Cadence
I silently watched my best friend let a deep breath go and looked up at the dark sky. Dary and Travis have been talking heavy lately, but since Monkey Joe's.....I see a bigger distance that Dary tries to put between her and Trav. But she's also starting to very slowly crack with him.....and it's scaring her. I know it is, cuz Dary is scared that situations that happened with Craig.....could maybe turn out the same way with Trav. Deep down though.....
I know it's not.....
"Fuck....!" Dary hissed and dropped her head in frustration, her back still to me.
I immediately saw that look in her eyes when Travis obviously asked Dary something. I dunno what it was that he asked, but I can tell it brought back bad memories again to her. I looked back when the music got loud and saw Garrett come out to stand against the door to watch us. I smiled at him and he nodded at me, I know bae and his brother asked him to come out here. Garrett's cousin, Titus was with aunty, Eli and bae's dad at the house.
Garrett (G)
"Talk to me, sis....." I said quietly, looking back at her. Dary let a breath go again and stared ahead, then back at me.
"The fuck is wrong with me.....?" The tears that she was fighting, filled her eyes. I saw my best friend from middle school.....I saw Dary from senior year....
The hurt and scared 13 year old.....the angry and betrayed 18 year old.....
"Nothing is wrong with you, sis....." I whispered, Dary broke down and started crying, just like she did when she ran away from the foster home for the last time. I pulled her in for a tight hug like I did then and Dary wrapped her arms around me....
"Yeah it is.....! I know he's not like them.....why can't I just shake it off!?" She cried in my neck and I rubbed her back.
I may not have ever been in the situations Dary has been through in foster care or before when she was living with her biological parents, but I've seen the bullying she's faced. She's told me about the tragedies she's been through in the system and before....I've faced the bullshit Craig put her through senior year. I've seen the lows that my best friend has personally faced with all of that.....and.....
It is hard for her to shake it off, but it don't mean she can't......
"Hey.....remember....? No one can tell you how and when you should face your struggles, but me and aunty always got you no matter what...." She nodded in my neck. "You also know that you shouldn't put everyone in the same category as them, even when a person shows you that they aren't the same....." I whispered in her ear, still hugging my best friend.....Dary knew that I meant Travis specially.
He may have had his playboy ways that follows him, but something about Dary is making him want to change all of that. I can honestly say that he won't go to that low and sick ass level that the shitty ass foster families did to her.....what Craig did to Dary. I truly believe that Travis won't do it......
"I know he's not.....but, what if after I tell him....?" She sniffed and I had Dary look me in the eyes.
Dary
"Come on, sis.....from what I see and in my opinion, I'm sure he won't care. Remember when I thought situations would probably be a failure with Mason.....?" Dary silently nodded and wiped her wet cheeks. "Look at that now....." She looked around the darkness in the back of the club. The bass was thumping hard behind us and I looked back at G, still leaning against the brick wall by the door and on his phone.
"Yeah...." I looked at Dary when she whispered brokenly, I smiled softly at her and fixed her ponytail.
"You worked too hard to let something from the past with them, try and take that control over you now....." I said and Dary gave me a rueful smile and rolled her eyes. "Remember how you checked me about what I said to Eddy about his girl.....?" I peeked at her.
"So we gon throw that back at me....." She smirked at me.
"Yes.....yes I am, you're so worried that Travis is gonna judge you for something that happened 10 years ago.....you were young and Craig was the asshole that got what he deserved. The bullshit was his fault, cuz he knew the shit you've been through and he hurt you....." Dary's eyes dropped and the anger at what Craig did to my best friend out of his sick selfishness, grew in me.
Just like I now feel for Mykel, I can give two fucks about what's going on with Craig right now. Mykel putting hands on me fucked my whole mental up, cuz I've never been through that. Dary's been through it with her biological parents, the foster parents....the shit those kids put her through in the homes and school. Then the betrayal and hurt Craig put her through....he caused the tip of the ice berg to fall. Craig knew about the shit Dary's been through and she trusted him.....instead, he played that to his advantage.
"You're not the problem, they are and Travis sees something that's worth him just taking the friendship that you're allowing him, but you can tell he wants more. He hasn't been with any other person or even been paying attention to it....you see that, he's been chilling with you. He likes whateva vibe you're giving him and wanna keep being around it.....Travis is not Craig. Be fair and not shut him off, give him that choice to see if he wanna keep trying with you. Let him know just enough or tell him everything and he'll decide if he wanna keep pursuing you like he obviously is. Don't let the shit you went through with other people in the past, speak for Travis....why you can't try to maybe move on into something with him." I cupped her cheeks and stared her in the eyes, Dary's eyes dropped to the ground.....
