Chapter 3.
The day after our night when I'm going to work my car won't start. I call Cindy for help and she calls Caesar, I guess he knows about cars.
"Jazzy, don't worry about it. I know a place that can fix it" Caesar speaks to me from his phone.
"Really? You're a lifesaver Caesar."
"Does this mean you will only call me by my last name from now on?"
I pretend to think, "Hmm nope."
"Figures, well call a tow truck to the addy I'm about to send you." Caesar hangs up and texts me the address. I called the tow company right away. I order an Uber to work good thing I always try to arrive 20 minutes early just in case something like this happens.
After seven long hours of work I Uber myself to the repair shop. I feel a little hotter than usual. My curls are back and out, my straight hair was going to frizz up on this summer day. That would've made this day even worse. I walk inside and to the front desk.
"Hello, I'm Jazmine Dubois. My friend Caesar spoke with you earlier about my 2013 Nissan?"
"Hi miss, yes your car should be done in a few. Freeman is doing the final touches. Want to wait in the garage until he's finished?" Freeman. Why does that ring a bell?
"Sure, that's fine." The worker whose name tag reads 'Monty' leads me to the garage.
"Freeman. A Jazmine Dubois is here for her car."
"Done." The man rolls out from under my car
"Huey?!" I exclaim. Well would you look at that. 'I knew I heard that name before.'
"Dubois. We meet again."
"I didn't know you worked here too." Huey owns a whole club. He probably already makes mad money. Why would he work at a small car shop?
"Just something on the side." He shrugs his shoulders. I take in what he has on, he's wearing a wife beater that shows off his muscles and several tattoos. Then he lifts up the bottom of his shirt to wipe off the sweat on his forehead. Giving me a quick view of his toned stomach and my knees seem to feel a little weak. Caesar just had to bring my car here… Well played Michael well played. Maybe I really should start calling him Caesar.
"Um what was wrong?" I find my voice again.
"You're battery was dead and you needed an oil change too. Some minor things too."
"Ohhh well thank you for fixing it" I smile.
"Think of it as a way of apologizing for last night. I didn't mean to insult you like that you may not know this but I'm not the friendliest person in the world."
"I can tell." I laugh, he's not so bad after all.
I continue, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I hope we can start over as friends."
Huey nods, "Sounds alright."
"Where should I pay? With you or?"
"In the front with Monty."
"Bye Huey."
"Bye Dubois." I walk to the front desk. I'm kind of surprised he remembered for some reason and who knew Huey wasn't so arrogant.
"Yo Mariah!" I turn to see Riley walking up to me 'Oh he's here too… great.'
"It's Jazmine," I correct him.
Riley grins, "Yeah but you look like Mariah Carey" We are both mixed but that's where the similarities end.
"I really don't, but hey Riley you work here too?"
"It's Reezy."
"It's not happening."
He sucks his teeth, "Yeah I work here. But um you coming with yo girls to my crib later?"
"What's happening at your house?"
"Having a lil get together, Caesar gon be there a few others." I was surprised he was inviting me. Riley barely even looked my way yesterday, the gathering couldn't be too bad I'd probably just show my face then leave.
"Okay sure I'll come by. Will your brother be there?"
"Man Huey gay ass wanna be a hater all the time so no. He's probably be messing around with some girl anyway." Did he just call his brother gay but say he's not at the same time? Riley is very confusing.
"Oh." I respond feeling a type of way about Huey's involvement with multiple women is what it seems like.
"Yeah but you can come around 7:00. Tell Asia fine ass what I said wassup."
The two of them must have really hit it off "I will."
"Peace Mariah" Riley throws up a deuce sign and walks away. I roll my eyes 'We don't really look alike.'
Later on I get dressed in something casual and not too dressy. Asia sends me the address of Riley's apartment building. I drive over there and Caesar opens the door. Time to be funny.
"Hey Michael. Thanks for not telling me who's shop you were sending me to" I say sarcastically.
"Payback for calling me my government name," Caesar sits there with a smug look on his face.
"Petty, real petty." I click my tongue and walk past him. I spot my friends right away, I greet them and sit down.
"This is Hiro, the dj of the club and his girlfriend, Ming." Cindy introduces me to the Asian couple.
