Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Cadence
I hated Mondays, and now that I was facing these problems with my tuition, I hated every day I had to come here.
It seems like every day there was some reminder of this bullshit.
The money I made at the bar was good, especially with the tips that I’ve gotten from Titan’s generous ass, but it still wasn’t enough when I had to pay bills too.
I was so over all of this bullshit, but I couldn’t stop now.
I was at my wits’ end, but I had to figure it out... I always do.
My last class was over, and I had to hurry to the hospital to do my clinical shift there. I was glad that I was off tonight from the club because tonight I was going to come up with a master plan and it had to work.
I made my way out of the building and to my car when I heard my name being called.
“Cadence!” I heard a familiar voice yell. I snapped my head in that direction, and I saw Titan standing in front of a midnight blue Range Rover.
Ignoring him, I went in the direction of my car, but I heard his big ass behind me. In no time, he was in front of me, cutting me off.
“Damn, Tink. You’on wanna talk to me now?” He asked with a smirk plastered on his face.
“I never want to talk to you. Now, can you move, please?” I tried moving around him, but his big ass blocked me, causing me to roll my eyes.
“I’m good at what I do, baby.” He smirked. “But, nah... for real. Let me talk to you real quick,” he pleaded, and for the first time, I saw the sincerity in his eyes.
Against my better judgment, I stood and listened to what he had to say.
“Go ahead.” I motioned my hand for him to start talking.
“Can we go sit in my truck?” He asked.
“My car is right here.” I pointed out.
“No offense, baby, but I’ain getting in that little ass shit. I might fuck around and get stuck or some shit,” he laughed.
“Boy, fuck you!” I shot back, but the look on his face let me know that I should’ve chosen a better choice of words.
Titan led me to his truck, then opened the door for me to get in. To say I was shocked was an understatement, because he didn’t seem to have a chivalrous bone in his body. When he got in, he just sat and stared at me.
“You brought me over here just to look in my face?” I asked with a flat expression etched across my face.
“You too fucking fine to be so damn mean, Tink,” he laughed.
“My name is not no fucking Tink,” I snapped. I was already annoyed, and he wasn’t making it any better.
“My bad, but you remind me of Tinker Bell. That little muthafucka was feisty as fuck,” he chuckled. “You’re little and feisty just like her ass,” he revealed.
Huffing, I gave him a deadpan look to let him know that I was over this conversation and it hadn’t even started yet.
“Aight... check it,” he started. “I know you’ve seen all the shit in the headlines about me.
Muthafuckas want to make me out to be this horrible ass nigga when all I’m doing is living my best single fucking life.
Apparently they can’t take that shit, and the media is always twisting some shit, so now my manager and PR team is forcing me to change my image,” he stated.
“That might do you some good,” I countered.
“Not if it changes who the fuck I am. I’m not the nigga they’re trying to make me to be, but I’m not the nigga they want me to be either,” he confessed. I could tell this was stressful for him by the frown lines etched into his forehead.
“Okay, I get it, but when you’re in the public eye, you have to be careful with certain things, especially with the people who invest a lot of money into you.” He kissed his teeth at my statement.
“Nah, them muthafuckas just want to control shit. They had to find a way to think they had me by the nuts, but I’ll never give another muthafucka that much power over me,” he countered.
“Okay, but what did you have to talk to me about? I know nothing about PR, so I hope that’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Well, actually it kind of is,” he stated.
“Stop beating around the bush, Titan and tell me why you stalked me to my damn school and bothering the fuck outta me?” I snapped.
“They want me to be in a relationship to show that I can commit and shit,” he revealed.
“Okay... what does that have to do with me?” I questioned.
“I want you to pretend to be my girl.”
All the wind left my body when he said that. The fuck did he mean he wanted me to pretend to be his girl? Was he fucking for real? Nah, he can’t be.
“Excuse me? You want me to pretend to be your girl so the press can get off your back?” I had to laugh to keep from bashing this nigga’s head into the steering wheel.
“I mean, yeah.” He shrugged.
The laughter that emitted from my soul was unbearable. This couldn’t be for real.
“Wait, let me get this straight,” I said between laughing. “You want me to be your pretend girlfriend so that you look like this upstanding man on and off the field, yet I’m the one that’s actually being played? Nigga, please be so for real,” I simpered.
