'Jules' mind went back under the moonlight and night air of Baldwin's Fine Arts Center Garden, where intense anger shifted into an intimate moment of curiosity with a blow of the wind.
Maybe two flames weren't supposed to be that close when raging...
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"I love who you are, I love who you ain't."
— Andre 3000
"YEAH," erupted from her lips -- as dangerous as any volcano in a single word.
Raheem watched as Jules turned to go with Isaiah, the look she gave him was cold. He didn't mean to sound rude; yet as the previous words left his mouth, it was too late to shove them back in.
Truth was he didn't trust himself around her, at least not at the moment. Although he wasn't crushing on her, she was undeniably beautiful and he was smart enough to know that the tension between them could turn into something other than a hostile game of "who's right."
He wanted to be responsible so he didn't subconsciously use her as a rebound to the urges he felt. There was no need to hurt anyone else, not now.
Raheem turned his heels as he walked back to Java Jam, ready to hang up his apron from the shift that had just ended.
He saw the girl that often hung by Jules' side like some mutant hip.
"Aye' what you been doing to my boy? He seems to unravel at any given moment thinking about you," He asked with a chuckle.
She dribbled her fingertip against the lid of the coffee cup she held, "Oh honey, that's the power of the Pussy. I'll see you around though, cause I know this won't be the last time."
He shrugged, "You're around Marcus and I'm around Marcus, that's a given."
Ayden smirked as she leaned over to throw the cup in the automatic trashcan next to him, "You know that's not what I meant."
"What -- Jules? Nah, come on man."
Ayden knitted her brows as her mouth turned into a stank face, "Uh uh -- why you sayin' it like she got an antenna on her head or something? My girl is all that, better than what you could do."
Raheem rolled his eyes while letting off another laugh, " Chill out, your girl is fine -- real fine. I ain't trying to get into all that again."
Ayden leaned against the counter that held the trashcans and sugar station, trying to get a better view of his face,"Get into all what? Your dine and dash with miss pep squad or your cliche loner artsy boy facade."
He raised one eyebrow and laughed-- almost so loudly the shop could hear him, "Facade?"
She nodded her head while popping a piece of bubble in her mouth, "Yeah, Facade. I see right through you," She pointed her finger in his direction, "and so does Marcus. It's why we got a bet on your weak ass. See you put up this front, cause it's the only way you can control the outcome of what happens to you. It's just a matter of time before you realize that you ain't as emotionally un-available as you try to front. Yeah, Marc be pillow talkin' after the sheets are done screaming."
