It's been a minute but we here. Surviving. In the midst of the end of the world.
Special thank you's to:
SuadamPanyuthapum, mvsta, LovinHueyFreeman, N. Chanel, CocoaMoon, QuestionyTheQuestionMark, Your Hitta, NarutoPlug, Cai-the-potato, Winzoxox, hueyisbae143, and TheMoonlighter1.
Been awhile due to work, family, responsibilities, and the like, not to mention the current state of the world that we live in, but here we are.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks or any of his characters.
"She sure can run in those heels."
~Huey Freeman; Guess Hoe's Coming To Dinner
Tish's POV
Sassy. Moody. Nasty.
She penned the caption swiftly, adding a few innocent emojis behind the words before clicking the "Tag People" button.
Tish felt herself mirroring the sultry pout that she had taken in the photo, tapping the screen to tag Fenty Beauty in the image. Her lacquered lips looked drippingly flawless in the mauve shade and glossy finish, easily one of the main focal points of the photo itself.
Aside from the girls. She smirked, tapping lower on the image to tag Savage X Fenty. The glimpse of the black floral bra was minimal, as only the top of the lace cup was shown in the photo. Her cleavage was much more visible and enhanced from the push-up design, loosely concealed by the open satin robe. Her dark hair was full, detangled, and wavy over her shoulders as a result of a fresh shower and styling. And her eyes, only accented by her new lash extensions, had the come-hither look on lock.
It was a notable thirst trap that Tish approved of with the click of a button as she posted.
Her phone buzzed with notifications instantly as she headed from the adjacent bathroom into her bedroom. She tossed her phone onto her bed as she turned to her full-length mirror, slipping the purple garment down from her shoulders a bit.
Robe or no? Tish mused, fiddling with the fabric while she considered. Unfortunately she hadn't allowed herself too much time to decide, but still wanted to set the tone right. She could keep the robe on for a bit of added allure, but then again, she could ditch it in favor of her current ensemble with Fenty on level ten.
Or…
Tish glanced towards the upper-left corner of her mirror, focusing on her vanity table against the wall. More specifically, her gaze lingered on the art canvas that hung right above the desk: the framed piece that represented Tish in all her naked glory.
She took the time to admire it briefly, the way she did every day she looked at it. She'd barely wasted anytime hanging it up as soon as she brought it home. She'd always been a fan of luxe artwork, so to have a custom-made one with her as the muse was the icing on the cake.
The piece represented her perfectly, bold yet deliberately coy at the same time. It was done on a stark white canvas and focused in at the center with vibrantly rich colors. The particular vibe itself felt comparable to Lizzo's Cuz I Love You album cover. The nude persona of Tish was seated on the floor in the piece, the angle of the shot highlighting the profile of her body. One of her legs was crossed over the other to conceal her privacy as she was leaned back in the picture, her palms flat against the ground. Her hair was in full body waves and covering her breasts modestly as her head was turned to face the viewer, the playful smirking expression so similar to her own as if an actual photo had been taken.
It was undoubtedly the most personal gift a man had made for her. And the man in particular had certainly went above and beyond to make it perfect.
Too bad I had to let go of the man. Tish thought indifferently, glancing at the signature at the bottom of the canvas.
Five Days Earlier
She closed the door to her Mercedes gently, barely giving it time to completely latch before she clicked her fob button. Twice to double-check followed by tugging on her door handle to ensure that it locked.
Even though she wouldn't be staying long, she still didn't trust anything or anyone on this ghetto-ass block. The sooner she got in to say what she needed to say, the sooner she could leave and hopefully never return.
The thought alone quickened her pace as she marched up to the building and to his front door, only to be met by him calling "it's open" from inside. She had tried to bite her tongue in that moment, truly. But as soon as she entered and saw him lounged carelessly on the couch, flipping through channels and not even having the decency to look at her, she couldn't contain it.
"We need to talk." Tish told him directly, closing the door behind her.
"Sup?" Riley replied, barely pulling his eyes from the television screen. He looked a mess. His eyes were red as if he'd already been drinking or smoking or both. The clothes he wore were wrinkled and disheveled, as if he hadn't known she was coming over. He just looked… off… again. He had seemed in a similar state the day after Christmas, once they met to give each other their gifts, maybe even more-so. He had just seemed agitated late that night and all over the place as if he couldn't focus. On one hand, she had visited that night for their gift swap way later than she'd initially said, so maybe he'd been tired… but she was doubtful.
Her intuition told her that there was definitely something going on with the kid, but Tish wasn't about to ask him. For one thing, she wasn't a therapist. That wasn't her forte and to be honest, she'd never been a good listener, so that was a pass. Two, she was only here for one reason and one reason only: to rip the band-aid off.
