Get Somebody New

Get
Somebody New

A novel by:

M
ichael
A
.
L
ewis

Copyright © 2011 Michael Anthony Lewis

All characters and images contained in this book are
copyrighted creations of

Michael Anthony Lewis.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any information and retrieval system,
without written permission from the copyright holder/publisher, except in the
case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles of review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are products of
the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual
persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover and interior design by:

Michael A. Lewis

First Edition

One

Jazz Hardaway

I‘ll never
forget the first time I met my boy Zeke. It was on Valentine’s Day 3 years ago.
On my way home from a club gig, I saw him walking down the street in Druid
Hills, near the Emory campus. It was late and he was alone so I stopped to see
if he needed some help.

“Yo man, you
aiight?”

“I’m okay; I
just had a flat about a mile back. I took my jack out of my car the other day
and forgot to put it back in. My cell phone battery is dead so I’m trying to
find a phone to call roadside service.”

“Damn, on
Valentine’s Day? That sucks. I can give you a ride man.”

“I’m fine;
it’s not far from here.”

“It’s not
safe out here man. My conscience won’t let me leave you out here.”

“I don’t know
you. You could be a serial killer or something.”

“I ain’t
gonna do nothing to you man. I’m cool, my name’s Jazz, Jazz Hardaway.”

“I’m Ezekiel
Nelson, nice to meet you.”

“So you gonna
get in Zeke?”     

“Okay.”

“Was that
your White Cadillac STS I saw a little ways back?”

“Yes.”

“You got a
spare? You shouldn’t leave it out there too long. That’s a bad whip you got.
You might go back and find those nice rims gone.”

“There’s a
spare in my trunk.”

I drove him
back to his car then offered to change the tire for him so he wouldn’t mess up
his nice clothes. I had on jogging pants and a T-shirt.

“I’ll change
it for you. There's no need to get your clothes dirty.”

“Thanks, but
you don’t have to do that.”

“It’s cool
man, I’ll be done in no time.”

I changed the
tire using my own jack in about 10 minutes while he sat in my truck.

“Alright man.
I’m all done.”

“Thanks Jazz.
Here, let me give you something for your trouble.”

“Nah man. You
ain’t gotta pay me. It was no trouble. You’re welcome.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Hey
Zeke you like hip hop?”

“I’m not a
huge fan but I like some of it.”

“Here is a
flyer for a party next week. I’m gonna DJ. Maybe you can come check out my set
if you ain’t busy or nothing.”

“Sure thing
and thanks again Jazz.”

“No problem.
You get home safe.”

“I will. You
do the same.”

There was an
instant connection between us.

Ezekiel

  Jazz
Hardaway stepped into my life on one of the worst nights of my life. I didn’t
know it then, but meeting him would change my life forever. I’d gone to my
boyfriend Jamal’s apartment on Valentine’s Day three years ago. An uneasy
feeling came over me as I put the key in the door and turned it slowly.

“Who’s the
best? Huh?”

“You are J.”

“Then let me
hear that shit then!”

“Jamal you’re
the best! Please Jamal, ease up man!”

“Jamal?
What’s my title nigga?” Jamal barked.

“Huh? Huh?
Huh?” Jamal continued, violently slamming his body forward with each word.

“Daddy!
Daddy! Please, I’m sorry daddy! The man beneath him whimpered tearfully.

“Quit running
nigga! You’ve been teasing me for months with that phat ass of yours. You gonna
take every last inch, nigga!” Jamal growled deeply, his voice dripping with
lust.

There was
Jamal on his sofa having sex with my best friend Darian! He didn’t even notice
me come in. The muscles and tendons twisted and bulged in his arms as he
lustfully pounded his body into Darian’s repeatedly. Suddenly I found myself
standing over Jamal and Darian with a fire poker. As I was about to swing, my
conscience intervened and prevented me from hitting Jamal across the back of
his head. I plunged it down into the leather sofa between the legs of both men
instead. Jamal jumped up quickly and was stunned to see me standing there.

“Oh Damn!
Baby, I’m sorry. I love you Zeke, you know I do.”

“I know
you’re kidding, right? You are not saying you love me while sitting there buck
naked and sweaty from fucking my best friend? On Valentine’s Day! Nigga do I
really look that stupid to you?”

“This is my
fault. I’m so sorry Zeke.” Darian admitted.

“Sorry my
ass! When were you sorry? Obviously not before you dropped to your knees or
offered up your black ass! Forget both you sorry bastards. Y’all can have each
other!” I shouted.

“Wait baby,
you can’t give up on us. Please, it meant nothing, he means nothing to me.”

“Jamal you
stuck the knife in my back by fucking my best friend. Then you twisted the
knife and slapped me in the face by doing it on Valentine’s Day. Nothing you
can say will make that forgivable. After I put my guard down and let you into
my heart, this is how you do me? What makes all of this so cruel, so low, so
nasty, and so evil is that you had to know I would catch you, because you knew
I was coming over.”

I refused to
let Jamal see how hurt I was. As soon as I walked out the door and slammed it
behind me, a river of warm tears flowed down my face. I hated myself at that
moment for being stupid enough to love someone who could do something like that
to me. I let my guard down and gave all of my heart to that man. I would have
done anything for him. For him to betray me like that hurt me to the core. Once
I got in my car, I slumped behind the wheel, and cried like a baby. I longed
for the secure cradle of Jamal’s arms then I quickly remembered it was because
of him that I needed to be consoled in the first place. I needed a shoulder to
cry on so I decided to go see my cousin Alton.

