Too Far Gone (Urban)

42| Talk That Talk

"Ready, okay!"

Pierce watched intently as the cheerleaders practiced their tricks and flips, wiggling their hips in perfect sync to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. His eyes passed over each of their figures, then locked onto Claire. She looked less than enthusiastic as she slid into a split, shaking her pom poms in the air whilst the other girls did some more flips and cartwheels. He sighed, turning back to Rascal, who still babbled on about something or someone he couldn't remember - he wasn't paying enough attention to comprehend his story. Rascal finally took notice, pausing mid sentence. He glanced at Claire, then to his friend.

"Man, don't worry about her," Rascal leaned back into the bleachers, resting his arms along the edge of the next row of seats. "She can't stay mad at you forever. I mean, what did she expect when she chose to date the star quarterback of Stil' High, total commitment and a promise ring to prove so?" He chuckled, "I swear, girls are a trip, man."

"Man, I don't know... I love her," Pierce replied. Rascal leaned forward, simultaneously shaking his head in disagreement.

"You only think you love her. C'mon man, this is like y'all third argument this week and she won't even say why she's mad. My momma told me when shit like this happens, that means it's time to call a quits."

"I can't just dump her, G," Pierce leaned back and stared at the puffy white clouds in the sky. "That wouldn't solve anything."

"Pierce, my man, some problems aren't worth solving. I mean, look at you, you're your own man who's going his own places in life. You could be in the NFL making millions and getting any girl you want. Claire is just another one of them girls holding you back, what makes her different from the rest of the hearts you've broken?"

Pierce glanced at Claire again -- she was staring directly at him. When she realized he was looking at her too, she looked elsewhere and crossed her arms as their team captain spoke. Pierce rested his head on his propped up knee. "Maybe you're right."

"I am right. Trust me, man, as corny as this sounds, you'll find your soulmate one day, and when that day comes, you'll truly feel it. Momma said love never fails, and if it fails, it wasn't love; so this thing between you and Claire has to end if these problems persist."

Rascal tossed his basketball a few feet in the air before spinning it on his finger. "Besides, Melissa's been staring at you since their practice started. That's a fine piece of chocolate ass right there, man."

Pierce scoffed, feeling his face heat slightly. "Man, why the fuck am I listening to you?"

"Because, I'm your best friend. When have I ever misled you?"

Pierce blinked as he came to, his eyes feeling dry, as they were glued to the highlighted text on the stark white piece of paper. Negative, meaning he wasn't the father. He looked to Trinity, who had been staring at him since he walked in.

"I just don't understand what you were thinking..." Pierce grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose whilst crumpling the paper in a closed fist. He sighed, rubbed his face, and shook his head at her through steel bars. Trinity's eyes fell to the floor, her hands beginning to wrap around her stomach. "That's supposed to be your fuckin' best friend," he lectured, "Why the fuck did you stab her?"

"Because..." Trinity sniffled, "she was going to take you from me."

Pierce slammed a fist on the metal bars, causing her to jump and the guard to look over. "That isn't an excuse for trying to take someone's fucking life!" He spat, "Rascal took you from me, but did you see me plotting to kill him, even if I wanted to? No! I've learned to live and let live; there's plenty of people in this world I could potentially be with besides you."