Page 72 of He Don't Play About Me
We got seated pretty quick, sliding into a booth together. I sat on the end, taking it all in while they started talking over each other, laughing, already in their groove.
“You drink?” Renee asked me, grabbing the menu but not really looking at it.
“Yeah,” I said. “I do.”
“Say less, then, sis,” Kenya responded.
They ordered for the table like it wasn’t nothing. The drinks came out not long after. I took a sip, letting it hit, feeling like this was the first time I sat back and had fun in a long time.
“So…” Deja leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “You real quiet, Ms. Islah. What’s your story?”
I gave a lil’ shrug. “It’s not much to tell, I just needed a change.”
They all looked at me like they knew there was more to it.
“I feel that,” Renee said. “Everybody running from something or starting over.”
I sat with that for a second.
“I dated a Rollin’ Crip nigga from Crenshaw for seven years. After our home got ran into by the police, I found out he was fuckin’ some bitch for coke. I left him while he was in jail.”
They all stared at me. Kenya’s mouth was to the floor.
“Oh, so you ain’t no soft bitch.”
We all laughed as I shook my head.
“Not at all.”
“So are you running from the nigga?” Deja asked.”
I smiled before I answered, and I could tell that threw Renee off.
“Not at all,” I said before I took a sip. “I actually love that nigga a lil’ too much, and if I didn’t leave while he’s locked, I would probably be in the same spot that I was with him.”
They all nodded in understanding.
“Well, here’s to leveling up on a nigga!” Deja said as she lifted her glass in the air.
The glasses clinked together, and I took another sip, letting it settle in my chest.
“Leveling up,” I repeated low, almost to myself.
It sounded good, felt good. And for once, it ain’t feel like I was just talking.
The conversation started flowing after that, not on no forced shit, either, just natural. They started telling me about their own mess: old niggas, baby daddy drama. Renee even talked about how she had sworn off dating for years and already broken that promise twice.
I found myself really laughing, my shoulders relaxed, my guard dropped just a lil’ bit. It felt good to be in the moment.
“I can tell you got a mouth on you,” Deja said, pointing at me. “You’ve just been holding back.”
“I don’t know y’all like that…” I said, smirking.
“That shit is not gonna fly for long,” Kenya chimed in. “You already outside with us on your first day; you’re locked in now.”
I shook my head, but was smiling.
Locked in.
