Page 9 of Grown Folks Confessions: Black Lush

“We got a transfer from some high school in Chicago. Apparently, he was the star on his school’s basketball team.”

“Shit, we need help after three of our star players graduated,” I stated. “He’s trying out for the team, right?”

“Word is, Coach is his uncle and he’s already on the team.”

I shrugged. “Hopefully we get along wit’ him then.”

Midas scratched the back of his head, looking guilty.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“You ain’t gonna like this, cuzzo,” he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder to whisper, “but one of my guys told me he’s dating Layla.”

My heart did something I didn’t appreciate.How? When?

“Oh, word?” I tried to play off my surprise. “Is it serious?”

“Hell if I know. But, Ares, you ain’t gotta fake it for me. I don’t know what happened at Jade’s party over the summer, but I know you feelin’ Layla. You always have.”

I shrugged him off me. “Man, get the fuck outta here with that mess. Layla and I are cool, but we aren’t together. We’ve never officially been a thing.”

“Well that’s good to hear,” a girl voiced, placing her hands around me from the back and squeezing my chest. “Because I was hoping you and I could be athingthis year.”

I turned to face Audrea Baker, a girl who had had a crush on me for a while. She was sexy as hell, but besides harmless flirting, I’d never taken it there with her. Midas had teased me it was because she didn’t really get along with Layla, but fuck if I knew if that was the real reason.

It was,my inner voice taunted.With a booty and breasts like Audrea’s, what other reason do you have for not hittin’ that other than you figured it would ruin your chances with Layla?

“Hey, Audrea,” I greeted, pushing aside my thoughts. “You’re looking good today.”

“You already know it.” She spun around in her short skirt and tank top, before pursing her lips together in a way I figured was to bring my attention to her mouth.

“Audrea,” Midas acknowledged, handing her his water bottle. “You lookin’ mighty thirsty today. Why don’t you cool off?”

“Boy, shut the hell up.” She popped him on his shoulder and pushed his water bottle away from her. “You always got some disrespectful shit to say.”

Midas raised an eyebrow. “You come to school lookin’ like a stripper, yet I’m disrespectful?”

“See, why are you always comin’ at me so sideways?” she asked, pointing a finger in his face. “You’re an asshole.”

Midas laughed. “Shiiit, Ares is an asshole, too, but you be all over his dick.”

“Because all us ladies know that your cousin has a dick worth a damn, unlike yo’ STD, limp ass, hoe ass dick that gets laughed about in the girls’ locker room from the shit yo’ exes write.”

Midas feigned like he was hurt. “If you’re gonna insult me, Dracula Drea, do a better job and drop some actual facts. I was just fuckin’ Tina’s ass in the locker room before school started, and I saw everything you ladies wrote about the golden Midas touch. So I already know all the great shit being said about my dick.”

They continued to argue, but I paid them no mind. I was too busy observing ol’ dude and the fact that he was already getting so much attention and folks here didn’t even know him like that.

He clasped hands with one of my guys on the team, who then pointed my way. The dude gave me a head nod and started walking over.

Shit. Why is this muthafucka comin’ up to me?

“What’s up, man?” he said, approaching us with a smile that seemed friendly, but I wasn’t convinced. “I’m Bryan.”

Gripping the strap of my backpack tighter than usual, I outstretched my other hand and introduced myself. “Ares.”

Midas stopped arguing with Audrea and nodded to him. “I’m Midas.”

“Cool. I was actually hoping to meet both of you,” he said. “I’m trying out for the basketball team later today, but I wanted to meet the starting lineup before that and introduce myself.”

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