"I hate when you throw the truth back at me....." She muttered and I giggled.
"One thing I know and noticed, that shit from the first time may have happened and you're over it.....but unlike Craig, Travis is remorseful and actually took accountability for what happened. I see that things between y'all got you thinking twice about him. Otherwise, you still wouldn't be just chilling with him when we're around each other." I raised my brows at her.
"Aight.....you're right...." Dary huffed, crossing her arms and I stood back with a small smile.
Daria coulda stayed home and avoided anything that included Travis. He came to the restaurant right after things went down to try and talk with her, that didn't unfortunately work. But Dary tolerated him when Travis and Mase came to the house the weekend we were off and babysitting Lena. She even talked to him at Monkey Joe's, away from everyone.....
Bae: everything ok? Trav is worried
"He's worried that he may have pressed the wrong button with you....." I read the message and Dary looked at her phone.
Me: yeah, we'll b in there in a min
"I asked him to come back here.....I like him and I think that's what scared me, cuz I don't want it to be like it was with Craig. I don't want shit to come back to all this we just got...." She shrugged and I sucked my teeth with an eye roll.
"Your record is expunged.....don't use that as an excuse. Maxie's wouldn't have hired you.....you wouldn't be promoted to regional director and manager, bish!" I gently shoved her and Dary sighed. "If you're gonna tell him, Travis wouldn't care about that....cuz you told him the truth and he knows what it is.....you like that nonchalant and playful attitude he got. He's the typa funny stupid you would need to help you in moments like these......" Travis is successful in his own right, but the lighthearted nature he got.....is what Dary needs for her serious and guarded nature.
"You and Grace shoulda been therapists....." Dary smirked at me.
"Oh, no......I'm with aunty when she says people gets too sensitive nowadays and it's just gonna get even worse in the future. I got my own problems to deal with and don't have time for the flip when you tell them the truth." Aunty was right....people ask for your opinion, thoughts and advice on things and when you honestly tell them your opinions......they get mad and shit.
Why the fuck you asked then!?
"Girl.....her birthday is next month, what should we do.....?" Dary asked me, while she obviously waited for Travis.
"I don't even know.....ooh, she was talking about wanting to go to the Bahamas....." I raised my brows at her.
"Girl....they daddy probably got that handled already. She looks happy with him....." My aunty do, she may not be worried about a commitment....but aunty looks like she'll be aight with Marvin Carter as a friend.
"Speaking of her....." I unlocked my phone and called aunty to check in.
"Yes, Cady.....?" She answered and I rolled my eyes at the nickname......I do remember my parents calling me that.
Damn, I miss them.....
"Me and Dary just checkin in. Gosh....." We snickered, I looked at the time and I know Eli is deep in his sleep now. My baby is loving the fact that he goes to school now with other kids and faithfully goes to bed at 7 just to make sure he wakes up on time.
"No.....what you two are really doin, is being nosey and tryna get into grown folks business. Aren't you two at the club.....?" She scoffed and we laughed.
"Yes......but we're really just checkin in and making sure you and my baby are alright...." I looked back when I heard the music get clear again. Mason and his brother clapped up Garrett, who walked in and just Travis came walking towards us.
Travis & Mason
Bae stood in the doorway watching me with a calm and patient look. I really like being with Mason, it's more emotional for me.....like I hope it is for him. It's only been a few weeks, but Mason has been nothing short of amazing.....my son loves seeing him when Mason takes his time in the morning to go with us and drop Eli off at school with me. Bae gives Eli this.....attention and I know he'd do whatever he can to protect my child. I'm good with bae and I wanna keep seeing how far this can go with Mason.
"He's doing good, Marvin helped me put him to sleep in his bed....and we just checked on him." I looked at Dary who was watching Travis come towards us. I raised my brows at my best friend and she snorted with her own smirk.
"I see things are going ok with you and Marvin...." Aunty sucked her teeth and I can see the eye roll in my mind.
"Get off my phone and out of grown folks business. Everything is fine, have fun.....enjoy your new found successes. Love y'all....."
"Love you, too....." Me and Dary giggled and aunty hung up. I let a breath go and looked back at Travis coming closer to us and back to Dary watching him, her eyes silently moved to mines.
"It's gonna be ok, you tell him what you want him to know. Be fair to him, too...." I touched her arm and Dary silently nodded. "Hey....." I smiled at Travis when he stopped next to us.
