Chapter 10 : Peach Roses Part 2
Theme : I'm Still Waiting - Jodeci
Year 1991 : ( Mid January)
POV : Devante
(Devante's Apartment In MM )
It was getting close to eight o'clock and I still hadn't set the table yet. See this little set up was supposed to be for me and Mani to just get past our issues. Ya know moving past this " Devante" and " Cherry" shit and get back to " Donny" and "Mani" but it's like how can I express that to her?
Now that we will be working together it just makes sense for us to talk it out as logical adults not emotional teenagers about to graduate high school. Of course when she left I felt the need to reach out to her but me being stubborn my pride couldn't let me. I loved hearing from auntie p that she'd be coming down from New York to visit even though I'd literally be in the same room with her for five minutes max before I'd lie and say that I had to leave, I only to get a glance of her which only my feelings for her even stronger.
I definitely thought about her everyday almost like a secret admirer which sounds crazy cause I could've ended all that with a simple conversation to hear out all sides of the situation. Which is why tonight was so important to me. I'm determined to fix this.
When I told Dalvin about my plan he helped me spice it up with the mystery flowers idea. As you can see that idea had failed, well depending on how you look at it. I mean she loved them I had remembered that peach roses were her favorite all these years so I knew she'd love them but I didn't like that she thought they were from her nigga. I mean it kinda stomped a little at first but it helped make me come off less suspicious not that I was suspicious of anything at all but I know that she would never think that they'd come from me . But I know who her lil boyfriend from that lil show. I can't help but wonder what the relationship is like between them, is he treating her right, how they met, how long have they been together, how was the sex , are they even having sex and all that.
Knocking me out my thoughts I heard the oven beeping letting me know the red velvet cupcakes were done and needed frosting. See I , King Swing could cook something I actually learned from my mom and Mani. Tonight I had made Alice Spring Chicken with a side of string beans and loaded mashed potatoes made from scratch. You already know I have a nice bottle of wine sitting on ice in the middle of ny candle light table set up. Once she actually got here I was gonna turn the lights off but I had the kitchen light on to make sure my blind ass could see while I finished setting the table and continued frosting my cupcakes. I grabbed the cupcakes sitting them onto to the table next to the other food. After I cut the lights I grabbed my lighter and lit all the candles I could see.
I even had the idea to put rose petals on the ground by the door that led to the dinner table around the corner from the kitchen. As I finished making the trail I had to make sure I turned everything off and started putting dishes in the dish washer but I heard some like ruffles at my door.
Me being Me I walked to the door and looked in the peep hole and saw her fine ass fixing her makeup even though I didn't think she needed it. She looked so flawless and perfect. From what I could see out the peephole her dress was red and she had on a leather coat " definitely making a thriller joke" I laughed at myself. I'm guessing I laughed too hard cause I ended up leaning on the door causing a thud.
" I know you see me , open up sweetheart" she said I'm a cute little tone. " here goes nothing" I thought to myself knowing at that point this little blind date thing was coming to an end. I stepped back and unlocked the door and stood there with a shy smirk on my face. Not gonna lie Mani looked sexy as fuck. She had this fly dress on, had her titties out, smelt good too!. I can tell she was checking a nigga out too by the way she stared at all my chest tatts.
" um Cherry" I said trying to break her attention.
" Devante ?" She let out in confusion and sass.
" yea uh just come in I could explain this whole thing. I knew it would be super confusing on your end" I said stepping back giving her space to walk into my condo since I was blocking the door.
" well for starters this was really sweet of you but I'm not sure why you had to feel like tricking me into coming here was the way to go about things but either way I'm glad I'm here " she said tossing her jacket and hanger on the rack.
" well how about we eat and talk cause I slaved over my stove, I don't want it to get cold you feel me?" I said making her laugh.
I'm guessing she took the hint to follow the bed of flowers under her feet. Once we made our way to the table her face lit up
" I'm guessing you like my little setup huh?" I said
" yea yeah it's something slight who knew you had this in you" she said trying to diss me on the low but I just laughed it off.
Soon we started to pour the wine and began eating our food. And from the way she wouldn't stop stuffing her face with chicken I'm guessing she liked the food. A point for Devante.
" well I do thank you for this I can tell you went through a lot to do this and I appreciate it " she said. "...but tell me why you couldn't just ask me out or just be upfront. Why with the roses at work ?" She asked with a squinty side eye stuffing her mouth with string beans.
" well the flowers thing was supposed to be a sweet gesture to have your mind wondering about who it would be wanting dinner and stuff, but once you came back upstairs talking about, what's his name?" I said acting as if I had forgot that nigga name 😒
" I didn't wanna disappoint you. Kinda like how I feel now I want to disappoint you right now with the dinner and all since it's not who you expected ." I said looking her way waiting for her response.
" I don't feel disappointed with you right now I'm actually glad that I'm here... with you." She said with a compassionate smile.
" But unless you just wanted me to test your cooking , what's the real reason you asked me to come here tonight. I know something is on your mind" she said diving into her plate bobbing her head to my radio playing some smooth RnB. Damn she can read right through
me.
Not even wanting to best around the bush I just came out with the truth.
" I wanted to talk us. Well not "us" but like I kinda like—" I started clearing my throat.
" I wanted to talk about what happened that night. Like we gotta fix this." I said looking away from her anxiously waiting on her response.
" I mean we've spent years hating each other and trying to build this fake ass business relationship like we don't have real issues " I said reaching for more wine.
