Since 2nd Grade

Dulce's POV

   "Who is Dulce?"
   Ski asked, looking around. X walked up to me and pointed me out to him.
   "Her, slow ass nigga."
   X said, laughing. Ski scratched his head, and reached for a cigarette.
   "Oh."
   That was all he said.

   We stayed at his house until it started to become empty. The whole  time I spent talking to Kelsey and smoking. Ski didn't come up to me nor did I, him. X and Kelsey were the last to leave.
    "Ight man, I'll catch you later. Gotta go destroy the cat, you feel me."
   X laughed, and Kelsey rolled her eyes.
   "See ya later, Dulce."
   Kelsey said, kissing my cheek. I smiled and said bye as well. It was now empty in the house.
   "So, Dulce, it's nice to see we have mutuals."
   Ski said, taking a swig from a bottle of Hennessy.
   "Why didn't you talk to me that whole time? I thought this was supposed to be a date."
   I replied taking the bottle from him and taking a swig myself.
   "I was just showing you how I am in my natural habitat. Now let's go watch some Adventure Time and eat leftover Shrimp Alfredo."
   He said, standing up and walking towards a room. I followed.
   "I think you should take me home, it's getting late."
   I said worried. He stopped walking, and turned my way. He studied my face. Then, he turned back around.
   "Why do you really want to go home?"
   He plopped down on his bed and reached for the remote.
   "I can't want to go home? I just really feel like I should go before one thing turns into another."
   I said. He studied my face, and then burst out in laughter.
   "It's not funny, I'm being really serious."
   I stared at him, hoping I was coming off as intimidating.
   "Ight, I got you."
   He got up and disappeared into his closet. He came back out a few moments later with his keys and a du-rag.
   "Let's go."
   We walked out of the building, where we saw X and Kelsey were standing.
   "What happened?"
   Ski asked, walking up to them.
   "Ain't shit, just looking for a move. Y'all down?"
   X said, messing with his hair.
   "Nah, I gotta take her home. She being a big baby."
  Ski replied, walking towards his car.
   "That I am."
   I said, following him. We pulled out of the complex, and were on our way back to my house.
   "What's your real name?"
   I said, breaking the monotonous sound of the radio. He raised an eyebrow at me.
   "I'm serious. You know my name and I want to know yours."
   I said gently slapping his arm.
   "Stokeley."
   He said simply, as we stopped at a red light.
   "I like it. I'm going to call you Stokeley."
   I smiled at him, patting his head. He glared at me.
   "So how do you feel?"
   He asked me, playing with his hair. Why are niggas always playing in their dry ass hair?
   "I'm fine. How do you feel?"
   I replied.
   "I feel great. But it's only because I had a great time with a beautiful woman."
   He smiled, and the light turned green. I don't think he noticed it.
   "Um, the light, Stokeley."
   I said, laughing. I like him, but we just met, and I feel like he likes me a little too much.
   "Don't get me wrong, you're an amazing guy, and your lifestyle seems exciting, but maybe if we take things slow, neither one of us would end up getting too hurt."
   I said, looking out the window.
   "I agree. It's just so fun to be around you, and I'm usually by myself most of the time. I wasn't trying to fuck at my place either. We just chilling right now, so don't worry."
   He replied, messing in my hair.
   "You better keep those hands on the wheel before you kill us!"
   I laughed, moving his hand. We were getting closer to the house, and I realized I didn't want to be away from him. He gives off such a chilling vibe, and I didn't want to have to face Joseph after what happened before I left.
   "Why don't you come in?"
   I said as we pulled up by the house.
   "Are you sure? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."
   He replied, smiling at me. I knew asking him to come inside was probably one of the worst decisions in the world, but shit, now that I think about it, I deserve some new dick.
   "Shut up and let's go."
   I said, getting out of the car, and heading towards the door. Stokeley followed behind me. I grabbed his hand, and opened the door. Joseph and Leila were both sitting at the breakfast bar, eating pizza.
   "Hey guys, this is Ski."
   I said introducing them. I grabbed Stokeley's hand tighter, pulled him closer to my body so that my body was leaning on his. Leila said hey, and Joseph just stared.
   "Well we're gonna be upstairs, so make sure y'all knock if you need anything, ya feel me?"
   I winked, hoping to get Joseph's full attention and envy.
   I guided Stokeley up the stairs, and slammed the door when we got in the room. He stared at me.
   "What?"
   I laughed, walking towards the bathroom.
   "Who is that? Yo nigga or something?"
   He sat on my bed, messing with my pillows.
   "Stokeley. If I had a nigga, you wouldn't be here."
   I answered, taking my makeup off.
   "So that must be the nigga you fuckin then, cause he was acting dummy weird."
   He stood up to come watch me take my makeup off.
   "I feel like a different person when I take all this shit off."
   I said, as I wiped my mascara off with a wipe.
   "Can you pass me that coconut oil, please."