"Hey.....everything ok....?" He gave me and Dary a nervous smile, he watched my best friend cautiously.
Mase tells me that this is very, very different for Travis.....it's as if he completely put everything to a stop. He's choosing to just chill with Dary more, even if my best friend is keeping him at an arms distance.....any other time, Travis woulda been left things alone. I know this about my best friend as well and I just told her, she likes something about Travis.....she said it herself.
Craig was the very last typa relationship she had with anyone, my best friend coulda had anyone she wanted.....they've showed the interest. Dary just didn't even express a friendship to them, like she's doing with Travis and it's just not for me. Yeah, I'm with Travis brother and it would seem that Dary is just being cordial because of that.....but I'm sure it's not just that. Dary is a grown ass woman, she coulda just kept it at as a hello and bye situation.....but my sister has full on conversations with Travis, I even seen her giggling and laughing with him.
"I'm positive it is.....I'll leave you two to talk..." I gave them a soft smile and started walking back towards bae.
I gave Dary a look of encouragement and she bit her lips, looking at Travis. He gave her a curious look and she nodded to a bench that was farther back behind the club. I felt arms wrap around my waist and his cologne filled my nose when bae kissed the side of my neck.
"I'm not gonna be a brother short, right.....?" He mumbled, kissing under my ear. I giggled and turned to face Mason and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands slid down my spine and I kissed Mason softly, I looked up at him with a smile.
"It's gonna be ok....." I whispered and his eyes moved behind me.
I dunno if Dary will tell Travis everything, but I think she will.....and understanding the typa person he is.....Travis won't think differently about my best friend and shit that happened years ago. If Mason is helping me with things that Mykel dumbass is on......Travis will do what he can to help Dary with the emotional and mental demons she's fighting.
"He's gonna do whatever to help her.....with whatever it is. He really likes her....." He cupped my cheek and I got on my tippy toes to kiss him again.
"I know.....long as he don't end up hurting her more than she is....."
"It's not gonna be a problem with that......" His hands slid lower down my spine, Mase gripped my ass and bae kissed me deeper. "Is mother nature out the way now....?" I busted out laughing at his honest expression.
Trav
"Did I say something wrong.....?" Me and Daria sat on the bench, overlooking the well lit area behind the club. I looked around and saw my brother and Cadence walk back into the club, I looked back at Daria. I had asked her if anybody else ever touched her and....
I fucked up.....
"No.....it's just...." She dropped her head and Daria's leg bounced in a frustration. I took out the half a joint we were smoking on and looked at her, she said that she ain't smoke in a long time.....but I do see that she's more.....calmer and talks more when she does.
"You don't have to tell me anything, we can just sit out here for a lil bit....." I shrugged and lit the joint.
It could be like how it was when I saw her in my room, Daria asked for the restroom and I noticed that she ain't come back. I wasn't mad that she was in my room, I ain't got no weird kinks or shit to hide.....and she looked nice being in there. I may have my faults for having the jumpoffs, but it really was starting to get annoying. I was gonna handle one before moving back home, but.....it just didn't appeal to me any more.
"I should....I've been a bitch....nah, it's true...." She stopped me, before I tried to correct her....I hate when they refer to themselves that way.
"Don't do that, you're more than just that...." I shook my head and passed her the joint, looking around the dimly lit area.
"You saw me when your aunt and uncle first had the meeting with Cadence....." She said absently and took a pull in, I nodded.
Aunty does family law and all of this with the situations between Cadence and her fuck ass ex, she can handle those with no issues. But I did notice that Daria got aggravated at the mention of child services, I silently came to the conclusion that Daria went through that system. I dunno how it feels to be in that situation, but I'm sure it's not always roses and sunshine.....it couldn't been for Daria.
"You were adopted....." I said quietly, looking at her. Daria stared ahead and bit her lips.....she looked down and took another pull.
Dary
"Not until 7th grade.....Grace adopted me....." She looked at me and I gave her a curious look. That would mean that both her and Cadence are adopted cousins, instead of just only best friends.
"So......you've been in foster care before then.....?" I took a pull in and Daria nodded, still staring ahead.....she breathed in deep and looked at her lap.....
"The state took me from my parents when I was in elementary school, the classic dope fiends that wasn't doing shit to take care of me. A teacher reported them, when I kept sleeping in class and kept begging for another plate of lunch. My clothes were shitty, kids were shittier to me and I just didn't look well kept...." I looked away, feeling like shit....cuz a kid had to experience that typa trauma.
"Have you seen them since.....?" I looked at her and Daria snorted.
