Off Record

/Twelve/

Victoria and I sit across from each other, watching one another closely. Mac and Prince were proving to be a good team, just not good enough to beat us. We were leading by one book and just needed this hand to make sure we won.

The trick of the game honestly was trash talk. It always threw men off when we started and they would be so caught up in trying to talk back, they wouldn't notice me and V silently communicating on what we were going to play.

"Well, well, we'll. It looks like they sweatin' now Mac. You might have to open a window." Prince says as we wait for V to put her card down. He was a very good trash-talker and was trying to throw off our game. We ignore him, looking at each other.

V puts down a 3 of diamonds and I hold in my smile. I have no more diamonds so I'm going to have to play a spade. Mac puts down a joker of the same suit and I make it a point to look down at my cards nervously.

"Don't be scared to put a card down. It's okay to lose every now and again baby." Prince teases lowly. I cut my eyes at him and put down the king of spades. Mac sucks his teeth. "You better not have a diamond in your hand or you owe us 3 books."

"Don't worry what I have in my hand, you need to be worrying what baby boy has in his." I reply smartly, referring to Prince.

"Baby boy, huh?" He chuckles. It was an evil chuckle that had V and me glancing at each other. He couldn't.

Prince dramatically throws down the Ace of Spades and Mac jumps up excitedly, dapping him up. "Oh shit, my man P. You came through."

"I told them. They didn't want to listen." Prince brags arrogantly, dusting the nonexistent dust off his shoulder.

V sucks her teeth, rolling her eyes. "The game isn't even over yet. We're still tied."

"Exactly, so stop celebrating." I chime in, silently praying she has the highest card because I sure didn't.

"Aight, aight." Mac sits back down and gestures for Prince to put his last card down. It's the Queen of hearts. We all just throw our cards in because it's the last highest card in the deck. They dap each other up again dramatically, making me and V get up from the table and still talk trash.

"Finally! Now y'all can help clean up my house." Keisha says from the couch, wrapped in her throw and watching a movie.

We all laugh and look around, seeing that it did get kind of messy. This was our 3rd game for the best two out of three. It was going on 12:30 and we were all floating from our wine and beer consumption. Even though I was having a good time, my mind would still go back to what I heard in the hallway a few hours ago when I went to check on Prince and Mac.

Mac was always a good judge of character so when I heard him tell Prince he liked him, it made my heart flutter. It was a total 180 degree change from anything he ever had to say about James. I was just happy I wasn't the only one seeing the goodness in him.

"Where is the bathroom?" Prince asks me as I throw away some forgotten plastic cups. "It's down the hall to the right."

He bites his lip nervously. "Can you show me?"

I agree and lead him into the hallway and towards the bathroom. "It's right here." I open the door and turn the light on for him.

He doesn't say anything as he grabs my hand and hauls me in behind him. "Prince!"

When the door shut, he pulls me to him, capturing my mouth with his. I don't fight it because I've been wanting to kiss him for over an hour now.