My Slime

13. F#cked Like A Slut

Shanae wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped into the dimly lit Waffle House, glancing around for Kentrell. She spotted him at a booth in the back, leaning against the seat with that easy confidence she'd noticed before. He looked up, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he saw her.

"Look who finally showed up," he teased, his voice low and steady.

Shanae rolled her eyes, but a smile slipped out despite herself. "I said I was comin', didn't I?"

He chuckled, shrugging. "True, but I ainno you would actually come. You seem like you gota busy life."

She scoffed, sliding into the seat across from him. "Not as busy as you would think. Just... complicated."

Kentrell raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with a curious look. "Complicated how?"

She hesitated, for a moment. Part of her didn't want to give too much away, but there was something about Kentrell that made her want to open up. To be honest, she felt like she needed to open up to somebody—anybody before she exploded.

"Let's just say, trusting people ain't really been workin' out for me lately."

Kentrell nodded, a hint of understanding in his eyes. "I feel that. Folks switch up quick as hell when you least expect it."

Shanae studied him, a little surprised by the sincerity in his tone. "You been through some things?"

He gave a short laugh, glancing down for a second. "Been through enough fake shit to see it comin' a mile away... Learned quick to keep niggas at a distance."

She nodded, feeling an odd sense of connection. "Yeah... sounds about right."

They sat in easy silence, both watching as their waitress wrapped up at a few tables across the room. There was a weight between them—not heavy, just the kind of quiet that holds things unsaid. Finally, Kentrell leaned back, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"So, you here to talk 'bout all them folks who did you wrong? Or you actually here to have a good time wit' me?"

Shanae laughed, feeling a little of her guard slip away. "Alright, alright. What I gotta do to have a good time around here then?"

Kentrell's smirk deepened. "First of all, you gotta stop carin' what errbody think... Live a lil. Try sum' new."

"Oh yeah? And you got somethin' new for me?" she asked intriguingly, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugged, his gaze never wavering. "I might. But it ain't 'bout what I think you need. It's 'bout what you really want."

Shanae blinked, caught off guard by his choice of words. She could feel a mix of intrigue and nerves swirling in her chest. "And what if I don't even know what I want?"

Kentrell leaned in slightly, his eyes locking onto hers. "Then maybe it's time to find out."

They held each other's gaze for a moment, the tension thickening in the air. Shanae's pulse quickened, and she could feel her walls beginning to crumble a little more, her curiosity overpowering her hesitation. For once, she wasn't overthinking, just... feeling.

"Alright, Kentrell," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "Show me what you got."

An hour later, Shanae was following Kentrell's car through the winding streets, the glitz of downtown fading in her rearview mirror as the neighborhood around her grew darker, rougher. She glanced at the cracked sidewalks and boarded-up houses, feeling a surge of excitement mixed with a little apprehension. But she couldn't deny the pull she felt whenever she was around him, this pull that had her following him out here in the first place.