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DARIUS

A Week Later

Last week started out pretty fucking fabulous, until I got arrested for laying hands on Todd. I was only in jail for a total of six hours before I was released and the entire time, I couldn’t do anything but shake my head. I legit was looking at losing my scholarship, something I worked blood, sweat, and tears for over Todd, and what’s crazy is I’d do it all again for KK if I had to. That was why I respected my parents’ opinions on me keeping my distance from KK’s house.

According to my mom, my dad, who was a mason out of the south side of Chicago and very connected, was able to make a few calls from Georgia and basically make all this shit disappear. Todd was still in jail; and as far as I knew, my charges will never be seen or heard of again. As for KK, I hadn’t talked to her since they arrested me.

I called her phone a few times, but all my calls stayed unanswered. When she wasn’t at my graduation, I couldn’t help but become concerned to the point that I was ready to show up at her house and risk it all, but I knew I couldn’t take that chance. The conditions for my release and case being wiped away was that I had to stay away from Todd’s house no matter what, and instead of waiting a few weeks I would have to leave for Georgia sooner as in tomorrow soon. My dad wanted me in Georgia before school started so that we could “catch up” and get all the weird tension out the way since we hadn’t seen or really talked to one another in years so afterward I could focus on school and football.

Regardless of how risky it was though; I didn’t want to leave and not get the chance to say goodbye to KK. I graduated earlier today and as happy as I was to finally be a high school graduate who crushed and defeated all odds against me, my heart was full of sorrow cause my best friend was not there.

I couldn’t help but to get emotional thinking about what happened with KK and ever since I’d been worried sick about her. It didn’t help that my mom didn’t care for KK before my graduation, but now after the arrest she really didn’t have anything nice to say about her.

“Welcome to Red Lobster, my name is Tiffany, and I will be your server today. Are you celebrating anything?”

“My son, he just graduated from Morgan Park.”

“Oh awesome! Congratulations!” Tiffany shrieked, patting me on the shoulder. “I graduated from Julian last year.”

“That’s great!” My mom smiled. “Are you in college?”

“No, ma’am, my career path doesn’t require college.”

“That’s a new one. I’ve never heard that before, I’m intrigued,” my mom continued to pry, “What do you do exactly? Let me guess, you a dancer.”

“Come on now momma,” I shook head.

I wasn’t sure if the girl knew but my mom was implying that she was an exotic dancer and that was because of how the girl looked. It was obvious she had on make-up, which wasn’t an issue but not necessary for waiting tables. Her cleavage was showing, and she had on a pair of skin-tight black jeans that hugged her wide hips and round ass just right. Tiffany was fine and she knew it and her perky attitude could be read for a female that liked to have fun.

“Oh, it’s okay,” Tiffany assured me. “But ma’am, I can dance like a professional but I’m not a pole dancer. I actually am a makeup artist, esthetician, and just became a certified masseuse.”

“Oh, you one of those people that do facials.”

“Jack of all trades ain’t cha.” I chuckled but respected her hustle.

“Something like that. Look, college ain’t for everybody and I’m not trying to rack up a big loan with the department of education. I’d rather hustle legally and be self-made, ya know. What about you handsome, I can already tell you play football or wrestle.”

“Both.”

“I knew it. You got that look.”

“While you both decide on what you would like to order, take a peek at the dessert menu, and let me know what you like. It’ll be my treat on the house as a graduation gift.”

“That’s really sweet of you, does that include his momma too? If so, I’ll take a slice of that vanilla bean cheesecake. I was gon’ order me one any way,” my mom requested.

“Of course it includes you as well.” Tiffany chuckled as she looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll give you both a few minutes while you overlook the menu, and I get your drinks. The restrooms are straight to the back in case you need them.”

The whole time Tiffany was looking directly at me, and I saw right through her. What waiter ever offered to tell you where the bathroom was unless you asked them. This broad thought she was slick.

Soon as she walked off my mom went in.

“That girl likes you. She seem cool, and she older than you and don’t care. That means she likes what she sees.”

“I ain’t worried ‘bout that girl.”

“But you worried about the other one that got yo crazy tail locked up. Darius, move on from KK and let it all go. Tomorrow starts a new journey for you and you sitting there looking like someone slapped you for no reason.”

“If you wasn’t smashing Todd, would you still not like KK?”

“What did you just say?”

“If you weren’t smashing?—”

“I know you a lie!” My mom cut me off. “Who you think you talking to, Darius? You might think you grown but I’ma always be yo momma. Watch yo damn mouth! KK gon’ fuck around and get you cussed out on this good damn day.”

“You hate her real bad and why? What has she done to you?”

