Page 12 of Grown Folks Confessions: Black Lush

“I did, didn’t I?” Audrea bellowed. “If only everyone was as great at puzzles as I am.”

Ares laughed. “Clearly not a skill everyone has, but you proved to be the best.”

What the?“That’s it.” I was only seconds behind her, and yeah, maybe I was being irrational, but did he have to keep telling her was she the best? “Their ego is too big right now.”

“Whose ego?” Ivy asked, trailing behind me. I only briefly glanced at her long enough to see the worried look in her eyes before she admitted, “Okay, so maybe I heard them talking, but that doesn’t mean anything! He’s just telling her job well done.”

I tapped Ares on his shoulder as he continued to hold Audrea in his arms in a victory embrace. “Um, was that a jab at me? Implying I’m not good at puzzles?”

“You are,” he said. “Audrea was just better.” He winced at his own words, obviously hearing how they soundedafterhe’d said them and the crowdooo’d.

“Oh really?”

“You heard him,” Audrea said. “I was better, and you lost. Suck it up, drama queen! Everything doesn’t revolve around you.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Dracula Drea.”

Midas laughed at my use of the nickname he’d started, until Ares pinned him with a hard stare.

Audrea smacked her lips, her hands going on her hips. “Admit it, you just can’t deal with the fact that I won fair and square.” She raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to me. “It seems you’ve lost in more ways than one, Loose Legs Layla.”

Ugh, this bitch.Not only was she using the stupidly inaccurate nickname Tony had started, but she was referring to her dating Ares and not me, and I was sure our entire class picked up on it, too.

“Let’s be for real,” I said, taking a step into her personal space since she clearly didn’t care about mine. “You only beat me because you had more time on the puzzle. If we’d gotten there at the same time, I would have crushed you.”

“Girl, please.” She flipped her weave over her shoulders. “I still would have beat you, as would anyone on my team when paired against yours.”

“Ha!” I laughed. “Had it been Gary and Ares who went head-to-head, Gary would have killed his competition.”

“Excuse me?” Ares asked, stepping beside Audrea. “You sayin’ I couldn’t have beat Gary?”

Shit.Midas, I meant to say Midas, not Ares. “Well, uh …”

“That’s exactly what she’s saying, baby,” Audrea indicted, looping her arm through his.

“Because it’s the truth,” Gary added, coming beside me, his taunting eyes on Ares. “I would have murdered you in that challenge.”

Dammit. Not what I meant.I just always had Ares on my mind, that’s why his name slipped out, but honestly, I felt like Ares would have beat Gary. But Midas hated puzzles and had been complaining about not doing one all competition.

“The fuck you would have,” Ares spat, stepping to Gary. “You football players just hit shit. Y’all don’t play strategically enough to be good at puzzles.”

“Fuck you, wit’ yo’ wannabe Isiah Thomas ass. Yo’ basketball team ain’t about to be shit now that Bryan graduated.”

Gary’s statement riled up the others, and soon, both teams broke out into an argument with Gary challenging Ares’ team by saying we’d take them any time, any place, in any challenge of the student body’s choice. I didn’t miss the daggers Ares shot my way, and I understood why. I’d basically said another guy who I didn’t give two shits about was better than the guy who half the class thought I harbored feelings for.

A week later, the challenge was decided, and our team won that one. We had another challenge a week after that, and Ares’ team won. After a few fights broke out at school, causing administration to crack down on what we did on school grounds, we had to find creative ways to compete as the weather got chillier.

Around Thanksgiving, my team won again. By mid-school year, we’d been going tit for tat with wins and losses, the entire senior class losing track of who was actually ahead, but living for the competitive spirit against both teams.

Little did I know that Ares and I would not only compete in dumb challenges the rest of high school, but at our rival junior colleges, too. When I finally got into my dream program at a university, the rivalry stopped for a bit. Until I came home for a little while and both of us oversaw different events during our church’s annual summer festival. Mine being part of set designs for the play and Ares creating the art displayed on those set designs since he was so talented at drawing and sketching.

Basically, any opportunity we had to one-up each other, we took advantage of it. I did apologize for that day of the competition, and he apologized for some stuff that transpired before he finally dumped Audrea. But nothing ever went back to how it was. Not really.

We turned back into frenemies like we were before that unforgettable day he was there for me in ways I never thought possible. Yet, what kept me up most nights was the fact that despite all the bickering and fussing at one another, Ares still understood me more than most people. With Ares, I didn’t have to fake it. With him, I could just be … Layla.

Andthatwas a confession I planned on taking to my grave.

adult-ish years activated:

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