Abnormal Lives (19 page)

Paris took a seat on the sofa and Simone and Stefan sat on the loveseat across from him.

“What it is, hoes? Long time, no see; what's been going on?” Paris asked.

“Ain't nothing; the same old shit,” Stefan replied.

“I was starting to wonder if I'd ever see y'all asses again,” Paris said. “Seems like ever since y'all got them little jobs at the bank, don't nobody hear from y'all.”

“How you know we were working at the bank?” Stefan asked.

“Crystal told me that he seen y'all one day when he was up there waiting for one of his clients to get some money,” Paris answered.

“Well, you know our number and where to find us,” Simone said. “It doesn't look like your fingers or feet are broken to me. Why you ain't call or come over?”

“I went over there one day when I was coming from the pizza parlor but your car wasn't outside,” Paris said. “I even sat on the porch and ate my pizza while I waited for y'all to come home but y'all never showed up. And after I finished eating, I was out.”

“What has Crystal been up to?” Stefan asked.

“I don't even see his ass no more,” Paris said. “He's been running around getting high with some nigga.”

“What you mean, getting high?” Simone asked.

“Smoking crack,” Paris said.

“What!” Simone exclaimed. “Get the fuck out of here!”

“Hell yeah, we all fuck with a little powder every now and then,” Paris said. “But this nigga done bit the bullet and him and his man is straight hitting the pipe.”

“Who is his man?” Stefan asked.

Paris grinned. “Anthony, you know the one that used to live down the street from y'all.”

“You're shitting me,” Simone said. “I didn't know he was like that.”

“Girl, please,” Paris said. “That thing tried to holler at me about a year ago. They say he's bi or something and I don't swing that route. I'm gonna need a nigga to make up his mind if he wants to be with me.”

“I hear that,” Stefan said in agreement.

“I wonder what his mama had to say about it,” Simone said. “She's supposed to be in the church and everything.”

“She probably knew all along,” Stefan said. “See, that's what the problem was back in the day; his peeps knew that nigga wanted me,” Stefan said, nudging Simone.

“Oh yeah, did Michael ever confront you about what happened to his apartment?” Simone asked.

Paris nodded. “Yeah, you mean to tell me, we haven't talk since then?”

Stefan and Simone shook their heads.

“Well, let me tell you about that,” Paris said.

Simone squirmed around on the loveseat, anxious to hear what Paris had to say.

“Don't you know he had the nerve to bring the police around here,” Paris said.

“You're lying,” Simone said.

“Shit, no I ain't,” Paris said. “And had the nerve to tell them I be stalking him.”

“No, he didn't,” Simone said.

“Oh yes, he did,” Paris replied. “And get this, he told them that he met me through a friend of his and ain't know I was gay until I tried to come on to him and he put me in my place right then and there and cut ties with me and ever since then, I had been stalking him.”

“Ol' boy was straight shitting,” Stefan said.

“Humph, wasn't he,” Paris replied. “I started to go to the bathroom and toss his ass a roll of toilet paper.”

“Well, what did you say, Paris?” Simone asked. “'Cause I know you ain't let that shit go down like that.”

“I told them if that muthafucka put me in my place, it must've been in his bed and it's hard to stalk somebody if they lying on top of you every night,” Paris said.

Simone laughed and stomped her feet on the floor with excitement.

“I know he ain't like that shit,” Stefan said.

“You know he didn't; he went off,” Paris said. “He even tried to attack me. I could've sworn he was gonna knock the shit out me, but them officers grabbed him and threw his ass on the ground just in time.”

“I know you were happy they held that nigga down,” Simone teased.

“Hell yeah, I had just gotten my micro-braids touched up. I wasn't trying to fuck with him,” Paris said.

“Did you and Jewel ever make back up?” Simone asked.

“Hell naw,” Paris said. “Don't be asking me no stupid shit like that.”

“You ain't lying; you'd be a damn fool to kick it with him again,” Stefan said.

“I know, right,” Paris agreed. “He called here though.”

“And what did he have to say?” Stefan asked.

“He was talking all this shit about how Michael was his man now and how he was gonna fuck me up for what I did to his place,” Paris said.

“What did you say?” Simone asked.

“I told him to bring that shit; he knows where I live,” Paris said. “You know he wasn't trying to do that, so he tried to play it off, talking 'bout I was lucky he had somewhere to go 'cause if he didn't, he'd be over here whipping my ass.”

“Damn, he was talking shit, wasn't he,” Simone said.

“Hell yeah,” Stefan agreed. “That nigga must be eating his damn Wheaties.”

“King Vitamins or something,” Simone added. “That muthafucka done got bold.”

“I ain't thinking about his ass,” Paris said. “He's still the same scared-ass nigga.”

“Yeah, I think so, too,” Simone said.

“Naw, ain't nothing changed,” Stefan said. “The nigga always been telephone hard; he'll talk all types of shit on the phone. Tell you he'll fuck you up, talk about yo' mama, and some more shit.”

“But when it's time to go to blows, his ass can't follow through,” Paris added.

“Hell yeah, that nigga be hiding behind trees, rolling underneath cars, and some more shit,” Stefan said.

