Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven (21 page)

I wiped sweat from my forehead.

"I ..."

"You what?"

"I was in the hot tub."

"Oh, and what about when you got out of the hot tub?"

"I need to go change."

"What the hell do you want to change now for? And where's your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend, Seven, and I suppose he found somewhere he'd rather be than here dodging bullets with me."

I felt myself getting angry; angry at myself for letting Seven scare me.

"What happened?" He asked, sitting down on my new sofa and making himself a little too comfortable.

"Nothing happened, Seven."

I bent to pick up the sarong from the floor.

"Leave it there. If you was comfortable enough to stroll your ass around in front of that nigga with that on, then you damn sure shouldn't be trippin' off me. Come here."

"No."

"Bring your ass here, Bari."

It seemed to me that if someone didn't know Seven, they would think that he never got angry, that he was just a very quiet person. But I knew him, and his tone was menacing.

“I said no. I need to go change my clothes. I'm very uncomfortable." If looks could kill . . . "It doesn't have anything to do with you. I don't make a habit out of walking around in a fucking bikini, Seven! Did I do it at your house? No. So, why would I change up now? I'm going to change my clothes. If you want to shoot me in the back of my head when I walk away then fine."

I turned to go upstairs, but he caught me by my arm.

"Why the hell would you say that to me, Bari?"

I was confused. He sounded genuinely hurt.

"Huh?"

"Why did you say that?"

"Because. Didn't you say you were coming to kill me? Well, get it over with, Seven, if you're gonna do it. I'm not gonna keep tiptoeing around you, hoping you don't snap and blow my head off. I'm tired, Seven." My voice cracked, and tears filled my eyes. "Do what you're gonna do so I can get on with my life, or not, but I'm not..."

"Girl, stop telling me what you're not gon' do. You ain't runnin' shit." I could tell he was trying his hardest to hold on to the anger that was slowly slipping away from him. "Go change your clothes."

He watched me walk up the stairs. I came back down about fifteen minutes later.

"You're still alive!" Gucci screeched, jumping up and hugging me. "I love you." She kissed both my cheeks. Six looked at Seven in understanding, and Seven shook his head. Gucci suddenly looked worried. "If Bari is still here, where is Trim?" She asked.

"He went home," I said.

"How the fuck you know that fool's whereabouts?" Seven demanded. I rolled my eyes. "Don't piss me off, Bari."

"Do you like it here, Bari?" Six asked.

"I love it."

"Of course she loves it, that sorry ass nigga lives right next door," Seven ranted.

"Thank you, Bari." I said sarcastically.

"You better quit playin' with me," he warned.

"I can't help who lives here, Seven. He lived here before I even knew I owned the damn condos."

"Own 'em?" Six asked. "You own these?"

I nodded.

“Evict that fool," Seven ordered.

"No," I snapped. "I'm not going to evict anybody."

He gave me a deadly look. Then gave a smile that border lined on psychotic and sexy.

"I ain't trippin'. He won't be around long anyway."

A chill ran down my spine.

"Look, Seven. . ."

"No, you look, Bari. You're a disrespectful ass bitch, and I should be beatin' your ass right about now. Instead, I'm sittin' here wasting my time debating with you about just how out of pocket you are, when I already know."

"You don't know shit, and I don't have to defend myself to you. I haven't done anything. It has nothing to do with disrespecting you. I wouldn't disrespect myself like that. But if l chose to, and I wanted to, I would, consequences and you be damned."

"Y’all need to go," he said to Six and Gucci.

He got up from the couch.

"Seven," Gucci began, then looked at Six for assistance.

"Come on, Gucci," Six said. "Let's go."

"Are you crazy? I ain't leaving her here with him. Fuck that. She ain't did nothing, Six! And if she did, so what? She don't owe him shit! They ain't even together! He's wrong this time. Bari and Trim ain't fuckin', and maybe if he would grow the fuck up and quit leaving her for days at a time there wouldn't be no room for nobody else to get in!"

Seven turned slowly around and looked at Six.

