Derrick bounced his eyes between the two as if he was at a tennis match and the set was close.
“Don’t tell me what to do, just take this and go away,” Emani directed, stretching her arm out further.
Jahlil tilted his head and looked down at her. “What I look like? A cheap piece of dick. You’re not going to throw sixty dollars at me and kick me out. That’s not how this shit is going to go.”
Emani yelped in laughter. “Sixty dollars for dick? I swear you always gave me back change. Take it or leave it.”
“You ain’t never got no damn change. Good dick, good sleep, and a good attitude is what you got. Looks like you need a refresher,” Jahlil challenged, moving closer.
Emani laughed bitterly. “You don’t want to go there with me. Take this, put some damn clothes on, and get out.”
“Rose,” Jahlil trilled, trying to mask how hot she had him. “Cut the bullshit.”
“Girl,” Derrick gasped. “That’s-”
“Get out, Jahlil,” Emani muttered, walking out of the kitchen the opposite way after leaving the money on the counter. As she stomped up the stairs she shouted, “Come on, Derrick!”
“Ohhh weee.” Derrick fanned himself. “Y’all always been like this?”
“Only when she don’t fuckin’ listen. Make sure she eats, she’s been up all night,” Jahlil said, irritated he couldn’t climb the stairs behind her.
“Mmm,” Derrick groaned. “To be a fly on that wall.”
Jahlil cut him a look for no other reason that when it came down to how him and Emani used to be, that wasn’t information privy to anyone else. “Don’t.”
“So I won’t ask about how long you had her up,” Derrick mused.
“For your nosey ass information, if I had her up, she’d be knocked out holding the pillow right now. Feed her. Please.”
Derrick saluted him as he walked past toward the door. “Sir, yes sir.”
Jahlil shook his head and let the quiet breeze of Los Oceania grace his face. He’d much rather it be Emani on it, working out years of pent up aggression but he took what he could get. University Row was a ghost town compared to what it was last night. The remnants of partygoers were on the lawns, even some passed out on the porches from the night of partying. The minute his head hit the pillow, he was passing out too. He let the stillness ease him the couple houses down.
The house was quiet, but the evidence of a wild night met him at the door. Red solo cups, empty bottles of liquor on the counters, tables and ottomans, and the faint aroma of that Azul Kush. Yeah, a time was had while he was balled up on a couch listening to Emani try to settle herself. He wanted to hold her, kiss away all the pain she’d experienced without him but it was too soon.
The clacking of bottles pulled him from his tired climb to the floor housing his room. Donnée tip-toed inside from the pool house Kyrie claimed on the ride here. Her pink shirt was inside out, skirt on backwards and her hair that was nicely done the night before was in a makeshift ponytail.
“You’re too damn old to be doing the walk of shame,” Jahlil said in an amused tone.
“I wouldn’t have to if she didn’t have rehearsals so damn early. How mad is she?” Donnée asked just above a whisper.
“Oh, she’s mad as hell but not with you. It’s all on me, there’s breakfast and coffee. Derrick is there.”
“He saw you?” Donnée asked, eyes bugging.
“Yeah,” Jahlil shrugged as if it were nothing.
“Fuck, let me go bribe him with something to keep him quiet,” Donnée stated, quickening to the door.
“You act like I had her spread open on the counter and he walked in,” Jahlil grumbled, taking a few more steps. “It ain’t that deep.”
“Last night’s little kickback is already causing some fire online and I can just imagine what Malik is barking about.”
Jahlil stopped. “He be talking to her crazy?”
Donnée didn’t want to lie and she didn’t want to tell Emani’s business either. She pulled in a deep breath and then pushed out a huff of air. “Let’s just say she’s abandoned a lot of herself for this to work.”
“For the fuck what?” Jahlil asked, getting irritated all over again.
