"Never explain yourself. Your friends won't need it and your enemies won't believe it." - Belgecia Howell
(Aspen again in MM)
Chapter 12: Cassandra
"JD ain't even have to go there." Tyrone laughed while eating a spoonful of ice cream. After JD's ghetto birds and the bees talk, we decided to hit up dairy Queen since it was hot as the devil's toenails outside.
"He was just being like that cause he saw Keith and I kissing outside the door." I dove into my Oreo blizzard and took a second to enjoy the flavor and crunching on the bite size oreo cookie chunks. "It wouldn't be the first time either."
Tyrone shook his head and lightly laughed. "Then I'm completely surprised he isn't at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean yet with bullet holes in his chest." I laughed with him even though he was completely serious. JD was a man with unknown capabilities. Thank God I've never seen them but I've definitely heard stories. He even had a back room filled with guns displayed on the wall at the house. Of course they were all registered to him, he wasn't stupid but he did always say he would show Keith the room if necessary.
"Me too."
"But you know, if Keith did do some stupid shit like break your heart, he gone have to worry about two people shootin' him dead." Tyrone said tryna sound all hard.
I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Yeah, if you say so Tyrone. You never held a gun let alone seen one up close and personal."
"That don't mean the threat doesn't still stand." He said seriously. I looked at Tyrone and he was now completely in protective mode, but I waved him off.
"I'm serious Cassy. I protect those that are close to me and I would do anything to make sure you're protected. I know I haven't been around much lately, but that doesn't mean I have stopped or don't care."
"I know Tyrone you don't have to give me the whole sentimental speech." I interrupted taking another spoonful. I'm not gonna lie and say I wasn't hurt at the current distance him and I have developed but not for a second did I think our friendship was on the rocks. Him and I had a special bond that no one could break.
"But I feel like I have to so let me say this." Tyrone put his spoon back into his now half empty blizzard cup, pushed it aside and reached across the table to grab hold of one of my hands. I slowly nodded my head. "Okay."
"You're my best friend Cassy, ever since middle school and even at one point my crush," I laughed lightly remembering when we're in our pre- algebra class in the seventh grade. He'd had a green notebook sent across the room to my desk with nothing written in it except one page with the words "Will you be my girlfriend? Check box yes or box no."
"I remember that. I checked no and you were hurt for like two weeks. wouldn't speak to me or anything."
"Yeah and then I realized I was being an idiot and asked you to still be my friend." I smiled to myself reminiscing on that day.
"Best decision I ever made." I said but more so to myself.
"Well know what ever may happen, whether that is me dating Aspen, you dating Keith, life, college, whatever it may be, just know I will always have your back. Even if I'm on the other side of the world. You'll always have a special place in my heart." Tyrone rubbed his thumb across my knuckles and my heart swelled at his words. I took everything he said directly to heart and believed in what he said whole-heartedly. Tyrone was here to stay and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
"I believe you." I said after a few seconds. I took my hand back and dipped it my now melting ice cream and tasted it with my tongue licking my finger afterwards.
"See that right there is the reason why JD had to have the birds and the bees talk. Let me find out you a freak on the low." My eyes widened and slapped Tyrone's hand.
'Stop it! You're the one who needed the talk more than I did. You and Aspen fuck like jack rabbits. Let me be the one and find out you got her pregnant. My foot is definitely going up your ass. Try me." Tyrone threw his hands up in surrender.
"Yes ma'am. But I wrap up so we all good."
"Mhm, well double check. Females crazy now a days and will poke holes to trap niggas." Tyrone shook his head. "She ain't like that."
"How you know?" I asked. I first hand knew that girl was possessive, so I'm sure she was a few screws loose away from crazy.
"She just don't seem like that type, aight?" He replied getting a little defensive. It was my turn to surrender.
"Okay, my bad. But you know I care so i'm just looking out." Tyrone sighed. "Yeah, I know." He went back to his ice cream or whatever was left and scrapped the bottom of the cup with his spoon. I could tell he was in deep thought though because his eyebrows furrowed together and he wouldn't stop scrapping at the last of the ice cream.
