"Girl fuck you!" Iris said as we all sat around the table laughing at these fools. Iris and Nicole had been going back and forth for quite some time and we've just had a show before us. It was me, Iris, Nicole, both Ericas, Dom, and Araya. We had all just been chillin at Martin's house by the pool. It was a beautiful ass day outside for real. "I'm just saying, it's nice to see the softer side of you though." Nicole said to her. "Ain't nothing soft about me, ya heard?" Iris said being all gangsta as usual. "Puhleassseeeeee girl you get soft as tissue when it comes to Charles." Aries said. "That does not count. That man will always get a different side of me. That's Bae, but the world though? Yeah...no!" Iris defended. "Girlll it's just us." I said to counteract her current foolishness. "No for real, it doesn't have to be like that in this crowd at least. Chill mama." Araya said to add. "I hate to play Devil's advocate, but I feel Iris. You never know who you can really be vulnerable with. People do with that, what they will. You never know when someone will switch up." Dom said and as soon as she said that Erica looked over at her. "Girl...your emotionally retarded ass would be the one. Y'all in the same boat." Nicole said. "I don't think it's emotionally retarded, they're just not comfortable expressing emotion." I said. "Yes and no. I'm comfortable doing whatever, y'all know me. But at the same time, I never want anyone to get it twisted like I'm one to play with. We can ke ke ke all day long and that's cool, but when it comes to real shit, ain't nothing funny. Feel me?" Iris said. "And sometimes it's not even about comfortability, it's more like if I let this person in, then what? I have to gauge if they were even worth being a part of my life. When you gave too much to others in the past, you don't ever wanna risk giving shit to another soul." Dom stated. "But then you're saying it's okay to assume that everyone is the same?" I said. "Naw, everyone isn't the same, but everyone has the same capabilities." Dom quickly said. "This sounds like a bunch of undiagnosed PTSD." Erica said. "Perhaps. But it's life lessons, I'm cautious." Dom said. "And mine is diagnosed by the way. I just be pushing through." Iris said. "Okay, forgive me if I'm wrong, but is there some tension in the room?" Araya asked and it was a valid question because this all took a turn. We all looked at Iris and Dom. "Naw, I'm just stating facts is all." Iris said. "Not my way, but if anyone felt a type of way, we can talk about it." Dom said. Fuck it. "You sure?" I asked and Dom turned to me. "I'm only asking because I know you and Tony are close so maybe there's some type of animosity." I said to her. "That's honestly no business of mine. You both collectively decided to do your 1-2 and you both seem happy, so ain't shit for me to say." "I mean you may feel like you shouldn't comment on it, but you might feel a way." I said. "No, you just expect the worst from me. You did the same thing when you first met me boo. It's never been that type of party. Tony was my childhood best friend and he's like a brother so if he comes to me to talk about you, I'm gone listen. But I'm a woman first, so if you come to me, I'll listen. You think somewhere in your mind that I'm just Team Anthony, but you never talked to me about it. It's assumptions at this point. So maybe you needed to get that off of your own chest, but I didn't have anything to say." The sad part is she was absolutely right. "I'm willing to admit, initially, I did come at you wrong. But I also apologized for it." "Girl but if you were gonna still harbor awkward energy, you could've kept the apology. I don't have an issue with you, never did. Hell you would think we'd me closer considering the fact that your ma...whatever he is to you is my best friend. But instead it's like this." "Not to jump in, but I was thinking the same thing. I thought you two were like besties and then Iris came in the picture and 2 became 3. But from the outside looking in, it's tense." Aries said. "Toy, trust me, this ain't no Brown Sugar, best friend shit. It's real life, they went through everything growing up together type shit." Nicole defended. "Maybe y'all should talk alone." Araya said as she stood up and everyone else followed suit. Dom looked over at me and then sat back. "I'mma keep it real Toya, I honestly think you want to dislike me so you find reasons. This is a conversation you could've brought up at any time, so why now?" "We were just on the subject, so I thought I would ask." she looked at me blankly. "Girl you have my number, you could've always called or texted me. I'm not even a hard person to deal with at all. But like I said off rip of meeting me you wanted to dislike me without even getting to know me. I don't force myself on anyone, so I kept my distance but the door was always open. We really should practically be like sisters, but there's a weird wedge here and I didn't put it there Toy, so be real. What's up?" "Maybe it's because if our roles were reversed, I would judge you." I cannot believe I just admitted that to her, crazy enough that gives her leverage. "Well lucky for you, I don't judge." she said as her look softened. She came over and sat next to me. "I'm no different than Charles or Iris. I'm loyal to Tony, but don't ever think that means I'm choosing between you two. I'm not your enemy Toy, you're being your own worst enemy." I had to just let those words marinate.
YOU ARE READING
The Unusual Suspects Book 2
General FictionThe story of 6 inner city young adults, all from different walks of life, from different areas, and conquering different hardships. Watch how school, family, drugs, lies, the streets, and love bring them together and rip them apart