"Nice to meet you guys. I'm Jazmine" I display a friendly smile.
"You too." Hiro replies.
"Likewise. Can I just say you are so pretty." Ming compliments.
"Thank you so are you!" I take a seat by the friendly couple and start to get to know them for sometime. I go to use the bathroom and when I return everyone is all boo'd up, a romantic movie plays on the TV. My cue to leave, I say my goodbyes to everyone and head for the door.
Riley's voice stops me, "Aye Mariah stop by Huey's he is only upstairs and a few doors down in 7C. Tell him I said He a bitch," Riley cackles.
"But what if he has company?" I try to make an excuse not to go there.
"Nah doubt it. Want me to text him?"
"No it's fine. I probably won't be for too long anyways." I shrug.
"If he bothers you let me know I'll take good care of him." Cindy butts in and I laugh.
"Okay, bye." I close the door and head into the hallway. As I walk to find Huey's apartment I feel anxious as hell. We haven't really talked since that argument, 'What is he really like?' I find the door to 7C and knock on it.
A minute later the door opens to a shirtless Huey in gray sweatpants. My eyes immediately travel down his chest, he has a sword tattoo in the middle of his two pectoral muscles. Roman numerals on his rib cage there were more. But, I couldn't make them all out in the moment, I had to be quick and subtle about roaming his body. And that brings me to his toned stomach a whole 6 pack. God really has his favorites. Lastly, my eyes travel down further somewhere they shouldn't, his print. 'Oh my goodness.' Hey, he checked me out yesterday... it was only fair.
"Jazmine? What are you doing here?" Huey raises an eyebrow.
My eyes snap upward to meet his, "Um I was Riley's get together. He sent me over here." I was definitely supposed to tell him something but I can't remember for some reason.
"Oh he didn't give me a heads up … want to come in?"
"Yea but um c-could you put on a shirt please?"
"Distracting you?" He smirks
"N-no I don't want you to get the wrong idea." Gosh why was I stuttering so much and there goes that smirk again that devious, sexy, smirk.
Then back to his scowl 'Oh no is he mad?' I didn't mean to assume anything. It's just Riley's revelation about him from earlier keeps coming back.
"Well it is my home and I wasn't expecting anyone but I'll put on a shirt if it makes you happy." He gestures to me to walk into the apartment and I follow him, closing the door behind me.
Huey goes to his room and I'm left standing in his living room. Okay now that he's gone my brain can actually function. I was only supposed to be here to say hi and what his brother said but now that I think about it I was definitely never going to relay that to Huey. As I look around his loft it looks so inviting, neat and comfortable staying for a while won't be too bad. 'Beats staying at home doing nothing.'
"Want something to drink?" Huey's deep voice startles me as he walks into the kitchen.
"Just water is fine." He nods and grabs me a water bottle out of the fridge.
He hands it to me and stares at me, "What?"
"You could sit down, you know. You don't have to just stand there."
"Everything just looks so neat I didn't want to ruffle anything."
Huey rolls his eyes, "I don't have OCD or anything I just don't like my shit messy."
"Tuh could have fooled me." I joke.
"Whatever. Want to watch a movie or something on Netflix?"
"Yes. Can I pick?"
Huey shrugs, "You are the guest so…"
He sits down and turns on the living room TV. I sit a few seats down and Huey arches an eyebrow while handing me the remote. After scrolling through the movies I end up picking the movie "Someone Great." I heard about it but I never got the chance to watch it.
Huey furrows his eyebrows, "Some cheesy, girl power flick? Really?"
"Hush. I heard it's good and you let me pick, remember?" Huey just leans back on the couch one arm rested over it. As the movie plays it's a good plot and interesting but an awkward silence fills the room. Then a sex scene comes on, I feel a blush creep up on my cheeks. Embarrassed but I still look over to Huey who has his head cocked to the side with his signature eyebrow raised.
"Wow I didn't know you were into movies like this, Dubois."
My face is scarlet I know it is, "We could just watch something else."
"It's fine. I was only joking." I nod 'so he's not immature good to know' We both go back to watching the film. But I quickly become tired of the silence so I try to strike up conversation.
"SO…'' I trail off.
"Yes."