   I asked him, leaving out of the bathroom, and towards my closet. He followed me without getting the coconut oil.
   "What's your problem?"
   I asked, grabbing some pajamas out of my closest.
   "Dulce, I'm tryna get with you, but if you can't be honest and open with me from the door, then I might as well leave."
   He said, sitting on the bed. A lump appeared in my throat. I don't know what to say. I liked him, but I had to figure out what was going on with Joseph and I before I made any final decisions.
   "I like you too."
   I said, staring into space.
   "And?"
   He replied, waving his hands to get my attention.
   "I like you, and I think we need go go on another date or two before we make any final decisions. You could be a rapping serial killer for all I know."
   I said smiling. He laughed and pushed my shoulder playfully.
   "Aight well let me get out of here so you can take your ugly butt to sleep."
   He said, starting to get up. I walked him down the stairs and to the front door. Joseph wasn't down here but Leila was. I hugged Stokeley goodnight, and closed and locked the door. As I spun around to head for the stairs, Leila appeared in front of me.
   "So, is that your new boy toy? He's cute."
   She grinned widely, and walked back into the kitchen. I rolled my eyes.
   "Not everybody I come in contact with are disposable toys. Can't day the same for you, though."
   I walked into the kitchen as well. I was hungry as shit and momma ain't raise no bitch.
   "Woah, somebody's cranky. Did he not give you the D? Was it because you're vagina smells funky?"
   Leila laughed, shoving a mouthful of chocolate pudding in her mouth.
   "Call it what you want, sis. I'm not the one fucking niggas for a place to stay. I think they call that prostitution and I believe that it's illegal."
   I took out the peanut butter and jelly jars from the cabinet as I spoke. She didn't seem too bothered by my statements, which is fine, because I got something for that ass.
   "Oh Dulce, you're so cute. But I can see why Joseph wouldn't want you. You're just so annoying. Like a little gnat that won't die."
   She tossed her head back and laughed like that was the most funniest thing ever.
   "I wouldn't even want Joseph to want me, silly. Have you seen his hospital records? What about his prescribed medicines? He's HIV positive, hun. He fucked this chick named Alice about a year ago and she told him after he nutted deep inside her. He was sick as a dog for months. Couldn't even leave the hospital. I tried to warn you but walked in here all bougie and shit, so I said fuck it. Good luck, though.
   I said. I bit into my sandwich, and left the kitchen.
   "AHHHHHHHHH! JOSEPH!"
   Leila screamed. I walked up the stairs, and Joseph came barging out of his room.
   "Wassup?"
   Joseph asked me, and I shrugged my shoulders, and went inside my room. When I finished my sandwich, I changed into my pajamas, and went to the YouTube app on my phone. I started to play the Death Note anime, but right after the theme song intro was over, my door slammed open, causing a gust of wind to fly through the room.
   "Yo, what the fuck!"
   Joseph yelled, slamming the door behind him. I blinked twice, and sat up in the bed.
   "What are you angry about, sir."
   I asked, fake interested in his rage of anger.
   "Why the hell would you tell her I gave her some shit?"
   He walked closer to me, eyebrows knitting closer with every word he spoke.
   "First of all, you need to calm down. If you ain't got nothing, then you got nothing to worry about. Second, I just think it's funny how you can fuck around in the living room right after you just tried to fuck with me. Funny right?"
   I let out a stiff laugh, and stood up.
   "So what? This is my house, Dulce. We are not together. You don't want me, remember? That's why you bought a nigga up in here."
   He shouted, nearly spitting on me.
   "Well what the fuck am I supposed to do? Let you be the only one fucking? Let you be the only one happy and comfortable? Fuck that! I'm a whole person with my own mind to make my own decisions and when I saw that you were an unloyal ass, bitch ass nigga, I said fuck it!"
   I shouted back, poking his cheat with every few words.
   "Stop fucking poking me, Dulce, I swear!"
He said, not shouting, but sounding like he could throw a desk across the room. I decided to test him.
   "Or else what?"
   I said, poking him with every word. He pushed me to the wall and gripped my neck tightly.
   "Yes, daddy."
   It slipped out, and he slightly smirked.
   "Joseph, let me go. Now!"
   I squirmed until he let go of my neck. I ran into the bathroom, and quickly locked the door.

    I ended up falling asleep on the bathroom floor, and when I woke up, I had no sense of time. I opened the door to see a note on the bed along with my phone. The note read:
   We obviously got some shit to work out, but for the mean time, I'm taking Leila to a Villa in Dominican Republic so all of us have some time to think. I don't know if you'll be awake to catch me before I leave, so I left some of the local pizza place numbers along with Chinese food and there's $100 in my dresser drawer if you need it for whatever. We'll only be gone for a week. See you soon.
   That asshole! He didn't even consider that maybe I wanted to go on vacation or something. I shook my head in disbelief, and started to run my shower.