“Yes, like my game. I’ve seen myself as one of my characters. She’s so much like me, or I’m like her, it’s hard to explain, but I understand.”
I knew we were getting deep, and I didn’t want to share anything else, so I shifted the conversation. “You going to show me the game or what?”
As much as I didn’t want to pull my eyes away from her to break this moment, I did. I placed my elbows on my knees as the game came on. I snuck peeks at her while her attention was now on the screen. She took a glance at me before refocusing on the game. “You talk a lot of shit about my game, but have you ever played?” she asked.
I stared at the screen before I side-eyed her. “Maybe.” I shrugged.
I watched as every move she made called out to me. I enjoyed the moment we were sharing, but I had an appetite tosatisfy. It was becoming hard to stay focused as my mind kept taking trips back to the other night. Braylen’s time was running out as Beans was beginning to emerge.
She smiled widely, “Well, without boring you, although the game is mystical, it is hyper-realistic,” she paused as she looked at me. “For instance, this world is called Loch Ness. My mother lives on Loch Ness Drive. Or like my favorite character I was telling you about, her name is Pyran,” she paused again as she pointed. “She's right there. Doesn’t she look like me?” she laughed.
“She does kind of look like you, but what does that mean?”
She shrugged. “It may mean nothing, but a thought or two has run across my mind that maybe the Dungeon Master lives here.”
The idea of talking about the whole game thing sat with me even after the podcast. I knew if I said something smart about it, her ass would never let it go. Instead, I slid my jacket off as she began playing the game. I reached over, grabbed her other controller, and sat between her legs. “Can a nigga play with you or what?” I said as my head leaned back to look up at her.
She rolled her eyes. “I guess, but if you get me killed, your ass is done,” she joked.
“A’ight bet.”
Piggy and I began playing the game together. The way her fingers moved on that controller said a lot, but the one thing she didn’t know was that mine were faster. I allowed her to lead me through Loch Ness as we conquered an entire level together. The way she laughed, got angry, and shouted throughout the game showed me where her happiness lay. However, the life she wanted couldn’t look like the game. It was much different, and that was something I didn’t believe she could look past. Herworlds were meshed, and she hadn’t figured out how to separate them.
Once she realized she had unlocked a new level, she got so excited. She pulled my locs, bringing my head back. “You are a liar, you’ve played this before, I know you have.”
I rested my head on her soft thighs, “I said, Maybe, fuck this game though, kiss me again,” I told her.
Every time she looked at me, I saw love in her eyes again. She poked her lips out as she leaned in and pecked my lips. I dropped the controller, turning on my knee to face her. I pulled at her thighs, scooting her closer. She wrapped her arms around my neck.Foreheads touching.There was so much being said without words. I couldn’t deny that I liked her more than I thought. “There are things I need to tell you,” I muttered.
“You can tell me anything,” she mumbled.
I closed my eyes to get my thoughts in order before I shared what I needed to with her. Before I could utter a word, the sound of her phone going off caught my attention. My eyes rolled toward the phone as she kissed the side of my face. When I saw that nigga name pop up, my first reaction was to nut the fuck up because why was Papi texting her?
Now the urge to get to Lexington Heights had moved to the top of my list. It was now game on.
CHEVY
The lighter flicked on, letting its amber flames sizzle at my blunt. I inhaled the smoke, holding it in my lungs before releasing it into the air. I sat outside the Laureaux home, debating if this invite was a setup or if Bobbie was trying to save face. It took me a few days to decide whether to accept or not, but shit, why not?
After taking a few more pulls, I got out of my car and strolled up to the door. I rang the doorbell, waiting for someone to answer. When the person opened it, I wasn’t surprised to see they had maids.
The first thing I noticed was that the house was full of money, but was loveless as fuck. The only reason I knew was that at one point, it was how I lived as well. I stepped further into the foyer when Bobbie came from a side room to greet me. “Mr. Calloway.”
“What’s up?” I said dryly.
I could tell he was expecting a different reaction, but for people like him, I didn’t have anything to give. He pointed toward the back of the house, “Let’s go to my office.”
He led the way as my eyes landed on everything around me. From the awards, pictures and all of the décor. When we got to his office, he sat first, then I. He pulled out a cigar, lit it, then focused on me. “I know that you are fond of my son, Braylen, and—”
“You mean Beans,” I corrected him.
“Braylen,” he paused. “I know he hangs with your crew, but my son needs to be around like-minded people like him. I’m not sure the image he’s portrayed to you all, but that boy is—”
I shook my head before waving my finger. “Let me stop you right there. First, he’s not a boy, and you’re saying that tells me all I need to know about you. Have you ever considered the image youclaimhe’s putting on for my crew and me is truly who he is?”
He laughed. “I know my son.”
“And I know him too. You think I didn’t see those awards back there? The nigga is smart, but he’s broken, and if I had to guess, it’s because people like you and your wife made him the way he is. Niggas don’t come from their mother’s womb angry. They’re taught, or something happened in their lives to make them feel that way. You call me here for what? To try and convince me to do some shit that you knew I wouldn’t agree to before you called me? Frankly, Bobbie, I don’t give a fuck about you,” I said as I stood up to leave.
