Page 16 of Stand on That

“Oh nah, Purpose is cool. He’s selective about who he deals with, but he’s not on that type of time. You think I’d deal with that?”

“He might come different with me.”

“Nah. Not while I’m here,” I stated adamantly.

Purpose was cool, and I didn’t want to lose him as a plug. But Azarius was my brother from another mother. I’d never let Purpose or anyone else come at him crazy even though he never needed help when it came to dealing with disrespect.

Purpose was meeting Azarius at a small restaurant that sold Haitian cuisine. That was right on time because I’d been there numerous times before, and the red snapper was like that. I saw Purpose’s BMW parked out front. We exited the vehicle, and I glanced at two females walking toward the door. The moment I made eye contact with them, and they smiled bashfully, I gave a head nod and kept it pushing. They looked every bit of sixteen, and that was a hard fucking pass.

I held the door open for them, and they walked through giggling. Inside the restaurant, I looked around and spotted Purpose in no time. He was seated in a booth in the rear talking on his phone with a plate of food in front of him. I walked over to the table with Azarius beside me. As we approached, Purpose ended the call. He held his palm out, and I slapped it.

“What up, Darius?” he looked over at Azarius with his palm still open. Azarius slapped his hand, and they gave one another head nods.

“This is my homie, Azarius. Like grew up in the sandbox together. This is Purpose.” Azarius was a grown man that could speak for himself. I wasn’t even trying to be directly in their business, so once the introductions were made, I went to order some food.

It took about fifteen minutes for me to get my order and when I went back over to the table, Azarius was chuckling. Everything appeared to be all good. He stood up and told Purpose he’d hit him up the following day.

“Damn greedy ass nigga,” Azarius eyed my bag. “You didn’t waste no time. Let me order something.”

“Do that. I’m about to sit in the car and roll a blunt.”

There was nothing like eating good food when I was high as a giraffe pussy. As I exited the restaurant, Purpose was pulling off. He honked the horn at me, and I threw up my hand. I was glad the meeting went well. When it came to my people I didn’t have a competitive bone in my body. I wanted my people to get money. There was no way I wanted to be the only one eating. Azarius was about to hit a whole ‘nother tax bracket, and I hoped he was ready.

Three days later, I was on the beach in Antigua with Vani’s small ass feet in my lap. I massaged them while admiring her white toenails. “You ever been in love?” she asked.

“Ah hell. We ‘bout to get deep?” I joked with a grin.

“I wouldn’t consider that deep.” She chuckled. “It’s just a question. There is no right or wrong answer.”

“Nah. I never have. What about you?”

“I really don’t even know. I mean I think so. I think I was in love with my ex but sometimes, I think, I don’t know what love is.”

“What happened with you and your ex?” I continued to rub as I stared into her pretty ass face.

Vani had blonde boho braids that damn near hung down to the floor. “He cheated. He was older than me and had his own place. One night me and Hailey went over, and he had a chick in the crib. We beat his ass, and I never talked to him again.”

“That damn sure sounds like something y’all would do,” I laughed, and she shrugged.

“He shouldn’t have played with me. Like, I don’t understand men. Nine times out of ten in a relationship at some point a man that looks better than yours, has more money than yours, and a nicer car than yours will try you. And a real chick will turn him down every time. Women stay faithful with ease, and men act like it’s the hardest thing ever. If you don’t have good dick control stay single.” Her upper lip curled, and I could tell she was pissed.

“That would be great, but we know it doesn’t work like that. Even though there are plenty of women that cheat, there are a lot of men that want to have their cake and eat it too.”

Vani shook her head, and I raised my eyebrows. Finally, she looked over at me. “What?”

“You’re not going to ask me if I cheat?”

“Hell no,” she frowned as if the question was the most absurd thing she ever heard.

“Why not?” I laughed.

“Because you’re either going to tell me what you think I want to hear or something that will have me looking at you sideways. Either way I’m good.”

“Damn you don’t have no faith in your boy. I haven’t had a girlfriend since middle school, and I didn’t cheat on her thank you.”

“Middle school?” Vani gave me the side eye. “So you’re one of those.”

“One of what?”