"No.....why I gotta care to see people who obviously didn't care to fight for me or even tried to see me?" She gave me a careless look and I couldn't say nothing about that.
"Ok....." I nodded.
I'm gonna take this.....cuz Daria's opening up to me and I respect the fact that she's letting me into something so deep to her. It doesn't change how I'm starting to feel for her though, which is saying a lot.....cuz I never expected to even find someone that could be worth it, like Cadence is starting to be for Mase. Daria looked up at the dark sky and she batted her eyes, fighting this same emotion that was in her eyes before she walked out.
"I was in foster care before Grace adopted me.....those kids in the same foster homes were shit. I was easy target, cuz at least they never knew their parents.....they were abandoned in the hospitals. But.....here's the crack baby, that her parents just didn't wanna take care of....and I was just money for more crack for her parents. I'd do anything to get them more crack and I was most likely a dope fiend like them....since that's all I apparently knew." Daria bit her lips and the fat tear fell from her eye, she sniffed her tears and wiped under her eyes. I put the joint out and looked at her, I hate to see tears.....especially with someone so beautiful like Daria.
"The foster moms, just took the government money for me and splurged on themselves.....just barely giving me the stuff I need, to keep the pretences. The foster sisters just hated me for no reason......the foster dads and brothers......" She trailed off and I got pissed as fuck.
They touched her.....! The fuck!?
"They say that we're always posed to tell.....and I did, but it's like they always had their stories straight when welfare check-ins popped up. I always fought back to where it didn't go as far as rape with them, but....." Daria stopped and she didn't need to say no more.
"Fuck....!" I ran my hand down my face. "I'm sorry...." I felt the like I was gonna cry for her, no child deserved to even go through any of it.....the system really failed Daria.
"It's not your fault.....it's their sick asses, every time I ran.....MDCS always brought me back. Then I was the problem to those families and they'd just give me back to the state, just to end up with a new family. Half the time I'd be with those same kids I was in other foster homes in, at the same schools, so they knew my back story. Rumors about me started in school from them and other students. I'd get in fights, cuz they'd put hands on me....thinking I'm not gonna fight back in school like I always did in foster homes. Then I became the problem in the schools, cuz I'm always fighting.....just defending myself...." Daria bit her lips again, I slid closer to her and Daria let me hug her from the side. I rubbed her arm, looking ahead.....the anger to those same motherfuckahs filled me for Daria and I can now understand why she would be so angry.
"It went on into middle school, til I met Cady...." I know she was mentioning Cadence by the nickname. "She didn't tease me or even bullied me, like they did....out of everybody.....she came up to me and she fought them with me. Cadence didn't have to, cuz she was going through her own situations.....she lost her parents. Grace was raising her niece as her own child, but Cady.....she asked me, why are they always bothering me? Why are they always saying such bad things about me? She didn't judge me, she just wanted to know why....no one, not even teachers asked that. So Cadence is my sister til the end, cuz she gave me a friendship that I never had...." Daria whispered and I see the deep bond that both ladies obviously shares.
Where one is.....the other is definitely there. Cadence and Daria rides for each other heavy, she told me.....but you can also see it. Cadence's son, is like Daria's son....not only because she obviously loves Eli as such....but he's also part of someone special to Daria.
"I understand the typa sisterhood y'all got with each other more now....." You can't even say they're just best friends.....it's more than that. Family isn't always blood......Cadence and Daria proves that.
"If something was to happen to either of them 3.....I'd really lose my shit...." She whispered brokenly and I just rubbed her arm, Daria laid her head against my shoulder.
This was new of her to even let me console her this way.....that brought a lot of comfort to me. Cuz I knew that I could be someone that can help her get through this difficulty. Deep down though, this may be why she won't go past a friendship with me.....but......
There's obviously more......
"I definitely understand....they're the only ones I completely trust to and now that mom ain't here, I'd lose my shit too....." Pops, Mase and Sam are the only people deep in my life now and more reason I moved back to the states.
"Cadence saw how I was always so angry and I confided in her. No one wanted to listen but her and she let me meet Grace, who became the only adult that listened to me. She was in the process of trying to become my foster mom, but I was still with another family.....I'm just waiting and hoping that a social worker would come and tell me that everything went through. I was gonna live with my best friend and her aunt....I know it would be no reason for me to run then, cuz Grace treated me way better than they ever would. I ran away from the last foster home, cuz both the dad and foster brother caught me by myself......" Daria got quiet and I felt her body lightly shake against me, the anger grew heavier in me for Daria. "I fought them the best that I could, bruised and all.....I ran. It had to be like 1 in the morning and.....I cried to Cadence when she opened the door.....Grace called the cops and wouldn't let MDCS take me. She told them about the application to be my foster mom and threatened to sue them....I've been living with them ever since....." She let out a deep sigh and Daria moved closer to me, it feels good to know that she trusts me this much and Imma help with whateva she needs me to do for her.
