Читать книгу All The Wrong Places - G.I.F.T.D - Страница 9

Homecoming

“Girl, you better get dressed; the game is in an hour and I still gotta drop Pooh off with my mama.” Sherie snaked her neck, as she put on her new earrings. “You all in that yearbook and shit. That nigga ain’t comin’,” she taunted her.

“Maybe he misses me too though,” said Zora, upset with life after Boon. “I’m just being optimistic. He did love me.” Zora got up and put on her grey, form-fitting, Fendi dress, with Fendi written in navy blue and her indigo Fendi heels. “What nigga ain’t gon’ want summa this?” she asked, rhetorically, looking at her back shot in the full-length mirror.

“Zo, come on, chick. We runnin’ late already.”

***

Boon decided to let Gia leave without incident or alerting her to his knowledge of the text messages. He declined to give her money, simply stating that being brokenhearted so many times over the years had made him guarded. She told him that she was in some legal trouble, and asked for 10 grand instead. Gia begged continuously and he told her he would think about it. She left without a fight, but told him she’d call him after the homecoming game.

Boon wanted to show DePaul what he had become tonight. He was major, on the legal defense scene, and well sought after. He donned a pair of white Polo slacks, white, long-sleeved, Polo button-down, powder blue sweater vest, white, furry Kangol, and fresh, white Air Force One’s. He carried his AmEx Black Card and $2500 in cash, just in case. Boon sprayed a little Creed cologne on himself and walked out the door, got in his car and started the engine.

“DePaul, Daddy’s comin’ to homecomin’,” he said, as he turned up the “Fuck You” song by Yo Gotti and Meek Mill.

*

“So we meet again, Boon. You gon’ chump me off again?” Taz walked towards Boon, looking like a contestant on America’s Next Top Model.

“I felt disrespected. I shot back,” Boon said, defensively, as he and Taz handed their tickets to the men at the booth.

“I don’t want no trouble, Boon. You lookin’ good enough to go through, I must say.” Taz looked him up and down.

Boon was surprised, but he liked it. Taz was a welcomed sight, with her long, auburn hair and hazel eyes. The white and black Prada gauchos she wore made it look as if she had two asses.

“Thanks, Taz. You could get it too.” Boon flirted, as they walked towards the entrance.

“I might just take you up on that.” Taz winked and went toward the concession stand. Before she walked away, she turned and said, “Lemme get that number. I think I do wanna put you on the menu.”

Boon couldn’t resist. How could he? He would give Taz children, if she let him. They exchanged numbers and parted ways. Boon was having a decent day, so far, and wondered who else he might run into before the night ended. He found his seat three rows from half-court, just as the ticket holders of the three seats to Boon’s left came to claim them.

“Goose. Goose?” Boon called.

“Daniel Boon. What’s up, boy?” the man greeted. “Man, ain’t seen you since sophomore year. You been a’ight though, I hear,” Goose said.

He was black as night and weirdly skinny, with a long neck; hence the name Goose.

“I try to make shit happen, boss,” Boon said, modestly.

“Oh, guess who I saw on the way in here though?” Goose asked, widening his eyes, making himself look like Daffy Duck with his beak missing.

“Who?” Boon asked, curiously.

“Ol’ dirty-ass Zo. She wit’ her cousin, Sherie. You know, the one from Peoria.”

Boon’s heart fluttered and he looked as though he was hurt.

“Excuse me. I gotta whizz before the game jump off,” he said, as he got up and walked away from his seat.

“Somethin’ ain’t right,” Boon said to himself, as he splashed water on his face in the bathroom. “I know it’s homecomin’ weekend, but the three women I fell for are all here. Right now,” he thought aloud. He instantly thought of the doctor giving him the DNA results, proving he hadn’t fathered Zo’s baby. He quickly became infuriated. His brothers had teased him at several of the family functions that followed. I’m not staying at the game. Boon left the bathroom and headed to a local sports bar to watch the game. He was going to the frat and homecoming after-party when the game was over, so he wasn’t ready to go home yet.

