"Yeah, I don't know what's been going down with Antoine recently, but I sense trouble comin' his way. The hustlin game is fulla risks and I pray he don't have to learn the hard way"
"I see where you comin' from"
"And you! You need to wake up and smell the coffee bruh. You gotta good wife, a kid at home and you doing business wit' Danielle? That's low, man. real low"
"Arrgh" he sighed, frustratedly. "I know. It's just.. well, once you're in, it's hard to get out."
"Same thing A said" I reminded him, referring to our good friend, Antoine. Antoine had been in the hustler's game for all too long now and had never failed to use that same whack excuse when confronted.
Tyreece sighed heavily on the other end of the line. "I just.. I mean, Danielle's been pissin' me the hell off, but I still don't wanna hurt any feelings... You know what M? I appreciate what you tellin me right now, but can we just drop it for the time being?"
It was now my turn to sigh; I didn't want to bug my guy out, but I knew he needed to stop. Maybe he was right: I could drop it for a while. Just allow boys to be boys. Only thing was, he's a married guy- That's adultery- and that is a sin. Not that I know how 'in-touch' Ty's been with the church folk recently but still. What's bad, is bad.
I mean, he'd just been tellin me how he'd been with Danielle the night before and how things had blown up. I just hoped he stayed careful.
"Yo, you finna go to the game next Saturday?"
"You did not!"
"Ohh.. but I did. Landed six ticket's to the Hawk's versus Knicks game, Saturday night"
"Hol up... six tickets?"
"Yeah; me Steph, Sharayah and you, Antoine and whichever ho he decides to bring" we both fell out in laughter. Knowing our friend, he'd pick the flashiest of his options to be a groupie for the night.
"Whaddya think? Probably Yolanda.. naw she too ghetto."
"Right, most probably that yellow honey, Daimyn. Now she's flash"
"True. True" I had to agree, that girl was something else. She was, in actual fact, the least slutty of the girls. But talk about high mantainence and that is her.
Gucci top, Louis V bag and them Prada shoes. Always lookin good. To be honest, long as she don't make my boy bankrupt, she cool. Ty and I continued betting on who our player of a friend, Antoine would bring to the game.
When we decided we were done makin' jokes, we said our 'farewell's and I carried on with my day.
Firstly, I was going to the gym. Then, I would take my baby, Stephania out. Stephania was a good one. I' ll tell you that. She was a nutter deep down though and, strangely enough, that's what made me fall so deep in love. She could be cool, calm and collected this second, and the next, she was just loud, outgoing and purely crazy.
Being a Saturday, I wanted to surprise my girl to a little dinner at a cool spot I been watching for a while. Not no candlelit, naww none of that. It was this hot place. Looked all authentic from outside and inside it couldn't possibly be any more swagged out. Dance performances, singers and musicians. Stand up comedy and re runs of the best all-time comedies and movies. This spot wad the place to be. She'd love it,no doubt.
I wanted to show her that you ain't gotta be a teenager to do crazy stuff with yo man and be happy. Guess she thought you can't have a serious crazy relationship, but I'd show her otherwise. I was willing to he her all she desires and nothing less.
But first, the gym.
"Long time no see, bruh" One tall guy stood beside the bench I was lifting weights on.
"Jarell! My man, where you been?"
"Here man, what about you? Tryna avoid a good workout ? "
" Come on now, you know I ain't slackin". I got up, tensing my muscles to how off my ever-toned body.
"Well, c'mon bruh. It's that time again.."
"Naww.. you wanna do this fo' real?" He nodded and we walked upstairs.
After Jarell challenged to a treadmill run-out followed by a pull-up contest, sweat was dripping off every inch of my body.
"Ayy bruh, that was crazy." Jarell stepped off the machine and came over offering me a towel. I gladly accepted.
"Damn, I still got it" I flexed my muscles.
"Sho' do. Ayy and how's the wifey?"
"She good. Yo, I been thinkin to make her the real wifey"
"Fo' real? Aw snap when?"
"The right time, gotta be the right time."
"I hear you" he said nodding
"What about you? You still lookin' fo love?"
"I dunno, I'm takin' it slow with Sheila.. "
"Alright! Well, I wish you the best of luck''
''Thanks Maureece."
"Anytime, J. Imma catch you later"
"Really? Or am I gon' have to tell Steph to push you outta the house"
I laughed and replied honestly, "Imma try and come as much as possible."
"Alright cool" He lightly laughed as we said our goodbyes and left.
I continued to think about the wedding on and off as I drove home. How would I ask? When would I propose? Where? .... All these questions flew in a vicious whirlwind in my mind and I was just...
SCREEECH!
My Chevy stopped inches away from a small sport car. I withdrew a sharp breath as I imagined what could've happened had I taken my foot of the accelaration pedal just seconds later.
As my breathing slowed, my eyes trailed up to see if the occupant of the two-seater was affected. Before I could structurally process what I was seeing, she drove off.
But it couldn't have been who I thought it was. I mean, she was supposed to be 5,000 miles away..
She knew it was me. She had a nonchalant look in her eyes, followed by what appeared to be a slight knowing smirk, before speeding off. I sat, heart racing faster than any car, in shock before a car horn behnd me brought me into reality.
I drove home, but all of a sudden, I wasn't feeling too enthusiastic about tonight.
Teddysz.