"I see why my pops likes Grace...." I huffed, enjoying just this moment with Daria.
It brought me to when we were sitting on the balcony back at my place. For some reason, just this with Daria brought me a comfort. Not hearing about what she's experienced.....just us talking and me understanding the person that Daria really is. She's hurt, rightly so and she's trusting me with a dark past that she's had......
"You said that about Cady and your brother....." She said softly.
"Cadence and her aunt both got something that reminds them of my mom. Imma say that's a good thing, cuz my mom is a hard person to hold in comparison to. Pops and my mom were married for 35 years, in today's society it's hard to even be together that long and Julia Carter was our world. Like Eli, Grace and Cadence are to you...." I looked at Daria. "For her to be the only woman, handling 4 grown ass men like us...." I smirked at her and smiled wider when Daria giggled.
"I can understand her handling them.....but I'm sure you was a handful....." She absently drew on her thigh.
"I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm the problem child....." I snickered and picked up the half joint again, but I kept my arm around her and Daria didn't move away.
She does like you.....
"Says the one who apparently destroyed his dad's $300k car...." Daria snickered.
"I replaced it with a better model....!" I scoffed looking at her and she giggled some more. "Where can this leave us....?" I took another pull and passed it to her.
I still wanna try something with her.....this don't change shit with me, Daria took a deep breath in and sat up with the joint.....I pulled her ponytail back and she gave me a soft look. None of what she just told me changed how I'm feeling for Daria.....I'm still feeling her and this makes it stronger for me. I see how strong she is, coming from those situations and it got me feeling more for her.
Bullshit and all, I got Daria....
"I dunno.....cuz me being in foster care is only part of the situation that created this.....angry person that I am....." She looked away from me and took a pull, passing me back the joint.
"Yeah.....?" I whispered, turning to look at her more. My arm laid on the head of the bench and Daria still sat close to me....she bit her lips in doubt, I left the joint between my lips and my fingers moved under her chin so she can look at me. I saw a new doubt and hurt in her eyes and I ain't like seeing it. "Tell me.....you see I ain't go nowhere yet and most likely ain't...." I quietly said, her eyes dropped and Daria bit her lips.
"I was living with Cadence and Grace by then. Grace had fully adopted me in highschool, but all that shit followed me in highschool. I didn't trust no one, but only them.....Cadence had her lil boyfriends, I just didn't want any. Junior year...." She stopped and now I know this is about a certain dude. There was pure anger in her face now, as compared to the hurt when she told me about her time in foster care.
This niggah tried her? Did he know about her past?
"Someone hurt you.....?" I squinted at her.
"I did therapy....Cadence and Grace always went with me. I started understanding how to separate that bullshit in foster care from current shit now that I was a lil older. But people don't understand that you're still gonna carry some of that hurt and all you can do is try and I did." I nodded, people don't understand unless they've been in the same situation. I don't understand, cuz I've never been in the foster system like Daria has.....but at least she tried. "Instead of completely pushing every dude away all the time, I tried with Craig.....but deep down he was just the same from what I was moving from. Just this time.....he actually took his time to fuck with my head." Daria looked at me and my brows dropped, not liking where this was going.
Just listen.....
"Ok...." I nodded.
"I always knew Craig, we all were in the same high school together.....he was on the football team, the girls were sweatin him and shit. I just didn't care, but the ending of Junior year...." She looked lost in thought and I killed the last bit of the joint, Daria looked at me. "Craig started off as being just a friend.....he kept shit cordial with Cadence, he never disrespected my sister, he was always polite with Grace. Over the summer, Craig really showed me that he just wanted to be my friend and feelings for him started. Cuz I thought he was showing me something better and more then what I went through with foster care. He told me that he was getting feelings more than just a friend for me and by then, I trusted to tell him everything about me....like I am with you now....." Daria bit her lips. This was starting to piss me off for Daria, cuz it seems as if dude was that fucked up in the head to take all this time and play with her emotions. Cuz it's obvious that's what he was doing......
What the fuck for!? What was the whole purpose of it!?
