Brie Gets tha D

Chapter One

Brie leaned her cheek against the steel she'd just knocked on. It felt cool against her skin. She heard the locks being undone on the other side and pulled her cheek away. The door slid open.

"Brie?"

"Hey D-D-Deon."

Brie wiped at her eyes and tried to gather herself. She thought her brother would've answered the door. In hindsight, she realized it was silly not to have expected Deon, her brother's best friend and roommate, to open the door too. Deon and her brother, Marcus, had met their first year of high school and been A1's from day one. He'd brought Deon to the house two months before Brie's tenth birthday and never left. He had become a member of their family.

Deon's eyes crinkled in concern. "Brie? What happened?"

He looked past her, trying to figure out if her pain was behind her. He ushered her in and closed the door behind them. He crossed his arms and gave her a quizzical look.

"Brie. Say something please. Did something happen with... homeboy?"

Brie yanked on the sleeves of her hoodie, extending them over her fingers. She seemed focused on the task as she nodded.

"I had to end it. It wasn't—it needed to end."

She rubbed roughly at her eyes to catch her unending stream of tears. She looked towards the stairs.

"Is Marcus upstairs?"

"He's away at a conference."

Her shoulders drooped. Brie was trying to show a brave face, but she really needed older brother love.

"Talk to me. I know I'm not Marcus, but I promise you, his advice is basically from me. I taught him everything he knows."

She cut her eye at him skeptically.

Deon feigned hurt and clutched his hand to his chest. "You know what? Normally I'd kick you out and go to my room so that I could cry and play my 'unbreak my heart' playlist... but I'm gonna push my pain aside and be there for you." He bowed his head towards her. "You're welcome."

She stared at him, the words flowing past her lips effortlessly. "Why you such a fool?"

"Only you say fool. Ladies think I'm charming."

Deon rubbed his hands together and licked his lips like he was slow mo'ing in a music video. Brie didn't want to, but a smile peeked out. She completely ignored the tingle that danced down her arm at his lip licking.

"You're sooo foolish, Deon."

"Foolish enough for you to stay? Smoke a lil ting? I restocked on my way home and got one of them sticky party pre-rolls."

Brie paused. If she was being honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to go back home. Her roommate had a friend over for the night. She didn't know if she had the strength to be there, especially with this time usually being when a person makes toxic decisions. Like calling an ex. Or letting him come by and having ex sex that you regret immediately after.

"Ok. Yeah."

Pulling her hoodie off her head, she did a quick head shake, like a dog shaking water of their fur. Her curls sprang to life, the epitome of happy at no longer being confined. They bounced around until they settled into a soft fro around her heart shaped face. Deon turned to tell her a joke, but the view of her hair drifting into place made him pause. He knew beauty wasn't the only reason to be with a woman. Still, a woman as beautiful as Brie should never have to cry over heartbreak.

"Fuck him, Brie. Dead ass," he whispered and moved to stand in front of her.

"You and yuh 'dead ass'," she mumbled, more to herself than in response.