Below The Belt

Round 4

Tyreek's POV

"Nigga what the fuck was that?" Dayquan asked from outside of the sparring ring. I was currently sparring with another one of the gym members, but my mind was elsewhere... Apparently my distraction was obvious.

"Chill on me, mane." I sighed as Dayquan gestured for me to come to him. I slipped out of the ring and sat beside him. Dayquan said nothing for a while as he helped remove the gloves and wraps from my hands.

Once the gloves are removed, he stares at me with a deadpan expression. "You thinkin' bout that nigga you fuckin' with?"

The bluntness of the question makes me laugh, a smile spreading across my face as I shake my head. "You ain't even gon' believe me if I lie so... Yeah. He been on my mind."

It's been one week since our date. We've been texting back and forth, and I can tell he's really feeling me. However, I can also tell he doesn't want to feel me.

He refuses to even acknowledge our kiss. Anytime I bring it up or flirt with him, he changes the subject. I ask him on another date, he changes the subject. It's like he likes me but doesn't want to acknowledge it.

I explain all of this to Dayquan who listens quietly, occasionally nodding his head and humming to let me know he was hearing me. When I was done speaking, he let out a breath and interlocked his fingers. "Sounds to me like you need to stop being so gentle with him."

"... Nigga that's the grand advice you got out of that?" I asked with a laugh.

Dayquan simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'm being serious. Put ya foot down, let him know he ain't gon' be playin' with yo feelings and shit. Either he feelin' you or he ain't. Either he want you or he don't."

"Yeah that's easy for you to say, man. I ain't tryna force him to move faster than he wants to. This shit is new to him, I can't' just-"

"Nigga." Dayquan deadpanned. "I'm not sayin' make the nigga propose to you at Disney World. I'm just sayin' let him know that he needs to decide whether or not he's fuckin' wit' you. Don't make no sense for you to be chasin' after him like some lovesick lil puppy if he not feelin' you. So if he not gonna at least acknowledge his feelings, you need to leave his ass in the past."

I hate when this nigga is right...

I sighed and rubbed a hand down my face before nodding. "Yeah... Yeah, you right. I'll talk to him about it later."

Dayquan nodded his head, then roughly slapped my back. "Now get that nigga out'cha head so you can fight like you mean it."

I laughed at that, but nodded and did my best to stop thinking about DeAndre for the rest of my time in the gym. By the time I was done training and got to check my phone, I noticed several messages.

Several texts from various men I used to sleep with, all of them asking when I'd be seeing them again- Never, if Dre stops playin' with me. A few texts from Mr. Onyx about my next fight. Zero texts from the one person I actually wanted to talk to, and... One text from an unknown number.

Unknown Number
Dude my dad is wallowing.
He's having the sexuality crisis he
swore he wouldn't have.
SOS dude come quick
Read 2:37 PM

Ain't no way...

Antwon?
Read 2:38 PM

Unknown Number
Yeah yeah, Antwon
Help
Immediately
He's listening to Sza
He doesn't listen to Sza dude
He's literally listening to the
whole SOS album rn dude
Help
Read 2:40 PM

Aight aight I'm on my way
Relax
Read 2:42 PM

Future Son
Don't tell me to relax dude
you'd be freaked out too if
you saw him lying in a towel
singing Kill Bill
Read 2:45 PM