Secrets Amongst Friends

After the Flames pt2

Rashad

I drove around for nearly an hour. I was exhuasted and my head was pounding. I stopped at a gas station to grab some asprin. I looked down at my phone while pulling onto the main street and realized I was around the corner from Shaylah's house. I shrugged my shoulders and made a left at the light. "What the hell?" I asked myself. I parked in Shaylah's driveway next to a car I didn't recognize. I walked up to the door and knocked twice. After a few seconds of silence I was about to knock again. I heard the faint sound of Shaylah moaning . I pressed my ear to the door to make sure I wasn't mistaken. I kew that sound too well. I rummaged through her bushes until I found the box that held her spare key. I let myself in and quietly made my way up the stairs. I felt my blood begin to boil. Here I was, coming to check on her after everything that had just happened and she was up in here fucking somebody else. I pushed her bedroom door open and there she was. Back arched high, toes curled in the sheets. Whoever that was between her legs was putting in work. "Really Shaylah?" I asked, raising my voice above her moans. She sat straight up and stared at me with wide eyes. "Rashad what are you doing here?" she shouted. "I was coming to make sure you were ok, under the circumstances. But you seem to be doing fine to me." I replied sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and stood, letting the sheets fall around her feet. Im just as upset as you are Rashad. I just needed to clear my head." I laughed, losing my anger. Even in the midst of all this, she looked so damn sexy. I ran my fingers through my dreads and licked my lips. "Typical Shaylah behavior. You cleared your head by filling your bed." I caught the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips, but she kept a straight face. We held eye contact until I felt myself come alive for her. I could smell her from where I was standing. She wanted it too. Our silent conversation was halted by a voice that startled me. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. You call me over here the other day. I put it down and you scream some nigga's name. I leave here with my feelings all hurt. But as per usual, you call, butter me up with a bunch of bs and I come back. And again, I put it DOWN and the same nigga who name you were calling, waltzes in here and yall all but strip each other naked and act like im not even in the room? That's so foul Shaylah" she said pulling her clothes back on. "I love you but I cant keep doing this. I deserve so much better than your disrespectful ass. Im changing my number first thing in the morning so don't bother calling me the next time this nigga starts treating you like the piece of ass you are to him". By this point she was crying and nearly screaming. Shaylah walked over to her and grabbed her arm. "Blue, wait. I never planned for it to be this way. I mean, sure, I never planned on being serious with you but I definitely didn't want to hurt you. Even though i don't love you. I enjoy the time we spend. Im sorry. Maybe in the future we can remain friends?" Blue looked at Shaylah and shook her head. "You don't get it. Ive loved you since the first day I saw you in that gym. Now I just feel stupid for wasting my time loving someone who doesnt even respect herself enough to get a man of her own." Shaylah looked shocked. "Yea. I peeped the wedding band on old boys hand. Youre trash Shaylah. And I wish you all the bad in the world for playing with my heart and possibly ruining someones marriage." She finished. She stormed out of the room and down the stairs. The door slammed and Shaylah looked at me she sat on the edge of her bed. "See what you did? You ran my happy ending away" she said only half jokingly. I gave a small smile. "I shouldn't have come bursting in on you. Im sorry for that. You ok? " I asked sitting next to her. She shrugged. "Lets see. My best friend hates me. Im knocked up. And to top it off, my on call sex toy just dumped me. Yea im great." I wrapped my arm around her and stroked her hair. "Look I know things are bad right now. But we'll work them out. Idk how just yet but we will. Look at the bright side.Its out now. And as bad as it is, it's a huge weight lifted." I admitted. She looked up at me and nooded. "Speaking of which, how bad is the house? Wheres Keisha?" I tensed at the mention of her name. "Shes wherever she is and the house is fixable. Horrible. But fixable nonetheless. I don't wanna talk about that. For right now, I just wanna forget." Shaylah laid back and spread her legs. "Let me help you" she offered, gently pulling me on top of her. My brain was screaming at me to say no and go sleep on the couch, but my body was on another page. I needed to release. The shit had already hit the fan. I had nothing to lose.

