30. Pressure Mensah #2
When we walked back out to the car, the night air was cooler. I held the door open for Zaniyah and Toni, watchin’ them climb into the backseat, both of ‘em smilin’ and in high spirits. I smiled too, but inside, I knew I wasn’t as ready for the next cut as I’d been actin’.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
When we made it back to the crib, I ain’t waste no time callin’ Renza, Kay’Lo, and Blaqson, tellin’ them to meet me in the game room.
I told Renza to bring a bottle, Kay’Lo to bring some good weed, and Blaqson to grab some money so we could gamble.
If I was gon’ sit up and think about the shit I had on my plate, I was at least gon’ do it with my niggas, a drink in my hand, and some money on the table.
By the time I walked in, the spades table was already set up.
Renza had a bottle of D’USSé open and was pourin’ heavy like he was tryna get us drunk quick.
Kay’Lo was breakin’ down a fat-ass nug on the tray, and Blaqson had a stack of bills on the side of the table like he was darin’ somebody to take it.
We settled in, cards shufflin’, drinks gettin’ passed and smoke startin’ to fill the room.
I took a slow pull from my glass and leaned back in my chair.
“Man, I ain’t gon’ hold y’all… this shit gettin’ harder,” I said, lookin’ at each of them with a nervous expression.
“I went to dinner with Zaniyah and Toni tonight, and it was solid. I really enjoyed it. But I still don’t know who the fuck I’m gon’ choose. ”
Renza smirked and shook his head. “That’s ‘cause Kashmere got you by the nuts.”
Blaqson laughed, shakin’ his head. “Hell nah, it ain’t Kashmere. It’s Pluto. Shorty got his mind gone.”
Kay’Lo leaned back with his blunt in his hand, grinnin’ like he knew he was about to start some shit. “It’s both of ‘em. You in a chokehold on both ends, my boy.”
I stared at the cards in my hand and couldn’t even argue with that. “Man… I took Pluto’s virginity last night.”
The table got quiet for a second, and they all gave me the same look—that mix between shock and “you a wild nigga.”
“Damn,” Renza said first, leanin’ forward. “You done fucked up with that one. You know what that mean.”
“She said she didn’t care,” I told him. “Said she just wanted my dick. That’s it.”
Renza barked out a laugh and shook his head. “Yeah, okay. And I’m the prince of Trill-Land. Nigga, she lied. You know how women get about shit like that. You took somethin’ she can’t get back, and now you think she just gon’ be cool if you send her home? Shit, a’ight.”
Blaqson pointed at me with his drink. “I’m with Renza on this one. Don’t matter what she said, nigga—in her mind, you hers now. She might not admit it yet, but trust me, she feel it.”
Kay’Lo grinned. “Nigga, you out here runnin’ two separate love stories at the same time and wonderin’ why you stressed.”
I shook my head, cuttin’ my eyes at him. “Ain’t no love stories, nigga. I’m just sayin’ it ain’t easy decidin’ who’s supposed to be next to me for real.”
Blaqson leaned back, shruggin’. “Well, regardless of whatever, you need to already have your mind made up. That way you ain’t up here panickin’ when it’s time to make that call.”
We went back and forth about it for a while, them throwin’ their jokes in and me tryin’ not to give them more ammo than I already had.
But between the liquor hittin’ and the smoke settlin’ in, the conversation started loosenin’ up.
We kept playin’ spades, and I stayed whoopin’ they ass like it was my job.
Renza kept blamin’ his losses on Kay’Lo not knowin’ how to count, and Kay’Lo kept tellin’ him to “shut his fake-ass coach ass up. Blaqson was the only one tryin’ to keep a straight face, but every time Renza and Kay’Lo started arguin’, he’d end up laughin’ too.
Game after game, the money started slidin’ my way. Every win made my stack bigger, and they was gettin’ loud about it. Renza was accusin’ me of cheatin’, Kay’Lo swore I was fuckin’ up the deck, and Blaqson said I was only winnin’ because they was too drunk to focus.
By the time we was done, I had damn near all their money in front of me.
Renza was leanin’ back in his chair like he was down bad, Kay’Lo was rollin’ up again, and Blaqson was nursin’ what was left of his drink.
The whole room smelled like weed and D’USSé, and the ashtrays looked like we had been in here all night.
I grabbed my winnings, told them niggas I’d see them tomorrow, and left them in the game room still talkin’ shit to each other.
I went straight to my room. I peeled my clothes off down to my briefs, tossed everything in the chair, and laid back on my bed with my arms behind my head.
The ceilin’ fan was spinning slow above me, but my mind wasn’t slowin’ down at all.
I kept runnin’ through each of their faces in my head—Kashmere, Pluto, Zaniyah, and Toni.
Four women. All different. All bringing something real to the table.
And tomorrow, I was gonna have to tell one of them it was over.
I had been actin’ like I was ready for it, like it was just another move to make, but the truth was I wasn’t.
I ain’t never been in a position where the wrong choice could change more than just my life—it could change theirs too.
And no matter how much of a king I saw myself as, no real man takes that shit lightly.
Still, I knew I’d make the call. I always did.
Tomorrow, somebody was goin’ home…