NELLY

Corey or Crook: Chapter 9

" So I take it you two are together?"

"Not anymore" I answered, ignoring Kaykay's call.

"I'ma be honest with you Natalie. This is a poor way of starting off any type of relationship. You got me pulling up to pick you up and Jake out here crying like Little Richard. I ain't for all that baby girl."

"You know Jake?"

" Yeh. Shawna his babymama is my sister. We have the same father. Shawna and me may be siblings but we come from two totally different backgrounds. I grew up a little better off than Shawna. She got the rough end of the stick. I never knew that youngster was a cryer though" he laughed. I didn't think Atlanta was that small until I met Corey. This circle of drama seemed to have no ending.

Corey stopped laughing and quickly turned towards me with a stunned look. I turned looking at him, almost confused. He then pulled into a closed parking lot, putting the car in park, but still looking stunned.

" Oh so you the girl who took Jake's charge aren't you?" Corey asked.

" Yep,. . . .that's me" I answered looking down at my shoes.

" Mane, this is a small world."

"I was just thinking that"

"I can't judge you Natalie."Corey said softly, grabbing my hands. " I got into a little trouble bout 7 years ago and had to do 2 years. After that, I changed my life. Went back to college and got two degrees in business and accounting. But I heard about the beef with you, Jake, and Shawna. I'll talk to my peeps for you. That must be what Jake was talking about back at your house. I'm not with all that drama. But if you're still with Jake, I only ask for you to not waste my time."

I looked at Corey and smiled. "Me and Jake are done" I said leaning in for a kiss.

Corey softly pushed my head back, "Nope you probably just kissed Little Richard. I ain't tryna start crying." We both started to laugh uncontrollably.

Corey took me to a Hibachi Restaurant on his side of town. We then went to his house and watched a couple of movies until we fell asleep. I was awaken by the sound of guns going off on the movie "Training Day". Looking around, I had almost forgotten where I was. Looking beside me, I stared at Corey and how good he look sleeping. He had changed from out of his date clothes and jumped into a tshirt and some pajama pants. I couldn't help but to get aroused at the way his tshirt squeezed tightly to his muscle. As I looked at him in heat, he opened his eyes and rubbed his hand gently down my face.

"Enjoying the movie baby?"

"Yeh, it's not like it's the first time I saw it" I laughed. "But the movie was watching you."

Corey leaned in and rubbed his hand down my blouse and around my inner thigh. It felt so right, but I just couldn't go there with him that soon.

" No Corey, I'm not ready for that right now" I said softly, moving his hand to the bed.

" Yeh you right. It must be the liquor talking for me" he said in an embarrassed tone. We sat watching the rest of the movie and Corey phone started ringing, scaring the shit out of me. He grabbed his phone, kissed me on my forehead and walked into the bathroom to answer it. Why did he have to go there to take a phone call? I turned the television volume down. . .

" Yeh she's here. How far away are you?" he asked the person on the other end of the phone. " I'll stall until you get here."

With everything that was going on with me, Jake, and Shawna, I couldn't take any chances. With my heels in my hand, I tip-toed downstairs and out the front door. I wasn't very familiar with the Buckhead area, but Corey stayed in the heart of the city, so it was easy to find a bus station. I got off the bus and had to walk 45 minutes home. Corey called me back to back, but I never answered. I could've called grandma or Porsha for a ride, but I wasn't in the mood to hear any sermons.

I made it home at about 2am. Kaykay was still there when I arrived, watching movies and eating popcorn. Thank God grandma had decided to go ahead and go to sleep.

" So I take it you had a good night huh?" Kaykay mumbled, eating that popcorn like she hadn't eaten all day.

"Yep, we just had dinner at Hibachi and movies at his house." I answered, making sure to leave out any details of Corey's phone call and my walk back home.

"Nice house?"

"Beautiful house!" I said, ignoring Corey's call once more. "And he stays there alone. Hard for me to believe it, because it's so well decorated. He probably hired someone to do it for him."

"I doubt it!" Kaykay laughed out loud, still killing that popcorn. " Yall fucked?"

" No. . . .and why you having doubts?" I asked with an attitude. Between her eating that popcorn and her blunt comments, I was beginning to feel irritated.

" Nothing Nelly. I think I'll go to bed now." she laughed, rolling over. I rolled my eyes and headed to my room, texting Porsha. I hadn't talked to her in a few days, so I decided to pay her a visit the next day.

I couldn't go to sleep. All I could think about is Corey's phone conversation. Who was he on the phone with? Why were they talking about me? What was planned? Was I just over reacting and running off on a good man. I couldn't win for losing. Things were more complicated than I thought. And I was reaching my breaking point. . . .