Chapter 14 Jahlil
The group was back around the table outside, everyone had settled and gotten back into the swing of things outside of Ashton and Emani. Ashton ambled down the stairs behind Emani and onto the patio.
“Carson, tag you’re it,” Ashton spoke. “I would ask Jahlil but fucking around with Rambo, none of us would have food.”
“I can hear you, Tiny Tim!” Emani shouted from the kitchen. “I don’t need none of you niggas. I can fix my own food, thank you.”
Kyrie chuckled, reshuffling the cards. “I think we’re getting our girl back.”
“I swear all that mouth,” Ashton huffed, sitting on the left of Jahlil. “If her and Malik don’t work out, I probably need to take a stab at her.”
“Do not waste your time,” Emani grumbled, stepping on to the patio with a small amount of everything on her plate. “You got to be this tall to ride this ride.”
Ashton looked at her hand placement and then at Jahlil. “That ain’t six-nine.”
Carson fought a laugh, earning a dart of the eyes from Jahlil. “I mean it ain’t.”
“Been there, done that,” Emani sassed, taking a seat next to Jahlil as if she wasn’t ready to turn the house upside down moments ago. She positioned her body more towards Donnée than Jahlil but that didn’t stop him from pulling her chair closer.
“Stop playin’ with me,” he grumbled, earning a sharp look from her that read the same before moving her chair back to where it was.
“Alright, before they get started, I was thinking we can pull up to the step show tonight since Jahlil has kicked everyone out,” Donnée spoke up, pouring a round of shots.
“Muhfucka should’ve kept his mouth shut,” Jahlil grumbled, digging into his plate of food.
Donnée received a collective ‘I’m down’ from the group as Kyrie threw the UNO cards out.
“E, this is for you. When you win, don’t flip the table and shout UNO muhfucka like you like to do,” Kyrie stated, making Emani laugh.
“It’s very serious when it comes to UNO,” Emani stated with pride as she held the title for the group’s UNO champion. Studying the cards in her hand she looked at the optional blank cards and the messages. “Truth or dare or draw 30. Who wrote this bullshit?”
Laughter spread throughout the group and Donnée shrugged innocently. “It’s been too long since we’ve all been together like this so I’m going to dive into everyone’s business.”
“Aight, remember that when we dive into yours,” Ashton shot back.
“Oh, Ashton wasn’t nobody going to get in your short ass business,” Donnée huffed.
“He don’t have business for real,” Carson chimed. “He has brief summaries of colorfully-worded bullshit.”
“Aight, aight,” Jahlil said speaking up. “Let’s go. Let’s get this over with so we can get out of here.”
Emani didn’t have to smell so good or look so good this close to him.
She sat with her legs crossed, smooth golden brown thigh peeking out from the cover up she loosely wore.
Yeah, he was thirsty. He’d admit it. He was a panting dog, tail wagging just waiting for her to pay attention to him for real.
“You real hype about having to carry Ashton on your shoulders,” Carson joked as Ashton hopped up in the barstool from his original seat. Legs swinging.
Emani and Donnée fell into each other laughing.
“Why you jump like that when I was right here to lift your baby ass up?” Jahlil asked.
Ashton turned around and grinned. “I had ya girlfriend’s titties on my neck, I can fly right now.”
“Nigga, I’ll knock your head off your fuckin’ shoulders playing with me,” Emani sounded off. “My titties have never and will never be on your neck.”
“Muhfuckin’ right,” Jahlil added. “He ain’t tall enough.”
“And furthermore, I’m not his girlfriend,” Emani replied, arranging her cards in her hand while Carson and Donnée switched seats. Carson took the cards and swapped out. It was their age old trick so Emani could win and make Ashton mad. Childish games that still held a torch amongst the group.
Ashton watched and buzzed. “You right, Carson got his dib in.”
Carson took a plastic spoon and flicked it at him. “Shut your little troll ass up. You play too fuckin’ much.”
“Don’t ruin my good mood,” Emani huffed.
“Thanks, Carson,” Emani buzzed, settling back into her seat and holding the cards to her chest. “By now, you should know how to play without cheating, Jahlil.”
“Damn, you not going to help me out for old times sake?” he teased.
“Absolutely not,” Carson buzzed. “You get beat by a five year old weekly. You know how to lose.”
Jahlil muttered in a tone that only Emani could hear because they’re senses still knew one another. “You know at some point, we’re going to have to have a real ass conversation.”
Emani barely nodded. “I’m aware. Not here and not now.”