"It's over, Esco." Tish told him bluntly, keeping her face and her tone neutral. "It was fun while it lasted, but to be honest, it's not anymore."
"Oh for real?" Riley said in response. The lack of reaction both surprised and irritated her as he matched her poker face.
"I don't enjoy this conversation, but let's not pretend here." Tish continued. "We tried it, it was fun, but it's just not going anywhere. We don't even have anything in common really. Plus, I'm not trying to be your side chick. If that's the case, we can just fuck like we did before and see other people."
"The fuck?" That seemed to catch Riley's attention as he suddenly sat up from the couch, all his attention now on her. "Whatchu mean my side chick? I ain't cheat on you."
"Physically." Tish shrugged a shoulder.
"Again, the fuck does that mean? I haven't cheated on you." He insisted, a tone now edged in his voice.
"Have you been with someone else physically? Maybe not." Tish humored him, sauntering a few paces closer to the couch. "But mentally and emotionally, yes you have. You've been since we started dating."
"Are you psychic and not mention it or what?" Riley gave a humorless scoff. "How you gonna tell me that I'm cheating on you in my damn mind? You ain't in my thoughts like that, Raven."
"You're right, I'm not in your thoughts." Tish ignored the jab. "Cindy is."
His whole face changed. "You're trippin'."
"And you're head over heels for that girl. That much is obvious."
"And you just know so much, don't you?" Riley's voice bit back at her lowly. "She's about to be fucking engaged to another nigga."
It felt like a light bulb went off as Tish blinked at him. "That explains… so much."
"Fuck outta here." Riley gave her a scathing glare, pushing up angrily to stand from the couch.
"Oh honey, if you want to get real, we can." Tish said unwaveringly. "You're right, we don't know much about each other. We don't talk much, or at all, to be honest. The only thing we are good with is fucking. But trust and believe Esco. While I definitely don't know you like that, the only thing I do know is that you're obsessed with that girl. And the fact that she's getting engaged explains a lot on how you've been acting."
"No. I'm not." Riley gritted through his teeth, choosing to look away from her.
"No you're not what?" Tish baited, raising an eyebrow. "Obsessed? Why is it so hard for you to admit? I don't even care low-key."
"Then why the fuck you still here?!" Riley whirled on her, his eyes hostile. "Go the fuck on somewhere!" He barked.
Tish cocked her head, unbothered by his outburst. "Woooooww. You've got it bad, don'tchu?"
"Leave." Riley uttered venomously.
She clucked her tongue at that, turning slowly on her heel. "Good luck." Was all she said.
The sound of his door slammed loudly behind her the moment she exited, prompting her to roll her eyes. He was really too deep in his feelings, but again, that wasn't her problem. Especially not now.
She pulled out her phone while she walked, clicking on the first social media app she saw to update her availability status. That was priority number one, which was already met with immediate reactions and notifications. Priority two was to figure out which New Year's Eve party she was going to attend, the holiday being the next day. She had options for sure and factors to consider, such as the number of people, the vibe, and the friend circles associated with each one.
All Tish knew was that she wanted to go into the New Year with a bang and a fresh clean slate. No ties, no games, and definitely no fucking relationships. She already knew from the jump, but what she just went through and what she just witnessed solidified it.
Bitches could keep all of the relationship garbage. Throw it alllll away. Because fuck. Riley was a walking example.
Love did dumb shit to people.
Tish shook her head to rid her thoughts of the mess from earlier that week. It was a bit of a shame she supposed, but necessary. Sure the sex had been lit, but she was good. Especially without the extra baggage. Looking back, she could consider her time in a relationship to be an experiment. And if nothing else, it was certainly eye-opening.
Not to mention, inspiring. Tish thought briefly, shedding the plum-colored robe from around her. She focused on herself once more in the mirror as she reached behind her back to undo her bra, allowing the straps to slide off her shoulders. After, she hooked her thumbs beneath the band of her panties and slowly shimmied them down her hips before letting them fall around her ankles.
Once free, she scooped her lingerie from the floor and headed to her closet, depositing the items into her hamper. Then after debating, she pulled down her favorite pair of red Valentino pumps from her rotating display. She stepped into them with ease before heading back towards her mirror, snagging her phone from her bed on the way there. Tish stared at her body in admiration, taking a quick angled photo to post later for her OnlyFans, who would surely admire her body even more if possible.
Ding-dong.
Tish smirked to herself, glancing down at her phone's clock. He was right on time.
