Page 36 of Tension

“Damn, I don’t even get a conversation no more,” he yelled at my back.

I didn’t have time to play with him.

I made my rounds, admiring all the work they had put into the backyard.

“Hey, Ms. Thompson.” I leaned in to give Nia’s mom a light side hug.

“Hey, Chris." She looked me up and down. “You puttin' on a lil weight, ain't cha?”

I stepped back from her and gave her a half smile.

“Not as much as you are.”

I looked her up and down and walked off as she scoffed at me.

You would think she knew by now I wasn’t playing into her foolishness. I only held my tongue for Nia, and that's because she asked me to.

I spoke to all of LL’s sisters. They were always a good time, and I promised the twins that Nia, Jas, and I would take them out for a girls-only day.

We all knew Langston wasn’t going to stay away for long, though.

I made my way over to the fire pit, where some people were standing while others sat.

Vel was sitting in one of the lawn chairs, and I stood directly across from him as I tuned in to the conversation.

“No nigga has all three: good dick, money, and is attractive.”

A girl I didn’t know was saying this to the group, but her eyes were on Vel.

He responded to her. “You messing with the wrong niggas then.”

“Oh, is that right?” she asked him, getting a little flirty with it.

Vel nodded, then looked at me. “What you think, Chris?”

I shrugged. “Um. I-I don’t know. I mean, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So she may not find what I find attractive.”

“So, have you had a nigga with all three in your eyes?” he asked with a smirk on his lips.

I pretended to look up and think deeply about it.

I had to bite my lip to hold back my smile as I shook my head no.

“See, it just doesn’t exist,” the girl from earlier concluded, and everyone started to get into their own side conversations.

Vel leaned back in his seat, never breaking eye contact with me. He tilted his head, signaling that he wanted me to come closer.

He sat with his legs spread, and I walked up, standing right in front of him.

He sat up quickly and grabbed the back of both of my thighs, pulling me in and caging me right in between his legs.

He rubbed the back of my thighs, and his chin sat on my stomach as he looked up at me.

My hands naturally found their way around his head, and I played with his waves.

“Why you playing with me?”

I laughed. “Ain't nobody playing with⁠—”