“She sneaks in my house and has sex in my shit like she the woman of the house. Ion like none of them fast tail hussies that run behind you if you really want to know the truth.”

“Now you tripping.”

“I know she be in the basement with you Darius so you saying you haven’t been having sex with her in my house?”

“Nah, just cause she come over and chill with me don’t mean we smashing. She be trying to keep away from that grimy nigga you like to let up in the crib. So now that you know he like young girls, you still gone mess with him?”

“Darius McKinley, you gon’ make me go straight upside yo head! Ion give a damn how big you are or what sport you play. You betta watch yo damn mouth. Who you think you questioning?”

My mom talked her shit a little more as I peeped Tiffany looking at me from behind my mom. She was trying to get my attention, so I played it off like I didn’t see her. She came over to our table and took our food orders.

“I’ma run to the restroom. You said it was where?” My mom asked.

“Straight to the back, ma’am. And I’ll have some hot out the oven biscuits for you by the time you get back.” Tiffany smiled.

Tiffany walked away and my mom left and went to the bathroom. Ion think she was gone longer than a couple of seconds before she was back at our table.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Nah shorty, I don’t.”

“Last year, homecoming game, Morgan Park beat the brakes off Julian and then the after party on South Troop later that night.”

“South Troop…after party…” Then it clicked. I knew exactly who she was.

“I’ma bring your mom some apps then meet me by the bathroom.”

“For?”

“You’ll see.”

She briskly walked off, I assumed because my mom was headed back to the table. Once I heard her voice, it confirmed it; when she came back to her seat and was on her cell phone.

“Yeah, Darius is good. He sitting right here, we bout to eat. He leaves tomorrow. Yeah Lord, you know I’ma miss my baby.” She was telling whoever she was talking to all my business.

Tiffany brought some stuffed mushrooms, fried calamari, and mozzarella sticks along with some hot biscuits to the table. A few minutes later, she flagged me toward the bathroom and for jokes and giggles I went to see what she was on. The last thing on my mind was a bitch but I also wasn’t opposed to getting my shit wet before I left, and Janiece and I still were on the outs even though she was blowing my shit up.

“Come here, Darius.” Tiffany smiled as we ducked off to a bathroom that was closer to the kitchen. It was a single bathroom marked handicapped.

She locked the door then walked into my space. Reaching for my dick, she grabbed a handful and one of her knuckles rubbed against one of my balls too hard.

“Slow down shorty, be easy.”

“You fucked me in the bathroom at the party then disappeared. You fucked me so good I haven’t been able to get you out my mind since. I never got your name, number, or nothing. This gotta be fate.”

“You locked me in the bathroom to tell me that?”

“Nah, I want some of that dick. We got five minutes.”

“Girl is you crazy! My mothafuckin’ moms out there and I ain’t no five-minute nigga. What time you get off?”

“Ten tonight, but my lunch break is at seven. You drive?”

“Yeah, I gotta whip.”

“Come back on my lunch. I’ll make it worth your while. In the meantime, I bet I can get you to cum in four minutes.”

“Is that so.” I slapped Tiffany on her ass. “If you want to prove it and get the dick, make sure me and my momma food hot and fresh.”

“Oh baby, y’all food and this pussy gone be hot and fresh, I promise you that. I’ll even add my employee discount to the total. That dick worth every penny of it!”

Although Tiffany was sexy, that thirsty shit was a straight turn off to me. I chuckled as I left the bathroom then headed back to the table. The rest of our meal between Tiffany coming to the table every five minutes with a refill or checking on us, and my mom on the phone, my social battery was dry, and I was ready to go.

Two hours later, we were finally headed to the crib, and I couldn’t wait. I had already shipped a gang of boxes of my stuff to my pops crib. I just had a few more things to pack in my car then I needed to fill up so when I hit the road I wouldn’t have to stop for a good minute. The only states I’d ever driven to was Indiana and Wisconsin by myself so this road trip to Georgia was about to be filled with a lot of unknowns. I was looking at it more like a soul journey. Being alone for twelve hours on the open road with my thoughts was what I was looking forward to.

“Darius what you bout to do cause I’m ‘bout to have some company right quick.”

“I gotta run to the gas station and finish packing.”

“Let me go get ready. I’ll see you later, baby. I love you, and I’m so very proud of you.”

After my mom hugged me, she was waltzed up the stairs to her room so that she could get ready for whatever nigga was about to come over.

When I made it to the basement, I went to the bathroom to relieve myself then went to my room. When I walked in the familiar smell of Victoria’s Secret strawberries and champagne scent hit my nose and that’s when I noticed KK sitting on the edge of my bed with a few balloons and a gift bag.

“Congratulations friend, happy graduation! Sorry I missed it.”