We haven’t been on the best of terms lately.”

  Ray-Ray frowned. “Why not?”

  Rye cleared her throat. “The drama with my…I mean, her baby’s daddy, Dewayne, and my sister has been spilling over into our relationship. Recently, me and my sister made up, but nothing has changed with her baby’s daddy. Sometimes I feel like she wants me to say that I forgive him so that she can go back home with a clear conscious. She don’t think I know that they’ve been spending time together and what not.”

  Roz scrunched up her face. “What’s wrong with that?”

  Rye realized that there was so much of herself she hadn’t shared with them to protect her mama’s image in their eyes. However, she couldn’t do that, anymore. If she did, it would mean ignoring her own feelings to accommodate her mother’s, and she was done putting herself last.

  “It’s kind of a long story, but I didn’t know that Ray-Ray was my real daddy until recently. I only found out different, after hanging with Jaylen in California.”

  Ray-Ray frowned. “How did that happen?”

  Rye sighed. “I was dating this sports’ agent named Tori. He’d brought me to L.A. hoping to sign Little Jeremy. Anyway, Tori disrespected me, and I hopped out of his car. I ran into Jhyrah, Jaylen, and the rest of them on Rodeo Drive. I ended up hanging with them. I asked my mama to help me get back to Houston. She made up all kinds of excuses. So, I just stayed out there. Jaylen took me back to my hotel to get my stuff, and him and Tori got into it. Mind you, this had nothing to do with my parents, but after Tori calls them, they try to find a way to get me home. He was influencing them because Dewayne had been getting landscaping contracts through Tori’s daddy. So, they started inserting themselves into my business. Telling me that I couldn’t end my relationship when I wanted to. But I was fed up, so I kept my word about being done with Tori. When I made it back to Houston, Tori was waiting in my apartment. He attacked me before spitting on me---”

  “Wait, hold up. What you mean, he attacked you?” Ray-Ray snarled.

  “He…he was chocking me and hitting me. Then before he left he spat on me.”
/>   Roz shook her head. “And where is he now?”

  Rye shrugged. “I don’t know. At home or out traveling, doing what he does.”

  Ray-Ray angrily nodded. “So, what did that bitch ass nigga ya mama calls her man do?”

  Rye gulped. “I went over to their house and told my mama what happened. I let her know that Tori had been fighting me for years. She legit seemed regretful that she’d been pushing me to stay with him, but Dewayne was a different case. He was only concerned about me making him lose money. So, he called me selfish and slapped me. And then blurted out that I wasn’t his daughter, no how. That’s when my mama was forced to tell me the truth.”

  Hearing that, Ray-Ray was seething mad. “Why didn’t you tell me this shit from the beginning?”

  “I wasn’t comfortable then, and I didn’t want you thinking anything fucked-up about my mama. But I’m realizing that I be keeping stuff in, worried about people when they put themselves first.”

  “I’m pissed because I would’ve been went to see that man. I really hadn’t said anything before now, because I respected the fact that he’d taken care of you. I still feel a way towards your mama, but I didn’t fault him.”

  Rye nodded. “I understand, but truthfully he was the reason you didn’t know about me sooner. He didn’t want us to have a relationship and my mama listened. In fact, he’s still mad and called himself telling me that I had to either choose you or him. And I look at my mama different, because I have to remind her too many times that everything that happened aint my fault. I’ve been the scapegoat for so long that it’s just in their nature to be blame me first. We acknowledge that Dewayne always treated my sister better, but I think my mama had just been appreciative that he’d accepted her with her baggage at all. Of course, I don’t like being labeled as her baggage. So, if and when she decides to fully go back to him, I don’t know where that will leave us.”

  Roz rocked back and forth. “I’m getting mad listening to this. That couldn’t be me. I wouldn’t give a damn about that loser being my baby daddy. He’d have to go. Period.”

  “That’s alright. Konya can be stupid all she wants, but I’ma bash that nigga’s head in when I see ‘im. On God.”