"Ok...." I bit my lips, tryna keep myself in check for a niggah that ain't even here or around her
It hurts to think that Daria would think that I'd do whateva the fuck this niggah did, I may have whateva shit that follows me from my behavior prior. But I'm no fuck ass niggah like how she's describing about this Craig, I silently watched her.....waiting for Daria to finish, cuz I wanna hear how bad this bitch really hurt her.
"Craig never pushed me to have sex, he was always patient. He always had the right things to say and I was the supportive girlfriend for all his games, I was so happy that State had recruited him with a full scholarship. It was a couple months before we graduated, I was 18....we've been together like a year already and.....yeah....." She shrugged, with a light scoff and she ran her hand down her face.
They had sex.....
"Me and Cadence shoulda saw how they was looking at me when we went to school after that. The cheerleaders acted like I was a fucking joke and I didn't even know what the fuck was so funny. Cadence got in arguments with some of the kids, cuz she ain't know what the fuck was the joke too. Then someone said something to her that pissed me the fuck off......you gon fuck for some rocks too.....?" She bit her lips and the anger grew even more on her beautiful face. "Me and Cadence got in a bad fight that day with those same kids and got suspended....I ain't give a fuck, cuz you're not gon try my sister for some dumb shit....." That's fair to say, but why the fuck-?
Hell nah......!
"Where the fuck was he....?" I asked, realizing where this shit was going....Daria gave a bitter smile and shake of her head.
"Right when me and Cadence were leaving the school property with Grace, I saw Craig's fuck ass on the field with another girl and a group of other players. Just laughing his ass off like it wasn't shit and he had her all up on him.....I got mad as fuck, cuz where the fuck was he when all the fuckin students were acting funny to me? Why the fuck was another girl all up on him....?" Knowing Daria's temper now and why.....I can almost imagine what happened.
"I went over there to check him and see what the fuck was going on.....we just had sex that weekend and I was thinking that......fuck.....!" She dropped her head in her hands and I felt the heartache and humiliation for her.....Daria let me pull her in for a hug. She took in a shaky breath and I felt her tears against my chest. "They were watching a video of me and him having.....I got mad, cuz they were.....I was a fucking joke to them....him....!" She almost yelled. "He....!" Daria choked on her tears and I'm ready to find this bitch and fuck his ass up, it don't matter how long ago it was.
What kinda sick bullshit.....!?
"Cadence tried to pull me away and I just got more pissed off at the way he just didn't give a fuck about what he did. I thought.....Grace was in the distance waiting for us in the car.....but it got even worse!" Daria cried in my chest and I rubbed her back, letting her cry.....
How much worse can it get with people watching you have sex with another dude....?
"Craig threw bags of crack and shit at me and Cadence, laughing at how I'll fuck for dope.....that I was that fuckin stupid to think.....Cadence was the lil follower behind me and it wasn't gon be long for him to fuck her too. I just....lost it, cuz I couldn't understand.....! I took a pen and jumped at Craig, dragging it down his face hard....Cadence started jumping the other bitches who tried.....I let my temper get the best of me....." She cried and I hugged her closer to me, I shut my eyes tight with her in my arms. Nothing is her fault and I still don't look at her differently.
This motherfuckah took a real advantage of Daria, she trusted this bitch with everything and he didn't even care about how much damage he caused with her with this bullshit?
Fuck all that, the lil niggah deserved the shit and more!
"Your actions were justifiable in my opinion, the fact that he took all this time just to hurt you.....damn, I'm so sorry....." I bit my lips, the urge to find this motherfuckah myself grew. Daria kept crying in my chest, I can't imagine the emotions coming back to her full force remembering this shit.....remembering everything that she's been through. "I hope you got his ass good....." Daria gave a watery chuckle and sat back, wiping her wet cheeks.
"I remember there was a lot of blood, so I would think so....." She wiped under her eyes and I pulled the ponytail of her hair back.
Good......
"What happened after that.....?" This happened on school property and there was hard core drugs involved.....so I'm sure police was involved. Daria let out a deep sigh and you would think a lot of pressure and stress was lifted off her shoulders.
"I got arrested for aggravated battery and cuz I was 18 already, so I was charged as an adult. Craig got arrested for possesion.....after he was released from the hospital. He got kicked off the team and lost his scholarship....." Daria twisted her lips and looked up at me. So she got a record.....ok, whateva.....
"I don't care about your record, but Maxie's didn't.....?" I'll help her fix that shit, before they get wind of it. Daria and them just got these bad ass positions and I would hate for something from the past to fuck it all up for her.
