Keith & Ray : A Love Story

2

"I liike thaaat. I don't really give a F if I was just the only one who likes that," I sang along with the radio as we drove to the party. I was covering up my nerves by being as extra as I could.

I get nervous before any social interaction. Sue me.

We were in an Uber because I refused to drive and Charity had already taken a few drinks "to loosen herself up."

No matter what her intentions might be, I could already predict how this night was going to go and I wasn't exactly sad about it. The quicker Charity boo'd up the quicker i could take an Uber home. I wanted to have faith in my friend but from the way she talked about Trey I knew she wasn't coming back home tonight.

We pulled up to an apartment building on the nicer side of town. I was impressed. Chastity grabbed my hand as we walked up the door. Was this girl nervous? The door was unlocked, so we slipped inside. There wasn't a lot of people there yet, so as soon as we walked in, I saw the elusive Trey. He was tall and dark skinned, with dreads a mile long. He looked Chastity up and down with hunger in his eyes. Oop. He pulled her in for a hug.

"This is my girl Ray," she introduced me to Trey, who shot me a heart winning smile.

"Wassup. Heard a lot about you," he put his arm over my shoulder in a quick hug. I smiled at him and tried not to be uncomfortable.

"Nice to meet you," I said, looking around the room. The apartment wasn't packed, but there were a whole lotta niggas in here by my standards. I could feel eyes on us. "Come meet my boys," Trey said. He spoke directly to Charity but she linked arms with me so o guess we were a package deal.

"She needs a drink first," Charity announced. She wasn't joking.

He laughed a little. "You good, shawty?" He looked down at me and I noticed that I was substantially shorter than the both of them. " Not really," I tried to respond jokingly. After I felt the burn of a shot of tequila and almost died (to Trey and charity's amusement), I felt a little more relaxed.

"Okay I'm good y'all," I said. "She's funny, man," Trey shook his head.

We headed to the back of his apartment. I smelled weed.

"Y'all smoke?" He questioned, looking back at us. Charity looked at me because she knew I wasn't with that. "Please," she mouthed. I shrugged. "I do," she spoke up.

He opened the door and it was clear they were back here hotboxing. " This is Charity and her friend Ray," Trey introduced us.

There were five guys already in the room. "Ray!!" One of them greeted me. I looked over and saw a guy from one of my classes, Braden. He smiled over at me lazily. He was fine as hell and I was kinda shook that he actually knew my name. I mean, I helped him pass Calculus but still. He got up and opened his arms to give me a hug.

Charity practically pushed me over to him.

He wrapped his arms around me, picking me up a little. "Settle down grasshopper," one of his friends snickered from the couch.

"Y'all don't understand, this girl got me through Calculus. I owe her my graduation," he explained dramatically.

I blushed, embarrassed.

"Come sit with me, " he urged, grabbing my hand to pull me over to the couch.

I looked back and it didn't look like Charity would miss me at all, as she was already cozied up sharing a blunt with her boo.

Another boy on the couch scooted to the side to let me sit down but just looked up at Braden. I sat down awkwardly. There was little space so my thighs were touching his and his arm was over the back of the couch. I wanted to move it but I tried to think of what a normal girl would do and ended up with no words.