Page 36 of Tangled Hearts
“Biiiiiiiitch…” Noir drug out with her head cocked to the side. “What the hell y’all got going on over here?”
Waving her off, Knycole went back into the small kitchen to clean up her mess. “Girl, I’m nothing like you, so ain’t shit going on between us. You know how he is. I’m still trying to get him to pass the phone to me when Rock calls.”
“If you say so. Anyways, I’m staying over here tonight because Christian is taking me out on a date.” Noir twirled her finger into a loose curl that didn’t seem to want to fit into the high puff ponytail she was donning.
“Un-uh, you ain’t ’bout to have Nakorea going upside my head,” Knycole teased.
“You know she trust you with my life and won’t pop up over here to make sure everything is everything. So, you gonna flat iron my hair for me?”
“I knew your ass only came over here to use me.” Knycole fake pouted.
Sassily, Noir crossed one leg over the other. “You know I gotta get it how I live.”
Knycole laughed before splashing water on her. It always felt good when her friend came over. It temporarily took her mind off her fucked up situation. But regardless of the hand she’d been dealt, she was certain things were about to change for her for the better. Nick was still in rehab, and money was about to be coming in abundantly. Or so she hoped. Once she was finished cleaning up her mess, she grabbed everything she would need to do Noir’s hair while they talked about everything from music to the local gossip. Nothing was missed while they caught up as if their time apart was longer than three days.
“All this damn hair, girl.” Knycole sighed as she wrapped up Noir’s hair.
“I know but thank you for the slay you’re about to bless me with. I’m about to walk out this house looking bad as hell.”
“Looking like a bag of money,” Knycole hyped, slapping her on the ass. “Let me take a nap before Hov bring his slave master ass in here ready for me to cook something else up.”
Noir bit her bottom lip nervously. “So, you sure you ain’t feeling him?”
“I’m positive,” she half-lied. At this point, she wasn’t sure what she was feeling, and she was well aware of her need to love and be loved. It was a gift and a curse.
“Okay, but you know you can tell me anything, right? Plus, the whole hood always joked that he was more of your man thanRock was. Hov would take a nigga or a bitch down when it came to his Knyc.” Noir grinned.
Knycole only shook her head because she was well aware of what people said. She also knew that people didn’t get the side of Rock that she got. He had always been good to her, even if he was heavily flawed. Because of that alone, whateverfeelingsshe thought she had for Hov would be just that:a feeling.
“Well, thank you again. I’m about to go in the bathroom to get ready. Christian said he’d be here at five,” Noir announced, grabbing her bag before going into the bathroom.
Flopping down on the couch, Knycole wished someone was taking her out on a date. Life was already starting to become stressful, which added to her desire for a nice night out with a boy. With Rock, they went places, but it was mostly just hood eateries or a house party. Just thinking about the tacky dates he’d take her on, a wild smile danced across her face. She missed him crazy but was thankful to still have Hov and Noir to help her get through life. At night, while Hov slept, she found herself whimpering hoping no one heard her. She was worn out mentally and physically—something someone her age shouldn’t be feeling so soon.
That was one thing about her, she hated to feel pity from others. Knycole didn’t want nor need the world to remind her of the shitty ass hand she’d been dealt. When it came to her appetite for love, she still wanted it to be authentic. And since she’d been deprived of authentic, unconditional love, she was starving. The thought alone made her wrap her arms around herself and squeeze.
“Woo!” Noir emerged from the bathroom with her medium-length hair all over her head. “Y’all water get hot as hell. You ready?”
“Girl, you didn’t say you was going to wash your hair and shit… and you want me to do something to that in record time? Bring your bald head ass on,” Knycole fussed, rolling her eyes.
Noir snickered because she knew she omitted a few details when she asked her to comb her hair. “Don’t you want me to look pretty for my new lil’ boo?” Her lip poked out.
Knycole snatched her head back while Noir sat on the floor between her legs. “I guess, but what’s up with Paul? How he feel about you going out with his boss?”
“I don’t care what he feels. Last I checked, I was single and ready to mingle. Plus, you know I don’t love these niggas.” Noir wagged her tongue while twerking on the floor.
Knyc’s eyes rolled to the sky. “You better be still before I change my mind. And where y’all going?”
With a shrug of her shoulders, Noir texted Paul, who was texting her about being in Christian’s face. “And speaking of the devil. Paul is hitting me up now wondering what I got going on with Christian.”
“And what you say?
“That it’s none of his business. I don’t understand why these niggas don’t understand that I’m going to do what I want, when I want, how I want, with who the fuck I want.”
“Period!” Knycole slapped hands with her.
“But we know your ass is in love with the thought of love,” Noir threw out.
Knycole kissed her teeth but decided against saying anything because it was the truth. She didn’t want to have a plethora of men. She wanted one solid ass nigga that would always put her and her feelings first. If that made her soft, then she would wear the title proudly. Unlike Noir, she didn’t have parents who loved her enough that she didn’t have to look elsewhere.
