Bishop
I knew Kai was gone trip about not hearing from a nigga all day, but I didn’t think she was gone go there with it. I didn’t think she cared that much. She had been acting so hard that I figured she wouldn’t notice a nigga wasn’t popping up. I watched her and Rell compose an instrumental to the poetry piece she wanted to freestyle. I was a lover of music, but that wasn’t my lane. That was all Rell and to be quite honest, I was kind of envious of their connection, not jealous. Folks got the two mixed up. Envious was when you wanted what someone else had. Jealousy was when you were afraid of someone taking what you had. There was no way in hell Kai was going to want anyone else after the way I’d put it on her the other night, but I wished I could’ve connected with her the way Rell was right now.
I wasn’t an insecure nigga by any means so I decided to go outside to clear my head, but Kai stopped me immediately.
“Where you going?” she asked me.
“Just to get some fresh air.”
“You can’t leave. The piece I’m about to do is for you.”
I smiled. That was all I needed to hear to clear my mind. I sat back down and watched the smile that was originally on Rell’s face fade as he pulled his phone out. Kai stood and walked back into the booth. I couldn’t help but smack her ass on the way.
“Stop, boy!” she yelled, covering the spot I’d just hit.
“Yea yea,” I mumbled, grabbing the blunt me and Rell were sharing and taking a hit. When Rell started the track they’d just composed, she looked me dead in my eyes and started to freestyle her poem.
Layyah
When I say, I was surprised to see Courtney standing on my porch… I was surprised. We’d been keeping in contact over the years, but he failed to mention that he would be getting out soon. Yes, Kai was my best friend. Yes, I was dating Courtney’s cousin back in the day, but no one knew that Courtney took my virginity.
I was at his house one day with him and his cousin and Mike fell asleep. I was getting ready to head out, so I went to Court’s bedroom to let him know that I was leaving. When I made it to the door, my mouth almost dropped when I saw what he was working with. He was jacking off, sitting on the edge of his bed. I didn’t want him to know that I saw him, but I must have gasped louder than I thought I did because he immediately looked up as I ran from the door. He ran after me and grabbed me lightly. I remember it like it was yesterday.
“Lay… I’m…”
“It’s cool. I should have knocked.”
“Nah, I should have closed the door. I ain’t mean for you to see that. It’s just… you looking good today and then, I had to watch you and Mike mess around before he got high and fell asleep. I was horny as hell, obviously,” he said with a smile before looking me up and down. Blushing, I took a step back. He had me feeling some type of way. A way that his cousin Mike had never made me feel before.
“You think I look good?” I heard myself ask.
I didn’t know why it mattered. He wasn’t mine. He was Kai’s and she was my best friend.
“Of course, Ma. You know you look good, Lay. Quit frontin’.”
I blushed harder. I knew I looked good, but it was something about the way a man looked at you and told you, you’re beautiful sometimes. With the right man, you just… believe it. It was like you’re hearing it for the first time.
“Thanks, Court. You, um, look good too.”
This time, he blushed. “So, what was it that you wanted anyway?”
“I was just coming to let you know that I was leaving since Mike fell asleep.”
“You don’t have to leave yet. Kick it with me for a while. Smoke some wit’ me.”
“Nah, I only smoke with Mike. It’s cool, though.”
“Well, let me drive you home you don’t need to be walking by yourself.”
He was right. It was dark and I didn’t need to be walking by myself, so I agreed to just stay until Mike woke up. The last thing I needed was to be alone with him right now.
“Well, I’ll just stay here until Mike wakes up, then he can take me home.”
He looked at me skeptically. “What’s up, Lay? You don’t trust me or something?”
“No, it’s not that at all, Court.”
“Then, what is it? Why you acting funny?”
“I’m not acting funny. I just don’t want to be alone with you.”
“Then, you don’t trust me,” he spoke in an offended tone as he took a step back.
“No, Courtney, damn. It’s not you I don’t trust.”
“So who is that you don’t trust, Layyah?”
