B O R I S

XVI: Tomfoolery

His fists were balled up by his sides and his lint filled dreads were wrapped on top of his head. I could tell in his bloodshot eyes that he truly thought he was going to murder me.

"Nick, go home," I demanded calmly. "Get some sleep, get a shower-"

"I don't have a home. If I can't live with Oly, I can't live with anybody," he puffed.

"Guess you'll have to stay homeless, sis," I started shutting the door on him but he stopped it with his foot.

"Don't call me sis."

I gave him a frown. "But dark skinned Ashley taught me that one.. and it suits you."

He shoved himself into my house and lunged for me. He moved like my drunk uncle at my cousin's wedding, tripping and grunting. I stepped out of the way to allow him to crash into the wall.

Shaking my head lowly, I stalked toward him, picking his head up by his bun. "This is your last warning. Get to steppin' or I'm gonna get to stabbin'. You'll end up just like the others, Neil.. minus the sexual activity before hand."

He looked up at me with a scrunched face. "What others?"

"Get out, Noah." I picked him up and pushed him toward the door. "Now." I turned my back to him to make sure my wall wasn't damaged. Thank God for the mirror that I cleverly put across from the door. I could see him regain his strength in the reflection as he charged for me again.

Standing up straight, I grabbed him by the throat, picked him up, and slammed him onto the ground. He let out a yelp, giving the assumption that his back was "'bout broke."

I wasn't quite done with him yet, though. Grabbing his collar, I dragged him into the staircase, the glass case, and into the door again. I held his hair and smacked his head into the door quite a few times actually. I do admit that I was being a little excessive. But this was his only warning.

He soon enough fell into my arms, unconscious. He wasn't dead yet, I made sure.

I tried not to smile my way into the Red Ink Cafe with the warmth coming from the Panera bag and the coldness from the drink carrier. I had to get into character for this to work. I took a deep breath before entering. I thought it worked. Straight faced with a sad lip lift when laying my eyes on my sweet.

Olyvette smiled wide with open arms once she turned to me. "Hey, baby!" She took the drinks from me and hugged me tightly before setting them on the table next to the window. When she noticed my sharp inhale she stepped back and looked at me. "Baby is everything okay?"

I nodded quickly and pulled out her chair for her. "Yes, of course, I'm fine," I assured her. I set the food down on the table as I sat across from her. "And sorry that I'm late. I had this idiot come to the door, bitching about something." I shrugged.

"It's okay," she said. "I understand." She eyed me before digging into her food.

I did the same and ate with her in suspenseful silence. After a few chews went by, she set down her panini and reached for my sunglasses. I jerked my head back. "What are you doing?"

"Why are you wearing sunglasses inside?" She frowned, still eying me. "And it's raining outside."

I looked at her and studied her face, pretending as if I were debating to tell her what had happened.

"Today, sir!"

"Fine! Fine," I set down my panini as well and wiped my fingers with a napkin. "Fine. The visitor wasn't just some random person." I let out a sigh. "It was-" I truly forgot his name for a second this time. I wasn't even trying to be an asshole. What was his name? "Nick- Nate."

She looked up me with a raised brow. I figured her attitude was in full affect. "Nate Gene?" She shook her head. "That still doesn't explain the sunglasses."

I let out a deeper sigh this time and slowly pulled them off. I heard a gasp before I could set them on the table. "Boris! He did that to you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oly, it's not that bad-" I picked up my phone and turned on the camera. I looked into the screen to see my eye was black and blue with a yellow ring around it. "Oh."

"Not bad? Boris, do you see yourself?" She rose from her chair and rushed behind the counter. Thankfully there were no other people in the cafe at the moment. "You look horrible! Did you call the police?"

I stood up and set her at the opening of the counter. She planted a bag of ice around my eye. "No, I just kicked him out and waited until he was gone to leave. I'm not a wuss, I swear. I just didn't want for you to be mad at me for getting him locked up or anything."

"Boris, after this and harassing me at work this morning, he needs to be in jail! I don't care where he ends up, I just need him to leave us alone," she puffed angrily. She looked at my chest and studied it. "You winced earlier, what happened?" She began unbuttoning my shirt to reveal a deep cut across my chest. "Oh my god!"

I glanced down at it and sighed. "Alright, he might've walked around the house breaking shit and pulled a knife out on me after he punched me in the face a few times."

"Boris!" She gave me a look of shock and disbelief. "Was he sober?"

"Certainly not," I shook my head. "He was barely aware of anything, I would think. But he was still very hostile."

He wasn't aware at all actually. He didn't remember a thing. Not aware of when I cut myself across the chest with one of my favorite kitchen knives and smacked my face on the corner of the kitchen counter.

Olyvette shook her head and paced to her phone in tears. "This is so horrible! Boris, I'm so sorry you had to deal with this Tom foolery!" She tapped on the screen and held the phone up to her ear. "911? Yes, my name is Olyvette Grant and I'm calling in to report home intrusion and assault towards Boris Esposito. Yes, the man's name is Nathaniel Gene. He's got long dreads and he's most likely wearing red. He's also heavily intoxicated. We will be at the Red Ink Cafe if you have any questions. Yes ma'am, thank you so much! Have a good night, God bless." She looked at her phone and ended the call.

Leaning against the counter and watching, I turned my head to the floor to try and hide my giddy emotions.

Nate was going to jail and I hoped they would free him on one of my best days.

One step at a time, he would be out of the way of my Olyvette.