•2•
"Yo, you good?" Quincy asked putting his hand on my back.
"Yes, I'm fine," I said moving from under his hand.
I was lying. Besides almost dying, here was my annoying neighbor standing in front of me looking like a god damn Michael B. Jordan.
"Nah, you weren't good," Julian said. "You embarrassing yourself sis-in-law. And I'm trying to help you find a man."
I stood up straight giving Julian a stale face. Help me find a man?
"Come on Julian, let's go over here to see something," Liv said ushering him away from the potential crime scene.
"So this is awkward," Quincy said.
"No it's not Quincy."
He came and stood next to me as we watched my sister, Elaina, crown the winner of the baby shower game. Julian brought the prize over to them.
"You made me lose the game." I rolled my eyes.
Mr. Sweet Talker turned to me then nudged me with his elbow smiling.
"Don't let those skills go to waste though. Everything except the last part looked good. Didn't know you got it like that."
He winked laughing.
"Shut up Quincy."
I walked off in search of Liv.
"I was just playing with you! What's up? You always got an attitude with me and shit!"
He followed me through the crowd of people.
"No, I don't, you're just annoying!"
"How am I annoying?"
I stopped all of a sudden and turned to face him with my arms folded.
"Because you think the whole world resolves around you! Surprise surprise, it doesn't!"
After saying my piece, I started walking again searching for Liv and he was still following me.
"Woah, woah, where did that come from?"
It came from all the times he tried to smooth talk me in the hallway and the elevator and the way he flirted with every single girl in the apartment. This was for all the guys I've ever dated that did the same thing and fucked me over.
"What's my name then?" I asked him.
"Umm, K-Karen?"
"Leave the fuck alone. I know how guys like you are! You're full of shit Quincy! You use people. Stop following me."
He stopped and stood in place like his feet were cemented to the floor.
"There you are Liv," I said finding my best friend. "You got the shots?"
"I do. Let's go to the next game."
Before we left the room to go to the game in the backyard, I turned back and I saw him just standing there still. He was staring at nothing.
Julian then went over to him and shortly after talking, they went upstairs with the other men. I felt bad for what I said, but he had to hear it from someone.
"What did he say to you?" Liv asked once we got out to the back.
We stood with the other women while my sister explained the game.
"Just something about my sucking technique." I twisted my mouth to the side.
"He seems like you said he was, but...he's still so fine. Especially in person."
"He's alright."
Liv passed me the shot real quick and I poured all of it in a small cup of a fruit punch that I got from the table. I needed this right now.
"Let the games begin!" Elaina said.
The baby shower had just ended and Liv, Julian, Mr. Sweet Talker, my brother Lopez, his girlfriend, and I were helping clean up. We all had a good time and I was able to avoid Mr. Sweet Talker for most of the event.
"Hey Karter, can you go out to help Quincy load some of these decorations into Julian's car? We're going to give them away," Elaina asked.
Quincy had the bags of decorations already packed away and in his hands.
"Yeah, sure I guess," I said sighing deep inside.
I walked over to him and he was standing there with a smug look on his face. Grabbing one of the bags from him, he let me walk in front through the door out to the car.
"Don't look at my ass," I said.
"Been done that. It looked good in that dress." He chuckled walking out behind me.
I rolled my eyes.
"What's your problem?" I asked giving him a death stare.
We walked into the evening darkness.
"Apparently you are."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Quincy unlocked Julian's dark grey SUV. He opened the door for me and I leaned in to put the bag in.
"It means...you a challenge for me. And just cause you said what you said don't mean I'm gonna stop pursuing you."
I turned back and Mr. Sweet Talker was standing right there looking me in my eyes. A lump formed in my throat. His body was close to mine and he smelt good. Rolling my eyes, I pushed past him.
"Why do you want to even pursue me? I just told you off earlier and I meant that shit too."
He chuckled putting the things in the car.
"You ain't the first girl to tell me that before, plus you different," he said biting his lips.
Quincy was smiling handsomely. His grin made my heart race, but I ignored it.
"So what I told you didn't affect you in anyway?" I folded my arms.
