Thy Neighbor II: Lovin' The Crew

Chapter Twelve

"Hey, man. I can't wait for this launch event in March," Y'lan says as he steps away from the conference room table and closer to Trevante.

Y'lan and Trevante couldn't be anymore different. Trevante's tailored suits and crisp ties make Y'lan's polo shirts and jeans look juvenile. Y'lan's wild but kept hair towers over Trevante's crisp fade, waves distinguishable from a mile away. They both play match with the beard, keeping it lined and tight.

Y'lan reformed choir boy antics don't compare to "Playboy Tre", what Y'lan calls Trevante. He grimaces at the "war stories" he hears from Trevante, only because he used to be worse. Even though he tries to caution Trevante to get it together, he doubts that he ever listens, watching Trevante put new numbers into his phone like they could win the lottery. He hoped that his talks about futures and wives and happy ever afters would get to Trevante. He just wasn't expecting Ciara to be the result.

Y'lan knows he has to ask Trevante if he and Ciara are together for sanity's sake. But he also feels that it is not his job to inquire. If anyone needs to fess up, it would be Ciara to Trevante. She owes Trevante at least the courtesy to know that she's working with a man who once dreamed to sex her and would have if Ciara wasn't so upright.

After hearing Winston's desires for Ciara's attention, Y'lan quickly concedes his participation in the sweepstakes game to win Ciara. As much as he wants Ciara, their history is too messy and complicated. Y'lan did her dirty, he has no right to believe that Ciara would be interested in rekindling their flame even if they let their embers burn at the coffee shop and with intermittent stares at Proverbs the other morning. He knows that feeling will pass. Ciara will wake up, smell his coffee, and go back to hating his guts.

Therefore, Ciara is fair game to Winston.

But not Trevante.

"I'll meet you at the whiskey bar on 2nd St. in about an hour, fam. I gotta send some final emails."

"Bet, see you there." Y'lan daps Trevante and walks out of Trevante's office, almost walking into Meganne, who was turning into Trevante's office to hand him one of his email marketing reports.

After sleeping with Ciara, Trevante noticed two missed calls and multiple texts from Meganne, some with attachments he was happy Ciara wasn't awake to see. He knows he must tell Meganne to chill out, hopefully as pain free as possible. But as it always is with Trevante, telling a hopeful woman "no" never ends well.

"Hey, Meganne, you have a second?"

Meganne hasn't mentioned her text and phone attack on Trevante. He thinks that she's too embarrassed or too drunk to remember.

"Sure!" Meganne sits down on the chair in front of Trevante's desk.

"When did you put your number in my phone?"

"Oh! Yeah ... when we were at the bar the other night. I thought it would make things easier. If you needed to reach me or whatever."

"You should've asked me first."

Meganne feels rejection in the air. She fights to not inhale.

"I'm sorry, Trevante. I figured you wanted it after the other night."

"What happened the other night?" Trevante is clueless as to what he did.

"One of your friends asked us if we wanted to go to Atlantic City with you guys. I figured you needed it to plan and everything."

Trevante and Y'lan already let their friends know about the trip to Atlantic City for Michael's bachelor party. What started as a trip for five – Michael, Yahya, Trevante, Y'lan and Michael's cousin, Sterling – is turning into a 15-man trip with both Trevante and Michael's fraternity brothers in attendance. There isn't an expectation of women being present. Especially not the 21-year-old intern and her friends.

"It's a guys trip, Meganne. My bad. I wish he told you."

"Oh, it's okay! You still have my number though if you want to link up."

"I can't, Meganne. You gotta stop sending me pictures too. My girl don't like that at all."

Meganne's enthusiasm turns into mush.

"Oh, you have a girlfriend? I'm sorry, Tre. I didn't mean to violate."

"It's cool, you didn't know."

Meganne catches her embarrassment enough to walk out of Trevante's office. Trevante doesn't regret using Ciara as an excuse to get out of this mess. Even if Ciara isn't his girl yet.

That's what he hopes to talk to Y'lan about.