"What do you do on nights like these?"
"I think that you don't want to know" My mind goes back to Riley's words about his brother's sex life. To play it safe I won't ask him to expand on what he means by that.
"Oh." Is all I say.
"What's your plans for the summer?"
"Well I just finished law school so for the summer I'm working at a paid internship."
" Ah law school is an interesting career path." I suspect sarcasm behind that statement but I let Huey continue.
"Let me guess your white dad is an attorney and he's making you become one." 'Hold up what?' Very much rude of him to assume that about me.
"No, I want to be one for myself and my dad is black. Thank you," I reply indifferently what is he trying to get at?
"But he did pressure you to study law." He was saying this like he knows that it's factual and it was throwing me all the way off. My dad may have always pushed for me to go to law school but not because of him, no that wasn't the only reason.
"He didn't pressure m e but he might have mentioned it a few times."
"Sure he didn't," Huey says sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I say I feel insulted.
"I'm just saying it's not shocking for someone like you to do exactly what their parents want them to."
"Someone like me?"
"A daddy's girl, that is spoiled, pampered, princess." Huey finishes and I am officially offended. I feel my blood boil.
"I worked for everything I have. I don't know why you, someone I have known for two days thinks they have me all figured out. Stop assuming shit about me. You barely know me and now you will never get the chance." I huff and get up, making my way to the door.
"Jazmine, wait." Huey grabs my arm.
"Let me go Huey." I slip out of his grasp and he grabs me again.
"Snatch my arm again and I will smack you." I warn, pointing my finger at him once again I get out of his grasp I mean it wasn't a firm hold to begin with. Huey looks unfazed and to my displeasure he holds my arm hostage once more but I don't follow through with my threat.
"WHAT!"
"I didn't-" A knock at the door cuts him off finally, he let's go of me and walks to open the door. A pretty girl stands in the doorway.
"Hey Huey I texted you I was coming. Wh-" The girl stops her sentence when she sees me.
"Ohhh I see. Am I interrupting?" She asks with an attitude. Pshh I don't have time for Huey or his little play thing.
"Nope, he's all yours. I was just leaving" I pass the two flipping my hair in Huey's face. I have the right to be spiteful.
"We're not finished with this." Huey says before closing the door. ' Oh yes we are!' I never want to see his smug face again. I stand outside his door to regather my thoughts but voices interrupt my thoughts. They were arguing
"Who the fuck was that?"
"No one."
"She seemed like someone. You fucking her?"
"I don't have to answer to you, you're not my girlfriend."
"ANSWER me Huey or I'll leave right now."
"Fine! Hell no she's not even my type." Huey said with no conviction his voice then again his voice was very monotone. Ughhh 'That Bastard' Huey's not my type either, for one he's too smug and not even that cute. Oh who was I kidding he was exactly my type. But his personality showed otherwise. I didn't need to hear his stupid voice anymore.
I huff and walk out the building to my car. I drive straight home and realize my key is missing. I must have left it at that jerk's house 'Damnit!' Good thing I gave my spare to Cindy just in case of an emergency. Now I just have to wait for her to get back. 'Great.' Nah fuck that I'm getting inside my apartment. I call Cindy no answer, then Asia she answers thank god.
"Hey Asia Can you put Cindy on for me." There is some ruffling in the background, it kind of worries me.
"Asia you good? Can you hear me?"
"Uh yeah Hey Jaz girl. What's up?"
"I lost my key, can you get Cindy please?" More noise on the phone,
"Come here girl." I make out a boy's voice.
"Move Riley… stop playing girl." The two voices on the phone make me pinch the bridge of my nose. I know your fucking lying if these two don't stop messing around I'm trying to get in my damn house.
"ASIA!" I yell out frustration.
"Huh? Oh I forgot you were on the phone. Um Cindy went to Caesar's for the night."
"Okay thanks for nothing." I hang up before Asia can even respond, it may be rude but she probably didn't even notice. 'Well this is just amazing.' What am I going to do now? I sit on the floor and put my head in my hands. If only that douche bag didn't piss me off I still have my key. I can't even call the landlord. It's too late at night. I just sit there moping against my apartment door. Hoping someone comes to help me.
"Dubois."
