Pride

Chapter Twenty-Three

DeMarcus Cousins

"Every time your name came up I tried to act all nonchalant in front of an audience..."

Frontin'; Pharell Feat. Jay-Z

I was again at another school party, wondering what I'd even been doing there. The vibes were perfect though, which was shocking but I was still wary. Even at the last party I'd been to, despite my emotional turmoil it was also a good vibe before things went left. I was hoping for a chill time. I was only at the party more so because of Kimbella. I could've gone for staying home and getting lifted more than anything else. Maybe tapping her later. Popping out to a school party was at the bottom on my list but I could tell my flavor of the moment wanted to stunt. Being seen around the way with me was probably also the reason.

We were talking. Most people already felt like we were an item but I'd always quickly respond in the negative when asked. Not that any other girl at the time interested me if I were honest. I just wanted it to be known that I was single and if I was seen around them we were hanging out. Nothing more, nothing less. I believe I was still smarting a little bit from the drama that came with dating Davida on a serious level. I thought we could've been something but realized I should have put that energy into Shakyra. I'd been playing our recent conversation in my mind over and over and promised myself I would give the next girl much more than the last one. I just knew in my heart that Kimbella wasn't it for me. She was cool and easy-going, but she was surface level. I needed more than someone to watch Love and Hip-Hop with. I needed more than Netflix and Chill and smoke sessions. I needed more than sex. Sex wasn't hard for me to come by. It was the extra that I wasn't ready for.

Meanwhile, I again holding up the wall but this time I was on my lone wolf business. I watched the crowd as they bugged out to the most recent bangers.

I raised a brow at Shakyra as she was caught up dancing with Trevante. I chuckled, shocked that she and Wendell were still broken up. I didn't get much joy from the news but still shrugged my shoulders, slightly amused that he was as much of a clown as I believed him to be. I didn't say much however since I let the same girl go. I hadn't let her go from a space of insecurity, however. Another dude wasn't about to be the reason I let go of mine without solid evidence and Broderick being a creep wasn't a good reason.

It was an interesting picture though, watching them together. The last time I watched Shakyra dance with Wendell, I saw that she was happy...at least I thought she was. It was different watching her with Trevante in the crowd, dancing as Jerry Sprungher boomed in the background. I barely knew dude but the contentment that you saw on him was miraculous. I knew had Trevante been her man instead of Wendell months backward, my process would've been harder. Besides, Trevante had clout. I could've gone off the deep end and started trouble but it wouldn't have gotten me any points. Wendell was a clown. Trevante wasn't.

I moved my gaze to see Kimbella having fun in the crowd several people down. I licked my lips, kind of in the mood to get busy with her since she was moving just right. That was until my stomach growled. I looked over at the snack table and decided to make my move and walk over there. I grinned as I saw the layout and wondered who put the time and energy into putting all of the food together.

As I approached, I started licking my lips, seeing the candy bowls in a section of their own. I saw the Snickers bowl and saw that there was one left. As I reached to grab it, a small, dainty hand swiped it before I could reach it. I looked up and saw Lichelle opening the package with a smile on her face. It was so adorable that I almost sighed but the annoyance that it was even her took over every other light feeling I had. I didn't even understand why she'd been at the party in the first place.

"What the fuck..." I mumbled, "Yo, give that up!"

Lichelle snapped out of her reverie to throw me a raised brow, "No. I saw it, I grabbed it, it's mine. Find something else to eat, DeMarcus."

She turned to walk away and I moved two steps over to block her path. I took her in and wondered if it were even Lichelle I was talking to.

She was wearing a royal blue crop top Nike sweat suit. Her stomach was bared and it added a layer of sexiness I normally didn't see coming from her. She wore her hair straightened with a matching fitted cap. I was tempted to knock it off since it was sitting a little too low on her. I could barely see her face and that bothered me.

"Listen, little boy. I've had enough of your shit. You saw me reaching for that candy."

"I might have seen you, but I didn't care. Kindly move around and find something else to fit inside of that pie hole of yours."

"I'm not moving. Give me the candy or do something about it."

Lichelle shrugged and took a bite out of the Snickers. My mouth started to water at the sight and I wasn't sure if I were angry with her for defying me so coldly or if the picture of her doing it sexily pissed me off. Either way, I was angry and felt she had to pay for that much.

I smirked and reached over her for what I noticed was chocolate pudding. I grabbed her hat and stuffed it in the pudding. Hearing her gasps of horror made me feel marginally better. That was until seconds later, I felt something wet hit my chest and face. I cursed savagely to see she'd thrown fruit punch at my custom Jordan shirt. I'd worn them to go with my Elevens.

I retaliated by grabbing the nearest pitcher of water and throwing it at her face. While she wiped her face, she grabbed cake and threw it at me. I found M&Ms and tossed them at her by handfuls. More cake went back to me and our struggle had kept going for the next couple of minutes.

Before long she was shouting at me and I was shouting back at her. None of it made sense but it was all we had left since we wrecked the food bar. Ketara had grabbed her before long and Kimbella had showed up by my side, looking more hurt than angry.

We breathed like we wanted to fight some more. Like for some reason the attention was heady and would never be enough.

"Let me go, Kiki. He really thinks he's a bully and he's a baby! A whole baby, out here crying about some Snickers!"

Her face was flushed. Her hair was sticking to her face and yet for the first time I had to admit to myself that Lichelle was the most beautiful girl I'd laid eyes on. I had to admit to myself that somehow, someway I let our relationship turn into the sour mess that it was currently when all this girl wanted to do was get with me.

I let her rejection of me spur me on to get her attention whenever I had the chance. Now, I was having food fights with her when what I wanted to do was kiss the chocolate off of her lips. It made no sense but the reality of looking at my own self hard in the moment shamed me.

"You're supposed to be the smartest person in this school, and you really think this is about a fuckin' Snickers bar?"

Lichelle heard me mumble the words even as she walked away with Ketara. She turned around, her mouth agape but quickly recovered. Whatever she was about to say, she hadn't responded to it. Instead, she shook her head and walked away. I stood there, looking crazy. Sucking my teeth, I turned to ask Kimbella if she'd wanted to leave but found she was no longer standing there. Shrugging my shoulders, I decided to leave while I was ahead. I was shocked that security hadn't broken us up or kicked us out the party but with the mood, I was in at the moment, I was good on parties.

It'd be a long time before I went to another one.