After a flip of her hair and one last glimpse of herself as she passed her mirror, Tish strolled confidently from her room and towards her front door for her scheduled entanglement.
January had barely begun and she was already feeling her year.
Huey's POV
"Babe, I'm concerned."
Huey's eyes snapped open, glancing quickly over his shoulder to see Jazmine entering the kitchen. He was currently leaned with his forearms resting against the counter, waiting for the pot of coffee to finish brewing. He didn't even remember closing his eyes.
"About?" Huey prompted, stifling a yawn from escaping.
"Your brother." She said, gesturing to the cellphone in her hand. "I'm worried about him. He's acting off."
"He's been off since birth."
"I'm serious, Huey." Jazmine told him as he poured coffee into his mug. "Yesterday makes it the second Sunday in a row that he's missed brunch. I just texted him that I was thinking about cooking my chicken and dumplings dish tonight if he wanted to come for dinner, and all he said was 'no thanks'."
"…Okay?" Huey raised an eyebrow in response to her expectant look.
"None of those things are like him. He doesn't turn down free food ever. And my dumpling recipe is his favorite that I make, even if he's never outright admitted it." She crossed her arms.
"Maybe he has plans."
"He would've said so. He didn't even bother to make up an excuse. He didn't give a real reason for missing brunch either."
"We could probably put two and two together on that one." Huey murmured into his mug before taking a sip. Jazmine sighed in response, rubbing her arms.
"Landon wasn't even here both times."
"Doesn't matter. She was."
"I know… I'm just worried about him." Jazmine said again, a small pout now on her lips.
Huey nodded slowly in silence. He didn't want to verbalize it out loud, but Jazmine's worry was valid. Riley had not seemed himself for the past several days. His absence alone was a clear tell. That, and for the few times he did see his brother recently, he just looked borderline depressed. His entire demeanor was subdued in a way that Huey hadn't seen on him in years, which he had to admit, was concerning.
"What are you doing?" Jazmine asked, watching as Huey pulled his phone from his pocket and held it to his ear after pressing a few buttons. He didn't answer, taking a quick sip of his coffee while he listened to the dial tone ring.
"Hello?" Riley's voice surprisingly answered the phone.
"Are you working right now?" Huey asked him directly, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Not today. I called off."
"And you're not coming over for dinner tonight?" Huey probed, making Jazmine's eyes widen as she shuffled closer to try and hear.
"Nah, I think I'm sick. I don't feel well." He replied, prompting Huey to roll his eyes. There was no trace of "sick" or "unwell" detectable in his voice, aside from the obvious.
"Comfort food helps with that, so I hear."
"I don't wanna get Granddad sick. I'm good."
"…Alright. Just checking."
"Thanks."
Huey squinted at that, having expected his usual nigga you gay comment. "Yeah… I'll talk to you later."
"Later."
Huey waited for the call to end before bringing the phone from his ear, glancing down at Jazmine who was already staring up at him.
"See?" She gave him a look.
"I know." Huey sighed, setting his mug back down on the counter. "I'm going to go."
"Go where?"
"To talk to him." He said, right before emitting a loud yawn.
"You look exhausted, honey. You were up really late last night."
The way I've been for the past several nights, you just hadn't caught me. Huey thought wryly to himself as he shook his head. "I'm fine. This has to be done. But it could take awhile, so don't wait on me for dinner."
Jazmine smiled at him, leaning up to peck his lips. "I'll save some tofu and dumplings for you."
"Get up."
"Huh?"
"If you're well enough to be in here drinking, you're well enough to leave the house."
"…Nigga, what logic is that?"
"You are not sick. Which means you're coming with me."
"Man I already told you AND Jazz, I don't want to go to dinner."
"That's not where we're going."
"Then where?"
"Out. Now find a jacket. And something other than basketball shorts."
Huey rolled his eyes, deliberately turning up the radio volume when Riley let out another obnoxious sigh.
"We been in this car for over an hour now." He complained loudly over the music.
"Two actually." Huey corrected. "But we're about there."
"Mannnn." Riley let out with the shake of his head, turning back to the window. "Surprised Granddad even let you take Dorothy this long. It's 5:30 and we ain't even there yet."
"He's out of town for the week on another trip. If you would've came by yesterday, you would know that." Huey snipped, glancing over towards him. "He was expecting to see you."
Riley didn't turn from the window. "Wasn't up for it."
Huey held in his own sigh as he turned back to the road, deciding to drop it at his bleak tone. It wasn't too much longer until they reached the location and Huey pulled to parallel park right in front.
"The Kourt?" Riley read the cursive orange sign hanging above the building, remaining still in his seat. "This a bar or somethin'?"
