ONNAXOFF

Chapter 8

Abel

Less than 30 minutes after leaving my apartment, I get a call from Cash.

"Ok, so I have good news and bad news." he says, as soon as I pick up. "Which one do you want first?"

"I don't care. Just get it over with, we’re almost at the club." I’m too tired for talking right now.

"Ok, I'll start with the bad news. Jessie left. And boy, was she pissed. She probably won't want to talk to you for a while. But she might have gotten most of her anger out when she punched me."

"She punched you?!" I ask, surprised. Lamar laughs from the other side of the back seat.

"Yeah, hard too. Lucky I have such thick skin or I would've bruised like a bitch."

"What the fuck did you do?"

"Ahh, that brings me to the good news. She passed the test." I can hear the smile in his voice.

"What test?"

"How could you forget about the test? You know, the are-you-after-him-for-his-money test." He asks incredulously. "Has it been that long?"

"What the fuck, Cash? I thought we agreed that was a really fucking stupid idea."

"No, you did. Don't diss the test, bro. The test is foolproof. Or should I say, hoeproof?" He chuckles.

"You realise, for the test to work, they would actually have to be willing to fuck you?" I remind him. The test started as an idea Cash had once when we were stupid high. He said the only way we could know if a girl liked me for me or the fame is if he tested them first, offered them money and fame if they betrayed me. Lamar is the one who came up with the sex part.

"It worked with you-know-who." He says smugly.

"Madison was a long time ago."

"Oh, so we can say her name now?" He mocks.

Madison was the one of the girls who actually fucked Lamar in exchange for coke. Even after that, I didn't listen to their advice. It didn't end well and I was fucked up for a long time.

"I'm not the same dumb kid I was back then and Madison," I make a point to say her name again, "was a whole different class of bitch. Besides, we're not talking about her, we're talking about Jessie and she's not like that. She’s cool."

"Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say, bro. She passed."

"I know, but dude, you shouldn't have tested her. I can take care of myself. In fact, no more testing. That shit's creepy as fuck."

"Okay, alright. Just don't come bitching to me when the next hoe comes along and breaks you.” He says, hanging up the call.

I sigh. I know he has my best interests at heart but damn, Cash can be so fucking overprotective.

__________

A few days later, after leaving the studio early in the morning, my mind drifts to Jessie. She should have cooled off by now, so I text her, asking if she wants to come over. When I check my phone around 11.30pm, with still no reply, I think Cash was right. She's probably not going to want to speak to me for a while, if ever again. My stomach rumbles to remind me that I haven't eaten since morning. Finding the fridge almost empty, I'm left with the options of either making myself something to eat or getting some fast food. That little place we went to the other day sounds pretty appealing right now. Like she said, their cheeseburgers were delicious.

About 15 minutes later, I sit down in the empty café and the waitress that served us last time comes up to my table immediately.
"Hey, sugar. How you doing? You’re not with your sister this time?" She asks, surprisingly cheery for this late in the evening.
"No, not this time." I smile after a short pause where I remember pretending to be Jessie's stepbrother. "I was just in the area and thought I'd stop in for a bite. Can I get the cheeseburger and fries again please?"
“Sure thing.” She beams and rushes off to get my order.