After my little spill she just looked at me grabbing the bottle wine to chug. Like did I not just pour my heart out on this table?
" so do you wanna go first or wha—" I started saying getting annoyed that she ignored me at first but then had the nerve to cut me off.
" what about it?" She asked bluntly. Is she really finna have an attitude when I'm tryna fix our shit.
" Well..for starters I wanna apologize for lashing all that anger out on you. I just had so much on my mind that night between my dad and that Iesha situation then you leaving topped it off." I said trying not to get annoyed by this attitude.
"Why now?" she said folding her arms. I mean y'all I'm really trying right now but imma snatch her little up from across this table.
" well hey I'm able to say sorry for what I've done that's all I can fucking do. I'm atleast making an effort and not acting like a brat. " I spat at her.
" so we going there?" She asked standing up like that was it was gonna intimidate me.
" yes we are going there. I went through all of this to show that I'm trying. Unlike you who clearly had decided to still hold grudges. I apologized for my portion. Own up to your shit like I did." I said standing over her. She got the right one to play with.
" you want me to own up to some shit?" She asked with sarcasm.
" Me owning up to my shit wouldn't have nothing to do with you your dad or Iesha. You thought I was gonna stay in Charlotte and play instruments with you all day making barley enough to afford a living with you when I had a fucking chance to be? You know what I left be because it was my only way out and I be damnned if this I let you make me feel ashamed for bettering myself while you went through some tough shit" she said pointing her finger against my head at that last words.
By this point we both just stood there with attitudes once things cooled down we both started to talk and say something but she insisted I went first.
" All I wanted was to have you back. I've missed you so much. Do you realize how hard it is for me to act like I don't care about you?" I said at this point stepping closer to her.
" if you wanna continue on like how we've been since we got to uptown that's up to you I can't keep fighting you though so you gotta let know something Mani. " I said grabbing her face making her look at me.
" I want to get back to how we were but how can I? Why should I? You completely tore my heart out the frame that day. I felt rejected by my own best friend that's not an over night fix Donny" she said putting her hands in mine.
" well just know that I'll do whatever I need to do just know that I'm not giving up on you. You mean too much to for me to keep letting you slip out my hands." I just stared at he face once I said that and her eyes read the same thing mine did.
In the heat of the moment we both began to lean in for a kiss until my phone had rang.
" fuck " I cursed under my breathe. I jogged to the phone telling whoever that was in the other line to call me back at a later time. Once I made it back to the dining area I saw Mani putting on her coat and shoes.
" I'm gonna get going. I have to to go and— uh.." she rambled letting me know she was lying about something.
" yea well hey go handle yours Mani" I said saying her name I'm a questionable tone.
We leaned in for hug and locked eyes for a second and I kissed her on her forehead sending her on her way.
I guess that it will take a little more time.
POV: Mani
" Girl are you laughing?" I said into the phone to my sister Honey.
" Girl yes I'm dying right now. I know he was hurt today in the studio when you went rambling about Marlon this and Marlon that knowing good and well he brought them flowers. " she said with her cackling ass.
Once I got home from Don's house I had to call her and tell her what happened. She didn't even let me finish my story much after I told her how I gave him the cold shoulder once he tried to apologize to me before she called me and I quote " a stubborn lil bitch". See Honey really fought all these years to get me and Don back on the same page. I'm guessing just like how Dalvins been in the middle of our crossfire she'd been through it too.
" all I'm saying and hear me out , but I think that you should apologize I mean it sounds like you were in the wrong to me" she said. Then I heard what sounded like a man talking to her in the background begging her to get off the phone.
" girl you busy or something?" I asked getting annoyed.
" girl yes imma call you back but next time we talk I better hear about your apologies to De. Love you bye" all I heard was a dial tone and a click. No this bitch didn't.
It's a good thing that I arrived to my condo
cause it started storming kinda bad on my way back home. To tell you the truth I wish I had company right now ya know watch a few movies smoke a few joint a couple drinks a little booty rub.
" ohh drinks" I thought as hoped up walking down my steps into my kitchen to the fridge to grab some wine. To tell you the truth I already had felt buzzed from De's dinner but I'm trying get fucked up so why not grab a pre-rolled am I right or am I right🤷🏽♀️?
Once I got all my snacks, wine, blanket and weed I had sat down on my couch set and turned on my favorite tv show Martin lucky me it's a marathon of all night.
Once I had gotten all comfy in my spot I had lit my joint. " the only thing that would make this more perfect would be a man" I thought to myself.
Knocking me out of my wishful thinking I heard knocked at the door. " I'm coming I said well slurred I'm guessing the liquor was getting to me. I got up wrapped up in my blanket cause all I had on was my silk tank top and silk shorts pajama set that I put on when I got out the shower.
Knock knock knock
" nigga I'm coming" I yelled coming up to the door. Whoever is tryna get in here for me fucked up banging like they crazy.
" Who is it I said?! " grabbing my kitchen taser from the draw.
No answer? Oh hell no.
Right when I was about to look in the peep hole to see who was finna get tased they said
" open up sweetheart I know you see me standing here" they slurred trying to mimic a girly voice through their signature laugh. Knowing who it was it was I opened the door and invited him.
" De you know I almost tased you banging on my door like that." I said letting him in, locking all five locks to my door and headed to my couch with De already sitting there.
Lord Jesus be with me tonight.