"Or something." Huey responded, stepping out of the car. "Do not say anything when we get inside." He added before closing his door shut. He ignored the confused glare he felt on him while he walked around the front of the car, but noticed Riley finally opening his door to get out. Huey barely waited for him but slowed his pace as he got to the entrance, holding the door open behind him so Riley could follow inside. At once, Huey felt welcomed by the low-lit ambience and the mellow beats that came from the speaker system. The space wasn't packed as usual, but the amount of people that were in attendance was still surprising for a Monday evening. Huey led the way to the wide bar along the wall, relieved to see a familiar face behind the counter. As soon as the man spotted him, he let out a smile and tossed his arms in the air.
"What is up, Freeman?" He said in greeting. "Thought you were home on winter break!"
"Happened to be in the area, thought I'd stop by." Huey replied as he gave him a quick dap. He gave a slight head nod towards Riley who came up beside him. "This is my twin brother, Riley. He goes to school up at Towson."
"That's what's up. Nice to meet you man, I'm Walker." The bartender reached across the bar to dap him as well.
"Sup." Riley responded simply, giving a subtle eye to Huey at his casual lie.
"Y'all showed up early, the battles won't happen for another hour." Walker told them.
"We probably won't stay too late, maybe stick around to see the first set." Huey shrugged. "But we'll take a drink in the meantime."
"The usual Fireside?"
"Two please." Huey nodded, sliding his credit card towards him.
"You got it." Walker tapped the counter as he picked up the card, heading towards the register down the bar. Huey took a seat on the stool in front of him, Riley following suit while proceeding to give him another questionable look.
"This is a first." He spoke lowly, crossing his arms along the counter. "You know there are bars closer to Woodcrest."
"Yeah, bars that all know who you are and wouldn't let you in, let alone serve you." Huey retorted quietly.
Riley sucked his teeth. "I got connections."
"The point was to get out of Woodcrest. No distractions, no risk of running into anyone, no crowds… just us."
"No homo." Riley muttered, clearly trying to deter the inevitable conversation by the look on his face.
"Here y'all go." Walker said as he reappeared, two dark drinks in his hands that smelled potently of whiskey, rum, and spiced cider. "Let me know if you need anything else, alright?"
"Thanks, man." Huey replied with a nod. Once he stepped out of earshot, Huey turned to Riley who was still quiet, stirring the hot toddy before taking a long sip. When he finally brought the drink down and glanced in Huey's direction, he was met with a blank stare.
"Well…?"
"Well what?" Riley asked plainly, his poker face already up.
"Talk." Huey told him as if it were obvious.
Riley blinked at him before slouching back a bit in his seat. "…So what's the deal with these battles?" He asked, nodding his head towards the large stage at the other side of the room.
"They do rap battles here most evenings." Huey summarized dryly.
"Oh word? Just for fun, or is there like a grand prize or some—"
"This is not what we're talking about." Huey cut him off with the shake of his head.
Riley's expression feigned innocence. "What else is there to talk about?"
"Are you really going to make me say her name?"
"Psh, I'll say it." He shrugged a shoulder. "Jazmine's dumplings ain't shit. I know she thinks they're fire, but I've had better."
"You want to do this the whole time?" Huey was already losing patience with the nonsense.
"Do what nigga? You the one that brought me here. I ain't ask for this, you did."
"I did, and there was a reason for that."
"If you say something gay like you wanted to check up on me, I'm gonna throw up." Riley rolled his eyes.
"Why do you think that is?"
"You're nosey."
"Try again."
"You have a hero complex." Riley practically sneered, obviously trying to push his buttons. Huey didn't fall for the bait as he eyed him heavily.
"What's been going on with you?" He asked him directly. "You seem off."
"Nigga, you seem off."
"Hard for you to say that, considering you haven't been around."
"Maybe because I don't wanna be around."
"And why's that?"
"Because Huey." Riley uttered, his tone hard as he looked away. But if anything, it made Huey press harder.
"I'm just asking you to be real. What is your problem lately?" He demanded louder, mentally bracing for the lash out that would be following. "Because I can only think of one thing that's changed."
Shockingly, he was met with a moment of silence instead as Riley didn't even turn to him. Instead, he continued to look ahead as he raised the glass mug to his lips again. "Yeah… things have changed." He murmured quietly before taking a slow sip.
"Seriously Riley…" Huey spoke again, replacing the tone he previously used with sincerity instead. "What's up with you?"
"I don't get her, man." He answered right away, still staring straight ahead. "I don't. And I can't fake it. I'm not about to either. All of it is some bullshit."
"Want to be more specific as to why it's bullshit?"