"You better check yo' bitch, my nigga," he said quietly.

"Fuck you, Seven!” Gucci exploded.

"Gucci, shut the fuck up," Six ordered. "This ain't got shit to do with you."

"I called her, and she's in my house. She can say what the hell she wants to say. She's right. You leave for days on end and expect me to sit around playing Barbies until you come home to make sure I'm still alive and in love. Does that mean I want someone else? No. Does that mean someone else couldn't get in if they wanted to? Yes, it does,” I clarified quickly. “But that definitely doesn't mean that I haven't thought about it. Trim? Hell no. I don't want anybody. Regardless of what kind of ho you think I am, I don't move like that."

"But she should though," Gucci said. "She took an ass whipping from you that she didn't have coming. She accepted all them bitches and hoes you called her that she didn't have coming, and she left your ass when she really didn't even want to but knew she needed to. You got your damn nerve trying to come over here regulatin' any damn thing."

"Gucci, I ain't gon' tell you again," Six informed her. She sat down in a chair and glared at Six. "Let me talk to my nigga."

"Come on, Bari. We don't want to be in here any damn way," Gucci said.

I led her to the den. We sat down side by side on the sofa.

"I can't believe all this,” I said.

"Bitch, fuck all that. You're so wrong, you need an eraser on you head to rub this one out. I can't believe you, Bari. What the hell were you thinking?"

"You just said ..."

"Fuck what I said. I told you before that I'm gon' have your back right, wrong or undecided. I meant that, but now that it's just us, you are dead wrong, Bari. Trim, bitch? Come on. You know that ass whoopin' he got from Seven ain't even a month old, and here you are cavortin’ around with the fool like y’all the best of friends. Seven hates Trim. You're playing with fire, Bari. Somebody's going to get hurt really bad, all so you can prove to Seven that you're grown. Think about it, Bari."

"Gucci," I began, then attempted to choke down the lump in my throat. "I'm not happy here. I know I haven't given it much of a chance, but I feel like I'll never be happy without Seven."

"You love him, Bari, and that's not a bad thing. You think just ‘cause somebody calls you a bitch when they get mad that you owe it to yourself to pack up and leave ‘cause Bari deserves better than that, but Seven is human. He's gonna get mad. You're gonna get mad. You'll exchange some bad words, cool off and move on. You dwell on everything."

"He hit me."

Her expression changed.

"I know, huh? Bastard. I oughta go out there and bust his ass in the head with one of those giant vases. He didn't have that to do. I don't care how mad he got."

"Has Six ever hit you?"

"Yep, and he has the scar to prove it," she laughed. "Sho'll did burn him on the back of his knee with a curling iron and I'll do it again. I love Six, Bari, and there ain't nothing in this world that could make me leave him. I stay with Six because that's where I want to be. The bad times with the good, and I accept them both happily, because I know I'd be miserable without him."

"Like I am."

"Exactly. So, if that's how you feel then why aren't you out there trying to fix shit? He ain't the one that was splashing around in a hot tub with another bitch. It's up to you to make this one right. I was scared for you, Bari. I've heard about and seen Seven's temper, and I was worried about you. I think that's why I got so mad at Seven, but Six said that he didn't believe Seven would hurt you. It was Trim that he was worried about."

"Bari?" Six knocked at the door. "You alright?"

"Yes. Thank you, Six."

I got up and hugged him.

"I'm mad at you. Sho'll am," Gucci informed Six with a roll of her eyes.

"What did I do?" He asked. "Wait. You can tell me all about it. Bari, Seven wants to talk to ...damn! This mutha fucka is tight! Can I kick it, Bari? Let your big bro kick it!"

“Y’all don't let me and Bari in y’all play pens!" Gucci yelled.

"Can I, Sis?"

"Go for it, Six."

"Fuck Thirteen!" Gucci screamed.

Six laughed and tackled her on the couch.

