Page 28 of Pills and Potions: Kase
My face flushed, but I kept my chin up. “You ain’t all that with that fake swagger,” I shot back, knowing damn well I was lying.
“Fake swagger?” He chuckled, shaking his head like I was entertainment. “You was damn near crying when I walked in, Wheels. Be real. You fiend for me like I come with a damn prescription.”
Just as I was about to bite back, he looked at me, really looked at me.
“But I ain’t mad at it,” he added, voice dropping. “You loyal in a weird, nerdy kinda way. Shit’s rare.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I didn’t even know if he meant it. We walked to the register in silence. Kase grabbed a pack of condoms like it was candy, tossed some money at theclerk, and strolled out like he wasn’t currently ruining my soul one sentence at a time.I followed, holding my emotions hostage behind a shaky breath. When we got to his car, there was already a girl in the front seat, her boobs spilling out like they were tryin’ to clock out early.I climbed into the back like the afterthought I was. The ride was silent, not even the bass dared to breathe. When we pulled up to my building, I reached for the door, half-hoping, half-praying he’d say something. Anything. A crumb of kindness. An ounce of care.Instead, he stretched his hand toward me.
“What?” I asked, frowning.
“Gas money,” he said.
I stared at him. “Really? After everything I just went through, you’re asking for money? And for the last time, fool, I gotrobbed. I don’t have any money.”
He tilted his head, completely unbothered. “And you robbedmefor my time. I needsomethingand it ain’t between your legs either.”
That was it. I pulled a spare twenty from my bra and tossed it dead in his face before storming toward my place. Kase Maddox was a fool. And if life had any justice, his arrogant ass was overdue for a reality check.
The next day, I was still furious about how Kase spoke to me like I was nobody. Since I was a kid, I’d been picked on and bullied just for being who God made me, but the wayhedid it? That shit cut deeper. The truth pill made him reveal how he really felt, but thatMirror Mepotion? That was about to let him walk in my shoes. My world. My reality. I swung by the smoothie spot, grabbed two, and carefully poured the potion into his. Then I headed to his place, calm on the outside, but ready as hell to flip the script.
Chapter 9
Kase Madoxx
Being a club owner was dope. I made hella money, but I was tryna grow past bottle service and booty-shakin’ Thursdays. I wasn’t just in it for flash, I wanted real wealth, long money, passive income I could eat off forever. So, I started looking into stocks and legit investments, some grown-man shit. My accountant connected me with this advisor who worked with small business owners, tryna flip their profits the smart way. We had a meeting scheduled for noon, and I was tryna prepare without lookin’ like I gave a damn. I didn’t wanna show up lookin’ like a rapper turned motivational speaker, but I also wasn’t tryna fumble the bag. Just as I slipped on my dress shoes, the doorbell rang. I wasn’t expecting nobody, so I strolled over, already annoyed, and cracked it open like somebody owed me an apology. There she was, Blyss. She was standing in my doorway like a damn Chick-fil-A employee, grinning like I was her favorite combo meal, holding two smoothies from my favorite spot. Her curls bounced with every word.
“Wheels, what you want? My brother and your cousin ain’t here.”
“I know,” she said sweetly. “I came to see you.”
“For what, shawty?”
“To thank you for giving me that ride.”
“That twenty you handed me was enough. Next time, hold the wetness from the tittie, though.”
She giggled like that was cute. “You are so funny. But seriously, this is a peace offering.”
She extended one of the smoothies toward me like it was a sacred gift, and I eyed it like it might be laced.
“You ain’t tryna poison a nigga, are you, Wheels?”
She snorted. “No! Of course not!”
“Mmhmm,” I said, still suspicious. “Alright. Preciate the smoothie.”
I snatched it from her hand and shut the door in her face before she could say anything else. As soon as I took a sip, I paused. That joint was hittin’. It was cold, balanced, and not too sweet. Then it clicked, I had that investment meeting, and I still didn’t fully understand half the documents they emailed me. That’s when I remembered that Blyss worked at the library, always buried in some book or spreadsheet. She could probably decode this stock talk like it was a damn children's story. I cracked the door back open and saw her halfway to her little bike, laughing at herself like she was crazy.
“Yo!” I called out.
She turned around, eyebrow raised.
“You wanna be useful or you just tryna flirt with me all day?”
She grinned. “Depends. You finally admitting you need my help again?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Wheels. I just figured you could translate some of that Harvard-ass investor talk so I don’t end up investing in a front for organ trafficking.”
