Hell House (14 page)

“Shut the fuck up talkin' to me,” Roc said to Jada. “And ain't nobody gon' beat my ass—you can be sure of that.”

Jada's neck started to roll, but before any words left her mouth, Jaylin responded to Roc.

“I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. And when I get done with this, I'mma show you who the real punk is. That way you won't have any doubts.”

“Stop all of this, okay?” Sylvia said, giving Jaylin the torn letter. “I said I'm sorry and I won't touch your things again. You can now apologize to Roc for accusing him, and Roc, you can apologize to Jaylin for not believing him. No need to fight about something that was my fault to begin with.”

Jaylin shot her a look that could kill, snatched the torn paper from her hand and walked off. Roc eyeballed him and then went back outside. I was confused as hell because I knew damn well that Sylvia didn't throw the letter in the trashcan. Something was up; I could feel it.

“Ole trouble-making hussy,” Jada whispered underneath her breath, referring to Sylvia. Jada went outside to where Roc was and demanded an apology from him. I wasn't sure if she would
get it or not, but it was in her best interest to pull the fuck back and go sit her ass down somewhere. Chase returned to the bedroom, leaving Sylvia and me in the kitchen.

She glared at me with a strange look in her eyes. As I started to walk away, she grabbed my arm. “Watch yourself, Prince. Just so you know, I'm keeping my eyes on you.”

I shrugged. “So what? Am I supposed to be afraid or somethin'?”

“Yeah, you should be, especially if you don't want to be arrested for stealing.”

“Ain't a damn thing up in here I want, and just as an FYI, I was only searchin' through Jaylin's shit to check him out. You didn't witness me take anything from him, so why you around here actin' like I'm a kleptomaniac?”

“Because you are.”

This bitch didn't know me, and I hated for people to judge me based on my looks, especially black people who fell in line with stereotypes that destroyed us all. I stepped closer to Sylvia, very unappreciative of the noise she was bringing. “Why are you so sure of yourself? Is it because I fit the bill of a young black man who don't do nothin' in life but take from people of his own race, right? I have a problem with people like you who play into that bullshit ‘cause in reality, you don't know shit. So the next time you think about coverin' for me, don't. I can handle myself and there is a reason behind every single thing I do.”

Sylvia didn't back away from me, but her brows were raised and anger was deep within her eyes. “All you should be doing right now is thanking me for sparing you a butt kicking you were about to get from a man who, obviously, values his possessions. So much so that he'll kill for them. I don't know what he has that interests you, and it makes no sense that you would be curious about a man who is nowhere near your level.”

“You don't appear to be on that level either, but that hasn't stopped you from showin' interest in his dick. I don't get why any of this is yo business, and you really need to take your nosey ass somewhere and chill. Bein' up in mine will get you nowhere, but it may get you kicked out of this house or possibly kicked in yo ass. I don't know which one you prefer, but how about you tell me?”

“How about I don't have time to entertain clueless, young idiots like you who refuse to listen? Just stay out of other people's stuff and we won't have this problem again.”

Sylvia walked away in one direction, and I kept it moving in another. I stood on the patio with my thoughts locked on what I had to do to get her nosey ass out of here. I considered her a thorn in my side, and the last thing I needed was somebody looking over their shoulder, watching me.

That shit with Jaylin shook me up earlier. I was still hot about it. He's lucky that Sylvia opened her mouth because had he came outside, that would've been it for his ass. Who in the hell did he think he was, talking to me like I was some kind of flunky or something? Many niggas were put six-feet under for bringin' heat like that, and it was only because of Desa Rae that I learned to calm myself in situations like that one. If we were on my turf, I wasn't so sure if it would've gone down like that. That nigga would be somewhere leaking for sure.

Things had settled down some, and Jada was outside grilling some hamburgers, ribs and hotdogs. There was no question that she loved to cook, but this was too much damn food. The next person on the cooking schedule was me, so I figured everybody better enjoy themselves because I wasn't going to cook much. And if I did, nine times out of ten, I'd probably be serving burnt food.

Trying to let out my frustrations, I started to hoop with Prince. Chase was messing around near the pool area and Jada was doing her thing with the grill. Sylvia was probably somewhere kissing Jaylin's ass. He had been swoll all day about what had happened, but he couldn't even find the words to at least apologize. Not that I would accept his apology; I didn't squash beefs that easily. I held grudges and this incident left a bad taste in my mouth.

“Some shit you gotta let roll off yo back and not sweat it,” Prince said as he tossed the basketball at my chest. It bounced off and hit the ground. I grabbed the ball and gripped it with both hands. I looked at the hoop, trying to decide if I should take the long shot. It was near three-point range, so I tucked the ball underneath my arm and vented some more.

“I find it hard to believe that nigga got at me like he didn't have no sense. I don't know where he from, where he think people supposed to be afraid when he speak or they supposed to run when he say run. Don't he know that everything about me shows that I don't get down like that?”

Prince tried to smack the ball from my hand, so I dribbled a little, took the shot and missed. We rushed to get the ball, but he got it before I did. As he dribbled the ball, he replied to my comment.

“I noticed that shit about him five minutes after I walked into this house. I don't know what's the deal with that nigga either, but you and me need to put our heads together to come up with something to get him out of here. He seems like a smart man, and aside from the bitches in here, he's the one who I really think can win this challenge.”

Prince shot the ball and made it. He tightened his fist and smiled at me. “Get yo mind right or you about to lose this game,” he said.

