“Bruh, how you wanna lay hands on me when she’s somebody else’s girl?”
“You don’t know what the fuck you talkin’ about and that’s the problem. You stay bringin’ up Spinna. If you so worried about the nigga, you go suck his dick.”
The chick standing next to him scoffed in disgust at my statement, but I didn’t give a fuck. I said what I said.
“Ayyy, chill out with all that disrespect. I don’t know who the fuck you think I am, but I ain’t no hoe, Shane.”
“Do somethin’ then. You brought your simple ass over here fuckin’ with me. You could’ve walked past and acted like you didn’t know me for all I care. Now, you can either get the fuck away from my truck or I can lay your ass out next to the cotton candy,” I said as the anger slowly consumed me.
“Man fuck you.” He waved me off as he walked away.
The nigga didn’t even grab his girl’s hand before walking off. That was some bitch shit to me. The truck was awkwardly silent when I got in. My mother knew I didn’t fuck with Deontay, but she didn’t know the extent until now.
“Is that how it is every time the two of you cross paths?”
“Not all the time. Most times we avoid each other and don’t speak at all. The only reason I entertained him this time was because he said something to Celeste,” I explained to my mother.
The rest of the drive to my mother’s house was silent. Deontay had ruined my mood and I was pissed I’d even let him get to me. I knew the day would come when I would have to stand on my word and beat his ass, but I was hoping he’d chill. My uncle Dennis had done so much for my mother and me over the years and I’d hate for our relationship to crumble because of Deontay’s hating ass. When I pulled into my mom’s driveway, she and Celeste said their goodbyes before I walked her to the door. Other than a hug and goodbye, we didn’t talk much since my dad called. This would be the last time they talked for the day and I wanted them to have as much of their time as they could.
Only God knows if a riot would break out in the morning and the place would be on lockdown for an uncertain amount oftime. When I returned to my truck, Celeste was in the front seat with her seat belt already fastened.
“You stayin’ with me tonight?” I questioned as I backed out of the driveway.
“Can you stay with me? If I come to your house, you’d have to take me back home so I can get my car. I’d rather you stay with me since we’re already on this side of town.”
“That’s cool. I’ll stop by the crib and get clothes. You need me to take you anywhere else before we go in?”
“No. I think I’m okay.”
“You sure? I know how women can be, needing something sweet late at night and shit,” I expressed.
“I’m good. I have a few snacks at the house that I bought yesterday. Plus, I had all that junk food at the fair. I don’t need anything else.”
An hour later, I was pulling into the gates of her townhouse. Thankfully, I remembered the code she’d given me earlier since she was now out cold. Her eyes popped open when I turned the engine off and it took her a few seconds to remember where she was.
“You stopped and got your bag already?”
“Yes, ma’am. I locked you inside the truck and ran up to get some shit. I was gone not even ten minutes. When I came back, you were still asleep.”
“Damn. It doesn’t even feel like I was asleep for long,” she admitted.
“Your phone rang a few times while you were out.”
When she brought her phone to her face, her expression let me know it was probably only Spinna. She hadn’t attempted to call back, meaning the calls weren’t important.
“Why do you pay rent for a townhouse when you live at that nigga’s house?”
“It’s my security. I got this place when I left him the first time. We were broken up for a few months and I wasn’t about to keep paying for hotels or staying with my homegirl. When he put a lock on my store and threatened to stop paying for my mother’s living facility, I decided I’d keep my place just in case. He doesn’t know I still have it though. The only time I’m not here is when he’s home a lot. I don’t need him knowing about my place of peace and trying to fuck it up. Whenever he’s away on trips, or if I just need a small getaway, I come here, to my real home.
“All my things are here. The only stuff I keep at his house are the cars and things he’s bought me. Other than that, everything important is here.”
“I guess that’s smart. Especially if you’re in the middle of an exit plan.”
“I’ll always have a plan. That’s one thing my mother taught me. As a woman, there has to always be something up my sleeve to ensure I’m good. I fucked the plan up when I didn’t press the issue about the building being in my name.”
“There’s gotta be a loophole in that shit. Taxes, something. My mom has a girlfriend in real estate. I’ll ask her to look into it for me,” I said as I closed and locked the front door.
“Thank you. Any information would be appreciated. That location is perfect. If I can keep it without Allen being attached, I’ll jump at the opportunity.”
