Stepbrother

.xxv

Tytiana
*february 2011

Something about all this was wrong. I mean everything about it and the fact that Maia didn't even try to come check on her best friend spoke wonders for me but hey, I haven't really known her as long as Lee has.

Looking to go on damage control I followed Lee's path down the hall. When I found her my heart went out to her. She was hiding her face in the sleeves of her jacket and mumbling things to herself under her breath. I could shake the look I caught in Rochelle's eyes when I walked past her and the fact she and Odell were holding erie eye contact. Something wasn't right, I felt it.

"Lee?" I say softly, sliding down the wall next to her. "Are you okay?"

"No, I can't believe that just happened." Her cheeks were stained with tears but she smiled through the pain. I knew she was hurt. "I can't believe he would do me like that I mean in front of me like that. He's a bitch!" Lee kicked at the air in front of her out of frustration.

"I mean yeah but something don't feel right about this Lee." I started remembering everything that'd happened since last Thursday when he came back in from lunch in tears. Also, the story Lee had told me that happened at the end of the day when he kept saying he didn't wanna hurt her. Something was really fishy about this and all fingers were pointing to Rochelle. "This is all too sudden Lee, think about it. One day he says he doesn't wanna hurt you and he's actin' all weird after we see him talking to Rochelle, then suddenly he's asking Maia to be his girlfriend? Something isn't right here."

"Okay well if it had something to do with Rochelle, why the fuck would it matter to her," Lee pushed off me and stood up pacing the general area in front of her, "if she has something to do with this, he could have easily told me."

"I mean true but we don't know what she has hanging over his head." Suddenly the worst theory popped in my head. "You don't think she-"

"Found out?" Both Lee and I turned around to see Rochelle standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. A smug grin painted on her face. "Oh yeah, I know. Funny story actually, well to me at least. You guys are terrible whisperers and a little birdie, yours truly, heard everything." Rochelle pressed herself up against Lee's body, her finger in her face. "Look here you sick bitch, if I so much as think you and Odell are still creeping around I'll air out your dirty little secret, add some more to it to make it juicy, maybe if I'm in the mood...feed it to the police with some more added to it and fuck your whole life up. If I can't have him, no one will."

"You're absolutely insane." I said, clenching my fists trying to not swing on this bitch. "Like who really comes up with something like this just 'cause they hoe ass got dumped?" I pushed Rochelle out of Lee's face. This was it. I wasn't a fighter but if I had to, I would throw bows for Lee because none of this warranted what was happening to her. "I'll say this to you, and I'm only saying it one time so bitch be smart and listen. If you for one second think that you'll get away with doing this extremely over the top foul shit, I will hunt you down and knock ya fronts out bitch. Don't test me and my friend because you jealous. If you got your head out your ass and stopped being a bitch maybe a nigga would actually wanna be with you and not just fuck yo' hoe ass." I cocked my hand back, ready to punch her when I felt Lee grab my arm. "Come on, let me knock this hoe out one good time!" I begged.

"She's not worth it and it's too late. The damage is already done." Lee grabbed her things and mine. "Let's go."

I sighed, leaving Rochelle behind us, but not before leaving with some parting words. "Be careful hoe 'cause I got something for you if you test me."

—

Maia wasn't with us at lunch today, perfect for me to talk to Lee alone after everything sort of calmed down this morning.

"You know you gotta say something to Maia for real now, right?" I scraped my fork across my tray, scooping up some rice. Lee just shrugged, she hadn't touched her food all day.

"For what? It's pointless now. Rochelle essentially got what she want and this is all too much of a mess to even try and fix at this point." I hated seeing Lee like this. She'd been so happy up until this morning with the idea that she finally got her man.

"Okay Lee, cut the bullshit. I'm not about to do this with you. Why is there no reason to say anything to Maia now?"

"Because she seemed so happy to hear him ask her out again and what kids friend would I be to do that to her?"

"Bitch, is you serious? Are we talking about the same Maia that instead of checking on you stayed in the same spot and still hasn't asked if you're okay? The same mothafucka that you was talking 'bout would just have to understand because you liked him first before she even knew the nigga existed? Please save me the bullshit. Fuck her right now." Lee shrugged again and dropped her head in her hands. "You always out here worrying about other people's happiness instead of yours like be selfish sometimes, it don't hurt nobody but you in the long run."

"Whatever." Lee pushed her tray aside and rested her head in the table.

"Bye hoe, if you gone act like this, I'll go figure something out since you gone mope about it." I slammed my garbage in the trash can and stormed off. Maybe I was kicking Lee while she was down but she needed something to push her because I wasn't gonna sit here and let Rochelle win this.