I glanced back at Mali, who snickered. “What’s good, Black Man?” Mali asked.
I stood by his bedside, “Shit, checking on you. Seeing where your head’s at.”
He tossed his hands up. “I mean, who wants to be in this position? I’ve been thinking about what the doctors said, and no matter how many times I try to rationalize it, the truth remains that I can’t walk.”
I could see the hurt in his eyes. The entire thing was tearing him apart. “What about—”
Chevy stood. “Don’t bring it up. That’s the last thing a nigga wants to think about while trying to figure out what things are going to be like when he leaves this place.”
I turned to Chevy. “Respectfully, I wasn’t talking to you.”
Chevy nodded. “Respectfully, huh? Well, Mr.EducatedBlack Man, so you call yourself. Next time you want to help your fellow brother who’s going through sobriety, don’t bring up anything that’s going to give him a reason to relapse. For a nigga with the word educated in his name, you sure are a simple muhfucka. Mali, call if you need something. I’m out before I allow my inner ignorant nigga to unleash on the, what you call yourself?” He paused as he stepped up to me, tapping my chest with the back of his hand. “Black Educated Ass Nigga and trust I’ll add theSfor spice. You know, to add a little razzle fucking dazzle.”
I sucked my teeth as my lip curled up when Chevy turned his back on me to walk out the door. Once he disappeared, I focused my attention back on Mali, whose brows raised. “The nigga can be tough, but he's a soldier. I can tell he's been through some things, like all of us. Ease up, Beans, we all have to learn to listen to someone.”
“Nah, y’all got to do that. I cannot be controlled.”
Mali laughed. “Yeah, nigga, your parents fucked you up just like the rest of ours did; yours just have money,” he paused. “You need to relax, go find some pussy. You're uptight. It’s almost your birthday and the holidays, go find you a Hoe-Hoe-Hoe,” he joked.
With all the jokes he tried to crack, I knew beyond that smile, my nigga Mali was broken. All of it was too familiar. After leaving the hospital, I thought about what he said. It was possible I needed some pussy to exert my energy and frustration. However, I was a different kind of nigga in that element and in my life outside of TSU and the Zoo. It was a part of me that no one could tame or even imagine, including Piggy. So, if I decided to play that game and really get involved, she needed to be an expert at her fucking craft of taming a beast like me.
I decided to return to campus a day early. Before going to my mother’s house to collect my things and head back, I met up with a few friends at the local gaming café. When I got inside, Tyrek spotted me. He stood from the chair, waving his hand in the air, alerting me to come over. I rolled my eyes because every interaction with him had become more awkward.
Tyrek and I have known each other since elementary school. The only difference is that he started at City College and transferred to TSU in his sophomore year. He and I have been into Treasure of Doom since our senior year of high school. Our history was strange. He and I tried dating as boyfriend and girlfriend once before, but it didn't lead anywhere. We even went so far as to lose our virginities to each other. It was a night I would never forget. I hadn’t even blinked before his body shuddered and bucked, ending that experience in regret.
I walked over and sat down between him and Fallon. She was so into the game that she quickly glanced at me beforeplacing her eyes back on the screen. I put on the headset and started the game. I selected Pyran as my character, as I always did.Iwas just like Pyran in the game. She wanted what she couldn’t have: a real life outside of Loch Ness Forest. She longed to explore and see things she’d never seen, and I wasn’t any different.
There was a time when Pyran set out to find her brother, Theron, and stumbled upon a cave. The dark, eerie feeling made her ears twitch. The low growl of something fierce lurking beyond the darkness gave her a tinge of fear, but it turned into fascination as the sound drew closer. She ran behind the nearest tree to hide and waited to see what would emerge from the cave. When the vast, shadowy figure appeared, it wasn’t fear anymore; it was something else, but she couldn’t quite figure out what.
Braylen was like the mysterious beast lurking in that cave. He was the forbidden creature you didn't disturb. The one my magic couldn’t affect; he was the one thing everyone in Loch Ness Forest feared, and if they didn’t, they soon would. I couldn’t get into it all the way before I felt Tyrek’s hand sliding up and down my leg. When I glanced over at him, his brows raised as if I was supposed to be excited. “Get your hands off me,” I mumbled.
He shrugged. “You act like you don’t like it. Paige, you'll always be my girl. Let’s face it, we’re meant for each other. Nerd guy and nerd girl,” he said, smiling widely.
Tyrek reminded me of the goblin in the game that was bound to the families like glue. No matter what, he wouldn’t go away. I was already annoyed, and dealing with Tyrek made it no better. He wasn’t my type. Although I, too, was a nerd, I wasn’t attracted to them. I was more attracted to men much like my brothers, hood, or at least with those characteristics. I got up from the table to leave because I wasn’t feeling it. I was so ina rush to leave the building that I bumped into someone. “I’m sorry,” I muttered.
“It’s ok, girl. I’m in a rush as well,” she laughed.
I looked her up and down because, from what I was seeing, her being in a place like this seemed off. “You work here?” I asked.
“No, I come to play with some of the other people. One of my friends turned me on to this place when I started to get into this game called Treasure of Doom.”
I nodded slowly. “Well, good luck.”
She held her hand out, “I’m Morgan.”
I paused before I accepted her handshake. “I’m Paige, nice to meet you,” I said as I began to walk off.
She came up behind me and tapped my shoulder. “Look, I don’t have many gamer friends, but if you want, you can follow me, it’s Blkdance_Slayer.”
I almost wanted to laugh. “Ok,Dance Slayer.”
I gave her a tight-lipped smile before walking out of the café. The last thing I needed in my life was new friends and gamer ones at that. It seemed like being in that world, I wasn’t taken seriously, not only with my family, but with Braylen as well.
MORGAN
“Alyse, oh my God. What has that boy done to you?” I giggled.
She sighed. “He’s opening me up some. Hey, I will be down there for Christmas break, so make time for me. I know I need to catch up since I’ve missed rehearsal.”