"You think she would though?" He asked after a while. I shrugged my shoulders. In all honesty, yes. But something told me don't admit it. He looked like he had his own doubts about her and that was something he was gonna have to figure out on his own.
"My opinion doesn't matter at the end of the day. It's how you feel about her. You know her better than I do." Tyrone nodded his head and finally took a spoonful of the last of his dessert. Completely getting over the topic his eyes brightened up and smiled when he looked back at me.
"By the way, someone's birthday is coming up. You got any plans?" I shrugged my shoulders. Call me no fun, but I wasn't one to get hype about my birthday. Of course I was becoming legal, the first of all of us but I saw it as another day.
"I dunno, probably do something small like a dinner or something." Tyrone shook his head.
"Oh no, you're celebrating big this year. You're becoming legal, a woman, and an adult. You better enjoy the fuck out of it and ima help you." I rolled my eyes.
"Tyrone, seriously? Why can't I just stay home?"
"I just told you why and I refuse to let you stay at home, sit on the couch and watch 106 & park, martin and Fresh prince of Bel-Air reruns like its a regular day. I swear, fuck around and you gonna become the neighborhood cat lady. Watch."
"That's not funny."
"Then let me plan something for you."
"No."
"c'mon yo."
"Ask me again an ima lick my spoon and shove it in your ear." Ignoring my very serious threat, Tyrone stood to his feet, fixed his sleeveless t-shirt and made his way to my side of the table with a mischievous look on his face grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Tyrone, get away from me." I warned moving to one side.
"Not until you say yes." He finally stood in front of me. "If you don't say yes, ima drop to my knees and beg loudly for everyone to hear until you cave." My eyes slanted.
"You better-," Before I could finish my sentence, Tyrone had already dropped to his knees, wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his head in the lap of my skirt.
"Cassy, let me plan your birthday! Please, please, please, fucking hell please, please-,"
"Okay nigga! Fine! Now get the hell up, people are watching." I hissed at him. It made matters worse that we were outside and I noticed a few people turning their heads to witness this debacle.
Tyrone got to his feet grinning wide, squished my face in his hands and kissed all over my face. "You won't regret it." He said excitingly between cheek kisses.
"Yeah, yeah now get off me. You're making my face sticky." I whined.
Tyrone laughed and sat back down in his chair. "That's what she said."
I reached over the table and punched Tyrone in his arm this time. "So damn nasty I swear."
My birthday was in three weeks so he had plenty of time to plan whatever the hell he wanted.
"Tyrone?"
Tyrone and I looked up at the same time at the direction of the voice.
Of course it was none other than Aspen. She had a habit of wounding up in the same place I was. All coincidental of course.
Aspen made her way to our table as I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes. Ever since that night at the movies and that day in the bathroom, I've kept conversation with her very short. I didn't want to be given a reason to have to tell her about herself.
She reached our table wearing an airy flowing tie dye halter dress with wedged sandals. Her braids were in a half up half down do and she wore bangles on her arms. I wasn't gonna hate and say she wasn't cute.
"Hey baby, you didn't tell me you were gonna be here with Cassy." She said throwing a fake smile my way and leaning down to kiss Tyrone in a way that I'm sure was to make me jealous. It only made it that much harder to surpress my laughter.
"Yeah well, she wanted to hang out and I hadn't seen her in a while. What you doing here? I thought you had a project to get too? That's why I took you home after school."
"Project? Oh yeah, I did but I realized I didn't have the project requirements and couldn't start so I figured i'd just hang out and come get some ice cream." I slanted my eyes a little and watched her movements. She shifted her weight to one foot and scratched the back of her neck. Maybe I was reading into her too much but something was telling me she was lying.
"Oh?" Tyrone looked at her quizzically.
"You don't believe me?" She asked. Tyrone looked at me then back at her and shook his head and chuckled. "I believe you baby. Go get your ice cream and then come back. I'll take you back home." He winked at her and palmed her ass as she giggled and walked away.
"Okay. Be right back." Tyrone watched her till she was out of sight then placed his attention back on me.
