CHAPTER FIVE
I was running late for the meetup with Xavier.
I was almost ready to say fuck it. Part of me was nervous because even though the school was some ways from Hoodoo’s, it was still in Syior’s territory.
Although we had an understanding that we were not together officially, he still didn’t know I was fucking with other guys.
The last thing I needed was drama between him and Xavier.
I grabbed my bag and headed toward the door.
As soon as I opened it, I almost pissed myself.
“Daddy!” I squealed.
My dad looked me up and down, and it was almost immediate that I saw him judging me. This was the first time that he had just popped up. “Sweetie, I thought I would stop by before I headed back home. What in the world do you have on?”
“I-I’m—”
“Is this how you dress when you’re not home?”
I didn’t know what to say. The idea of my daddy seeing me differently than he had all these years made me feel somewhat small.
I had been screaming inside to be free, and this was my chance to express how I felt, but instead, I felt like running into the room and changing. I backed away from the door.
“Phoebe, if this is who you are, then this is who you are, but you thinking I would judge you has me baffled.”
“Wait... what?”
He chuckled lightly. “I don’t care how you dress as long as you’re representing the Monroe name in a good light.”
“But I thought—”
He shook his head. “I know what you thought. I see you were headed somewhere, and I won’t stop you. Remember, practice this weekend,” he finished as he leaned in, hugged me, and kissed my forehead.
The little piece of relief I felt dwindled away when he told me to come home for practice. Fuck what I was wearing; I was tired of playing Polo.
I watched as my father walked down the walkway to his car. When he drove off, I rushed over to my car, hopped in, and took off. It took me about twenty minutes to get to Hoodoo’s. When I arrived, I saw Xavier coming out of the building. I hurried and got out.
“Xavier!” I called out.
When he saw me, he waved me off. “You playing!”
I rushed closer to him. “I’m sorry. My dad showed up,” I tried to explain.
PRESS PLAY
Xavier’s tall stature towered over me. He wore a pair of gray sweats and a Blue Hawks t-shirt cut just above his navel.
He was giving off ‘80s streetball vibes, and I was feeling it. He was handsome, from his beard and his light-colored locs that were pulled into a ponytail to his thick, chiseled body. He was definitely different than the other guys I was messing with. Syior had a nice body, but it wasn’t as chiseled as Xavier’s.
Percy was more on the big-boy side, but solid, and Harlem was just slim.
My eyes traveled from his dick print up to his sexy-ass face.
“You done sizing me up or what?”
If only he knew. I didn’t say anything as I tried to let my eyes do all the talking.
He held a bit of frustration in his eyes as he spoke. “Now what?”
“Now we go in there and chill as we planned.”
He ran his hand over his face before he walked ahead of me, going back inside.
I took a quick look around before following him.
My nerves were bad, but I didn’t want to ruin this moment between him and me.
Xavier picked a nice cozy booth in the back, which I was glad about.
If, for any reason, Syior decided to pop up, he couldn’t see me.
I scooted into the booth as Xavier scooted next to me. The smell of his cologne was perfect. It gave a fresh shower with a hint of grown man. I flicked my hood on my head before popping gum into my mouth. He turned slightly as he glared at me.
“Take that shit off yo’ head. Why are you covering up like you’re embarrassed to be seen with me?”
I stopped mid-chew. “First off, I’m comfortable this way, and if I didn’t want to be seen with you, I wouldn’t be here,” I retorted.
He flicked at my hood. “You hungry?”
When I didn’t respond, he sat back with the menu in his hand, pointing to the items. “What do you like? Wings? Burgers? Or some fancy shit?”
I smirked. “Wings are fine. Just make sure they’re hot. I like my shit spicy.” I winked.
He nodded slowly. “Spicy, huh? What else do you like? I want to know it all.”
My eyes rose to him slowly. It wasn’t often that I was asked what I liked. Syior cared, but to an extent. Percy barely asked questions, and Harlem didn’t care at all as long as he was served with a night of fun. This was new to me, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to answer.
Xavier looked at me. “Are you going to tell me or sit there quiet and shit?”
“Damn, are you going to give me time to respond?”
He shrugged. “You had enough time to think of all the things you wanted to say on your way over here.”
I thought Syior had a smart-ass mouth, but this was top tier. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but this is the first time a guy has asked what I liked and seems to care.”
“I can’t say that I’m not like other niggas, but I am different. If I want to know something about someone, I’m going to ask. If you give me lip, I’m going to give it back. Simple.”
A smile eased on my face as I admired his honesty. As I was about to respond, the waitress came to the table. “Are you guys ready to order?” She paused when she looked at me. “Hey, girl! Surprised to see you here today,” she said while giving me the side eye.
I knew she was looking at me like that because most of the time when I came here, it was with Syior. “Umm, can I get a water and wings?”
“Your usual. Got it.”
The fuck? I thought. I couldn’t believe she did that. I quickly looked at Xavier, who was watching the menu. Then my eyes shifted back to her, and she looked at Xavier before asking, “And you?”
He ran his hand through his beard. “Let me get a sweet tea and your burger special. I’m not fucking with those wings.”
She scribbled on her raggedy-ass pad and walked away.
Xavier didn’t even look at me but started speaking.
“Look, unless you currently have a nigga, I don’t care.
Shit, today is the first day that you and I are even doing some shit like this.
That kickback at Dio’s was light. This is a whole new day.
No strings attached,” he said as he now looked at me.
I nodded slowly. “No strings attached,” I mumbled. “What’s your major?”
He shrugged. “Truthfully, I don’t know.” He paused as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I mean, I picked history, but it was something to pick because all I know is basketball. It’s my life. What about you?”
“Science.”
He burst into laughter. “Okay, little Einstein.”
A giggle erupted from my belly. “I’ll be that, but when I’m out here saving the ecosystem, making sure the air you breathe is safe, I don’t want to hear shit.”
“Yeah? Well, I want to see that shit happen. Out here mixing chemicals with your perfume and shit. Talking about ‘I came up with a way the air can smell like your favorite scent’,” he tried mocking me while moving his head from side to side.
It was nice to genuinely laugh. Xavier and I talked about everything under the fucking sun, and for once, it felt good to be heard.
The back of Hoodoo’s became a shield for us.
Everything we talked about was surface level; it was the safe zone.
I hoped like hell he didn’t want to dig any deeper because talking about my life beyond the basics was off-limits.
There were certain things about me that many couldn’t handle.