"Bruh, you know why." Riley finally supplied him with a look. "Her and that fuckin' nigga? Why the fuck?"
"I'm not arguing with you. I don't get it either." Huey gave a shrug. "But what I also don't get is why you're letting her decision affect you so much."
"Because she'll be making a mistake."
"It's her mistake to make."
"She shouldn't be making it at all."
"But why is that your problem?"
"Because I fucking hate him!" Riley snapped vehemently. "If I could beat his ass and get away with it, I fucking would! Shit, even if not, I'd do it for the hell of it."
"What about Cindy?" Huey countered calmly.
"I'd be doing it for her." Riley said at once. "She's too blinded and stubborn to even see how this nigga really is. The fact that she might actually say yes to him just…" He trailed off with the vigorous shake of his head, lifting his mug to drink from.
"What do you feel by that?" Huey asked.
"Pissed." Riley stated. "I honestly can't believe she'd even consider doing that forreal."
"You feel upset?"
"What?" Riley glanced at him again.
"It makes sense that you're mad at her. I get that. What else though?" He asked, earning a shrug in response. "You feel sad at all?" Huey tried.
"Man, I don't know." Riley lifted his shoulder again. "Maybe? Not sure I'd describe it as sad."
"Hurt?"
For Huey, the word had just come out on its own after staring at Riley's expression. But judging how Riley didn't say anything as he stared down at the nearly empty drink in his hand, it seemed the word association was spot-on. Huey paused to take a big gulp of his own drink before continuing.
"Do you think you know why you feel like that?"
"I didn't say that I did."
"Then describe it." Huey challenged. "What you're feeling."
"This is stupid." He tried to brush off.
"Not if you're honest… for yourself."
"Nigga…" Riley muttered, downing the last of his drink. Huey looked at him patiently, taking another sip of his own as he waited. It's like he could see the struggle inside Riley as he refused to look at him, staring down at the counter afterwards. Walker happened to pass by and ask if he wanted another, to which he nodded silently without making direct eye contact. The moment he stepped far enough away, Huey set his drink down and parted his mouth to try again, but Riley's voice surprised him.
"Everything about it makes me sick… to my stomach." He spoke slowly, as if he was trying to find the words. "Every time I think about it, I feel sick. Sometimes all I feel is rage. Like… boiling heat inside me. Other times I just feel empty. Like a fucking shell or some shit. And it's like there's nothing I can do to shake it. I've never felt this level of… anything before. And I can't even talk about it with her."
"…Why can't you?" Huey had to remind himself to answer, temporarily stunned by his brother's candor.
"Because I can barely talk about this with you, which by the way, I don't wanna be doing."
"But why can't you talk to her about how you feel?" Huey urged him again.
"Because I don't know how the fuck I feel. All I know is that it fucking sucks and talking to her isn't gonna do shit because she already chose him!"
"Over you?"
"Basically." Riley answered scoffingly with a hard shrug, not noticing Huey's raised brow as he turned to accept the new drink that Walker set down in front of him. Huey was silent for a moment, taking a sip from his own mug as he mulled over his words. It was a bit of a risk, but….
"Are you jealous?" He asked quietly.
"Of him?!" As expected, Riley whirled to face him immediately.
"Not of who he is. Who he's with." He clarified.
Riley stared back at him, slowly shaking his head. "Ever since he came into the picture, our friendship went from bad to worse. And now it's fucked. And it doesn't seem like we'll ever get it back."
"Is it just about friendship?" Huey hinted.
"I dunno what you mean, we've always been friends."
"Until you were more." Huey pointed out. "Which happened before he was involved."
"Your point?" Riley gave him an annoyed glare.
"I'm just saying…" Huey trailed off for a moment to sip the last of his own drink. Then he looked at him again. "At any point, have you ever considered your feelings for Cindy?" He carefully watched for any type of reaction and was met with one as he saw Riley's wall start to go up again.
"No." Was the answer he received after a long beat.
Huey shrugged a shoulder in response. "Maybe now's the time."
Before Riley had a chance to respond, they both turned at the sound of loud, squealing laughter coming up from behind them. The voices belonged to two women in high heels and short dresses underneath their open coats, despite the snowy weather outside. Huey had to bite his tongue as they drunkenly stumbled around them, the one girl holding onto the back of his chair for support as they leaned on the bar space right next to them.
"Walker babyyy!" The girl next to Huey called loudly, as if the bar was completely crowded and Walker wasn't already making direct eye contact with them from the other side.
"Sup Amber. Aqua." He greeted lightly, seeming to force a neutral expression as he came over.
