3
Of all creation, I gravitate towards you.
Slowly, and utterly vulnerable no matter how I try to delay it.
The next afternoon Brooke woke up to a tear stained face she could barely see out of her swollen eyes.
She forced herself out of her bed and hopped into the shower she tried her best to hide the sad look in her eyes but it was useless not even makeup could work a miracle.
"Buzzz!" The sound of her phone vibrating.
"Hello" Brooke answered sadly.
"Hey Brooke it's Alisha"
"Ohh, Hey" Brooke said, she wasn't expecting a call from her.
"You holding up okay?"
"I'm trying." She could feel herself wanting to break down right then.
"Well I can come over and we can go out to eat"
"I don't know, I kinda just wanna be alone"
"Come on Brooke we can go to Applebee's" Alisha knew Brooke couldn't turn down her favorite restaurant.
"Well, Okay" Brooke gave a slight smile as if she could see her.
"Okay we'll be there in a few" Alisha said before ending the call.
Brooke wrapped her hair in a tight bun throwing on a solid white t shirt, some acid blue denim jeans and her all white crisp Jordan's before walking outside waiting for her ride.
Thirty minutes later an all black Escalade XT pulled into Brooke's driveway, it was Alisha and her mom.
Brooke quickly hopped in the back seat and closed the door.
"Hey Brooke long time no see baby" Alisha's mom said giving her a smile through the rearview mirror.
"Hey Trina and yeah it's been awhile"
"I see" She said pulling off.
"Mom you can drop us off at Applebees" Alisha said.
"Alright, Brooke you seemed kinda upset last night"
"Yeah but I'm okay now" She lied not really wanting to talk about the topic.
"Well let me tell you if it's about a boy it will be okay it's plenty of dick out here in Michigan"
"MA!" Alisha yelled embarrassed.
"It's the truth hell, what happened at that party?"
"My ex-bestfriend stole my crush"
"Ain't that the ho you said you don't like?" Alisha mom said looking at her.
"Trina!" Alisha said calling her mom by her name.
"I could've told you to stay away from her a long time ago little heffa stole my man too" She said munching on a bag of chips she had sitting in the cup holder.
"Who was your man"
"Egg"
"Egg?" Alisha and Brooke both said in unison scrunching their faces up.
"The fuck kinda name is that?"
"You know who Egg is, the nigga who always selling behind Walmart"
"I thought you told me you don't fuck with niggas who move weight" Alisha said.
"I could never see myself with a guy like that" Brooke said speaking up.
"What you mean? Rock ain't no different"
"Rock doesn't move weight" Brooke said in defense.
"Girl please you live in the suburbs. I live in the hood. I see rock all the time making hella money. he lives by himself in a five star condo with no job come on Brooke add it up".
Brooke was speechless.
Trina pulled into the Applebee's parking lot and stopped in front of the entrance
"Just give me a call when y'all ready. I'll be across the street"
"Okay, bye!" They both said before entering the restaurant.
They were immediately seated at their table they told the waitress what drinks they wanted once she had it written down she walked away.
Alisha gave a stank glare at the boys sitting at the table next to them they were goofing off a little too much.
"Niggas these days" Alisha said.
Brooke chuckled at her comment as she looked at the guys too.
"Oh so you laugh now?"
"I guess"
"Have you talked to Jaz?"
"No that slut hasn't even tried to apologize" she said shaking her head.
"Whoa"
"What?"
"Nothing I just never thought this day would come".
"Your not alone on that one".
Brooke turned her head to see a guy staring at her. he quickly turned his head when she caught him staring.
"Ooh! I see that nigga checking for you he black as hell though, but cute".
He was the last thing on Brooke's mind she still wanted Rock even if him and Jaz had hooked up.
The waitress came back placing their drinks on the table.
"Are you ready to order now?" she asked with a smile
"Yeah, were gonna do the 2 for 20 deal. two chicken tender dinner plates please".
"Okay should take about fifteen minutes" she said before walking off
"Brooke looked up again the guy was still looking at her
"Honey that nigga still looking"
"I'm not worried about him"
"Well better tell him that cause he walking over here"
Brooke saw him walking towards them she quickly covered her face with her hands trying to hide her swollen red eyes.
"How you ladies doing"
"Hey" Alisha said looking over at Brooke
"What's up?"
"Coolin' you?"
"Same, who's your friend?" The guy said flashing a smile and looking towards Brooke to see her head down.
"Brooke, she's shy"
"So she don't speak?"
"I don't know, why don't you ask her?" She said challenging him as she took a sip of her drink
The guy slid into the booth next to Brooke and cleared his throat for her attention.
Brooke lifted her head a little and looked at him. The guy was surprisingly cute his hair was cut short and had waves and his goatee was trimmed by how toned his muscles were she could tell he was in shape but what really got her attention was his eyes they were light brown and had a sparkle in them.
Brooke cupped the side of her face.
"Hey" he spoke
"Hi" she spoke softly, Brooke was always uncomfortable talking to new people.
"What's your name?"
"Brooke"
"Well Brooke, I'm Black"
Alisha almost choked on her drink
"Black?"
"Yeah isn't the reason obvious" he said smiling showing his pearly white teeth
"Well I guess I can see why"
"Can't everybody?" Alisha mumbled
"How come you cupping your face?" he asked.
Brooke put her hands down and looked at him
"What happened" he asked concerned
"Long story"
"Well here if this helps" he said placing his Tom Ford sunglasses over her eyes
"You want me to be honest with you?" he asked
"Of course" Brooke said
"I actually came over here to run game and get your number but I can see that some nigga has already done that and I can see he has hurt you, that shit ain't right. I know you don't wanna be bothered by a random nigga like myself I can see it in your eyes. it was nice meeting you though" he said before leaving the table.
Brooke couldn't grasp what had just happened but for some reason she wanted black to stay.
"Black wait!" she called out to him
"Yo?"
"Here's my number" she smiled at him before walking off back to the table.
She noticed Alisha shaking her head
"What?"
"You gave that nigga your number?"
"Yeah why?"
"Girl you was just crying over another nigga last night" Alisha said scrunching her face up placing a hand on her hip, she really thought Brooke should stop focusing on niggas and on more important things.
"Well maybe if I kick it with Black he can make me forget about Rock"
"Brooke any guy can do that. your vulnerable"
"You act like I had sex with the nigga I just gave him my number"
"Alright then"
The waitress finally came back out and placed their food on the table after they finished eating they hit up the mall and chilled for the rest of the day.
Around 9 Brooke was home laying on her bed with Rock back on her mind she tried to listen to music but it only increased the thoughts of him she decided to go to bed early that night hoping things would be better in the morning.