"Grace helped me expunge it and instead of doing time, when I went to see the judge the next day.....her and my public defender begged that I just get sent to an anger management program and a year probation. After that year, that's when me and Cadence moved to Stanton." She wiped her wet cheeks.
"Ok.....good. You know where he's at now.....?" I m forreal, I wanna fuck the niggah up for the shit.
"Why.....? So you can find and jump his ass....?" She peeked up at me with her sexy smirk.
"I mean.....ain't that what your dude posed to do.....? Hurt those who hurt you...." Daria didn't flat out tell me no when I asked here where this would leave us earlier, she didn't push away from me and had let me console her while she talked. No matter how slow I gotta take this with her, this became a step farther than what it was between us yesterday. I watched her, watching me and Daria let out a small scoff and dropped her head.....but I ain't miss the small smirk in the dark.
"I don't know where he's at.....don't really give a fuck neither, long as he leaves me and my sister alone. It took me a while to learn, leave the past where it belongs....just stay guarded and careful of all dudes....." She looked up at me and I smiled at her, Daria still ain't correct me.
"My question still stands.....where does this leave me and you.....?" I leaned forward and peeked at Daria, I bit my smile when I saw the small bashfullness in her face.....
She's so beautiful.....
"Hm.....?" I raised her chin to look at me, Daria's eyes moved over my face and I know she's fighting a decision in her mind. "I may have my faults, but I ain't on the dumb shit like he was....I really wanna see wassup with you and me. I'm a grown ass man, not no little young ass niggah who don't know how to act right....." I whispered, leaning closer to her.....yet Daria still ain't move away. Her eyes dropped to my lips and I cupped her jaw with my hand, pulling her closer to me.
"Yeah....." She whispered.
"Can I be your boyfriend....?" I whispered, getting closer and Daria's eyes fell when our lips barely brushed against each others.
"Yeah....?" Her eyes closed and mines followed with our lips pressing with each others.
*********
"The fuck pops at....?" I looked at the time, he told us not to leave yet cuz there was an important favor that he wanted to ask us.
Fine.....but we got promises made to Cadence, Dallas and Daria. I smiled to myself, cuz me and her have seriously moved on to another level and I'm happy as fuck that we made it here. Daria wasn't working til next week and she's free all this week.....so Imma get the chance to know my girl even more.
It sounds so good to acknowledge it.....
"He just texted me and said that it's a few more minutes, Titus just picked up a person that's gonna be here with them....." Me and Sam looked at my brother, when he opened the fridge getting a Gatorade.
Mase & Sam
"I thought it was just him and Wendell Redford....." Sam said.
"Y'all know just the same as I do......" Mase shrugged, I looked at my phone.
Me: u wanna go somewhere & chill? Just the two of us?
I know Cadence is basically Daria's right hand and I'd never come in between that friendship. But I also know that this between Cadence and my brother is still new, they need some time together too.
Bae: we can
"I don't think it's about a house, pops helped Wendell buy one like years ago....." I said, looking at them and getting a Gatorade, too.
One perk about Cadence and Mason being together, is that she makes sure he stays fed and she cooks good as hell.....which makes me and Sam stay fed. The fridge and cabinets are stacked with food.....we ain't gotta live off of takeout no more!
"We'll see when they get here, I guess. Dallas is working at the club, you know grand opening is right around the corner after the Halloween party....." Sam ate some chips.
"Mm....bae got this Catwoman suit.....yesss, niggah!" Mase cringed. Far as I know.....Daria didn't get a costume, but she did tell me that she was gonna go costume shopping with the ladies again, since Arelys ain't get one.
"Between all of us, your ass finna be the one with all the kids...." I pointed at my brother, me and Sam snickered when Mase shrugged.
"Thing is, I don't think I even care......"
"Damn.....you feeling her that hard already....?" Sam asked.
"Shit.....if it keeps rocking like this between us, she stuck with me....." He laughed and we clapped him up, my brother would most likely do it too. Mase seems happier than he was when he was with Kayla and she ain't have no kids, where Cadence has a son with a fucked up ass baby daddy. "I saw you and Daria last night, bruh.....things going good wit y'all now....?" He nodded at me.
"It's a step better than it was before, I'm serious when I said that I ain't going back to that no more......it's a vibe I'm really feeling with Daria....." I said, opening my laptop and looking at how things were going in the office.
After we sealed what it is between us, me and Daria came back in the club and just vibed out. Daria likes affection, despite her giving distance in the beginning. I was all down for it, even if she was shy with accepting it in front of people.....but she eventually warmed to it.
