The Friend

Alicia

"You called him a dumbass construction worker?" Maxine demanded.

"Dumb. Not dumbass," Alicia corrected.

"It doesn't matter. It didn't help—he never wants to see me again," Maxine said.

Alicia folded her lips together and sat back in her seat as the bus rolled on. It was the next morning and as soon as they finished breakfast, Maxine couldn't wait to interrogate Alicia on her conversation with Rodney. More like a stand-off, Alicia thought. She remembered admitting to her best friend earlier before breakfast the way he kept pestering her last night. She couldn't keep it to herself because that man was out of his mind.

And yet, when she first heard him step up to her, she couldn't believe her eyes. Her stomach plummeted to the floor as her body clammed up. She was confused as to why he was here. She thought that he was here to find her, but then realized he was here because of the drinks. Quickly, she looked away, but then he began to talk to her. His tone wasn't pleasing; it was though he couldn't be bothered with her and yet he was forcing himself to talk to her. It was weird. When they exchanged hostile words and he stalked off, she stared after him for a while. Never had she met any man that vile, that rude that made her skin crawl.

"Girl, between that and he finding me kissing another guy, I blew it," Maxine said.

"I thought you guys were just dancing...?" she smiled.

"He had that D'ussé, girl. I just wanted a drink," Maxine said, "But you know how guys are. They give you a little something, something and they want you to pay up immediately. I was just returning the d'ussé favor in advance. I don't do late payments. Interests add up."

"You really couldn't resist?" Alicia asked.

"I mean, I could've," Maxine shrugged, "I just...I don't know. It all happened so fast."

"Must be hard to be pretty. So much drama!"

Maxine laughed, "And what about you? Met anyone at the party?"

"No. I don't think your dress could've done me justice. It looks great on you, but...it isn't the one for me," Alicia said, "I think maybe after internship today, I'm gonna go shopping. Get some things of my own. I finished my freelancing project so I have some spare time before I pick another gig up."

"I need to go with you!"

"Aren't you working a double for someone today at the hospital?"

"Shit."

"I just...I want to wear clothes that'll make me feel good."

"Easy there, tiger. Dezzi might not know what to do if you transform," Maxine joked.

"Maxine?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I said before I was ready to go all the way with Dezzi, but now I'm not so sure."

"What's stopping you?"

"Becoming a mother."

"If you don't take birth control and get on with things. Sex isn't that serious."

"It isn't?" Alicia frowned.

Maxine sucked her teeth, "Hell no. Sex isn't about love. It's about power. It's about what you can get out of it. Half of the times, guys our age don't know what they're doing anyway. Girls don't derive no real pleasure from it. So we gotta get something else out of it. Especially in this grimy-ass neighborhood."

"Neighborhood?" Alicia repeated, at a loss.

"Yes, Alicia, follow me, will you? It's about doing it and getting out clean, taking whatever you can with you. You got to demand. You got to take. Just like with our lives in Harlem. We got to take and take and take what we can and then get the fuck out."