Tallulah Skye
I slipped the keys into the lock and quietly crept into the dark home. Thankful that the alarm was off with only two light beeps, and the lady’s voice calling out, front door. I shuffled my duffle bag inside, placing it in the hallway. Careful not to wake Percy up. I didn’t want to wake Jasmine either but Percy was the mouth I didn’t need to hear.
It was almost three in the morning and I just got in from a long drive from Charleston. I needed some food, and rest.
“You think they gon let me stay the night?”
I looked back, watching Akil walk up with a bag of food and the cupholder with our drinks and straws. Why did he have to walk around with no shirt on. Why do country niggas do that shit!? Knowing damn well it was a turn on to see that fucked up back tattoo of his. He had the thick white socks and black slides as he walked in behind me, ready to make all the noise in the world until I put my hand on his chest to stop him.
“Nigga if you keep quiet, they won’t even know you were here because you’re leaving as soon as I leave,” I whispered. “Where the hell is your shirt?”
“Girl, it's about 80 plus degrees on me right now, fuck you mean where is my shirt? Shit, why you got on clothes?”
“Shhh!” I hissed, glaring at him with one final stare down before turning into the house and closing the door with a lock. Percy’s snores were still going and the most Jasmine did was probably turn on her side but she was still asleep. I didn’t hear the door open and I didn’t hear footsteps.
So I grabbed my things and led Akil through the house, past the kitchen and up the stairs with each step louder than the next.
“This place is hueeege, this how you living? Out here in Atlanta?” he asked as I turned around and motioned for him to shut the fuck up. Like damn! “What I say? You out here mooching off the right people---”
“Ain’t nobody mooching off of nobody, boi be quiet!”
The snoring stopped as I froze, hearing their bed squeak until the snores started up again. I quickly dragged Akil down to my spare bedroom, practically flung him in before closing and locking the door. I cut the lamp light on as I laid back on the bed with a sigh, kicking my shoes off before getting up to go to the bathroom and change. Normally, I would keep modest around my boo’s husband. Extra long t-shirt in the room and when I stepped out, I had sweaters underneath. Not that Jasmine had to ever worry about me trying Percy. It was a respect thing. Simply out of respect and how I move personally.
Tonight though? Since Akil was spending a few hours with me before heading back to Caroline’s house, I stepped out of the bathroom with nothing but a bra on and the bootiest’ of booty shorts, rising up on the cheeks after pulling them up on my hips. I stepped out with a clean face, and my hair braided down as Akil looked up from the food and stared me down. One look over, he turned back and focused on separating his fries from the wings. I cocked my head back with pursed lips and walked over to face him.
“Oh, so you’re acting like you too good all of the sudden,” I retorted. Akil took a fry to his mouth as he looked up at me.
“Nah, I just know how this goes. I’m not no dumb nigga, and you like to play and tease like I’m one of these simps. I’m a grown ass man. I come at you, you gon say, noo noo stop it Akil. I’m not even in the mood. I try and touch you, you’ll get annoyed. I say something about how phat that ass is, you’ll be bothered because that’s all I’m talking about. You’ll think that’s all I notice. So nah, you went through the troubles of showing off yo lil bra and pulling up yo shorts for nothing. None of this,” waving his hand in front of my body like it was nothing, “don’t move me.”
I stood there, beyond embarrassed as he continued to eat his food, chewing away while handing me my meal.
This was certainly nothing like Travis. My ex would have jumped at the chance after putting on this kind of display but Akil had a hot and cold nature about him. Annoyed, I yanked my shorts back down to a workable length and slipped on a shirt as I crawled into the bed with my food.
“If you just want sex from me then say so,” he muttered, sliding down to the floor with his knees up as he continued to eat.
“I didn’t say that Akil.”
“But if that’s what you want---”
“Clearly, that’s not what you want,” I snapped.
“I just thought you had a lil more to offer besides that…”
There it is again, that condescending tone. You beg to go out with me and then flip a switch and act like I’m a damn peasant in your presence.
“Don’t try and play that manipulative shit with me nigga, I’m the wrong one---”
“Ain’t nobody manipulating you Tallulah,” getting up as he tossed his carton in the same bag. I held mine out for him to take, no longer hungry as I cut the lamp light off and crawled into the comfortable bed that was all mine. Akil stretched out over my body as he laid down next to me. I kept my back towards him, not really sure how to take him at this point while he laid back on the pillow, stretching his legs out on the covers.
“I’m tryna be yo man for real. I keep telling you that, and you keep playing with me.”
“Because I don’t want to go through anything like my last relationship. It was draining my energy, my time, and attention. I’m not sure if I’m ready to jump back into something so fast. I don’t like how you talk to me sometimes. You remind me of him when he talks to me like I’m slow. Like I’m the one hurting his feelings or---”
“So tell me that. Communicate it to me so I know what I gotta change. I don’t like how you one minute, with me all the way, the next minute you telling me you’re not ready for a boyfriend. Stop playing with me and lemme show you how a real man treats his woman.”
I slowly turned over to look at him in the dark just as he leaned down, finding my face, just barely missing my lips as we kissed.