PERCY
“Calm yo ass down!” I shouted at Anika as I pinned her in the corner.
Watching her and Dio’s little shorty get down was crazy. Then moments later, their friends started fighting. I had just gotten my job at the Blue Café, and they were tearing shit up. Hell, I was pissed that I had to be the one to clean this shit up.
Anika’s nose flared in anger. I tried patting her wild, short hair down, but it kept standing up.
“You really need to chill, looking like a fucking Cynthia doll and shit.”
“Fuck you, Percy!” she hissed.
I shrugged. “Shit, I’m trying to help you out,” I said as I released her.
She plopped on the seat next to her as I started picking up the tables. “What did she do to you?” I asked.
Now I wanted to know because the way she was acting made it seem like Shorty stole her man. “Is this over that nigga Dio?”
When she looked at me, I knew it was. I heckled. “Does the nigga know you out here fighting over him? Hell, does the nigga even know who you are?”
She rolled her eyes. “Percy, shut up! A nigga who sneaks in the Mercier building to fuck Phoebe shouldn’t be telling me shit!” she hissed.
I stood and turned to her. “Who the fuck told you that?” I snapped.
She sucked her teeth. “Nigga, everybody knows. They have a camera in there. We saw you simping like a bitch!”
My jaws clenched. “You better shut yo ass up!” I gritted in her face.
She tossed her hand up, and I slapped the bitch down. “Who recording niggas? Huh?”
She tried getting up, but I pushed her back down. “Nigga, I don’t know!” she hissed.
“Percy!” Royce shouted.
I turned to see her standing behind me, holding my daughter. “Shit. Sup, baby?”
“What’s going on over here?”
“Nothing. It was a fight,” I said as I turned to grill Anika.
I knew she was petty, and I prayed like hell she didn’t say shit. Anika got up from the table and glanced at me, smirking.
“We’ll talk soon, Percy,” she said as she walked off.
Royce handed me my daughter as she looked back at Anika, then at me.
I knew her wheels were turning, but I didn’t need her finding shit out.
She had been good to me. She was the one good thing I had besides my daughter, and I didn’t want to ruin it.
However, in the back of my mind, the only person I could think would do some fucked up shit like that was Jesaiah.
Royce stood there looking beautiful as ever. I reached out and grabbed her hand to help her sit down. When she did, I tapped her chin.
“She didn’t give you any problems, did she?”
Royce smiled. “She is such a sweet little girl. No, she didn’t. I thought I would bring her by to have lunch with her daddy, but it looks like things in here are a mess.”
I laughed. “It is, but if you give me an hour, it will be just me and you.” I paused. “And Breann.”
She nodded. I handed her my daughter, and I knew I had been trying for the longest, but it felt right this time. I leaned down and kissed her lips softly.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
I figured she would slap me or something, but she didn’t. Royce actually kissed me back. It felt good to be wanted and to have someone in my corner who accepted all of me, and if I didn’t figure out who was behind that video, I knew it would fuck up what Royce and I were building.
I thought about Dio’s offer, then looked at Royce and my daughter.
If she could just help a nigga a little longer, I would soon be able to afford daycare and work this shit out.
I had something going for myself, and I didn’t want anything or anyone to fuck it up.
It was hard, no doubt, but the woman and girl sitting in front of me made a nigga want to keep pushing without making any excuses.
I didn’t stay on the line, but those principles stuck with me.