"Heyyyy Walker." The one known as Aqua cooed with a wide smile, leaning the upper half of her body over the bar.
"Run my card honey, tonight is on me." Amber announced, slapping her credit card onto the counter. "My bills are paid and my account is looking nice right now."
"That's the vibe." Walker nodded while he picked up the card. "What can I get you both?"
"You."
"Everything."
Walker chuckled awkwardly at their simultaneous comments. "What can I get you that's on the menu and within reason?"
Aqua pretended to pout while Amber quickly surveyed the shelves of bottles behind the counter. "Lemme get me and my sister two shots each of Pinnacle Whipped. Also, we definitely want to get two bottles of Belvedere's on ice with some tonic."
"Two bottles for just y'all?"
"Our other friends will be meeting us here within the hour for the battle. I reserved a VIP spot upstairs already." Amber boasted with the flip of her hair, a toss that was way too close in Huey's vicinity as he dodged his head out of the way. He barely contained his huff as he scooted his chair and his drink closer towards Riley. The movement was enough to catch Amber's attention as she turned to face them, noticing them for the first time.
"Oh my God, I am sooo rude." She exclaimed dramatically as Huey deadpanned her. "Walker, please add on two more shots to that order for these fine men."
"Not necessary." Huey declined right away, not liking the way the other girl leaned around her friend to lock in her hungry gaze on them both.
"I insist." Amber said, waving at Walker to continue pouring into the row of shot glasses he'd lined up. "My treat."
"I'm driving." He was trying not to glare at her while Walker slid the glasses forward. "So no, thank you. Water please." He added, glancing to speak directly to Walker.
"Give both to your brother then." Aqua commented slyly, still eyeing them both heavily.
"I'm good with the one, thanks." Riley spoke non-committedly, barely glancing in their direction before downing the shot.
"Walker?" Amber asked in question, her voice slightly strained after swallowing her first shot.
"Girl bye." Walker shook his head, sliding Huey's water to him before heading towards the other end of the bar.
"Whatever, big baby." Amber laughed, reaching into Huey's personal space again to slide the shot over towards her. Huey turned away from them as they did a quick countdown to take their remaining shots, glancing at Riley in annoyance. He wanted to finish their conversation in private, not with two random women breathing down his neck. Especially one that would not stop staring.
"So are you guys here for the battle?" Aqua spoke loudly from behind him. "It's Crayne vs. Trilla Rae tonight."
"Not really, no." Huey responded without turning.
"You want to come up to VIP with us?" Amber asked.
"Not really, no." He mouthed with his back still turned, prompting Riley to smirk. He turned around to address them directly while crossing his arms, his back resting against the bar. "No thanks."
"Aw come on handsome, let's be friends." Aqua tried again, relentless as ever. "What's your name?"
"Married." Huey stated plainly.
"Oop." She let out in response.
"No way, how old are you?" Amber gave him a once-over, pausing more than once at his crossed arms.
"Grown." He retorted.
"Please tell me you're not married." Aqua cut in, now looking directly at Riley. "Or better yet, please confirm that you're single."
Huey glanced back at Riley, meeting his gaze at once. He surprisingly held a concealed expression on his face as he turned to face the girls. "I'm complicated. Sorry." Was all he said.
"The fine ones always are." Aqua mumbled before downing the remaining shot her sister had slid over.
Amber pursed her lips, surprisingly moving to rise from her seat. "Well if you both want to be un-complicated for the night, meet us up in the VIP balcony later." She suggested, giving them one last look.
"What she said." Aqua added before slipping down from her stool as well, gliding into step beside Amber. "And Walker, don't forget to bring our bottles up!"
"Woman, I heard you!"
Huey stared after them in disbelief of whatever that just was. This was one of the reasons he rarely went out.
"Anyways." Huey spoke, turning back to Riley. "We were saying?"
"I know we ain't about to just skip past that." Riley replied right away." "Married?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Huey shrugged, uncrossing his arms as he rotated back around. "It's just something I say to end conversations like that." He couldn't remember when he'd started doing it, but recognized that it was his go-to anytime he was somewhere without Jazmine.
"But you meant that?" Riley asked. "About Jazz?"
"Obviously not right now."
"But?" He pressed again, prompting Huey to give him a look before taking a purposely slow sip from his water.
Riley shook his head at his silence. "Can't picture you married, man."
"Neither can I." Huey murmured honestly.
"Jazmine, yeah, I could see that." Riley went on with an eyeroll. "Married with everything she wants, down to the stupid picket fence and sickeningly happy about all of it. But you?" He gave him a serious look. "You really want that?"
