Chapter 7 #2
When I looked out the window, I spotted my brother and a few more niggas from their circle, standing around, talking louder than the music Pernelle had blasting through the speakers.
I scanned the crowd, peeping the scene until my gaze stopped on Amir, who was leaning back against his car.
He had on one of those kufi’s again, but I could see that his hair was braided underneath this time because of the long plats hanging from under the hat.
“Are you getting out, Jas?”
“Uhh, how long are you going to be?”
“I don’t know. I really just came to bring Crew the Nate plate.
Just get out with me. It won’t take long.
” P reached into the backseat, grabbed the to-go plate, and jumped out of the car.
I got out behind her, and she ran into Crew’s arms, and he caught her, spinning her around.
When they kissed, and he grabbed her booty, I found another direction to look in.
That’s when Amir and I caught eyes, and for some reason, I got nervous.
“What up, Jasmine?” He spoke, and I smirked, waving my hand up at him. He smiled at me before putting his gaze back towards the ground.
“Ayo, where did that plate come from, P? That shit smells fire,” Elijah asked Pernelle, and she laughed it off without directly answering the question.
“From a dear friend we just met an hour ago.”
“Well, damn, I wish I could’ve gotten me one.”
“Yeah, me too,” Vincent added.
“I’m sorry, y’all. You know, there is only one man I think about.”
“You god damn right.” Crew replied, opening his plate and setting it on top of his car to grub on.
I’m usually so chill and relaxed around the guys, but right now, I didn’t feel that way.
I just stood next to P and started scrolling through my phone, going to Instagram and my other social networks that shouldn’t be getting my time.
However, my eyes kept finding their way back to Amir.
He had that calm, cool, and collected Malcom X shit down to a T, even though I know that shit is a fluke. No cold blooded murderer could be that fuckin calm all the time.
“Jassy baby.” Elijah sang my name as he approached me.
“How have you been, beautiful?”
He was munching on a bag of hot Cheetos and licking his fingers, which honestly was irritating me.
I can’t stand when people do that shit. Smacking on gum or people licking their fingers.
I remember my mama dated a man named Dave back in the day that did that shit.
He used to ruin dinner every time we had it as a family together.
I remember Crew ended up knocking his plate off the table and asking him if he ever heard of fuckin napkins.
He broke up with mama after that, but she still wasn't mad at her baby boy for too long.
“Hey, Elijah, I’m fine, and you?”
“I’m good, but I would be even better if I got to take you out one day.”
“Out where Elijah?” I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t know, what does the perfect date sound like to you?”
“Nigga, I don’t know. You tell me?”
“I’m for real, Jas, let me know, tell a nigga what you would want to do and it’s done, baby.”
I shook my head, once again accidentally catching eyes with Amir, who seemed to be tuned into our conversation.
“If you must know, my dream date is maybe dinner.”
“Small spot or somewhere fancy?”
“Fancy as hell. Somewhere I have to wear heels.” Elijah seemed to be excited that I was giving him these answers.
“And what kind of outfit would you wear with those heels? Some shorts, a little two-piece outfit?”
“A dress, Elijah, I said fancy.” He smiled.
“Well, you should find a dress and the place and let me know when to pick you up.”
“I will think about it.”
Elijah was smiling like he was actually in the door.
“So when can I pick you up, baby?”
“I don’t know, I’ll let you know,” I replied, stepping away from Elijah and closer to Pernelle.
Her and Crew were nose to nose, and that fucking public display of affection was getting on my nerves.
They were cute when they were cute, but I was hating right now and not in the mood.
I walked to the driver’s side of Pernell’s car to grab a piece of gum from her center console to get this food off my breath.
While bent over in the car, I felt a tap on my hip and heard, “Ayy,”.
I turned around, prepared to give Elijah attitude, only it was Amir standing right behind me.
“Oh, yes?” I swallowed the lump in my throat as he looked me up and down.
“I’m going to be honest with you. Something didn’t seem right listening to you plotting to go on a date in front of me. I didn’t approve of that shit, and since I've been your bodyguard lately, I think my opinion matters.”
He smiled, and I saw he had gold over the fangs in his mouth.
“And who said that?” I crossed my arms and bent my right knee.
“I thought it, and I had to get that shit off my chest. But for real, though, you should be careful about who you associate with from now on. Aren’t you tired of meaningless ass shit in your life?
Toxic niggas and bum ass baby daddies? Think about that.
But let me put my number in your phone because I'm sure you will need it with your toxic ass life.”
He said with a smirk and grabbed my phone.
“How ironic is it that a monster is telling me to be careful.” He looked up from my phone raising his eyebrows.
“Oh, I'm a monster huh?”
“Something like that.”
He just laughed and shook his head.
After he was done, he gave me my phone back and walked away from me.
If I were to have been honest with him, I would have told him that I was honestly tired of meaningless shit and that he was right about that.
I’ve had sex with more dudes than two hands' worth of fingers, yet I still don’t feel I have ever felt what couples like P and Crew have or Hov and Ciara.
My relationships seem to all be just like my mother's.
Superficial and not good for anyone involved.
“Yo, Crew.” I saw Amir get my brother’s attention.
“What’s up nigga?”
“I’m about to roll out. I need to go home and eat up some shit since Ramadan starts in a couple of days.”
Amir told Crew, who shook his hand behind Pernelle’s back.
“Ramadan. That’s when y’all be doing that fasting shit, right?”
“Yeah, for thirty days and during that time, I can only eat after sunset and before dawn.”
Crew blew out air.
“Man, please, if I didn’t eat all day by sunset, I would eat the fuckin Quran.”
“Baby, stop.”
“What?”
“Don’t talk like that about his religion. I’m sure it takes a lot of strength not to eat for a whole day. Strength and commitment.”
Crew looked down at Pernelle.
“Damn P, you acting like that shit is attractive to you or some shit. You want a nigga to starve for you? I can do that. But Amir, does eating pussy count?”
Amir started to laugh.
“Nah, nigga, it doesn’t. You can eat pussy because it’s tasted and not consumed.” He glanced over to me.
“Well, I consume my women like a meat. Eat that tender mutha fucka right off the bone.” Everyone laughed at Crew’s dumb ass while I was left grossed out.
My mind was actually going back to what Amir said about me making dates in front of him.
He was honestly just as fine as Pernelle said, only my mind didn’t want to admit it.
I mean, who can say they are attracted to the boogie man?
The one who weeks ago you felt ruined your entire life as you knew it.
I was confused, but also, turned on. Did what he said mean he was jealous over me?
Or was he looking out for me like a big brother because he’s friends with mine?
Now that was something that is about to be on my mind for the rest of the damn day or at least while I'm around him.