His Weakness, Her Liberation

OK, Let's Try It

"What the fuck?" My tone was louder than normal but not quite a scream. Whatever it was, the whole party looked back in my direction as I stood frozen in the atrium. I looked at Michael, who's hand was now holding the woman's arm, like he was bracing the both of them for what I would do next. I gripped the glass in my hand, wanting to hurl it at his head.

The woman look confused. Her milky skin turned red. I stared at her as she looked up at him.

"Don't do this right now, Janeé," Sterling's voice was just above a whisper as he firmly gripped my waist and spoke in my ear. His fingers almost hurt as they pressed into my bare skin. I looked back at him towering over me with eyes that told him I wasn't going to stop. I took a step forward and he caught my arm, squeezing it tightly. "Janeé, don't," he persisted.

The fuck? Who did this nigga think he was trying to stop me. This was my shit tonight. I paused and realized I didn't want to ruin this party or embarrass myself. Not for Michael, but for myself. I'd put a lot of time and effort into making this happen.

Music started blasting through the speakers of the house. The DJ was in another room and was clueless as to what was going on. The music seemed to take people out of the trance of what was happening in the foyer and they went about their business of having a good time.

Sterling still had a stronghold on my arm and didn't feel like he was letting up anytime soon. The nigga was strong. I relaxed the tension in my body enough to let him know I calmed down-- for now. There was a crowd of friends around Michael. This nigga was lucky this shit happened with so many people around. I felt my anger rising again as I looked back at Sterling and asked, "WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?!"

Michael

*Two weeks earlier*

Alex has been blowing me up all day, but I haven't been able to talk to her because I've been in production meetings. We haven't communicated in over a week, since she told me she wanted to talk about us. As I stepped away for a moment to call her back, my phone was ringing again.

"He's gone, Michael!" She was hysterical.

"What? When?!"

"The day after we last spoke. He just stopped breathing in the hospital."

"I'm so sorry Alex. When is the funeral? I'll fly out today to be with you."

"It was earlier today."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I hoped my tone masked my frustration. I didn't want her to go through that alone. This wasn't about me though. Her dad was gone and she needed me.

"It all happened so fast and telling you would have been too hard, too real. So I just didn't say anything. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. Listen, I can still come out there. Lauren can book me on the next thing smoking."

"It's ok. I fly back tonight. I can't be here anymore."

"What time do you land? I'll be there waiting for you."

I spent the next two weeks fully dedicated to Alexandra. She already was always at my place, but she practically moved in with me. I don't think she saw the inside of her condo one time. I cooked, nurtured and sexed her back to some normalcy. I didn't think about Janeé much during those two weeks and realized I could probably get over her easier than I imagined. Alex was always here and openly wanted to be with me. For most men, that wouldn't be attractive, niggas love a chase, but for me it made things simpler. I had enough complications in my life.

Alex had always been there and I was determined to be there for her. So when it was time to go to Atlanta, I almost cancelled the trip to stay with her. She insisted I go, but she was finally ready to have the ominous talk she bought up before her dad passed.

"Mikey, I want to be with you. I've never said those exact words, but you knew. Didn't you?"

I nodded yes, not ready to say much.

"So, can we try? I don't want to ruin our friendship, but the last two weeks have shown me that you're more than capable of being everything I need and I don't think I can just be friends with you for much longer. I need more from you. I need to be with you."

Those words sounded familiar. I said something similar to Janeé in the mountains. Thoughts of her suddenly rushed into my head and I let my frustration and hurt push me into a decision I wasn't ready to make.

"OK. Let's try it."

Alex was going to stay in L.A. because she knew what Steelo had planned and wasn't ready to share about her dad. When she got back two weeks ago, she asked me not to say anything to anyone because she felt like she'd have to relive the whole thing each time she told someone her father was gone. So I was surprised when she called me on Saturday afternoon saying she was coming to Atlanta.

Part of me was relieved when she declined the trip initially. I needed a moment to process the fact that she kind of forced my hand into being in a relationship with her. I hadn't mentioned anything to Steelo because I was put off by him suggesting I had someone in Atlanta. It was true I did, but something just rubbed me the wrong way about his approach. Him not knowing changed on Friday night.

I got fucked up at Magic City and started getting in my feelings about Alex and Janeé. Before I knew it I just blurted out, "Me and Alex are together now." I didn't think he'd heard me because he was fully engulfed in a big booty stripper making her ass clap on stage. "Bruh, I said me and Alex--," he cut me off before I could finish repeating myself.

"I heard you." He glared at me with an angry expression plastered on his face. He almost looked like he wanted to fight me.

"I knew you'd be mad, man."

"You really want to talk about this right now?" Steelo was annoyed. The big booty stripper was making her way towards us.

"Nah, it's cool. We can talk later."

"Come on." Steelo got up and shook his head at the stripper as we walked away.

Corey and Terrance were sweet talking two women who were visiting the strip club too. I didn't want to mess up their flow, so Steelo and I crept into a private VIP section where it was much quieter.

"What the fuck is wrong with you bro?" Steelo barely let me get all the way in the door before questioning me. "Like what the fuck are you doing?!"

I expected him to be a little put off by the idea of me and Alex, but his reaction seemed a little over the top. Maybe it was the drinks we had tonight.

"Why you so mad about this?"

"Because you're playing her, Mike." He didn't know the full truth about Janeé, but it felt like he was talking about her. It had to be my conscious though, Steelo didn't know everything that happened with Jay. "You know Alex is crazy about you and you know you ain't feeling her like that."

"I don't know. Her pops died, bro."

"Damn."

"She's been at my crib for almost two weeks and I think something may be developing on my end."

"So you get in a relationship with a girl you 'think' you have feelings for? Still don't make no sense."

"I know. She kinda forced me. She basically said if didn't try it with her we eventually wouldn't be friends. I don't want to lose her in my life. And her dad just died? I couldn't do that to her."

Steelo looked me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, guiding me back to the main room of the strip club as he said, "You're fucked either way, bro." His words rang like bells in my ear. He was talking about Alex, but knew I was fucked about Jay too.