Alton is 4
years older than me. His mom is my dad’s sister. We have always been more like
brothers than cousins. In fact, I think our bond is even closer than most
brothers. He was the first person I came out to and I’ll never forget that day.
I debated whether or not to tell him because I was so afraid he would disown
me. He is the consummate male. He was tall, muscular; great at every sport he
played, incredibly handsome, a girl magnet, and he oozed masculinity in
everything he did. I wrongly predicted that he would be ashamed of me. Instead
he became extra protective of me.

Flashback

 “Hey
Zeke what’s up with you man?”

“What do
you mean?”

“You’ve
been acting like you don’t want to chill with me. Did I do something or say
something to piss you off?” 

“No, Alton
you haven’t done anything. Just been depressed that’s all. I haven’t really
felt like doing much of anything.”

“Well
what’s up? Talk to me; we don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“I feel
trapped in this box that everybody has me in. I can’t breathe because I am
trying to be who everyone wants me to be and I just can’t do it anymore.”

“You gotta
tell me more than that. What is it that people want you to be that you can’t
be?”

“It’s hard
to explain Alton. Everything comes so easily to you. You can play sports,
everybody likes you, and things come so naturally to you.”

“Zeke I
can tell when something is really wrong with you. I can see it in your eyes.
You look like you are about to have a nervous breakdown. Your eyes are darting
all over the place. You haven’t looked me in the eye once since you’ve been
talking to me. Anything you tell me is between us. I really want to know what’s
going on.”

“Alton I
wish I could tell you, but I can’t. You won’t understand.”

“Try me
Zeke. There is nothing you can’t tell me.”

“Let’s
just drop it.”

“No Zeke.
I can’t know something is wrong with you and just let it go. Tell me what’s
wrong.”

“Alton I
can’t, I just can’t!”

“Why can’t
you Zeke?”

“I don’t
want you to hate me Alton!”

“Hate you?
Zeke, I could never, ever hate you!”

“You say
that but ….”

“Zeke,
come here. Don’t cry man. Zeke, talk to me. Please, I can’t stand to see you
like this.”

“Alton,
I….I’m …. Alton I’m uh…. I’m…”

“You’re
what? What Zeke?”      

“Gay.” I
whispered.

“What? I
couldn’t hear you. Stop whispering.”

“I’m gay
Alton.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? Go
ahead and say what you really think.”

“Zeke I’ve
known that since we were kids.”

“You have?
So you are not upset?”

“No, Zeke
come on man. I am kind of disappointed though.”

“See I
knew you would…”

“Zeke
wait. I am disappointed that you thought I would hate you because of it. We are
better than that.”

“I’m sorry
Alton. I just figured you’d be like other people. Everyone thinks it’s a choice
but it’s not. I’ve tried to be straight and even date girls and …..nothing.”

“Zeke I am
not everybody else. I am Alton! Only an ignorant person thinks that being gay
is a fucking choice! A choice means there is an alternative option. If being
gay is a choice, being straight is also a choice. To be a choice means
everybody would have to be bisexual.  If someone is unable to be attracted
to the same sex, then being gay can’t be an alternative option to choose. If
you take a straight person, no matter how much they try to “choose” to be with
the same sex, they can’t because it’s not natural to them. The same thing goes
for gay people.”

“I’m glad
you can see that Alton.”

“Just like
I am attracted to girls, you are attracted to guys. No one can say being gay is
a choice unless they are gay. I am straight and I can tell you it is not a
choice. I couldn’t get with a dude even if I wanted to. I guarantee you that if
another dude was rubbin’ on my joint, my shit would just lie there. It wouldn’t
work. No heterosexual person can tell a gay person his or her sexual
orientation is a choice. How do they know this? The only way to know it would
be from experience. So, you feel better now?”

“Yes.
Thank you Alton.”

“Zeke I
hope you go back to acting just like you have always acted with me. Also, don’t
you ever in your life think I would hate you or disown you. I love you gay,
straight, or otherwise no matter what. You got that?”

“Yes.”

“Zeke I am
so happy to see you smile again. Now I know you are okay. Give me a hug. Oh and
Zeke, you are a good person don’t let other people’s ignorance take that away
from you. No one can tell you who or how to love. That’s your life. Also, no
matter what, you will always have me.”

“Thanks
Alton, that means everything right now.”

“Boy, I
ought to pop you in your big ole head… scared to talk to me … What’s wrong with
you boy?”

It was on the
way over to Alton’s that I had a flat and Jazz stopped to help me. When I saw
the Candy Apple Red Escalade slowing to a stop beside me I couldn’t decide
whether to run or faint. His vibes were good so I figured he was okay. It
didn’t hurt that he was fine either. I’d planned to go straight home after
dealing with Jamal and then having a flat, but Alton called me and said that
shrew of his hit him in the head with a glass so I had to go check on my
cousin.

When I got to
his house, I saw Alton standing in his yard holding his head then he just fell
like a ton of bricks. I rushed over to him and saw blood all over his hands,
his face, and his head. I got some towels out of my car to wrap his head to
stop the bleeding. I had to hold his head in my lap and try to drive as well.
At the hospital I tried to talk some sense into his head. At least he
entertained the thought of leaving Nadiah for once. He is much too good of a
person to take her treating him like that. I have never, ever, ever, ever liked
her. Did I mention that I never liked her? Personally, I believe she is a
lipstick lesbian using Alton as a cover. There are just too many things about
her that make my “dykedar” go off.

Alton

I found
myself in the all too familiar emergency room after being attacked by my wife,
Nadiah. The incident started when she came in at 1 A.M. in the morning on
Valentine’s Day. I’d planned a very special evening that included limousine
service, a penthouse dinner, and a romantic horse drawn carriage ride. I also
planned a proposal to renew our wedding vows and to present her with a custom
made, 3 carat, IF grade diamond ring.