"What you doing this weekend?" I shook my thoughts of Aspen out of my head decided to let it go. It wasn't my place at the end of the day.
"Um, I don't know, but I know Keith wanted to go out. You aren't the only one whose been busy. Basketball season starting back up so I don't see him as much as I used to and so he wanted to take me out to make up for lost time. He extended the invite to you and Aspen in case ya'll wanted to go."
"Oh cool, okay. What ya'll doing? I'll see if she interested."
"I dunno yet but it'll prolly be mini golf." Tyrone nodded his head in approval. Before he could respond, Aspen came back to our table with her ice cream waffle cone in one hand and her older placed on his broad shoulders.
"Mini golf? sounds like fun. You and Keith going or something?" She asked me sliding herself into Tyrone's lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her shoulder.
"Yeah we are, but you and Tyrone are welcomed to tag along."
"Yeah, it'll be fun." She replied kissing Tyrone on the cheek then wipping the little residue of her lip gloss off with her thumb.
"Cool." I said rising to my feet. I had nothing against PDA but when it was done so openly like that with someone sitting across from you, it was awkward. "We'll Ima get going. I'll call you with the details Tyrone."
"You didn't want me to take you back?" I shook my head. Not if this was a preview of what was gonna happen in the car. "I can walk back. it's only 15 minutes to the house. Need the exercise anyway." besides I had on a long light skirt and a crop top and sandals. I wouldn't be too hot.
"Okay, well at least give me a hug." He tapped Aspen's thigh to get her to stand up. She reluctantly did and Tyrone engulfed me in a hug squeezing me tight and kissed my forehead. Of course, that didn't sit well with Aspen. I could see over his shoulder that she was mugging the shit out of me with a mean looking pout. He let go and held me at arms length. "Call me when you get home so I know you made it safe."
"Okay JD."
"I'm serious Cassy."
"Okay, okay, I will call you once I am inside the house."
"Good." He grabbed hold of Aspen's hand and walked into the direction of his car. They got in and he rolled his window down as he reversed out of the parking spot and threw up the deuces sign before speeding out of the lot.
I headed in the direction of going home. To get back to the house I had to pass by a few blocks of local shops and stores including a strip club that sat at the end of one of the corners. the closer I walked the more I noticed two guys standing outside. One had a three piece suit on looking like he bathed in money, while the other was big and buffer and actually looked like a bouncer. Almost past them both, one of them decided to cat call me.
"Ay pretty lady." I stopped walking but clutched my purse a little tight to my side, I was ready to reach in if need be and grab the mace that JD gave me. I looked in the direction of the well dressed man and he smiled wide showing off his winner's smile.
"You're gorgeous. Ever thought about making a lot of money?" He asked as his eyes roamed my body. Him looking at me like that bothered me a lot but I wasn't gonna let him see that. JD always told me chin up and look strong in any situation.
"You mean working here?"
He nodded his head. Taking me speaking back as an initiative to get closer, he took a step towards me but stopped in his track and inquired at my hand reaching into my purse. Amused he lightly chuckled and rubbed his chin hair. "You packing heat in there lil mama?"
"For me to know and if you got the balls, for you to find out." He threw his hands up and retracted back still laughing. He nudged his bodyguard looking friend. "This one is feisty, I really like that." His friend nodded his head in agreement.
"I respect that. But I was only asking a question. With a cute tight little body like yours, you'd make a lot of money here. Think about it. He reached into his suit breast pocket and pulled out a business card. "Take it." Reluctantly I reached for it and examined the card.
Chris Tynes
Gentlemen's club owner/ entrepreneur
"If you ever get curious call that number on the card. Make sure you ask for Big Poppa." He smiled again and lightly hit his friend's chest heading back through the doors of his club.
Me, a stripper? I scoffed as I continued on my way back home.
Yeah right. Never in a million years.
Boring chapter I know but I needed to fill in for the next one. lol Told ya'll updates will be much more frequent. How ya'll feel about Aspen and Tyrone? Cassy meeting Big Poppa for the first time? Leave me thoughts. Another chapter is in the works right now. So stay tuned.