Anthony #4
“That’s Vince and next to him in Leo who runs this place now. Guys, this is Anthony, it’s his first time in this part of New York so you know I had to bring him here.”
Vince was one of them racially ambiguous dudes with a haircut like a nigga. 360 waves met a tapered fade and he had a diamond in one ear. His ass could’ve been anything from light-skinned Black to Dominican to Middle Eastern.
“What’s good? We gone get you right whenever you come by. Especially since you’re with good people.” Vince smiled and nodded at Aphrodite and she just grinned. I needed him to watch that friendly shit though ‘cause I wasn’t playing when I told her I got jealous quick as fuck.
“‘Preciate it. She been singing y’all’s praises so I’m sure it’s good.”
Leo nodded as we stepped to the side so Vince could take somebody else’s order. Before I could say shit else Vince was trying to cake it up with Aphrodite again. “How’s it look for the French?”
“Pretty good. You gonna be watching?”
“Only reason I started watching that sport was for you. You know football is my first love.”
“I think that’s America’s first love but I’ll take my wins where I can.”
She shrugged so easily I knew she didn’t realize this nigga was flirting with her. I peeped that shit and was staring a hole in this nigga’s head while he avoided my eyes.
“You better learn the game yourself you walk in here with a safety.” My ears went on alert and my brows furrowed at Leo who was an older Black man nodded at me. “You thought you wouldn’t be recognized in the city, huh?”
I shrugged because it had been a minute since I’d had to dodge people knowing my face. Shit felt weird honestly. “Not really recognizable.”
“That’s a lie. The two of you have the humility thing down. I’m a huge college fan. They did you dirty but I’m glad to see you clawing your way back. This is gonna be a good year for you.”
I nodded thankfully and could admit it felt good for a stranger to say that. “‘Preciate that.”
“Just don’t mess with the home team too bad when y’all come up to play them this season.”
The Desperados were division rivals with one of the New York teams and clearly he was rooting for the wrong one. I chose my words carefully because I didn’t want to insult the man who was making my food.
“Can’t guarantee that at all, sir.”
He laughed again while ambiguous just stood next to him taking orders and being a bitch. He was clearly trying to get a way to speak to Aphrodite again to shoot his shot.
And now I gotta show my ass.
“Should’ve known. Call me Leo, I own the place so this one’s on the house.” He pointed behind him at bags being prepped for us to carry out.
The gesture was nice, but I knew this shit was going to run him a bill at least. With the way my life got screwed up over technicalities, I had issues with people giving me anything I hadn’t earned.
“Can’t let you do that.”
He gave me that chuckle that all elders had in their arsenal when they felt like the youth was getting too out of hand. Like I had him fucked up but he was going to let me make it.
“How you gonna make me take your money in my establishment? Pose for a picture and we’ll call it even. Even though that shit is probably gonna jinx our entire season.”
He called somebody out to take a photo of the three of us before we gathered up the rest of the things that Aphrodite wanted.
Ignoring his claim that it was on the house I put ten twenties in the tip jar on the counter and nodded my thanks before taking the large shopping bag that contained all this shit she’d ordered plus a pizza box.
They’d stuffed all kinds of shit inside like they knew she was going to eat somewhere close by and I wondered if she did this often.
Before we could get out the door, ole boy tried his luck.
“See you soon, Aphrodite.” His ass shot her a wink and all and now I was gone have to show him that shit was a step too far.
I turned back, and on instinct Aphrodite grabbed my hand. I gave her a smile before looking at the muhfucka who was disrespectful.
“I get it, bruh. She fine as fuck and she's got a good heart. But don’t wake up dead playing ‘round with me. You hear all this southern in my voice and you think that make my ass soft? My ass is from fucking Nawlins’, baybeeh. Ain’t an ounce of bitch in my blood so if you don’t want yours spilled throughout this muhfucka learn some fucking respect.
I would tell you to shoot your shot next time, but I ain’t even gone give you the chance to step into a spot meant for me.
Thanks for the hospitality, Leo. Sorry for cussin’ in your place.
You’ll be seeing us again.” I gave him a head nod and he just grinned like he fully intended for me to show my ass and he was thankful that all I did was use my big boy words.