Paris nodded. “Exactly, just like he was that day we went to fuck Danny up for Simone. His ass straight disappeared. Stefan ain't told you about that, Simone?”

Simone shook her head. “Naw.”

“The whole time we was out that joint rumbling, Jewel was under Danny's car on some stop, drop, and roll shit,” Stefan said.

“Why y'all ain't call him out on it?” Simone asked.

“I was too busy laughing at his ass,” Paris answered.

“I was too ashamed to say anything,” Stefan answered.

“Well, he got to know y'all bound to cross paths sooner or later,” Simone said.

“All I got to say is he better hope we don't,” Paris said. “'Cause I'll kill his ass.”

“Why bother when you can get Stefan to do it for you?” Simone said.

Stefan cut his eyes at Simone and decided not to respond to her comment. “Speaking of Danny, Simone found her another one.”

“Another what?” Paris asked.

“Jock,” Stefan said.

“Go head on, not another high school basketball player,” Paris said. “Don't you think you a little too old for that?”

“Naw,” Simone said.

“I heard that,” Paris replied. “Take it any way you can get it; I ain't mad at you.”

Stefan looked at Simone and chuckled.

“That's not what I meant,” Simone said. “He's not in high school, he's—”

“Thirty-seven and a professional boxer,” Stefan announced.

“Go 'head; what's his name?” Paris asked.

“Wayne,” Simone answered.

“You can't be talking about what's his name...Wayne Jasper,” Paris said.

Simone nodded. “That's him.”

“You're lying,” Paris said.

“Naw, she ain't; she met him at the detail shop,” Stefan replied.

“I'll tell you one thing, that nigga was always taking a beating in the ring,” Paris said.

“Wasn't he?” Stefan agreed.

“How y'all know?” Simone asked.

“'Cause we've seen his fights,” Paris said.

“You're lying,” Simone said.

“No, I ain't,” Paris said. “How the hell you think he got them dimples?”

“Hell yeah, a nigga drilled them joints in,” Stefan joked.

“Naw, for real, he is gorgeous,” Paris said. “I'd love to get my hands on him. Shit, I'll drink his bath water. Can you get me a cup?”

Stefan laughed. “Now, that's nasty.”

“Hell naw, I ain't bringing you a cup of his bath water,” Simone said. “And you don't have to worry about getting your hands on him 'cause he's mine.”

“Aren't we possessive,” Paris said.

“Not to mention defensive,” Stefan added.

“I'm simply claiming what's mine,” Simone said.

“I heard that, but make sure he's yours before you start making claims to him,” Paris said. “You don't want to end up looking like a damn fool.”

Simone sucked her teeth. “Whatever.”

“There's no need to get mad,” Paris said. “I'm merely running it past you. I remember how heartbroken you were over Danny.”

“Yeah, she was going through it,” Stefan said.

“I know,” Paris said. “I don't want to see her go through that again. It took her months to get over that shit.”

“Months? Try damn near a year,” Stefan said. “She dropped out of school behind that shit.”

“Whatever; I ain't trying to hear that shit,” Simone snapped.

“Okay, I'm just saying; you've got to watch them jocks,” Paris said. “They usually have plenty of women.”

“And STDs,” Stefan added.

“Well, the only thing Wayne has is me,” Simone said.

Stefan and Paris looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

“Don't hate,” Simone said.

Stefan felt his cell phone vibrating on his side. It was Eugene. He quickly flipped his phone open to answer it. “Hey, boo,” Stefan sang into the phone.

Paris looked over at Simone. “We both know who that is.”

Stefan threw his finger in the air to silence Paris and went on with his conversation. “Baby, I ain't doing nothing but sitting here talking to Simone and Paris. Okay; that's what's up. See you in a little while.”

Stefan flipped his phone closed and stood there with a huge grin on his face.

“Where you going?” Simone asked.

“To see my man,” Stefan answered.

“How you getting there?” Simone asked.

“Oh, somebody's shitting,” Paris joked.

“I'll walk if I have to,” Stefan said.

“You sound a little desperate to me, but I'll take you,” Simone said. “You lucky I don't want to see you walk in the rain.”

Simone and Stefan made their way to the door.

“Awright, Paris, see you later,” Stefan said, unlocking the door.

“What you doing for the rest of the night, Simone?” Paris queried.

“After I drop Stefan off to his man, I'm going to see what's up with mine,” Simone said.

“I heard that,” Paris said. “Do me a favor and ask him do he have a friend I can get with.”

“You haven't found a new man yet?” Simone asked.

“Girl, please; when you're as fine as me, you can replace a man immediately,” Paris said, snapping his fingers.

“You're a mess,” Stefan said as he and Simone made their way out of the door.

17

Simone lay on Wayne's chest twisting the coarse brown hair that hung from his chin as she drifted off to sleep.

“Damn, ma, you're not falling asleep on me, are you?”

“My bad; I'm a little tired,” Simone said. “You wouldn't believe all the shit I've been through this week.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“Yeah, but I'll tell you one thing; being with you has made me feel a hell of a lot better.”

Wayne smiled. “I'm glad that I could do that for you.”

Wayne lifted Simone's head up and softly kissed her lips. “Maybe you can help me with something.”

“What might that be?”

“The little surprise that's going to be here in a minute.”