The game was now over and it was party time. Boon called up Drakus and Damian, who were both supposed to meet him at the party. Drakus was married and had been for four years now. Damian was recently divorced and loving it. They were already at the party, awaiting Boon’s arrival. Before Boon could even get in his parking space good, Meek Mill alerted him of an incoming text message. It was from Taz.

Taz: Lemme b yo after party.

Boon grinned and texted back.

Boon: We’ll see.

Boon got out of his car and went to meet his brothers inside the frat house.

Once inside, the first thing Boon noticed was the effect the black light had on the party. Everybody and everything looked almost purple. The women’s shapes were even more profound. The music was blaring and you could see kegs and beer bottles everywhere. Boon walked towards the kitchen to find Drakus.

“What up, li’l bruh?” Drakus yelled over the music.

“Shit, man…runnin’ from the hoes of relationships past and shit.” Boon and Drakus both laughed. “Where Dooly at?” Boon asked, referring to Damian.

“He just walked off wit’ some skirt he just caught up wit’,” Drakus said. “Oh, yeah,” Drakus continued, as he sat his beer down and leaned in to speak in Boon’s ear, “Zo is on the hunt for you, boy. She done came to me twice to see if you was here. I’m just sayin’.” Drakus stepped back and winked.

Just as he began to reply, he was tapped on the shoulder, only to turn around and discover Zora Tucker standing before him.

“Hello, Boon,” she said.

Boon couldn’t hear her, but he knew what she said. He only nodded, as if to say, “What’s up?”

Zo mouthed something else, but Boon couldn’t hear what it was. He leaned over, so she could say it in his ear.

“Mind if we talk for a moment or two on the lawn?” she repeated.

Boon extended his arm, palm open, facing the ceiling, motioning for Zo to lead the way. Boon looked back at Drakus, who was shaking his head at his baby brother.

“I miss being here. The parties. The scenery. Do you miss college, Boon?” Zo started.

“Pretty fucked up way to open up, Zo!” Boon wasn’t about to be toyed with. Zo seemed surprised by his response.

“Well, damn. My bad,” Zora apologized. “How you like my dress?” She quickly changed the subject.

“How yo’ baby daddy like yo’ dress?” Boon retorted.

His brothers had tormented him for years, and it was on full display in his tone. Zo only hung her head.

“Boon, I can’t apologize enough for that. For the last six years, I have beaten myself up for what I did.” A single tear rolled down Zo’s cheek. “Boon, he even looks like you,” she continued.

This made Boon swell with anger.

“But he ain’t mine, Zo! You gave that twat up on me, unprotected. What, man…what you lookin’ for me for? Real shit,” Boon asked, impatiently.

Zo paused to wipe her tears and gather her thoughts. “Honestly, I was hoping we could talk about us. Maybe we could try again. Be a family.” Zo said, searching Boon’s face for his feelings.

“Are you fucking serious right now?” he asked. “You pull a fuckin’ Maury Povich on me, got the whole city of Chicago lookin’ at me like the whipping boy, and you got the nerve to ask me about us?” Boon was livid. “Yo’ us is wit’ yo’ kid’s daddy, Zo. And I’d appreciate it if you’d change the li’l nigga name from Daniel too!” Boon turned around, heading back into the party.

Zo called his name several times from behind him, but he ignored her.

“How’d it go, kid?” Drakus asked Boon, as he sensed the frustration emanating from his youngest sibling.

“Fuck is wrong wit’ broads?” Boon asked, rhetorically.

“Them just yo’ broads, bruh,” Drakus slurred, obviously feeling his liquor. “It’s a trillion fish out there, Boon. You just keep stickin’ yo’ dick in the wrong damn pond.” Both men laughed at this, but Boon still felt some type of way.

Boon and Drakus saw Damian walking towards them with three women. They appeared to be triplets.