I took Aphrodite’s hand and walked her out of the bodega silently, patting myself on the back for not nuttin’ up the way I wanted to.
“You carry cash.” She finally spoke up and that wasn’t where I thought she was going at all.
“Sometimes. Bad habit of mine. It ain’t enough for somebody to waste their time over. But you ain’t got nothing to say about what just happened?”
She bit her lip looking conflicted before she confessed.
“Honestly? I didn’t realize he was being flirty until that last bit and then I thought it was hella disrespectful.
We always chat and stuff since he got hired here but he was rude to you and I don’t like it.
Now, I wouldn’t have let you fight him but cursing him out was good. ”
I dipped my head acknowledging her words and I was grinning like a fool. Aphrodite ain’t know that she was doing something dangerous. For her to be okay with my crazy meant that it was gone come out a lot more when it came to her. Damn, does that mean I’m going to try to keep her around?
Fuck yeah.
“We grabbed up all this food and it smells good as hell. Where we gonna eat it at?”
“Stop worrying. I know a place. It’s a short walk from here I promise.”
The place ended up being the steps of the Brooklyn Museum.
It took us a minute to get there but the walk was nice.
This is a side of the city I never would’ve seen without her being my tour guide.
I wasn’t from the area so I wasn’t even aware that Brooklyn had a museum.
I’d heard about all the big ones in Manhattan but this shit looked just as big as them.
It looked like a mix of the Parthenon and Capitol Hill.
I glanced around and folks were still out and about so I assumed it was okay if we posted up here.
“How do you know about all these places?”
She walked to a bench that was near some trees and sat down like she did this all the time. Again, I went to scan our surroundings but people were out here minding their business so I relaxed slightly.
“I grew up across the river so every time you had a field trip you came into the city. Then it was interviewing coaches and shopping and photoshoots and brand shit and you just find places you like. I have been able to see places up close or in the car and I always came back to see them. Plus, my algorithm is very local so I see all the places people talk about and check them out when I get a second. And when I was younger I got hung up on that show Gossip Girl so I would dress up and wander around sometimes to the places they’d gone. ”
She delivered this part of herself while she was pulling stuff out of the bag and setting it on the bench between us. We’d grabbed drinks from the cooler and I opened up a water and chugged down half of it.
“You living on the edge.”
She grinned like it was a compliment and now I was gone be stressed about this girl walking around the damn city like she wasn’t a celebrity wearing a tutu and carrying baguettes in a purse.
“Not really. More like trying to find a place where I belong.”
I nodded not feeling the need for her to elaborate. “Definitely get that.”
We made small talk as she described what the foods were and how to eat them. Between the two of us, I wasn’t surprised when we smashed damn near everything we’d gotten. The day had been long as hell and the snacks and shit they had for us hadn’t lasted long.
“So what’s the winner? You know Leo is gonna ask the next time I’m in there so you gotta tell me.”
Aphrodite wiped her mouth with a napkin and waited on me to let her know. The look of anticipation on her face was cute as fuck. This girl had to have a spell on me because I was sitting on this cold, hard bench eating food and not complaining.
“Chop sandwich over the chop cheese.”
She nodded her agreement but I could tell my answer surprised her. “I wasn’t expecting that. Guys are always stereotyped to be meat and potatoes people. I thought the chop cheese would win hands down.”
“I value flavor and that had way more. The other was good but it was like a deconstructed hamburger, which was cool but the sandwich was something special. Having some of everything in each bite is smart as hell. Makes the experience better for the eater.”
“They don’t have sandwiches in New Orleans?”
I cringed at the way she pronounced my city. I didn’t expect her to sound like me but damn she called our shit New Or LeAnnes. I couldn’t have that.
“In where?”
She laughed like she knew she’d fucked up. “You said you were from New Orleans.”
“No, baybeeh, I’m from Nawlins . You gotta take all that north outcha mouth and let them letters roll off your tongue with a lil more flavor than that talkin’ bout my city.”
Her eyelashes fluttered like hearing my accent had done something good to her. I would definitely sweet-talk her ass as I stroked her pussy if given the chance.
“Is that a thing? Saying it like that I mean.”
“Most definitely a thing. Think about somebody mispronouncin’ one of these names up here. Like instead of saying Chesapeake they say Chesapeekay or somethin’ crazy.”