"Not one bit. I'm gonna make you mine regardless and show you what you been missing. I know you probably been with young boys before but you never really been with a real man."
He closed the door and leaned up on Julian's car.
"Please." I huffed rolling my eyes.
Quincy leaned forward and held onto my wrist before I left.
"Come here."
He pulled me into him and lifted my face with his finger so we could look into each other's eyes.
"Give me a chance with you. That's all I'm asking. You ain't never gonna regret it."
"I'm not interested in you."
Quincy smirked.
"I'm interested in you though and you lying to me. Lemme show you what you missing."
He brought my face closer to his and I could feel his breath on my face. Quincy held my fingers in his hand. My body wasn't as tense anymore. I tried not to blush. He made me feel like a teenager again, but I knew he wasn't no good. I'd always fall for guys like him in my past.
"Give me a chance...Karter," he said in a soft voice.
His voice made my body spark with excitement.
A white car then pulled up behind Julian's car. Its lights came off.
"Hope this is the right motherfucking address," I heard a man say in a gruff voice.
When I tiptoed and looked over there, I saw my father shut the door and step out of his car wobbling to the door. He looked like he'd been drinking. My heart started to race in my chest and Quincy looked over to what I was looking at.
"Shit. I gotta go. And I'm serious Quincy, I don't want you. I never did and never will." I snatched my hand away from his.
My father knocked on the door by that time and Julian let him in.
"Imma change your mind if you give me a minute."
"No."
I stared him straight in the eyes. Quincy twisted his mouth to the side. I left him outside and ran into the house.
"Pops, what you doing here?" Lopez asked coming down the stairs and into the living room.
It's been years since we saw our father. He was a skinny light brown skinned man with diamond earrings. The scent of alcohol that followed him now permeated the house and seeing him standing there was making me furious.
"I'm back motherfuckers," he said laughing. "Where the mom to be at?"
"Pops, I think you should leave and come back when you haven't been drinking," Lopez said.
Liv came and stood next to me knowing how I felt about my father. After all these years, he's never called. We had a falling out right before that and he never even answered my calls after.
"I ain't drive all this way for you to tell me that. You gotta fight me to get my old ass out of here!"
"I think you should go. You already been gone for eight years. Why you even chose to show up on Elaina's day when she's supposed to be happy and ruin it for her!?" I said. "You always been selfish!"
My father faced me, then his facial expression changed.
"Well look who it is," he chuckled. "You can't keep a man or your legs closed if they paid you too. What your hoe ass been up to!?"
"Mr. Daniels chill, you ain't gotta be saying all of that," Julian said stepping closer to him.
"She a hoe like her hoe ass momma!"
My heart dropped the minute he said it and my chest heaved as I breathed heavily.
"Karter, ignore him," Liv said.
"You're calling me a hoe! Look what you did to mom!"
The minute I said it my dad pulled his arm back and charged at me like he was about to slap me across my face. I flinched bracing myself for the hit.
"Back the fuck up old man!" I heard Quincy say.
When I looked up he was standing in front of me and Julian and Lopez was holding back my dad as he fought to show me what he really felt.
"You're the worst!" I screamed. "You're the worst father ever!"
"Karter don't!" Liv said holding me.
"Dad!? What the hell is going on!?" Elaina said running into the living room from the kitchen.
"Let me fucking go!" our father said and Julian and Lopez did.
By then I was distraught and shaken up. I just needed to go back home. I told Liv about my plans to leave.
"I'm glad I left you. You were no good and I didn't want to have you as my daughter anyway."
When he said that, it felt like a little part of my heart broke into more pieces.
"Dad stop! Just fucking stop!" Elaina said.
I picked up my purse from the couch and started walking out of the house with Liv. The door slammed behind us, then opened back.
"Karter!" Quincy said.
"What!?"
Tears started building up in my eyes.
"I-I'm sorry that happened," he said. "I'm here if you need me!"
"Just leave me the fuck alone Quincy!"
I unlocked my car doors and got in with Liv. Fastening my seatbelt, I tried to calm myself. I sped off leaving Quincy's 6'1 muscular frame standing on the front lawn of my sister's home.