Story #3
“Oh my God! That was intense! Shontel’s brother had some sort of heart attack!”
“That was a seizure.” He spoke.
“Huh?”
He put the clean bone down and picked up another parmesan wing, “That was a seizure and it turned to cardiac arrest. Hopefully, those EMS responders can handle it and he’ll be good. This down time will give him a second thought before he disrespects women again, specifically you.”
I just stood there and watched him eat. I couldn’t even blink.
“Got damn these wings good.” Halo said as he picked up another one.
I don’t know why but I sat down next to him. He handed me my plate, and I picked up a wing.
“I think he could have learned his lesson without being hospitalized near death.”
I expected him to say anything other than what he did.
Halo shrugged his shoulders and said, “Hm, to each its own. Anyway, we good now?”
“When were we not good?”
“You ain’t really fucked with me after that shit happened downstairs. Or is it because Dallas rubbed you wrong? Because if so, me and her don’t have anything. I don’t have nothing going on with any damn body, especially a woman, so you never have to fall back.”
And there goes my answer, he’s not straight. His wording told me so, I think he was another Hendrix when it came to me. I thought about when Hendrix told me that there is something in me that makes a person feel safe and comfortable.
As sweet as that was, I was over being just that to a man. I wanted my own, one who felt safe and comfortable. But I also want to be desired in an emotional, physical, and mental standpoint. I just swallowed tonight and ate my wings.
“None of that was a problem, I just hung out with my friend and Blake. There is no problem between you and I Halo.”
He handed me a napkin so I could wipe my fingers.
“That’s good because---” He was cut off when his brother Golden fell between us.
He was extremely drunk and the smell of vodka was strong on him.
“Bro get’cho ass on.” Halo got annoyed by his brother’s sloppiness.
“Chillll bro I just wanna get up and close to your chick.” He looked at me. “Yo’ make sure you smash your pussy in my brother’s face.”
I turned my nose up because he was so close and from what he was saying.
“Golden get up and press on bro!” Halo grew madder.
His brother waved him off and kept talking. “Skip what he’s saying. I been trying to push all kinds of pussy on him for yearsssss. Matter of fact, suck his dick right now. Show me that you are not about to just tease---
The way Halo snatched his brother up out of my face was like Golden was flying. I thought he was going to throw him across the room. But he held on to him and Greek dashed across the room to them fast.
“You do this shit every time you drink! Hold your liquor or I swear I’ll fuck you up!” Halo was like a different person.
Greek separated them and pushed Golden down the hall away from us. As far as I was concerned, I was overwhelmed and ready to call it a night. I saw that Blake and Siren were sitting in her throne chair kissing. The small commotion died down but like I said, I was over it.
“Halo, thank you but I do not want you and your brother getting into it. He’s drunk which means he’s not himself.”
“It’s not even that, Golden never could handle his drinking. He is either emotional, blunt, or violent. I’m sorry he was in your face and for the shit he said.”
“It’s all forgiven.”
That made him smile and I tried not to melt at it, but it was hard. I smiled back and we both ended up laughing.
“Chill with me the rest of the night. Before you get all trippy on me, we not about to do anything but chill and talk.”
I have no idea what it was because I do not live anywhere with someone I just met. I’m just not that bold but for some reason I trusted Halo.
“Don’t make me regret this.”
“Never.”
I went and told Siren that I was about to leave with Halo.
“You do know he’s.” She made a face that I understood.
“I already know it’s not like that. We are about to hangout. What about you and Blake? Y’all are two seconds from having sex in the club.”
Me and her cracked up then she said, “No way! We were just kissing, even though I wanted to go home with her. I am going home alone because women give in to Blake a lot. I want more than sex and she’s about to see that tonight.
Have a good time with Halo and you know I will fill you in on everything tomorrow. ”
I hugged her then left the club with Halo.
“Your apartment is very nice. Is this all you?” I asked him.
After we took our shoes off and we walked through the hallway to his dining and living room I was impressed.
“Thank you. Yeah, I decorated my entire place.” He answered me.
The walls were white and he had a wide desert mural on the wall. It went with his burgundy couch, cream throw pillows, and cream area rug.
His dining room table was wood and glass. I liked the two tall cactuses plants by the window. I saw he had two poles that held large speakers on them. Instead of a television that most people had in their living room. Halo had a projector machine.