"I want her." Huey answered easily. "I don't care or even think about the rest."
"Really?" He sounded surprised, looking it even more when Huey nodded in response. "But like… how do you know you even wanna be with her like that?"
"You feel it."
Riley sucked his teeth. "That's a lame, hippie-ass answer and you know it."
"Only it's not. You do know when you feel seriously for someone. You just have to allow yourself to be vulnerable with those feelings."
Riley shot his brother another look as he lifted his glass again to his mouth. "Sounds easier said than done." He muttered.
"I wouldn't describe it as easy. It's something I'm still working on." Huey told him truthfully. "Jazmine and I almost didn't make it because of my lack of."
"Lack of what?"
"Vulnerability. Commitment. Availability." Huey listed just a few of the things. "Mind you, we didn't start officially dating until our senior year of high school. There was still a lot I needed to sort out."
Riley gave him a doubtful glance. "Yeah?"
Huey nodded. "We broke up before because of it."
"For what, a week?" Riley scoffed.
"Try five months."
"When?" He still sounded disbelieving. "You ain't never told me about this."
"I didn't tell anyone about it. It happened about three years ago. During the second half of our freshman year."
"Damn, right when y'all got up here? Why?"
"I was selfish. And I took her for granted." Huey admitted to him. "It had been her decision to take a break. I thought I was fine with it at first, but I wasn't. I was knowingly lying to myself from the beginning, trying to convince myself that I was okay with what happened and my role in it. And that I didn't care about her like that."
"So what happened?" Riley asked.
"Mentally, I was in a dark place during that time." Huey told him, thinking back to it. "The more I fought against my feelings, the worse it got, until I couldn't run from it anymore. And by that time, it had almost been too late."
"Why?"
"She was semi-dating someone else around then."
"Whooaaa, she stepped out on you with another nigga?!" Riley exclaimed loudly.
"We weren't together then." Huey reminded him with a glare.
"Still. I know he had a death wish." Riley shook his head. "What was that like?"
"I don't think I've ever experienced a hatred like that." He answered, momentarily getting lost in thought. "Honestly… it felt exactly how you described."
Riley gave him a questioning look. "That rage feeling?"
"That jealous feeling." Huey corrected him. "That's what that is."
It was silent for a moment as Riley looked away from him, staring down into his own drink as Huey took another sip of his water. It was quiet for another beat before Riley spoke again.
"Tish broke up with me. Last week."
Huey's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He wasn't sure what to make of that by how matter-of-factly he said it and the blank look on his face. "You good?"
"To be honest… that part didn't even bother me." He answered quietly, his voice calm. "But she said some stuff that did."
"…Why?" Huey asked him, garnering a slightly confused look in response. "Why did the things she say bother you?" He clarified his question. By his reaction, Huey could tell that he slightly threw him off by asking why instead of what.
"I don't know." He said dismissively with a shrug.
"Yes you do. Be honest with yourself." Huey told him. "Why did whatever she say bother you? Was it because her words weren't true or… was there some validity there?"
"I'm not sure." Riley muttered. "Maybe both."
"Explain." Huey prompted him. "As much as you want to share." He added.
"So... our 'relationship' wasn't going anywhere." Riley stated. "I can acknowledge that. To be honest, I probably realized that within the first week of being with her. So she wasn't wrong about that."
"Okay. So what was she wrong about?"
"I don't know." Riley repeated lowly, crossing his arms.
"She was either telling the truth or making shit up." Huey shrugged a shoulder. "Which one is it?"
"Man, she just kept… throwing Cindy's name in my damn face!" He finally let out in frustration. "She basically said that I'd rather be with her."
Huey blinked at him. "Well, do you?"
"What?" Riley whipped his head towards him, making eye contact again.
"If that's the part that's bothering you, figure out the answer." Huey suggested calmly.
"…She's my friend." He responded after a pause.
"Jazmine was my friend." Huey countered. "Also, it's a yes or no question. You're deflecting."
"No I ain't."
"You've been deflecting on and off this whole time really."
"Whateva, nigga." Riley snorted with a light eyeroll, lifting his glass again to finish the rest.
"In all seriousness…" Huey spoke after he was finished, waiting for Riley to look at him. "Once you answer that question for yourself and accept whatever truth that is, you'll feel better. Whether you say the words out loud or you don't, just own them. And do with that information what you need to."
Riley nodded slowly after a moment, seeming to process his words. Then wordlessly, he slightly extended his fist towards him, not really meeting his eyes. Huey concealed his smirk, remaining silent as well as he met his fist with his brother's.
"You still a bitch though."