Shaylah

An alarm snatched me out of some of the best sleep id had all week. I sat up and and looked around, slightly confused. Things began to come into focus and I realized I was home. I glanced over at Rashad, who was stil sleeping peacefully. Not even slightly bothered by the noise. I glanced at the time and nearly flew out bed. I was running late to meet Keisha. I didn't have time to shower so I just threw on Rashad's muscle shirt and a pair of sweats. I threw my hair in a messy bun and smeared a little vaseline on my lips. I grabbed my keys and phone and ran to my car. I pulled up to Starbucks just as Keisha was walking to her car. I rolled my window down and called her name. She turned around and looked at me. She smiled and waved and walked over to my car. I didn't know what to expect but it defiitely wasn't smiles and waves. She opend the passenger door and got in. Once in the car I could feel the cold coming off her. "I was 2 seconds from leaving. Don't get it twisted..Im done with you. Like foreal. I hate you and my blood is boiling just being this close to you. But I need to maintain a certain level of decorum until all this burning house mess blows over. Never know who is watching". She sat scrolling through her phone for a couple minutes before she said anything else. "Whats up Shaylah? Why did you wanna talk to me?" she asked. I took a deep breath and turned to face her. "Look Keish. I know-" I started. "Pause. We are no longer friends. You need to address me by my real name and nothing less." She snapped, still looking down at her phone. I was starting to think this was a bad idea. "Ok fine. Devalynne, I know I screwed up. I know you hate me. I knw youll never forgive me. But I am so sorry. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I made a mistake or it just happened. I knew what I was doing and I was wrong. But Ke...my bad...Devalynne, the truth is I love him." She froze. I knew I was treading thin ice in shark infested waters but I was too deep to turn back now. I continued,"I don't know when it happened or how. All I know is I do. Even though I know he doesn't love me back". I choked on that last part. Id never admitted that out loud before but Im not stupid. I knew what I was to him. She slid her phone in her purse and stared down at her wedding ring. "You know what Shay? I was so sure I was going to come here and hear you out and still not feel anything. But I actually feel sorry for you. You'll never be anymore than what you are right now. You will spread your legs for anyone who even smiles your way. Ive always known this but I admired your love and freedom of self. Turns out youre just a hoe. You say you don't know why or how you fell in love with MY husband. I know exactly why. You love anything that doesn't belong to you or you don't have to work for. You loved being captain of the cheerleading squad in highschool. I tried out and yet somehow they chose you without even having to show up to auditions. You fell in love with accounting because you screwed the owner at your interview. The same position id been vying for for months and they chose you. Not because you were a better candidate than me. Just because your pussy was friendlier. You fell in love with Rashad because he was MINE. You just couldn't stand losing such a good man to me. In your head, I shouldn't be so lucky. Youre prettier. More confident. More independent. You thought you deserved what was mine because youre better than me. Not to mention, hes easy." She said laughing. "I know my husband. He is a man through and through. Easily swayed by a fat ass and a fake smile. But you know why I really feel bad for you Shay?" she asked, finally looking up at me. I didn't respond. I fought back tears and struggled to steady my trembling hands. "I feel bad for you because no matter how many things you take from me, or anyone else, you will never be anything more than a lowlife, dirty, disloyal little girl with friendly pussy. Who made it out of Third Ward on her back and with as many dicks in her mouth as necessary. Keep your apologies. Hell, you can even keep Rashad. Just make sure you keep your scheming ass away from me and my child. Otherwise, itll be more than just verbal shots. Try me. I'll blow your brains out and drop you off on your mamas doorstep. She still lives on Cullen, right?" She got out of the car and slammed my door so hard the window shattered. I sat stunned for a second before I finally let the tears fall. "Oh and by the way," she said through the broken glass. "Your little apology might have meant something if you didnt still smell like sex with my husband, you grimy bitch." She took the Betsy Johnson charm bracelet I gave her off, and threw it at me. I watched in silence as she got into her car and drove away. My entire body hurt. I felt so broken and I didn't even know where to start picking up my pieces.