“Listen, we’ll both get something out of this. These muthafuckas can get off my back and I know you need the money, so it’s not like you’re in a position to turn me down.” When he said that, I squinted my eyes in his direction because how in the hell did he know what I needed.
“What did you just say? How do you know what I need?” I asked with my voice laced with plenty of attitude.
“I heard you and your girl talking about your tuition and shit. You do me this solid and I can take care of that shit for you,” he stated, like I was just supposed to be overjoyed.
Instead of responding, I got out of his truck, making sure to slam the door before I trekked to my car. That nigga had a nerve to think he could use my situation to take advantage of me. Fuck him and his image.
***
I couldn’t even focus on clinicals today. My mind was too occupied with that bullshit ass proposition presented to me. I guess he was used to these money hungry hoes, but that wasn’t me. I didn’t give one fuck about his image.
I called Janae on the way home and told her to come straight to my house when she got off. I needed to tell her about this shit because I had to tell somebody and I knew she wouldn’t tell anyone.
As soon as I got home, I showered and got comfortable. I went to the kitchen to fix us something to eat while I had a drink. By the time I had the steak alfredo done, she was walking in looking straight like the salon.
“You could’ve gone home and got the salon off of you,” I said when I saw her.
“Bitch, you said come straight here and straight here I came... hair and all,” she explained as she took her smock off and hung it on the back of the stool. “What’s wrong, though? You sounded pissed on the phone.”
While I plated our food and fixed drinks, I ran down everything that Titan told me. I explained it the way he did and what he said as his selling point. By the time I was done, I had run through the entire ordeal, and my best friend was looking at me like I had just burst into flames.
“Are you going to say something or look at me like I’m melting?” I frowned.
“I wanted to make sure it was nothing else you had to say before I called you a dumb bitch.” She frowned.
“Excuse you?” I fired back.
“You’re excused, bitch... you’re dumb as fuck too,” she spat.
I was about to curse her ass out, but she put her hand up to stop me.
“I’on wanna hear it. This man has already been tipping you out the ass.
He clearly likes you, playboy or not, and now he’s offering to pay your tuition so you can graduate, and all you have to do is pretend to be his girlfriend?
Hoe are you dumb?” She spat. She had a look of disgust on her face and had she not been my best friend, I would’ve smashed her head into the countertop by now.
“So, you want me to hoe my way out of school?” I asked for clarity.
“No, I want you to be smart enough to take an opportunity when it presents itself,” she clarified.
“This man didn’t say you didn’t have to do anything but pretend, and you do that every time you’re at work.
I’m pretty sure it won’t go beyond that unless the two of you want it to.
For now, I say you do what you gotta do to get this money so you can graduate.
If that means living in the land of make believe for a while, then do that shit.
You’ve done worse for less.” She shrugged, ending her statement.
I had to admit that she was right, but I didn’t want to admit right away.
“You don’t have to say shit because I know I’m right.
Hell, I’ll do the shit... for free, but he didn’t ask me...
he asked you, so what you gone do, Cady?
Barbecue or mildew?” I rolled my eyes at her country ass before letting my thoughts get the best of me.
I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to do this, especially if I got the money to pay my tuition.
I’d have to get that shit upfront though because I would hate to have to break the world’s best wide receiver’s leg for fucking over on me.
“Ugh, why did I call you?” I whined.
“Because I’m your best bitch and you know I’m gone give it to you straight.
Shit like this don’t happen every day...
this ain’t no urban fiction fairy tale. Opportunities like this don’t fall into your lap...
I suggest you take that man up on his offer and seal the deal with some good dick.
” She stuck her tongue out after her last statement, and I couldn’t do shit but laugh. This is why she was my best friend.
“Since you put it that way... I guess it makes sense. I was fully prepared to beat that big nigga’s ass,” I laughed.
“And I would’ve helped you if I thought he was on some bullshit. This man has been on you for weeks, so you know he’s feeling you.”
“Yeah, and every bitch he comes in contact with,” I countered.
“That man is young, single, rich and fucking fine. Nobody cares when these broke niggas do it,” she refuted before stuffing her mouth with more pasta.
She was right... I needed the money, and it didn’t hurt that Titan was fine. Maybe I could do this after all.
We continued to eat and drink when we were interrupted by a knock on the door. She looked at me while I looked at her.
“You expecting somebody?” She asked.
“Hell, no.”
I got up to open the door and got the shock of my life to see Titan standing in front of me with a hoodie over his head.
What the hell?