“This is Ashley, Alexis, and Amerie. They’re triplets,” Damian said. The women looked Hawaiian and were identical to one another, including their shapes. “I told them it was ironic, because there were two niggas downstairs who looked like me too.” The group laughed, as Boon and Drakus introduced themselves. Boon quickly leaned in to whisper in Amerie’s ear, and she led him to the dance floor. He was surprised to hear the young lady talk. She was from San Bernardino, California and had graduated from DePaul last year.

“I’m studying a lawyer,” she told Boon.

“Funny…me too. Must be fate,” Boon replied.

After multiple dances and the most incredible conversation, Boon and Amerie exchanged numbers and vowed to get to know each other better. Soon, the party was dying down and Boon was ready to go.

“Bruh, drop me off. I’m too drunk to drive and yo’ sister-in-law gon’ kill me if I don’t go home,” Drakus said, as he climbed off the couch and followed Boon to his car.

As Boon got to his car and cranked it, his phone rang.

“What up?” he answered.

“You ready for me?” Taz asked.

Boon was anxious. “Hell yeah, but you gotta come to me though,” Boon said.

“I’m not drivin’ though, baby,” Taz whined.

“Get one of your homegirls to bring you, or a cab or somethin’. I’ll pay. My brother a li’l inebriated and I gotta drop him off,” Boon said, pulling off and listening to Drakus snoring in the passenger seat.

Taz agreed and Boon gave her the address. He dropped Drakus off and headed home. On his way home, Boon’s phone rang again. He looked at the screen and saw his sister, Deysha, smiling at him.

“Mae, what you doing up so late, girl?” Boon called his older and favorite sister by her childhood nickname. Her middle name was Tremè, but the family called her Mae for short.

“Just checkin’ on my baby brother. I done called Dooly and Drake already. I know y’all was goin’ to the party tonight,” she said.

Deysha was exactly 5 foot tall, 130 pounds, and dark-skinned with long, pretty hair. She was very loving to those she loved, but Mae was also a firecracker.

“Fa’sho. I’m good. On my way home to get ready for Taz…” Boon abruptly stopped speaking. He remembered that Mae had beat Taz up for talking recklessly to and about Boon some years ago. Boon knew Mae was about to go off.

“The hell you getting ready to do with her?” she asked, putting her full attitude on display.

“I’m not finna do shit,” Boon lied.

“Boy, you ain’t gon’ learn. Leave them no-business-havin’, broke-ass hoes alone. You got too much goin’ on fa yo’self. Yo’ dick don’t attract nothin’ but triflin’-ass women, bruh,” she hollered.

“Damn,” Boon muttered.

“Damn is right. You’re grown though, so just be careful, baby brother. And tell that ho I said walk light,” Mae responded. She and Boon said their good-nights, and hung up the phone.

Boon got in the house and kicked out of his Nike’s. He texted Taz and told her to be on her way. It was almost 3:00 a.m., and for some odd reason, Boon thought about CiCi. He sent her a text to see if she was awake. She didn’t have a significant other at the moment, and would usually call or text back if she was awake.

Boon went to the bathroom to take a leak. “Damn beer is runnin’ through me,” he groaned aloud, as he relieved himself. After flushing the toilet and washing his hands, he heard the phone ring. He ran and grabbed it, expecting Taz to be on the other end; it was CiCi, however, and Boon happily answered.

“Wassup, wifey?” he greeted her, as he always did.

“Probably one of yo’ li’l skank’s legs over there,” she retorted.

“Funny. Man, why I run into Zo, Taz, and Gia in the same week? And they all act like we never had a fucked up spot in our history at all. All three of them!” Boon exclaimed.

“You and yo’ li’l bird gang. Did you keep yo’ cool? Or did you lose it?” CiCi asked. She was very attentive and actually cared about what went on in Boon’s life. She truly would be with him, if only he would slow down and court her again.

“I lost it on all three of them hoes; especially, Gia. This ho had the nerve to ask me for some money!” Boon recalled.

“I told you them bitches ain’t shit,” CiCi said. Boon laughed at the fact that it was Mela’s ringtone in his phone. Boon parted his lips to speak again, but there was a knock at the door.

