“Nyx an ole hating ass nigga… Troian, are you going to fix lunch for your family?”
“Fuck nah, she ain’t because y’all getting the fuck out. Done interrupted our nap coming in here with all that damn noise. I’mma change the damn code on my door, I damn sure shouldn’t have given Yanna my shit.”
“Um, excuse you.”
“Shit.” Kian exclaimed!
“Kian! That’s a bad word, baby, don’t say that.” Troi reprimanded.
“Yea, don’t say things daddy says, Ki, he always saying bad words,” Yanna added, earning her a playful shove from Onyx. “Anyway, cousin, what’s for lunch?”
“What y’all want?”
“Baby!” Onyx exclaimed because he knew he’d just told Quan they were getting out of his house. Deep down he knew they didn’t take his threats seriously, and Troi wasn’t about to just put them out.
“What, Nyx? I was about to fix something anyway. They’re here now.”
“Yea, we here now, Nyx.” Kas chastised, reaching his hand out to Yanna, who pulled away from his grasp.
She gave him the cold shoulder the entire time Troi prepared lunch, and the entire time they sat and ate the smashed burgers and fries. By the time they were finished, the quietness between the two had seemingly rubbed off on everyone else. Quan and Kalil headed outside to chill by the pool while Onyxand Troi headed upstairs to bathe and clothe Kian. That left Yanna and Kas on dish duty. Although Troi and Onyx’s kitchen was equipped with a state-of-the-art dishwasher, Layla always had the boys wash dishes by hand after sharing a meal as a family. Troi and Yanna quickly adapted to their way of doing things. The silence between Kas and Yanna was colossal, words going unspoken as Kas washed and she dried. Yanna was the first to break the silence, snatching a plate from Kas’ hand and vigorously wiping it with a towel.
“Explain.”
That one word caused Kas’ heart to skip a beat. He knew the inquisition would be coming at some point. The jokes and seemingly unbothered demeanor was all a ruse on Yanna’s behalf. She may have had everyone else in their lives fooled, but Kas knew the parts of her she dared not show anyone else. The despondency in her voice as she asked him to explain his slip-up let him know he’d hurt her.
“I—”
“Like, you really get a kick out of making me feel like an idiot, don’t you?”
“Nah, you know I don’t.”
“So then explain yourself because I’m really trying to understand.”
“Okay, I’ll explain.”
“Fuck your explanations. I don’t want to hear that bullshit.”
“But you literally just told me to do it.”
“That was before I realized you weren’t going to spew nothing but lies like the lying ass nigga you are. You’re so fucking embarrassing. And tell that lazy eye having bitch Yasmine, I’ll drag her, and every last one of her petty ass friends she had tag me in that video. You would’ve thought she’d learn from her friend Brea, but I guess not.” Yanna huffed. “I’ll make youcharter me a jet just so I can fly to Cali and beat her ass. Keep playing with me.”
Kas’ visage remained stoic as he dipped a glass into the dishwater and began cleaning it. He was aware he’d messed up, but Yanna wasn’t about to stand there and play victim when she was the one constantly pushing him away. “You doing an awful lot for somebody who just yesterday was screaming ‘bout how I’m not yo man.”
“You know what? You are so right.” Yanna seized the glass from Kas’ hand, smirking while she dried it. “You are not my man, so you’re free to do whatever you want… and so am I. I wonder what Kalil doing when he leaves.” She questioned for no other reason than to get a rise out of Kas before attempting to walk off. She hadn’t even taken a few steps before she felt herself being captured in a bear hug.
“Why the fuck you gotta play?”
“Let me go, your hands are wet!”
“What I tell yo ass about making them lil’ comments about my cousin? You think that shit funny?”
“Why should it matter? Like I said, you do whatever the hell you want to do, so can I. If your cousin happens to be what I want to do… well.” Yanna’s response caused Kas to squeeze her tighter. “Stop squeezing me like that, I can’t breathe.”
“Good, maybe now you’ll shut the fuck up. Always talking shit. I told you to let me explain!”
“And I told you I don’t want to hear it! I know all I need to know, but I promise the bitch can have you.”
“You don’t know shit, you never know shit. All you do is react, so you can have an excuse to go out and be a hoe.”