He was right, and more than anything, I hated to lose. But as he passed the ball to me, I was in thought about what he'd said.

“I don't think a plan is required to get that fool out of here because today he showed he was weak. All he need is a good ass kickin' that may bring him back to reality. Sometimes, that's all it takes and he got one more time to trip like he did today. After that, it's all over with for that fool.”

I dribbled the ball down the court and then took my shot and
made it. The game was getting real deep between us, so I dropped my thoughts about that punk Jaylin and made a comeback when I beat Prince. Afterward, I sat at one of the tables by the pool, thinking about Miss Desa Rae Jenkins. That was when I heard Chase call my name.

“What?” I replied.

“Stop frowning and get in the water so we can have some fun.”

“I'm not feelin' that right now, but I enjoy watchin' you.”

She smiled and swam away. I felt bad for Chase because on a for real tip, Jada beat that ass last night. She drug Chase around like a ragdoll, but my eyes were glued on the goodies. Chase's body was sweet. I actually dreamed about fucking her last night, but all the bullshit that was happening today had my mind elsewhere.

“I guess I don't have to ask why you're so quiet today, do I?” Jada said, sitting next to me. She had on a yellow sundress that made her look twice her size. I appreciated her thickness, but her attitude was too much for me.

“I'm just chillin', ma. Tryin' to steer clear from trouble, so I don't have to get into nobody's shit like you did last night.”

“I couldn't help myself. Chase was askin' for it and she kept pokin' her nose where it didn't belong. You ain't mad at me, are you?”

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“Because Chase your girl, ain't she? And you haven't said much to me since I've been in this house.”

“That's because I got some heavy shit on my mind. And just so you know, Chase ain't my girl. I barely know anything about her.”

“Don't matter. You did have sex with her yesterday, didn't you?”

“That's what you're assumin'. If you think we got down like that, that's on you.”

“Well, you ain't denyin' it.”

“I don't have to. It really ain't yo business, is it?”

Jada got quiet. She blew a big bubble with the gum she had in her mouth and then chewed. “I'm not tryin' to get all up in yo business or anything, Roc, but you'd better watch Chase. She real sneaky and I know her kind. You seem like a cool person and you really remind me of a dude I used to date named Kiley.”

“Oh, yeah. How's that?”

“Y'all got that swag, if you know what I mean. I love those dimples and he was almost your skin color, too. He was the head nigga in charge and couldn't nobody tell him nothin'. I miss him so much, and when I saw you, it took me back to our relationship.”

“I take it y'all ain't together no more. What happened?”

“I tripped. Let some other bitch get her hands on him. After that, there was no turnin' back for him.”

“It be like that sometimes, ma, but what's for you is for you. What's not will never be.”

“I agree. But I'm glad to be here. I hope you and me can get closer through all of this.”

“One day at a time. Ain't no tellin' what will happen here.”

Jada agreed and got up. I followed and got me a hot dog bun to get a hot dog. I piled it high with potato salad and with some of her special sauce. When I bit into it, I could have died. That shit was good; so sick that I had to lick around my lips.

“Damn, girl, you be puttin' your foot in yo food. What the hell is in that sauce?”

Jada laughed and bumped her hip with mine. “A little bit of this and that and a whole lot of sweetness, baby. Put one right here,” she said, pointing to her cheek. “Show me how much you appreciate a good cook, and that you forgive me for earlier pokin' my nose where it didn't belong.”

“I forgive you. Just don't let it happen again, all right?”

Jada didn't reply, but I knew she understood what I'd said. I licked more sauce from my lips and smacked them together. I pecked Jada on her lips, catching her off guard. Her eyes bugged and she was all smiles. “Don't get hurt up in here, Roc. You need to stop playin', bay-be; please quit while you're ahead.”

I laughed at Jada and then went inside so I could get a plate. Prince had gone inside and was now playing videogames. Jaylin was sitting at the computer desk. I grabbed a paper plate from the counter, but when Jaylin came into the kitchen, I put it down, in case he still had
issues.
He leaned against the counter and stroked his trimmed goatee.

“Look, I got at you the incorrect way earlier,” he said. “Had I known Sylvia was the one fucking with my things, I would've addressed her, instead of everybody else.”

“I'm sure you would've, but was that an apology you swingin' my way?”

“I apologize to no one, so you can either take what I said or leave it. It doesn't matter to me either way. I've done my part and I will do no more.”

“I'm gon' do my part, too. I should've believed what you said, but what you said didn't matter to me because I don't care about the next man's property. With that, this shit is a wrap.”

I left the kitchen to go back outside and get something to eat. Ten minutes later, Jaylin came outside and Prince followed a little later. The fellas sat at one table eating and the ladies were at another.

“Don't choke yourself over there, Jaylin.” Jada giggled, as she caught him licking the sauce off his fingers. “You look like you're enjoyin' the food.”

“Not really. I'm pretending that it's something else to eat like your pussy.”

We laughed, but the ladies shook their heads. “You a foulmouth dirty, nasty nig…fool that really needs to quit,” Jada said. “I want my props. If you don't give them to me, I'm gon' keep you up at night again.”

“I promise that you will find yourself on the floor tonight if I don't get any sleep. What went down last night will not happen again.”

“If I'm on the floor, so are you. So stop tryin' to chasertise me for keepin' you up. The only reason you were up was because you were in that bathroom gettin' it in.”

“Chastise, Jada,” Chase said, correcting her again. “You can get mad at me all you want to, but I'm only trying to help you by pointing out your incorrect grammar.”