Chapter 36
Matching energy
It’s been a week since I last saw Rizz. I wasn’t even mad—that just comes with loving a street nigga.
I was at the mall picking up some custom Nikes I had made to match my new crop top and shorts.
Clover and Tammy were hosting a car show tonight, and I wasn’t missing it for the world.
I’d already missed their engagement party, and I had to look good because Silk was going to be there.
The last thing I heard, he was wrapped up in a poly relationship with three women.
As I headed for the exit, Rizz was standing there grinning at me.
“Renardo, what are you doing here?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I missed you. So I checked your location. I’ve been gone so long I had to make sure some nigga wasn’t out here tricking on my lady.”
I blushed and playfully shoved his chest. “Ain’t nobody checking for your lady—you haven’t even been checking for your lady.”
He pulled me into a tight hug and kissed my forehead. “I missed you, queen. You know you’re my favorite lady.”
I melted, feeling completely soft for him. We walked over to the food court, where I grabbed a plate from Pei Wei Asian Express—orange chicken, fried rice, and a spring roll—and we shared it before he drove me home.
“Ain’t no way you caught a Lyft to the mall,” he said as we pulled up.
“I didn’t feel like driving. I wanted to enjoy my day off.”
“I hear you. Can I come in?”
“I don’t feel like doing all that right now.”
“Girl, you acting like that’s all I ever want. I just came here to sleep.” I laughed, shaking my head. “My bad, baby.”
We walked inside, kicked off our shoes, and crawled into bed, taking a long nap together.
Rizz
When I woke up, Mercedes was in the bathroom working on her makeup. Her edges were laid to perfection, and she had on a red crop top with denim shorts that looked more like drawers to me. I got up, walked over, and towered behind her in the mirror.
“Damn, you look good. Where are you headed?”
“My cousin and her fiancé are throwing a car show today. I’m going to go support.”
“That’s crazy, my connect and his lady are hosting a car show today too. I was already planning on sliding through.”
“Y’all probably just parked in front of some strip mall. I’m going out to the Mensa track.”
“No way, that’s where I’m headed. How do you know Clo?”
She stopped blending her eyeshadow and turned around to look at me. “How do you know Clo?”
“Crazy. Didn't I just tell you he was my connect?”
“Mhmm.”
“What’s on your mind, gorgeous?”
“You can’t know Clo without knowing Silk.”
“Yeah, something's definitely going on there,” I muttered, thinking about what a bitch-ass nigga Silk had been lately over nothing.
“Well, that’s my ex. We have been together since high school. We broke up eight months ago.”
“You want him back?” I asked, keeping my eyes locked on her.
“No. I’m way better without him.”
“Okay, cool. I don’t even fuck with that nigga anyway; we just run in the same circles.”
I grabbed my red Supreme outfit to match her red crop top. I knew right then I was going to want pictures with my baby tonight. She looked like an absolute doll, and I was so glad that the clown loss was my biggest blessing. I just had to make sure I never lost her.