Page 10 of Tainted

When I decided to leave Autumn Grove, I created a fake social media account to find my cousin, Brandy. We exchanged numbers and met up when I got back in town. I needed money fast, so Brandy gave me a few places to try when I arrived. Utopia was at the top of the list. She said it was the hottest strip club in town, which meant big money.

Banana Girl opened her home to me without a second thought. With her in a nursing home, Brandy was the only one there, plus it was plenty of space. What I didn’t expect was Brandy’s annoying boyfriend, Otto, who was always here. Either they were arguing, fucking, or both at the same time.

Last night was a combination of them arguing about some nigga at her job that he swore was her ‘work boyfriend.’ Brandy denied it, but he continued talking to her crazy until he ran out of insults and began soothing her hurt feelings with his dick.

Unfortunately, that’s the part they were on now, and the walls at Banana’s Girls' house were old and thin, so I climbed out of bed.

“I have to get my own fuckin’ place,” I groaned, marching downstairs.

The familiar creak of each step brought me back to the summers I spent here. I could almost hear the echoes of my younger self laughing and racing down these same steps. Those were the days when everything felt safe when my world was small and filled with love.

The kitchen smelled just as I remembered the lingering scent of something sweet. Then my mom would burst into the kitchen complaining that Banana Girl would spoil me rotten. Tonight, it was just me and the lump in my throat.

The sound of footsteps behind me was so soft I almost didn’t hear it. But when I closed the fridge door and turned around, Otto was standing too close, his eyes lingering on me in a way that made my skin crawl.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low and almost too friendly.

“Y’all make it hard to get any of that around here,” I complained, shoving him out of my way.

“Sorry, you know how it gets sometimes. Or do you?”

Rolling my eyes, I continued making my sandwich. After a month and a half, I had already decided that I didn’t like Otto, but it didn’t stop him from trying to have conversations.

“Is the city treating you well?” he asked.

“The city is just fine.”

“If you need a tour around or anything. Just hit me up.”

“Why would I hit you up?” I frowned at how he leaned on the counter, licking his lips.

“Oh hey boo!” Brandy sang, prancing into the kitchen with a bright smile stretched across her face. “I didn’t know you were still up.”

“Y’all made sure of it.”

“I know who needs some,” Otto mumbled, and Brandy snickered before hitting his arm.

“Don’t talk about my cousin like that.”

“I’ll leave y’all to girl talk about me. Can you bring me a sandwich when you come back up?”

Brandy nodded, and Otto smacked her ass before walking upstairs.

“Umm, that man!” She praised, her shoulders quivering at the memories they just created. “We gotta get you out so you can meet people. All you do is work and sit up in that room. The only thing you’re missing is the braids,Brandy.”

“The last thing I’m worried about is a man,” I replied.

“Well, you need to do something. Now that you’re not inWestbubblefuckanymore,” Brandy paused, looking over her shoulder as if we wouldn’t have heard the old steps if Otto returned. “Isn’t that why you left?”

“Maybe after I get my place, I’ll be down to party.”

“Why would you do that?”

“It’s a little too cramped for me here.”

“Cramped?” Brandy asked. “It’s a five-bedroom house, Za-.” I cleared my throat, and she caught herself. For the most part, Brandy remembered, but now and then, she’d slip up, like now. "There's plenty of space here.”

“Finish your man’s sandwich. Please let me fall asleep before round two.” I picked up my plate and returned to Shana’s old bedroom.

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