femme fatale | t.r

(xxvi) split decision.

"I swear to God that if this boy doesn't answer this phone,"

Reign had been standing outside in the rain at Cree's apartment. He hadn't seen him in a couple weeks and due to his hectic work schedule, he hadn't even bothered to catch up. He stood behind his word on paying Cree back for covering for him for babysitting, but how the fuck was he supposed to do that and the nigga wasn't even answering his door? Reign rolled his eyes, stepping under the little cover that he could to protect his hair from getting wet.

He dialed his number one more time before a woman came running. She had several bags in her hands, dropping them near the feet of Reign. She looked at him as she dug for her own key card. "You a new resident? Lost your key or something?" She asked. Reign was deep in his phone but he looked up for the short time period to nod his head. He scratched behind his ear, smiling as he heard the key card scan at the door. Like the gentleman that he was, he held the door open while the woman piled inside. Both of them had made their way to the elevator and Reign put his phone away, looking to her with a smile.

"Let me help you with these groceries," He said, taking some that had been slipping from her hands. She didn't oblige, thanking him in short breaths before asking him which floor he was going to. "7th floor," He said and it seemed the both of them were riding to the same floor. There was no conversation, the both of them minding their business. When the elevator dinged to their destination, he allowed her out first and followed. It was so awkward, the both of them practically walking to the same door before they laughed looking to each other.

This was the gag.

"If I knew that my son got a new roommate, I would've stopped sending him checks for the other half of rent. Who are you?" She said as she placed the grocery bags on the ground. She analyzed Reign, who was fairly attractive. She understood her sons sexuality and she would be fairly surprised if this was the type of man that he was seeing. Reign held himself to a high standard, hair always done, clothes always on 10 and his hygiene? It was immaculate. "Reign," He responded simply. He wasn't going to deny the allegation of the roommate, because he had been staying here fairly often. Cree had become someone that was so close to him. Jasmyn and Maya had been at the hip since grade school, but Reign never had that sort of connection with him unless it was with A.

Cree had given him every reason to be best friend material. They partied until the sun came up, watched movies that until they were sleep on the couch and had practically been ready to fight behind each other since day one. He made work a lot easier, both of them feeding off of their inspirations to collaborate on fire ass ideas. He hadn't even realized that Cree's mother was inserting the key in the door, ready to fire his ass up when their reuniting was over. It appeared that she would be in for a few days, one large suitcase in her hand that made it complicated to carry groceries. Reign walked in after, seeing that the apartment was organized per usual. He walked to the kitchen to place the groceries down alongside his mother. Conversation had been easy with her, meaningless things about Reign that she wanted to learn. He'd learn that her name was Aubrianna, she preferred Momma Adams though.

Momma Adams let out a loud exclaim, hand going to cover her chest as she stood in the living room. This was the type of apartment where there would be a bar like island area that separated the living room. Reign came around the corner to see what had caused Momma Adams to almost have a heart attack. She fell back against the love seat that was across from the cocaine covered table. She was shaken, tears falling down her cheeks and onto her hands that covered her mouth. As a friend, Reign immediately stormed to Cree's room. So many questions roamed his mind, like since when was his friend a coke head? He busted in. It was time for his breath to be taken away, Jahmir and Cree laid up in the bed.

The initial entrance of Reign caused the two lovers to stir, waking from their sleep almost immediately. Jahmir had the worst reaction, sitting up and standing from the bed whilst Cree got himself together. "Friend, what the hell? How you get up in here?" Cree asked while looking to Jahmir. It took a minute for him to put two and two together since Jahmir was rushing to get his clothes on. He rubbed his eyes, looking to his boyfriend. Their boyfriend. "And what the fuck is you doing?" Reign heard Cree ask, but he started to see red. He walked over and cocked his arm back, smacking Jahmir with all of his gay might. His backhand sent him spinning and onto the floor. Cree stood, pulling Reign off of Jahmir. "What the fuck?!"

"That's my nigga, Cree! What the fuck is YOU doing?" Reign said, slap punching the fuck out of Cree to get him off of him. Cree held a genuine look of confusion before he heard his mother crying. He moved from out the room, sheets covering his naked bottom. Reign followed after hearing them arguing, but not before he had looked down to Jahmir who was pleading for him not to go. Reign pulled out his phone, a bright light flashing over Jahmir's face as he recorded for his Snapchat and his Instagram. "Watch out for the DL gay niggas on that fucked up ass app! Pussy nigga!"

Reign went to check in on Cree, who had been crouched at the floor with his shoulders shaking. He was so mad that he didn't know if he wanted to kick his ass several times or comfort him, but he did the maturer option. "Clean this shit up, Cree. You too damn talented and goal driven to be doing coke.. Let alone fucking my nigga. Get yourself together for the presentation tomorrow. I came to take your ass out to lunch but it seems as if that asshole had enough to eat." Reign said as he grabbed his coat and looked back to Cree who looked to him. There was so much that wasn't adding up in this picture, but he didn't even want to know.

Reign had managed to catch up to Momma Adams, crying at the elevator that she had been waiting for. Reign hesitated and put his arms around her. He couldn't all that much understand what she was saying through her ugly crying, but he would be there as best as he could.

"Thank you for the coffee," Momma Adams said to the waitress that had come by with her coffee. Reign had been looking out at the rainy covered window, sighing softly. "You can't be sad and I'm sad, son." She said to Reign, who looked at her. His appetite was completely gone, but Momma Adams had offered him a ride and there was a diner on the way home. "What happened between you and Cree?" She asked before blowing at her coffee.

"Cree is...was my best friend, just about. I saw him with a guy that I had been messing around with and I just left him there. How we friends but sharing niggas?" Reign said. Momma Adams sipped her coffee before raising an eyebrow, a chuckle at her lips.

"If it was that Jahmir nigga, him and Cree been messing around. I can't even stick up for my son right now, but look at the bigger picture," Momma Adams said, but it went out of one ear and in the other for Reign. He didn't want to be the bitch that got mad at the friend and not the nigga, but for now he was gone have to be bitch. "Cree is my son. He's always been so confident, so radiant of energy. I don't understand why he'd damage his body like that with all those drugs.. but he's my son. I don't want him to end up like me, you know? Fifteen years for prostitution. Now? I have a little podcast for little girls and things.. You could say it's doing well. I met a man who loves me despite my past, a man who kisses my body as if it's never been kissed before.." Momma Adams said with a smile. She knew that deep down she would have to forgive her sons for his sins just as someone had done her, but she needed a minute to recoup her emotions. Reign sighed and held her hands, a smile coming to his features.

"You're strong, Momma Adams. I'm proud of you and I think that you should talk to Cree. He's family," He said before letting go of her hands. "He's a coworker for me, from now on. Only one of at this table has to forgive him," He said.

And he wouldn't be the one.