Page 36 of Dionysus
His head turned my way, “I’m cooling.”
“Nigga you sitting in the dark like a lost puppy. What is it?”
“Sasha and I broke up.”
“Damn Zeus, sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I’m used to it. It’s a part of life. I fucked up. Lesson to you, whoever the girl is, when that time comes. Be a better nigga than me.”
I had never seen Zeus in this state of mind over a woman. He was good at losing one woman and finding another, but Sasha had a hold on him. I didn’t know what this relationship would do to Zeus, but I hoped it wouldn’t break him.
I had forgotten all about Samara, and when I decided to walk out the door, the sound of shattered windows caught not only my attention but Zeus’s as well. I poked my head out of the door and couldn’t believe my eyes. “Zeus nigga it’s Preach!”
ZEUS
“Preach, fuck you!” Navi shouted.
I had come outside after Dio had told me something was going on with Preach. I jogged down the porch steps, rushing over to Preach, who was calmly standing near his bike, watching Navi lose her shit.
“Pretty, you better chill the fuck out,” Preach said to her.
She threw her hands up, “Chill out? Nigga I’ve been calling you the entire time you were in New York. I saw you at the block party talking to some bitch. So, no Prentice, you don’t get a fucking chill from me!” she shouted.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Preach had been so private a nigga didn’t even know he was going through the motions. Navi rushed over toward his bike and Preach stood in front of her. “Pretty you will need more than God if you touch my shit. You can scream and holler until hell freezes over, but this bike will not be touched.”
“That’s all you care about is this dumb ass bike and God. What about me?!”
She was crossing a fine line speaking about his religion. I tried stepping between them. “Y’all need to cool off for a minute.”
“I stay cooling. As long as you're wrapped in the word, you don’t have worries. She better go read a word or two before I come out of my holy armor and snap on her ass.”
A part of me wanted to laugh because I knew Preach was really trying to keep his composure, and she was pushing himwith every insult she threw. Suddenly, Yana came wobbling her pregnant ass outside, then Zaria.
“What’s going on?” Yana asked.
“This nigga is cheating. Thisholy I can’t decide if I want to be a hood niggais fucked up.”
Preach flicked his nose, pushed me out of the way, and rushed in her face. “I don’t give a fuck!You want a hood nigga? Go find one. I have never cheated on you,never!To even think that I would do some shit like that Pretty, says what you think about me. So let me say this as nicely as I can,” he paused, placing prayer hands to his mouth. “This isn’t going to work. I tried praying that God would see us through, but we are through. I will not give up my religion for you. I will not be the nigga you want me to be, because that’s what you feel like you need to have to be a better woman. Navanna, may God bless you because I won’t,” he finished and walked calmly back into the crib and slammed the door.
Navi glanced at me sadly, like it was something I could say to change what happened. “He’s never cheated on you,” was all I could say.
Yana and Zaria wrapped their arms around her as I backed up. I didn’t know what this would look like now that our tight-knit circle was being split up. I was already trying to deal with Sasha and myself. I didn’t have the energy for this, either. I was going to talk to Preach, but I knew he needed to cool off. I planned to give him some time before I approached him. In the meantime, I needed to figure out how to get Sasha back.
SAMARA
I had just gotten back to the house after watching the sun come up in the hills that Keith had taken me to previously. I needed time alone because I was in my feelings after seeing Dio and he walked away from me the way he did. After clearing my head and gathering my emotions, I felt a little better. I wasn’t sure how Dio and I would coexist going forward. He seemed different, something about Dio wasn’t the same, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I was expecting his aggressive demeanor, his jokes, his crass comments, but instead I got a calm Dio.
To get my mind off him and onto something different, I decided to make breakfast and focus on my birthday; which was just days away. I wanted to do something special. I wanted to get my hair done or a new outfit. I wasn’t sure, but I wanted a change because I was stepping into my twenties.
Chevy had been home for a few days, but really hadn’t said anything. The way he had been eyeing me had me curious. My food sizzled in the pan as Chevy came into the kitchen. “You hungry?” I asked him.
Chevy sniffed the air and cut his eyes at me. “You know I don’t eat meat, why would I want that? Better go vegan, it’s the best way, sweetheart.”
Chevy thought he knew everything. I picked up a piece of bacon from the pan and took a bite of it. “Swine, makes me so fine,” I giggled.
I almost thought I saw him cringe a bit. I opened the microwave, placing his vegan breakfast on the counter. “I made this for you,” I said.
His eyes lit up, then changed. Chevy was tough, but small sentiments were what he enjoyed. He glanced down at the plate, then at me as I shrugged. “Yeah, it looks good, might got poison in it or some shit.”