“What y’all over here whispering about?” Kyrie asked as Donnée sat next to him.
“Bullshit,” Carson spoke up for the two, stuffing his mouth. “Pick that card.”
Donnée flipped the first card on the deck over. A blank card. “Ah hell. Right out the gate.
“Ah hell is right,” Ashton said looking at the card “The last time we played this game, we found out they were fuckin’.”
“Nah, you found out they were fuckin’,” Kyrie spoke. “We don’t tell your ass shit until everyone else knows because you can’t keep shit close to your chest.”
“Still amazes me how no one has whooped your ass for real yet,” Carson added.
Emani covered her mouth and giggled. “Like Tripp Wilson when he lost all his money. You know what, I need a new financial advisor.”
The silent laugh ran through the group and Ashton just sat there, legs swinging, eyes squinted.
Tripp Wilson was a hockey client Ashton had a few years ago who was betting on himself to win games.
When he was found out, he lost everything, leaving Ashton in the wake to answer the questions of why he didn’t advise his client not to bet, let alone on himself.
“That wasn’t my fault,” Ashton defended. “He don’t listen, not to mention he has like six baby mommas. It was that third one who told the gaming authorities he was betting on himself.”
“You know what, I got a better game.” Donnée laughed, pouring herself another shot. “A shot every time this little nigga lies.”
“I’m not lying though, he does have six baby mommas,” Ashton said, watching everyone take a shot. “I didn’t lie!”
Another round was poured and taken.
“So tell me this,” Jahlil posed. “Simona Reese, how you get her to sign with you? We did it because we’re your friends and we have to support your dreams.”
“You know how I did that. Read the card, Donnée,” Ashton said with a smirk on his face.
“What is your deepest secret you’ve been holding from the group?” Donnée read.
Emani and Carson shifted in their seats.
Ashton snickered. “Don’t lie either, I saw you wobble your ass out the pool house. Y’all fucking around again?”
Kyrie spoke up nonchalantly. “Again? Nah, we married, we been doing that shit since we left OSU.”
Jahlil and Ashton almost spit out their drinks. “Married?”
Donnée gave them a weak smile and a shrug. “Yeah. Emani and Carson found us out, but-”
“Damn, congratulations. Nigga, y’all could have said something,” Jahlil stated, honestly happy and surprised.
“I wanted to but you two were not going to be able to be in the same room. So we just did some simple shit. No biggie. We still love y’all.”
Jahlil groaned inwardly at the confession. It was back on him again. He nodded and Ashton chose this moment to put the spotlight on him.
“Now, if I say what I want, Ky is going to throw me in the pool so I’m gon’ keep that with me,” Ashton grumbled, picking up a card. The game seemed to flow until Ashton drew another card. “Jah, you still in love with your ex?”
“That wasn’t love,” Jahlil replied after swallowing his food. “That was infatuation and settling.”
“So you lied to us when you said she was the one?” Ashton asked and Jahlil nodded.
“I lied to myself, for real. Instead of fixing what I fucked up, I moved on trying to find what I had. It wasn’t until I was in my house with Andrew crying and a newborn crying that I had to come to grips with that,” Jahlil shared. “Any other questions?”
“Nah, I’m moving on to Emani,” Ashton rumbled.
“Don’t come bothering me after I let you look at my booty,” Emani said.
“‘Cause that’s the only thing on you he can reach, E,” Carson added.
“I am. You got a problem with that?” Ashton asked, earning him a middle finger from Kyrie. “Your mother.”
“Anyway, what you want nigga?” Emani grunted.
“You still love Jah?” Ashton asked.
Everyone paused briefly trying to see if Emani was going to let them off the ride or continue. She leaned up and collected thirty cards. Ashton kissed his teeth.
“Damn, Malik is really turning you into a punk. Carson, tell us.”
“I don’t know why you’re surprised,” Donnée huffed.
“I’m not telling none of y’all her business. Move on before baby hulk gets mad.” Carson’s statement cut Ashton’s meddling at the knees.
“You two just had a whole thing upstairs and you come down here and go right back to your troll ass ways?” Donnée huffed.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Emani spoke. “He doesn’t do nothing else but stir the pot and I’m just not doing it right now.”
“I’d like to know though,” Jahlil’s voice came out shocking himself. “I mean if everyone at this table knows, I should know too.”
“Jahlil,” Emani warned. “You don’t want to do this with me, right here. Not right now. I already told you.”
“Yeah, right now. There is no better time. You could’ve had any nigga but that one.” He dropped his cards on the table. “So yeah, let’s do it right now.”