Page 10 of Blake University: HBCU Chronicles: Brynleigh & A.Z.
Brynleigh shrugged. “Trust me, I was shocked when you opened doors for me. I know you were raised with money, but money can’t buy manners. There are a lot of rude ass wealthy people.”
I stared at her until she giggled. “I’m trying to figure out if I should be offended,” I stated with furrowed brows.
“Depends,” she shrugged passively. “Do you care what other people think of you?”
Questions that needed answers. As I took a seat, I thought about her question. “That depends. Especially since I plan to be a businessman. I need to people to trust my judgement and know that I’m not shady. As for everyone else fuck nah. Fuck ‘em. I take it you don’t care what people think of you?”
“And don’t.”
“But you despised me for a lil’ minute because of what I said to my sister.”
“I don’t care what you think in terms of how you feel, but it pissed me off when you told your sister she didn’t need to be around me, and you had only been in the vicinity that I was for two point five seconds. I don’t tie people up and force them to take pills.”
“I don’t feel right for apologizing for what I feel is best for my sister, but I do apologize for being presumptuous. Especially after seeing how you looked out for her that night and refused to let her drive. Let’s just call a truce and forget about it.”
Brynleigh twisted her lips. “Maybe. I have to think of ways to make you suffer first, I would threaten to order everything on the menu, but you’re rich you wouldn’t care.”
I tossed my head back with a laugh. Not everyone at Blake U was the same, but a lot of the females I’d dealt with were at college getting degrees and scouting potential husbands.
For some of them, being in their presence was damn near like an audition for them.
They were so hyper focused on proving they were good women and trying to be cuffed, that they didn’t relax and let their personality show.
A woman had never made me laugh the way Brynleigh did.
And it made it even funnier when she was being dead serious.
“Why are you single?” I asked after we’d placed our drink orders.
“Because I’m not interested in playing the game.”
My brows furrowed. “What game?”
“The game that most people like to play. Everyone has an ulterior motive. Some women only want money, and they’ll date anybody that has it.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with not wanting struggle love but find a man with money that you genuinely like rather than targeting any man with money.
I just can’t do it. And men aren’t any better.
They want a hundred females on their roster. Shit is exhausting.”
I nodded my understanding. “I have never heard a female admit that about other women. I respect the hell out of that. I have run into a lot of women in college that are looking for husbands. Like their degree is a backup plan because they want to bag a man that’s on his way to big money.”
“Yeah, I can’t. Like for instance, we all have preferences.
If I want a man that’s at least six feet with no kids, educated, good career, and wants to get married one day why would I deal with a man that’s 5’10, has five kids, is a dope boy with no aspirations past that, and says it’s forever money over bitches?
He can have all the money in the world, but he’s literally everything I don’t want in a man.
Why would I waste my time on him just for money?
Like money can’t always be the end all be all. ”
“And you haven’t met one person that checks all the boxes for you?”
“I haven’t been actively looking. I’m focused on getting my own place and trying to get to a point where people will trust me with their new babies.
If it comes it comes, but I’m not out every night scouring the scenes for a partner.
Why are you single? Busy being big man on campus and screwing all the pretty girls? ”
I chuckled and picked up the drink that had been placed in front of me.
It had been a few weeks since I had alcohol, so I’d ordered rum and Coke.
“The judgement is real. I haven’t run into anyone that checked all my boxes either.
Plus, like you, I’m focused on getting through this last year and mentally preparing myself to get in grind mode.
I want my label to be successful, so I know I’ll have to put in the work.
My entire life, I saw my father balance being successful while being a good father and husband.
I know it can be done, but I’m not pressed right now either. ”
“And what’s on your list?”
“A woman that’s motivated. Once I get married, I won’t have any issue with being the provider.
But I’m young, and I’m not married yet. I don’t want a lazy woman that thinks she doesn’t have to do anything for herself because she’s pretty.
I want someone ambitious, smart, and that really likes me.
Not someone trying to come up. Personality is also important for me.
I’m so tired of women not thinking for themselves and trying to fit whatever popular aesthetic their favorite influencer tells them is the It girl thing to have.
It’s like a bunch of damn clones running around. ” I frowned as Brynleigh laughed.
“Being in a room with my sister’s friends for more than thirty minutes would make your head spin then.
I swear those hoes study social media like it’s a textbook and cosplay every rapper baby mama and IG model in the world.
If they see chicks rubbing shit on their faces because it attracts rappers and athletes guess who’s going to rub shit on their faces? ”
Conversation with Brynleigh flowed so effortlessly that we sat there for at least fifteen minutes after we were done eating just talking. Knowing that I needed to study, I had plans to go straight home and get to it, but I wasn’t ready to leave Brynleigh. One date, and I was already being a sucka.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I asked once we were back in the car.
“To stop being a pussy and go get my nipples pierced.”
I had been trying to keep my thoughts pure, but the thought of her getting her nipples pierced had my dick bricking up. “You scared it’s going to hurt?”
“Um yeah. That shit hurts if a nigga bites it too hard.”
She was talking about nipples being bitten. She was going to have my joint hard for real. “I would offer to go and hold your hand, but you might not want me seeing your breasts, and I respect that.”
“You could hold my hand without looking at my breasts, but I mean they’re just breasts. I’m sure you’ve seen a hundred pair. I’m getting them pierced by my boss. That’s lowkey awkward but one thing Penz has seen an abundance of are breasts. I’m sure it no longer fazes him.”
Brynleigh had a way of shocking me when I least expected it. I never would have guessed she’d actually agree to letting me go with her. “You want to go right now?”
“Yeah, while I have a buzz from those margaritas. Might as well get it over with.”
“I’ve been contemplating getting a tattoo, but I don’t know what I want to get. If it’s going to be on my body, I want it to have meaning. I don’t want to get a tattoo just for the sake of saying I have one.”
“That’s smart. I’ve seen some questionable things working in a tattoo shop.
A female dead ass came in and got a guy’s name tatted big as hell across her back.
I think she paid about $300 for that shit.
She legit came in two weeks later crying saying she wanted it covered up because she found out he was cheating with her God sister. ”
“Damnnnnnnn,” I drawled.
“Exactly.”
“I think my first tattoo will be the name of my record label. Nine Twenty-Five Records." It hit me all of a sudden that was what I wanted.
“Why’d you choose that name?”
“Because me, my grandmother, and Tyra were all born on September twenty-fifth.”
“Oh, wow that’s dope. That should definitely be your first tattoo then. Whenever you’re ready, you know Penz will hook you up.”
After finally figuring out what I wanted, I was excited about getting my first piece of ink and decided that I’d make an appointment as soon as I stopped driving. When we walked in the shop, Penz was up front.
“What’s up? You wanted to come help me out?”
“Heck no. I’m finally going to get my nipples pierced.”
“Oh shit. ‘Bout time you stopped being a punk. You came at the right time. My last appointment of the day had to reschedule. I was going to stick around for another hour then leave.”
“Ohhhhhh,” Brynleigh’s brows wiggled as she glanced over at me. “A.Z. wants a tattoo. You can do one for him?”
My head whipped in her direction. I wasn’t afraid of getting a tattoo, but I didn’t expect to get one right then. I had always heard how hard it was to get in Penz’s chair.
“Yeah, I can do it. As long as it doesn’t take more than two hours.”
“Oh no, it won’t.”
“You know what you want Big Dawg?”
“Uh, yeah. The words Nine Twenty-Five in block letters across my back.”
“Bet. I can for sure do that.”
Brynleigh gave me a knowing grin making me chuckle. I liked nice Brynleigh. I liked her a lot.