“Myself.” I hung my head in shame, but I could see him smile.
“You don’t trust yourself alone with me?” he asked lifting my head by my chin.
“No, I don’t, especially not after what I just saw.”
I jumped slightly when his hand caressed my face. He caught me off guard with all of this physical contact. Besides the occasional side hug, we’d never touched before.
With his hand still resting on my face, he cupped my neck with the other and pulled me into his chest. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed my cheek.
“Court… we can’t…” I whispered in fear. “Kai is my best friend and Mike is in the other room.”
“Fuck them. It’s about you and me right now.”
I didn’t want to be turned on, but I was. I didn’t want to get wet, but I did. His lips found mine as his hands slipped under my shirt. Covering my hands with his, he pulled them into his boxers and put them on his dick. He was much bigger than Mike. Mike and I had never had sex before, but I jacked him off and he fingered me a few times since I was a virgin. After pulling my hand up and down over his dick to show me how he wanted me to do it, he removed his hands from mine and let me do it on my own as he ended our kiss and hung his head back in ecstasy.
“Can I touch you there?” he asked, looking me in my eyes.
I bit my lip and nodded my head yes.
Quickly, he picked me up and took me into his room, locking the door behind us. I watched him as he cut his radio on and cut the lights off. I was glad he did. I didn’t want him to see the fear and disgust in my eyes. I couldn’t believe I was about to give my virginity to my best friend’s boyfriend, my boyfriend’s cousin.
Courtney waving his hand took me out of my flashback. I quickly opened the door and took him into my arms.
“Damn, it’s good to see you, Lay. What’s good?” he said into my ear as he pulled me deeper into him.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were getting out? I would’ve thrown you a party or something.” I asked before removing myself from our embrace.
“I wanted to surprise you. I missed y’all.”
“We missed you too. Come in. You hungry or thirsty?”
“I wouldn’t mind a home cooked meal. You got some leftovers or something?” he asked following me into the den.
“Nah, you know Ion cook. That’s Kai.”
“Where she at anyway? I can’t wait to see my baby.”
“Umm…”
Grabbing me and turning me to face him, he removed the smile that covered his face a few seconds ago.
“Umm, what? What that mean? She got a nigga now or some?”
“Well… I don’t know exactly. She’s messing with somebody and she hasn’t done that in a while so I don’t know.”
“Who is it? Where she stay at?”
“Look, I’ma let her tell you all that. I’ll set some up for you to see her.”
“That’ll work. Now, get yo ass in that kitchen and fix me something to eat,” he demanded before slapping me on my ass and sitting on my couch.
Kailani
I’d spent every day of the past week in business meetings just so I could have the entire weekend and next week off. That was one of the main things that I loved about my job. I got to set my own hours and pick and choose who I wanted to work with. If I wasn’t spending the night at Bishop’s, he was spending the night at mine. Between working days and him working late nights at the club or lounge some nights, all we’d do together was sleep, literally. He’d come in, take a shower, get in bed, and we’d crash, but that was what was cool about us… It wasn’t about sex. It wasn’t about showing off and having commitment just for the fun of it. It was a genuine connection and our vibe was amazing. I definitely could see myself sitting in a rocking chair with him fifty years from now in silence and that was what it was about to me.
I was genuinely looking forward to spending some time with my baby, but that was ruined when Lay told me that she wanted to go out tonight. She knew that wasn’t my thing. I’d much rather spend the night cuddling with my boo, but I’d never hear the end of it if I chose to spend all week with him and not give one night to her, so I gave in. I decided to wear thi
s
black lace nude mock neck midi dress. I loved the way those types of dresses accentuated my curves. I paired the dress with some red pumps and red lipstick.
For some reason, Lay wanted me to meet her at the restaurant instead of us riding together. I decided to let Bishop drop me off and pick me up so I could go straight to his crib when my night with her was over. I wasn’t expecting him to come in, but I should have known he was going to. He didn’t want me to stay dressed the way I was, but I promised to be on my best behavior and he agreed only if he could come in and make his presence known. When we walked into the restaurant, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. I could’ve sworn I saw Lay sitting across from another man, but I knew she couldn’t have been talking and laughing with someone else because Rell was crazy and he would spazz. Bishop was walking over before I was, but I grabbed him by the back of his shirt, getting him to slow down.
