Two Can Play That Game

Chapter 10

Michael

I trudge into my apartment and heavily carry myself through the dark living room. It's cleaner than it was when I left and I realize it's because Devante has company over. I walk past his room and stop in my tracks as he's laughing at something on tv with the remote resting on Bianca's sleeping back. He looks up as I hover by the door and grins.

"Well, well, well, almost 1am and look who decides to come strolling in. Date night went good? How long did it take her to cave? Did she lose? C'mon man, you're killing me here!" He chuckles and I run a hand through my hair.

"Yeah... I lost." I murmur and his face falls.

"What!?" He mutes the tv and placed a finger over his lips, then starts to get up slowly but fails trying not to wake up Bianca. She shifts and rolls over, revealing her pregnant, bloated stomach.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She groans and he quickly responds.

"Nothing baby, just have to use the bathroom. Go back to sleep, I'll be right back."

He points fiercely towards the hall and I roll my eyes and follow him out. We walk down to my room and go inside then he shuts my door and gawks at me.

"You're fucking joking, right? You rammed into her before she guided you down there? I'm confused, you leaving details out." He accused and I groan loudly, falling back onto my bed.

"We went to the arcade on fifth street and Ola works there-"

"Fuck, Michael!" He groans, knowing where I'm going with this. Me and Ola never dated, but we were some fierce ass friends with benefits. Devante caught us many times to know what we had going on. He glares at me.

"What happened?" He asked and I start explaining how the date was shit and how I got annoyed when Aaliyah labeled me as her boyfriend in front of Ola and made me looked changed and tied down all of a sudden. Devante listens attentively while frequently checking the hall for Bianca listening in, and once I finish with telling him how I went back to the arcade and secretly fucked Ola in the back of my car, he stares at me wordlessly.

After a few more silent minutes, he grimaced. "Damn, Mike. You really fucked up. Why didn't you just call the bet off?" He asks and I shrug.

"Forfeiting is probably forbidden and it'd give her the thought that I cheat-"

"Which you did." He growls and glares. "I can't stand to think of her humiliating you at that summer fair, you've got to keep your fucking mouth shut-"

"No fucking shit." I spat and he narrows his eyes.

"Don't fucking do this, Michael. You always do this shit, you drown your problems out in different bitches." He says and I scoff.

"You can't talk. You cheated on Bianca and you two been dating for four years." I accuse, causing him to glare harshly at me.

"Shut the fuck up. I was nervous, I never got serious with girls before, but I confessed up to my ignorance. You've always been like this man." He says calmer and I sag my shoulders.

"Yeah." I mumble and we stay silent again, just letting our minds wander I guess. After about five minutes, a light flickers on in the hall, followed by a door creaking, then a god awful retching noise.

Devante cringes. "Shit, I better go and help her. She always gets so sick. Anyways, you need to think about playing this game better with Aaliyah. As much as I hate to admit it, she's not stupid. Fix your shit, Mike. Goodnight." He says walking out of my room. I hear him coaching Bianca through her morning sickness and I roll over, blocking out her gags from across the hall.