Pride

Chapter Twelve

DeMarcus Cousins

"You'll regret the day that I find another girl, yeah. Who knows just what I need, she know just what I mean, when I say keep it drama free..."

Chris Brown Feat. Tyga & Kevin McCall; Deuces

I was chilling out with my people at lunch, two months later. Ashley and Broderick were coupled up and making googly eyes at each other. I personally thought it was sick. I could tell all in Broderick's aura that he wasn't at peace with what happened that day at the park, even two months later. Ketara hadn't been giving him any kind of airtime and Shakyra would appear out of the blue every time he tried to. I almost wanted to step in because it wasn't truly her business but looking back, it was a bad look. Even I hadn't gone that far with Shakyra and I couldn't say much. I let my ex-girlfriend catch me without giving a righteous damn.

The twosome walked in the lunchroom, turning heads as usual. They opted to sit with Kofi and company and I halfway wanted to leave from where I was and do the same thing. Broderick and I were really just show pieces for the chicks we were sitting with. They both fronted like we could get up and leave but if we did it'd start a whole new issue.

I looked over at Davida and sighed, coming to grips with the fact that I didn't want to be with her past the end of this month. Maybe the week even. I let her come between someone I cared about over something temporary and it was embarrassing me somewhat to see how corny she was as a person.

I thought back to the conversation I had with my brother, during the weekend after Davida left. We'd sat out on our porch, sparking up. The herb calmed us down to a level where he could speak and I would actually listen to what he was saying.

Rewind

"Listen, bro." he said, "Like, don't get me wrong. I get you're feeling shorty and all but what you had with your ex was real."

"It was...to an extent. I never meant to stay with her like that. She...she surprised me. She was cute. She held conversation past wanting to shop and stunt on bitches. She has goals in life. I was attracted to that shit. But I only stepped to her because I ain't like the nigga that was checking her out."

Jaleel looked at me and raised a brow. I knew if we both hadn't been high he would've laid into me for being corny. As it was he said,

"Nigga."

"I know. It was low. I shouldn't really hate on dude but he's corny."

"Is he corny or are you just threatened that niggas would drop you for him and leave your corny ass with me?"

"Both." I said, "He's a nerd. He and Kof were friends before Kofi moved up here years back. He moved back here and Kofi and the nigga got pretty tight. It's some bitch shit to admit that I'm jealous but fuck it."

"It's your truth, bro. You gotta grow up, though. You dating that girl and tossing her the way you did was real low. She honestly might not even stay with this dude for real just 'cause."

"What you mean?"

Jaleel pulled and coughed a little before he exhaled. Silence permeated for a couple of minutes before he answered me.

"You tossed that girl aside like she was a piece of garbage. You didn't even give her the respect of a phone call, a text, nothing. You let her walk in on you with your new chick like you were punishing her. That girl definitely would've given you pussy at some point."

But did I really want it? Looking back, I would've been wrong to take her virginity, knowing that I didn't want to stay with her. My mind space was clouded by someone else. At the time, I wasn't even ready to admit that much in my own mind.