"Aight.....I vouched for you with Cadence from jump, you see how protective they are to each other." He pointed at me.
"I know that and ain't gon be no problems....." Imma make sure of that.
"Aight...." Mason said.
Understanding what Daria has been through, I wanna make sure she's good and I will protect her the best that I can from any bullshit that this Craig niggah can bring her. Daria said that she don't know or care to know where he is.....but I wanna make sure he ain't gon be nowhere near her and I'm sure that's how my brother feels about Cadence and her fuck ass ex. Least he knows that this Mykel is in jail right now and he got a stay away order on Cadence....
Maybe I should do the same for Daria, even if Craig ain't been around her since highschool. But you never know, especially from a niggah that wasted all his time for God knows what for him to do what he did to her. I looked at my phone and stopped before sending the message to unc, Daria ain't neva said Craig's last name.....
"Bout time...." I looked up when Sam went to the door and opened it. Pops was standing with Wendell, Titus and......the fuck is this?
Titus
"It's about time, unc.....time's moving and I promised bae I was gonna meet her...." Sam said.
"This is one of my headaches......my nephew, Sam......" Pops rolled his eyes and looked at the two guys, they walked in with chuckles. "And these are my sons......Mason and Travis." We watched them come further in the condo.
Marvin
"You got yourself some fine young men, Marv...." Wendell Redford said too casually to pops.
We shook both his and dude hands, I looked at Mase and Sam in confusion. We know of Wendell Redford, I mean he is the son of the original owner of Maxie's. It's this other guy, who's tatted all the fuck up for someone who obviously is around pops and Wendell's age.
"Marvin.....it seems as if you have your sons in quite the barrel of a confusion....." He had a very heavy southern accent, he definitely gotta be from the south.
"I mean....." I gave a nervous chuckle and looked at all of them.
"Stop playing with these boys, Marvin....." Wendell said.
"Aight.....you know Wendell, but this is also Christian Joe Walker....." Pops said in good nature, clapping dude's back. I can understand pops being so comfortable with Wendell, but who the fuck this Christian is posed to be....?
Christian & Wendell
"It's not meant to be rude, we know Mr. Redford.....but I'm sorry, it doesn't seem that we're familiar....." Mase trailed off with his own awkward chuckle, looking at pops.
"Might I add, though.....these are some bad ass tats....." I checked his arms out.
"Oh, thanks....." Christian smiled. "I have 4 sons, all of them are just as tatted and they were the ones to actually get me started on these." He looked at his arms, we nodded in appreciation.....I know I'm due for some new ones....
"4 sons.....I'm sure you're not from Maryland with your distinctive accent....." Sam huffed, looking at us.
"Tell them Chris....." Wendell clapped his shoulder, Titus went to lazily sit on the sofa by the window and we looked back at Christian.
"Well you are definitely right about the accent, I am from the beautiful state of Texas. Me and my son's just moved up here and we are in the search of buying a new home for all of us......" He seems so chill and laid back.
"You're gonna be living with your sons....." I made sure I heard correctly, which ain't nothing wrong with that to me.
"Yes.....one of them is actually mines biologically....CJ. You send one off to school and he comes back with 3 others that becomes an addition. People are quite surprised to hear that I value Memphis, Shakir and Enzi as such.....but I couldn't ask for 3 more special boys to me....." Christian smiled, I understood that.
They're black.....so the fuck what? Family is family, regardless if they're blood or not.....
"Family isn't always blood, right.....?" Mason smiled at him.
"Right you are, son......I've been raising those boys since they were in highschool.....now they just won't leave the old man be. You'll meet them, since they need to make sure their rooms are as they want them to be. A very picky and specific bunch that I have......" Pops looked at us, I'm sure it's cuz that Christian isn't either married or he's also a widower.......
"Ok, you're in the search of a house...." Sam said.
"Yes....I am and I know that Marvin is a magnificent agent, therefore his son's gotta have the same method and technique as their father....." Christian smiled at the 3 of us.
"I hope we can do an amazing job, like he's always done." I said.
"I have faith in you boys, look at the house off of Lake Shelby that you helped Ky'lan get." Pops smiled at us.
"Ok.....before we start though.....how are you 3 so, cool.....?" Sam asked and we all walked to the large sofas.
"I did tell the group that we bought the hotel across from the restaurant in a private sale....." Wendell smiled at us and we sat down.
"Cadence did mention that....." Mase said, looking at them with his brows dropped......I know me and Sam are just as confused too.
"Well.....you are looking at the 3 new owners of
LaMada...." Pops chuckled.
Thoughts?
Til next time