Charisma #3
My stomach dropped because for the first time since I’d known him, I didn’t feel completely comfortable around Trent. Before he was just another one of the girls in my mind but now? Now he was like any other man and I was wishing I’d told my parents the truth before they came out here.
He tried to snake his hand up the side of my face and into my hair but I pushed him back.
“There’s no way for you to show me anything.
I don’t fuck liars and I most certainly don’t date them.
You thinking your dick is a magical cure all for the harm you’ve caused is more than enough reason we wouldn’t be together.
You seem to forget I have a boyfriend and he sure as fuck ain’t you. ”
He adjusted his pants as though he needed to get better leverage to make a move. “You comparing me to that nigga aren’t you? All because you’ve let him have a chance that you’re denying me.”
“There’s no need to compare the two of you because it’s impossible to compare you two.
I’ve never thought of you like that or wanted you in that way ever.
Even before you lied about being gay. So no, you could never compare or begin to measure up to Nate.
That man is a southern gentleman but still hood as fuck.
A blue collar man with trust fund money.
Charming but ruthless as hell if you cross him.
You thinking you had a chance after everything you just confessed lets me know you don’t know him and you never knew me.
You lack integrity that he wears as well as his denim jeans.
Let me guess, you were the one who started those rumors about me at FAM weren’t you?
” An arrogant smile played across his face and I could only look at him like the monster he was.
He had to be a psychopath to lack empathy like this. “Why would you do that?”
“So that you needed me and didn’t have anyone else to depend on.
That nigga Greg actually fucked with you on some real shit.
Was talking about how he was gonna take care of you when he made it big.
I couldn’t have that. So I played my part and became your friend.
You were gullible enough to believe I was gay while the whole campus knew otherwise.
The shit you would hear about me was the truth, I told you otherwise so you didn’t realize I was lying.
When I needed you isolated, it was easy.
You were a social outcast and I could keep you out of my business and still have a relationship with you.
People who knew me thought you were just another bitch on the roster and they would’ve never question seeing me with you.
I can’t lie, that shit worked out perfectly.
” The smile he displayed was one of pride at his actions and how well he’d been able to uphold his ruse.
“You truly are fucked up in the head, you know that?” Watching him stand here and act as though his manipulations were something to be proud of made me sick to my stomach.
Even if this town wasn’t filled with some of the most honorable Black men I’d ever met, this display of hubris from Trent was galling.
“And? You think I’m going to stress myself out over something that happened years ago? We can agree I shouldn’t have done it and move forward from here.” Trent laid out the options like this were a business merger and not our love lives.
“Are you a narc? I’m doing my best not to grab one of these kitchen knives and hack you to death because your lack of fucks to give is making me homicidal.”
He had the nerve to laugh in my face and stepped between me and the knife block. Why he thought that would stop me from finding something to beat his ass with was beyond me.
“Not the hippie chick losing her cool. I liked you over everyone else, Charisma, because you were sweet. Very low maintenance and not with all that rah-rah shit. You had shit you needed to grow out of but I was sure that it would happen. Now you’re out here trying to play tough girl. It doesn’t suit you.”
He lessened the distance between us with a taunting smile on his face. Instead of saying a word, I reached back and slapped him as hard as I could.
“Bitch! What the fuck did you do that for?” Trent was holding the side of his face I’d slapped and I balled my fist up to hit him again. He lunged for me grabbing my wrist and squeezing so that I uncurled my fingers.
“Get the fuck off me.”
“You got spunk and I like that shit. At least let me get a kiss. I’ve seen all the gossip columns about that nigga you’re trying to claim.
He’s got a different bitch on his arm for every town he goes to but you think he’s going to be faithful to you?
At least I’m honest up front. Kiss me and you’ll see why I’m the better man out of the two of us. ”
He was holding my wrist in a vice as he pressed his body into mine forcing me to lean into the stove. As soon as he slackened his grip on my wrist, I used the heel of my palm to hit him in the chin.
“Got dammit, Charisma!”
I shoved him out of the way as he reached out, trying to grasp onto me.
His fingers connected with the neck of my shirt and I was choked slightly as we pulled in opposite directions.
I broke free and ran to the door but I felt my shirt rip as the cool air hit my back.
The door was kicked open and Nate stormed in, looking like he brought the plagues of Egypt with him.
This is about to get out of hand.
I was happy to see him but I knew he was about to react badly. When I looked down at myself, my shirt was torn and hanging off my shoulder. My head snapped up to meet Nate’s eyes and he’d already assessed the damage by the hard look on his face.
“Nate—”
“He put his hands on you, Charmy?”
“It’s not what it looks like.”
Nate’s fingers were at my chin turning my head from one side to the other. “Did he put his hands on you, Charisma?”
“More like I put my hands on him.”
I glanced over my shoulder when I heard Trent laugh behind me.
“You are becoming the bane of my existence, Nate. Me and my girl were just having some fun and now you want to interrupt what we have going on.”
Nate took a breath so deep it startled me with how loud it was. He slowly released the air like he was putting himself in a trance and now I was scared.
“Bucky—”
“Samp, bill me for whatever I fuck up, okay? I’m about to use this nigga’s spinal fluid to wash the walls.” Nate took off his hat, eyes still focused on Trent looking over my head. I hadn’t even realized that Sampson was in the room until Nate spoke to him.
Attempting to calm him down, I put my hands on his stomach to bring his focus back to me. “Nate, look at me. I’m fine.”
“I know you can handle yourself, Fairy. I’m not worried about that. You seem to forget how we met. But this nigga has been a bur in my ass all weekend and I’ve run out of patience.”
“He ain’t worth it.”
“I know he’s not. I’mma have fun laying hands on him, anyway.”
“Cmon then, backwoods bitch. Let’s see what you got.”
“My girl already got your shit leaking and you wanna talk shit to me? Samp, keep Charmy’s soft hearted ass out the way. I’m glad we moved most of your shit outta here.”
He was too calm. I knew it and Sampson did too but made no move to stop what seemed inevitable. When Nate stepped forward Sampson gently tugged me back so that I was closer to the door. I watched as Trent spit the blood in his mouth into the sink and it made me want to hit him again.
Sampson had a staying hand on my shoulder and with the strength I knew he possessed it was enough to keep me still.
Nate even in his anger had been wise enough to give Trent enough room to walk out from behind the counter.
I checked to make sure he didn’t have anything in his hands because I couldn’t trust him to fight fair.
Clearly Trent had more arrogance than he had common sense, because his hands were empty.
This is going to be a bloodbath.
Trent swung first and Nate just moved out of the way and hit him in his ribs. I knew nothing of boxing but with the way Trent doubled over from being hit, Nate did.
“That body shot is always lethal.” Sampson spoke so nonchalantly I couldn’t believe he was this calm.
“I need to break this up.”
“If you think you’re going to put yourself in the middle of two men fighting, I’mma tell Nate to keep fucking him up.
” Samp wasn’t even making a threat. He was as calm as ever, with his eyes trained on the fight.
Nate made good on his promise as he hit Trent hard enough to touch the first wall of the casita.
“Why would I do something as dumb as that? I said stop the fight not risk getting hit myself.”
“Well, if you over there trying to be a pacifist, Nate’s gonna be insulted you don’t want him to defend your honor.” Sampson gave me that sorry you can’t win this one look and I could only sigh as Trent swung and missed again.
“So I’m supposed to just stand here and watch them beat each other up?”
“Doesn’t look like your boy is gone have too many hits land. I haven’t seen him in action in about a year and the last time was more my fight than his. And he was injured so I know he wasn’t swinging with full force. This gives me a chance to check his form.”