Page 36 of All The Smoke
“Aight,” I said as I ashed my blunt and began to redress. She had me fucked up.
“Smoke.”
Ignoring her, I continued to put my shit on and when I was fully dressed, I pulled a knot of money out of my pocket, peeling off two twenties and tossing them on her dresser. “That should cover me for the night.”
Her brows knitted. “Excuse me?”
“Be easy.”
I was fuming low key as I left her room and made my way out of her crib. My ego was bruised like a mothafucka because I was actually feeling her little ass but I had definitely read her wrong. Shit was straight though. That was the first and last time that shit would ever happen to me.
8
Kaori.
“Bitch, I am crying.” Morgan doubled over in laughter. “Not hitting him with the infamous ‘what you ’bout to do’ line.”
We were out at The Spot for their Two Dollar Tuesday and I was telling her what happened with me and Solomon after they left. I hadn’t been able to give her all of the details because I went to see my daddy Sunday then Monday work and school kicked my ass.
“I didn’t ask what he was about to do.” I laughed and took a sip from my drink. “I just didn’t want him getting the wrong idea.”
“And what’s the wrong idea, bitch? Because you’re single and so is he, so….”
“That doesn’t mean I’m ready to get into something else though, Morgan.” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know, Solomon is fine with good dick, but still. Jamal and I just broke up.”
“Let me find out you waiting to rekindle with his tired ass.”
“No, hoe, I’m not, but I’m not trying to jump right into anything new either. I just need time to get myself together, youknow? Like, maybe finishing school before I hop into another relationship.”
“Well, I can’t talk shit about that. Nothing wrong with loving on yourself for a while first,” she agreed.
I loved myself just fine, and had always known my worth, it was just that somewhere down the line, I started settling for bullshit from Jamal. My parents taught me early on to never settle for less than what I deserved and made sure I had the best of the best so no nigga could come in and impress me with shit I was used to. They needed to be able to afford the things money couldn’t buy; loyalty, honesty, and respect, but I was stupidly blinded by lust. Jamal didn’t love me. He couldn’t have. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have dragged me to hell and back for six years.
“Right, but Solomon is an asshole anyways.” I rolled my eyes. “I was going to explain to him why I didn’t want to confuse things between us but he tossed forty dollars on my dresser like I was some hoe.”
“What bitch?” she chortled, damn near spitting her drink on me. “I know the fuck he didn’t!”
I nodded. “He definitely did, girl.”
“Wow.” She continued to laugh. “That’s not funny but it is.”
“It really is.” I chuckled. “I didn’t think he would be so hurt behind some pussy.”
“I doubt it was just some pussy, bitch, but you know men are ego driven. You hurt his feelings.”
“It’s definitely just sex with us, Morgan,” I said, ignoring the other stuff. She loved to make things bigger than they were.
“The chemistry I witnessed between the two of you in your condo the other night was definitely more than sex, but go off, bestie. You know I’ll dwell in the land of delusion with you forever if you want me to.”
“Fuck you.” I laughed. “I am not delusional.”
“You’re right, you’re not.” She beamed.
“Whatever, hoe,” I spat playfully and waved one of the waitresses over to order more drinks. I needed them.
I had been working overtime to keep my mind off Solomon and to stop myself from reaching out to him on social media. I’d found his page by going through Bernard’s friends list. I wanted to apologize to him for making him feel a way, but I stopped myself ,thinking it was best if I left well enough alone.
Solomon was easy to like and easier to be attracted to. There really wasn’t a flaw in sight I could point out, but I also knew what came with dealing with a nigga like him. Jamal was attractive and a street nigga too. I was tired of pulling up to bitches’ houses to find my nigga there, strategically leaving my shit in the car so I could track locations, losing weight from niggas stressing me and shit. I wanted to live stress fucking free. Fuck nigga free! Solomon justlookedlike he gave bitches hard times and after sampling the dick twice, mixed with that fire head, I knew he would walk my ass down like a dog. So it was best for me to get out while I could.