"Oh whatever." Huey rolled his eyes, but noticed the slight smirk that Riley wore as he glanced away from him. In the next few seconds it was gone, a more serious look taking over his expression as he stared ahead.
"…I'm gonna talk to her."
Riley's POV
Can we talk?
He stared down at the text he'd sent that was still left unread. He'd only sent it less than an hour ago and didn't want to feel this pressed about it, but what could she be doing where she wasn't even checking her phone?
He tried to clear his head from that. That wasn't the part that mattered. What did was exactly what the hell he was going to say once she did see it and respond. He still hadn't sorted that shit out yet.
What if she left him on read? Or worse, what if she actually asked why, or about what? Because fuck, he didn't even have an answer for that.
So gimme all of you in exchange for me
Just give me all of you in exchange for me, for me
Riley's thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the radio. He didn't know how long the song had been on; long enough for him to unconsciously bob his head along before realizing who it was. He thought about changing the station as he listened, but figured Huey would probably say something. So he left it alone, taking in the lyrics as he mused over his thoughts.
His brother was still that bitch… but he did come thru with the advice… sometimes. They were currently in the car on the way home from The Kourt. They stayed for about another hour, talking a little more before the first of the battles started, which was actually pretty dope. After the first performance, they headed out so they could get back to Woodcrest around nine. Riley had work early the next day but… if she was free later maybe they could meet. He didn't want to show up at her place, but maybe they could meet at the park again, or the 24/7 diner, or—
"Yo, hol'up." Riley spoke suddenly as they started down Timid Deer Lane. "What's Cindy doin' at the house?" He asked, pointing down the street to her bright Camaro parked outside of Granddad's.
"I have no idea. She wasn't here when I left." Huey responded, slowing down the car a bit as he neared the house. He glanced over at Riley with a surveying look. "Do you want me to still take you home or did you want to come in…?"
"Uh…" Riley stalled a bit, glancing down quickly at his phone. Still no notifications, but fuck it. "Yeah, I'll come in for a sec."
"Alright." Huey said simply, slowing down more to turn into the driveway. Riley felt weird energy as he drummed his fingers on his lap. He felt it grow as he stepped out of the car, clenching and unclenching his hands as he walked. He felt it in the pit of his stomach as he approached the door behind Huey, running a quick hand over his braids as he took in a deep breath. Whatever was on his mind, he was just going to say it. That was the plan.
He slowly let out the breath he was holding as Huey unlocked the door, pushing it open to go inside. Riley stood taller and followed behind him, but his breath about left him completely as he heard a male laugh that didn't belong to Caesar coming from the kitchen. He and Huey both turned to each other, sharing the same look of disdain. Of course she brought that nigga with her.
Whatever. Riley thought to himself, stepping past Huey to lead the way towards the voices. Just pull her aside and ask to speak with her privately later.
Riley had this thought in his mind as he crossed the barrier into the room, his eyes landing on them at the kitchen table. His gaze landed on Cindy immediately, her back to him as she stood in front of the table with Landon beside her, his stupid arm around her waist. The only reason he really noticed Jazmine was because he felt her staring at him. She was seated diagonally at the table, her eyes widening as she quickly glanced between him and Cindy. In the next moment, Cindy and Landon started to turn as well, and the look Cindy gave him was as if she saw a ghost. Riley furrowed his brow slightly in confusion at her, but didn't receive much of a reaction as Landon broke the silence.
"Oh Riley, Huey, we're so glad you made it back before we left!" He said enthusiastically, a wide grin on his face as spoke. "Just in time for the good news!"
Something about that statement stirred Riley's stomach immediately as he glanced back at Cindy's face, feeling even more anxiety by the haunted look on her face still. "…What?"
"Babe?" Landon's voice hardly registered to Riley as his eyes bounced from Cindy's face, Jazmine's expression, the bottle of champagne and empty glasses on the table behind them, and the way Cindy's left arm was still partially out of sight.
…Until it wasn't. And she shakily brought her arm from behind her. And the light gleamed off the silver article on her hand.
"She said yes!"
Riley couldn't process anything. He barely heard Landon's muffled-sounding voice. Barely noticed Huey's presence suddenly right beside him. He visibly couldn't focus on anything but the diamond around her finger, everything else seeming blurred around it. The only thing he could feel… was the gutting sensation of his heart plummeting into his stomach.
Don't hate me too much, yeah?
As usual, thanks to my girl LovinHueyFreeman whose feedback is indubitable. She's dropping her new chapter of Back In The Day soon, so go get your refresh on and review the hell out of it.
More soon…ish. Thanks for your patience on this one. Stay healthy and please, stay safe in all the ways.
~Schweetie