The Gifted: First Testament(Rough Draft)

Chapter Three- Kingdom

"Wait a minute, Sha. You spent the night at her house, in her bed, and you still haven't slept with her? What's wrong with you?"

"Technically I did sleep with her," I retorted. Junior, Jamila, and most of our half of the train laughed at me.

"Stop playing around, dread. Are you saying you still didn't hit it, bro?" Junior was having trouble hiding his accent in his annoyance.

"I have to admit, Sha, I do find it hard to believe you've been obsessed with this woman for all this time and you didn't have sex with her when you finally got the chance. I think you're bullshitting us," Jamila chimed in. Strangers added their two cents. The general consensus was disbelief.

"He was waiting for her to make the first move," Ayize whispered in a dreamy tone. Public transportation was hard on her gift. She never took the train alone, too many minds crammed into a small space. It was tough for her to focus.

"That I can believe," Jamila laughed. "Most women want you to take charge, Sha. They want to feel irresistible, like you just have to have them." A lot of heads nodded their agreement.

"Jamila doesn't wait for Junior. She throws him down and takes what she wants," Ayize said to the train at large. Jamila's smile grew strained, while Junior's broadened. Our little audience was enjoying our back and forth across the aisle. "Nicole likes things stuffed in her mouth while she's penetrated." Ayize pointed at a middle aged woman a few seats away.

Nicole gasped, and sobered instantly. She elbowed her companion whose laughter was bringing him to tears, and averted her eyes. Junior lost it, his contagious laughter making it hard to keep it together. When I finally laughed it was because my ineptitude was no longer the focus of the conversation.

"Jonathan likes fingers in his ass. Barry doesn't like women or sex, it scares him." It was all in quick succession. First Ayize pointed at a guy in fatigues and timberlands, then a skinny twenty something with angry eyes. Neither found it funny that their secrets were being shared during their morning commute.

"That's enough, Ayize," I whispered.

Barry jumped to his feet, his hands gripping something in his pocket. "I don't know what the fuck this bitch is talkin' about," he said. His body language reeked of potential violence.

"Good. No one knows what she's talking about, so why don't you sit the fuck down and chill the fuck out," Jamila snapped. She slowly stood and Junior rose with her. They both towered over the stranger but he seemed unfazed.

"Am I supposed to be scared? Shut that bitch up or I'll shut her up for you."

I could feel Ayize grow still. Her constant fidgeting stopped and her smile faded away. I patted her leg and prepared to have to take action. I didn't think the guy could do any real harm to her, but I wasn't going to let some dude who couldn't take a joke put his hands on her. The train conductor announced that we were pulling into the York Street station. It was our stop.

"Yo, mon. Ya don't speak to ladies like dat."

"Word?"

"Word, and if you call her a bitch again, you're gonna face these hands," Jamila put herself squarely in front of Barry so there was no confusion as to who he'd be fighting.

"Fuck you," he said. The train came to a stop and I stood to leave. "Yo, you could get it too, big man." The last was directed at me.

I ignored him and pulled Ayize to her feet. The doors opened, and we got off. Nicole's angry glare followed us on our way. If looks could kill, we might have been in trouble. Junior had to pull Jamila, though he would have needed help if she'd resisted. Barry followed them to the doors, he and Jamila tossing insults back and forth. As the doors closed he spit at her, missing only because Junior snatched her aside in the nick of time. I had to grab her other arm to stop her from charging the train. She kicked the double doors as the train pulled off and the sound of groaning metal echoed across the platform.