“CiCi, lemme go do number six and I’ma call you back.” Boon lied, because he didn’t want CiCi to know that Taz was coming, and he was sure that’s who had knocked.

“I’m ‘bout to crash, baby… I mean… Boon; just call me tomorrow.”

CiCi had called him baby, and he heard it loud and clear. He would have to talk to her in depth on that… but, at another time. “Okay then,” he said and hung up.

“Well, don’t you look edible,” Boon flirted with Taz. She had changed clothes and was now wearing a leopard print catsuit with matching heels. Boon was sexing her with his eyes, as she posed in the doorway.

“Ain’t you gon’ let me in?” Taz asked. Boon didn’t respond, he just stepped aside and watched her strut past him.

“You thirsty?” he asked, as he closed and locked the door.

“I came to get stroked, Mister Watson. So, are you gonna stab me or not?” Taz was standing with her hands on her hips in a modellike stance, piercing him with her provocative eyes.

“Lemme go take a leak, and then we can do the damn thang,” Boon anxiously uttered on his way to the bathroom.

For the next two hours, Taz took Boon to ecstasy in ways he couldn’t recall from their prior sexual endeavors. Although Taz was moaning and yelling his name, Boon was the one feeling as if he was the one under a spell—straight whipped. The couple tasted and kissed each other, as if they were in love, and made that deep eye contact that you make with someone you don’t ever want to let go. After multiple orgasms and a blunt of Kush, the couple lay sprawled out across the living room floor.

“Boon, can I tell you something?” Taz asked, as she sat up on her elbow.

“I’m all ears, Miss Lopes,” Boon replied, staring at the ceiling.

“You know I never, ever, stopped loving you, right?”

It caught Boon off guard, because even when they were a couple, he’d only heard her tell him she loved him less than 10 times. Boon was lost in his thoughts, but didn’t want her to feel like he didn’t care himself.

“Is that right?” he asked, almost sounding serious.

Taz mushed him and said, “I’m for real, boy.”

Boon was trapped; he didn’t want to tell her the truth, which was that he loved her too. Hell, he loved every girlfriend he had ever had. Now, he had several “partners”; but the girlfriends, he actually gave them love.

“I love you too, you sexy ma’fucka, you,” he said, stroking her chin, as she leaned in and gave him a long, deep kiss - tongue and all.

***

“Get yo’ weak-ass up, nigga!” a man’s voice boomed. Boon was knocked out sleeping, but slowly began to wake up. He thought he was dreaming, until he felt the sudden thump against his head and the agony that followed it directly after.

“Ah, fuck! Man, what the fuck is this?” he yelled, as he reached for the now-leaking side of his scalp.

“You know what the fuck this is. You sit here and shut the fuck up. We take what we want and we leave. Anything short of that, will have a story about your life ending on the news in a couple hours.” The gunman’s voice sounded menacing and deadly serious, as he hovered over Boon.

As Boon surveyed the room, he saw two other men flipping all of his belongings over. They had already taken down his flat screen. The glass dining room table had been shattered, as well as the abnormally large aquarium. Boon sat there, helplessly, as his fish flopped around on the wet carpet in broken glass and gravel, desperately searching for water. I thought I had moved away from this kind of shit. Boon grimaced at the pain and ringing in his ear.

One of the other two men in the house grabbed the remaining cash from the Polo slacks Boon had worn last night, and his jewelry off the table. He also grabbed Boon’s cellphone and threw it in the kitchen sink, right before the faucet came on.

“See, every robbery don’t have to involve killing somebody,” the man hovering over Boon said. Boon still couldn’t really make out much, because of the throbbing headache, but it seemed like he’d make it out of this one alive. The men headed towards the front door to make their exit; and just before the gunman walked out, he turned to Boon and said, “Yo, tell Taz—provided you see her again— that Krumb said, ‘we even’.” He touched his gun to his forehead lightly, in a salute, and walked out without closing the door behind him.