“Know ya girl ain’t out here trying to play my nigga,” he said as we walked towards the table.
“Of course not.” I wanted to defend her more, but I honestly didn’t know what was up. When she saw us walking up, her smile immediately faded. She stood and walked towards us.
“Kai… I thought I told you to come alone…”
He turned around and my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. I’d never forget that face even if I wanted to.
“Sup wit’ you tryna use my girl as an excuse to cheat?” Bishop asked.
I said nothing as I stared at Courtney.
“It’s not that. I—”
As she tried to find her words, Bishop looked up and saw Courtney.
“The fuck you doing with my girl, Bishop?” Courtney asked standing.
Confused, I turned my attention back to Bishop as Courtney made his way over to us.
“Bishop? How does he know you?”
“I was locked up with the nigga. Told him all about you. So what? You got out and wanted to see what was up for yourself?”
Bishop chuckled lightly before pulling me behind him slightly. “I ain’t know she was the one, my nigga, but I will say this, now that I have her… I ain’t letting her go, for nobody.”
“I sat there and poured my heart out to you about him and you didn’t find it necessary to tell me that you knew him?” I asked Bishop.
He said nothing, just stared at Courtney.
“Bishop!” I yelled.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“When the time was right.”
Courtney looked around Bishop and locked eyes with me.
“It’s good to see you, baby girl. I know when I got locked up I let you go, but it was for your own good. I’m home now and I’d like for us to pick up where we left off, but as mature adults.”
Bishop’s face twisted up and it was about to get heated so, I stood between them. Turning my back to Courtney, I faced Bishop.
“Since you didn’t tell me that you knew Courtney, let me reiterate your own words. You can’t demand what you don’t supply. You asked me to be honest, loyal and faithful, but you kept this from me.”
“Look, I know I fucked up, but we can talk about this when we get home.”
“Now, you wanna talk about it?”
I watched as his jaws were clenching.
“I need to talk to Courtney. I’ll get up with you later, Bishop.”
“No, you don’t need to talk to that nigga. You wanna talk to that nigga. Don’t give me that bullshit. If you wanna call this off now because this nigga free, say that shit. Don’t waste my time, Kailani.”
“Now is not the time for you to be giving me no ultimatum, Bishop.”
“So what the fuck is that supposed to mean? You want this nigga?”
“So what if she do?” Courtney asked.
Bishop didn’t even look up at him. He kept his eyes on me as he inhaled deeply.
“Courtney, don’t say shit to me, nigga. This really don’t have nothing to do with you. You just got out. Enjoy your freedom and let me talk to my girl.”
“I’m not your girl. What else are you hiding from me?”
“Don’t go there, Lani. Don’t make this more than it is. I didn’t tell you about the shit because I didn’t want to lose yo ass. You happy? I knew if I told you I knew the nigga and that he was getting out soon, you wouldn’t give me a chance.” His eyes softened as he took a step back.
“She good now my nigga. I’m out. I got it from here,” Courtney said, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into him.
I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes out of reflex, but Layyah’s shriek caused me to open them in time enough to see Bishop swing at Courtney. I ducked immediately as Bishop’s fist made contact.
“Bishop, no!” I yelled as he fell onto Courtney and the two of them started going at it. “Get off of him, Bishop!” I wrapped my arm around Bishop’s neck, trying to pull him off.
He pushed me off of him and turned to face me in disbelief. Allowing Courtney the opportunity to punch him and get the upper hand.
“Courtney, stop!” I yelled as security made their way to us finally and pulled the two men apart.
I watched as they pulled them both up. Courtney’s face was laced with anger as expected, but Bishop’s… Bishop’s face was filled with disappointment. I’d hurt him.