Teenage Fever

Fire Away

"Been some days since I heard from you."
"I know, Ma. I've actually been busy at work. I'm loving the job. I'm still planning on visiting you and—"
"Don't even tip toe around the elephant."
Only my mom could make up sayings like these.
"What has been going on with you and Jackie?"

I swear I would do just perfectly fine if I never heard that name again.

"Nothing has been going on. We don't talk anymore, we're not together, Ma."
"Damn shame. She seemed like a really good girl."
I roll my eyes to that one. She had us all fooled, Ma.
"Did you at least try, baby? Did you try to make it work and talk to her?"

Now she was starting to sound like Jackie. Why was everybody trying to make this break up my fault?

"Yes," I lied. "But things didn't work out. We both agreed to move on."
That kept her quiet.
"When you coming down here, Les?"
"Soon, Ma, sooner than you know."

Truthfully, my thoughts were elsewhere. After going to the beach yesterday we came back to his place and sat in the kitchen for what felt like hours talking. Some part of me felt like Damario was in denial with some of the things he said. I was still curious and tried to ask him all sorts of questions pertaining to his experience.

I had sat at the kitchen table pondering how to ask my question while he moved to and fro.

"What was it like?" I finally asked.

He freezes up in the middle of the kitchen floor, his eyes slowly crawled in my direction.

"See, this is what we finna not do," he says and continues with what he was doing.
I couldn't help but to chuckle.
"Seriously, D. I feel as though I'm bi but I've never been with a guy but you have and you're not?"

I guess I had something to learn from him. It didn't make sense to me. He exhales and sits down across from me.

"I already told you that I was curious, doesn't mean I'm gay or bi."
"So you would never consider being with a guy again?"

I expected him to say no right away but he kind of hesitates, really thinking about it. He exhales and rubs his face.

"Nah, I don't think so."
That didn't sound too convincing.
"But... you've actually had sex with a guy...?"
"Yeah, man," he says in annoyance.
My eyes were bugging out.
"I- but- was it good? I just don't get how you can be in a relationship with a guy— I'd understand maybe if it was a one night—"
"Les!"
He looks frustrated but he actually starts to chuckle in amusement.
"I get why you're confused but it's not something I really want to talk about but... you're my boy and I guess I'll try to fill you in, but nothing explicit. I ain't going into it with you."
I nod. He sighs.
"I met a guy almost three years ago, he was cool... at the time... and things just hit it off."
He looks off, at the ceiling as if a new thought just came to him.
"I don't really think it was curiosity, I was just feeling him at the time. So we did the whole thing and next thing I know we're together which at the time I was fine with. And then next thing you know he's ruining my life... you know how that go. And I stuck around for some of the bullshit but then it got ridiculous."
He shakes his head, looking peeved all over again.
"Sorry to make you relive all that, I just figured I could get some insight—"
"I understand, I should of thought about it. When you first told me the other day I don't know why I thought it was a one time interest with you. I thought you was feeling that guy like I was feeling my ex. I didn't consider that you were actually bi."
"I see.... but I'm still surprised you let a nigga fuck you."
He starts laughing loudly. He even gets out of his chair to move around.
"Listen here, little nigga—"
"Tell me I'm wrong though."
He hesitates.
"Listen."
We both start laughing.
"Shut the fuck up, Les! It wasn't an often thing but at the same time it wasn't a 'you're the bottom' 'you're the top' or whatever type deal. It was whatever we felt like."
"Was it good?"
He hangs his head back.
"It's sex, Les, and I'm not out here having bad sex. I might not like any of my exes but I never had bad sex."
"Wow."
"Wow my ass."
"I bet you did."
He looks at me like he wants to hit me, I just laugh in return.

We continued talking. I tried not to ask specifically about his ex or why he was getting messages and calls still from him. I left that alone.

The week finally ended but on an uneventful note at work. The high schoolers last days of school were approaching which meant the Disney Land field trip was coming up... and I was already signed up for that before I even got the job. Going on the field trip was me, the staff members and the high schoolers that got their slips in on time. The deadline was already up now. I wasn't sure who specifically was going, I let the staff members handle that and group assignments. Less work for me. All I know was that around 30 of them were going.

I still had held the meeting on Thursday with Brie, Marcus, Jerome, Stacey and Dana'i. It wasn't all too eventful. They all seemed okay with their new schedules (I didn't change much). I also learned that not all of them work at once sometimes, for the most part they do but some of them have a day off here or there, just minor things. I'm 100% positive that things will change and call ins will happen early.
Hell, Dana'i even mentioned at the meeting that she had to take next Tuesday and Wednesday off. I made a note to make a calendar for them, give them their own little color post-its to put in on what days they wouldn't be in. If anything looked too "often" then I will put my foot up..... I mean..... down....

But never mind all that. It was Friday and work was done. I found D staring at me when he pulled up. I hoped in staring at him right back.

"It's finally Friday," he says.
"Don't start."
He surrenders his hands.
"I was just saying we could get something to eat out, maybe go to the club..."
"Where they have drinks?"
"Ain't nobody say anything about that, Les! I'm 22 hours sober, okay? You know this."
He starts to playfully cry.
"I can't believe you would mention the 'd' word to my face!"
"I can't stand you."

The weekend was definitely here and niggas were loosing it. When we get back to D's apartment building we start to hear gun shots. D flinched but I got down on the ground. I wasn't used to this shit!

"Shit, I think it's happening right in front of the door. Fuck! We gotta bounce before they start shooting at us, some damn witnesses."

The shots did sound like they were getting louder. D pulled me up and got back in his car.

"What we about to do?"
He answered by swerving up out of there.