“You have excellent taste. Please tell me you have some food in your refrigerator!”
We got to his kitchen, and he turned the light on. My stomach started grumbling, swear I eat like a pregnant person when I’m drunk.
“Already ahead of you, I eat like a nigga from 600lbs life when I knock back alcohol!”
I screamed laughing as I sat down on the stool. “Me too! What’cha got?”
“Sloppy Joe with Hawaiian rolls.”
“Yes!”
I got up when he took the ground beef out of the refrigerator. Since he was making it from scratch, I decided to help. My mama and I have made this a million times, and it was easy. Soon, we had a rhythm going and the ingredients cooking.
“You like cheese on your sloppy joe too?” I asked him when I saw he took some sharp cheddar cheese slices out.
“Yup, can’t eat it without it.”
“Me neither.” I told him.
Halo got the plates out and I toasted the Hawaiian rolls. We each had two and pilled the sloppy joe on it, melted the cheese and were ready to eat.
“Oh my God this is so good.” I admitted after I took my first bite.
Halo took his and agreed then he passed me a cold Arizona fruit punch drink.
“Yeah, this shit slaps. So, what is it with you?”
“What do you mean?” I asked him confused.
“Why I got’chu in my place, feeding you and chillin’.”
I laughed and wiped my mouth, “Because you asked me too silly!” I did not know if it was the tequila that had him talking that way or what, but it was funny.
“Exactly! You got me doing shit I do not do, and I need to know why. So, tell me your story…Story.”
We shared a laugh at his joke towards my name.
“Well, you know the history of me doing hair and what made me move here from me telling you at the shop. Other than that, there isn’t much to me.
I have another sister, Pixie, who is sixteen.
And I have a brother, Jesse, who is thirteen.
Our parents are still together and driving each other crazy.
I have a best friend who I love so much, we’re roommates. ”
“That’s what’s up. You seem to have a good family and village backing you up. What else you like to do besides hair?”
“A lot, I like watching movies, going out to dinner, I love doing things I ‘ve never tried before no matter how small it is. Like there are a lot of museums in Michigan that I want to visit one by one. It sounds boring but I like things like that. I also like being indoors as well. Cooking, catching up on movies or TV shows.”
He and I were on our last sloppy joe. Halo listened to me talk and he was into every word I said.
“Damn we got a lot in common. Aside from the museum idea, I never would have thought of that but that sounds dope.”
We brought our drinks and went to his bedroom. To be honest, sex wasn’t on my mind at all although as fine as Halo was. I would have taken it if he offered but because I know that wasn’t possible. The idea itself did not matter to me. I just like hanging out with him.
“Clearly you have a love for the desert.” I said as I observed his bedroom.
His wall mural this time was only on the wall to the right of his bedroom. It was a nighttime Grand Canyon mural. The rest of his walls were the same blue as the sky on the mural. His comforter was chocolate brown and olive green. Halo had a big TV mounted, a closet and a half bathroom in his room.
“I love the desert. In my mind it represents solitude in my mind. Here, I know you don’t wanna stay in that dress.”
He tossed me a shirt then showed me where his full bathroom was. I got out of my clothes and took a hot steamy shower. My hair got wet and I did not care, I’m sure Halo had some rubberbands or scrunchies here, so I’d just put it in a ponytail.
“Both of us being some real fat asses.”
He joked when he gave me a bag of Cheeto Puffs and he had a bag of barbeque Lays chips. After he took his shower, he put on pajama pants and a t-shirt. Halo asked me if I wanted a snack since he was getting him one.
“I know right!” I climbed into his bed and opened the bag of chips. Halo turned the TV on, and we decided to watch the movie Runaway Bride.
“When you said you love the desert because it represents solitude. You want to be alone, or you like to be alone?”
“A little of both. When I’m alone, I get to be me.”
That made me sad, “Why can’t you be you if people are around. Everyone knows you and loves you. Starting with your brothers. You should just tell me your story Halo.”
“Mine is more complex and I ain’t never shared my story with anyone. But I’ll tell you that I’m the youngest of triplets. Our parents raised us to be close and a tight family. Shit turned different when both of our parents died in a plane crash. I’m sure you’ve heard of flight 220.”