Chapter 43

"Come here, Milkshake." I sat down across from him. "If this is where you want to be, it's cool with me, alright? I ain't gon' try to make you stay with me. I ain't gon' try to make you be with me. If you want it to be over, it's over, and you can call that bitch, Trim, and tell him he can get from under his bed now. I ain't trippin'." I continued to look at him. "I'm serious. I mean it." He picked up my hand and kissed it. "When you love something you're supposed to let it go. At least, that's what the word is. I don't really agree with that shit." I smiled an unhappy smile. "I love you, Bari. Take care of my baby for me."

He stood to leave.

"Wait."

"I can't. 'Cause if I don't do it now, I don't know if I'll be able to."

"Then don't."

"What are you saying, Bari?" He asked. "You're not making sense."

"Sit down, Seven. I want to talk to you, really talk to you, and I need you to listen to me and not get mad."

"I can't promise you that. Are you about to tell me you fucked somebody? ‘Cause I don't want to hear that. You can keep that to yourself. I don't need to know that, Bari. It's better for you and whoever it is if I don't know."

"Cut it out, Seven, just listen."

"Go ahead, but I'm telling you ..."

"I need to know if you really believe that I was messing with Trim behind your back."

"Hell naw, not no more, but when I heard the bitch's voice on the phone ...Bari, I always tell you how intelligent you are. You ain't stupid, baby, by a long shot, and you tryin' to dip with somebody would be the dumbest thing in the world for you. Can I go now?"

"I'm not done," I snapped. "I need to apologize to you. It was disrespectful to have Trim over here, for any reason, and I'm sorry. I should have turned him around as soon as he came, but nothing happened, I promise.”

“I know it didn’t, Milkshake, and I accept your apology. Can I go now?”

“Are you dying to get away from me or what? I thought you wanted to see me.”

“Bari, what the fuck is wrong with you?” He asked. “You just don’t get it. I’m trying to be a man about this shit. You ain’t doin’ shit but making it as hard on me as you possibly can.”

“I didn’t ask you to come over here, Seven.”

“True dat. You didn’t ask me to come over here. That tells me a lot in itself. You didn’t ask me to call either, and I’m trying to handle this shit the right way, Bari. You act like you don’t want a nigga to leave. First, you didn’t want me here. Now, you don’t want me to go. Yo’ ass is confused as hell. Make up your mind.”

“I...”

“You what, baby? Do you want to stay with me? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? ‘Cause if you do, I’m down wit’ that, but if you don’t, then let me get the hell outta here, Bari. What do you wanna do?”

My mind flashed back to the night he hit me. I saw my swollen face in the mirror, the eye that still showed shades of dark blue underneath it, the scar that would remain at my brow forever, the headaches that came and went. I blinked back tears.

“Bye, Seven.”

For a second he didn’t move, unsure if he had heard right. Then he stood and walked out, without looking back. I went to the window and saw the tail lights of his Hummer leaving my property.

‘’Bari?’’

“It’s over, Gucci.”

“You let him go?” I nodded. “Bari, why? You’re not happy. Why are you doing this to yourself?”

“What happened?” Six asked.

“I fucked up, as usual,” I said.

“You want us to go?” Gucci asked.

I nodded. I let them out the door and trudged heavily up the stairs to my room. The next morning, I woke early and got ready for school.

“You’re up early,” Trim observed as I unlocked the door to my Land Rover and climbed inside. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” I said and closed the door.

He watched me pull out and drive away. I was almost to the school when my cell phone rang.

“Bari, how you doin’?” Gucci asked.

“I’m okay.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“It’s your own fault, Bari. Let bygones be bygones and go get your man back.”

“It’s too late now,” I said, pulling into the student lot.

“Do you want me to talk to Seven?”

“No, it’s done and over. Leave it alone, Gucci. I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

I ended the call and walked mechanically to my classes.

The weeks seemed more like years. I was at home cleaning up one Friday night, exactly one month since Seven had walked out my door, when Birdie called.

“How are you, honey?” She asked.

“I’m fine, Birdie,” I assured her with false cheer. “How is Major?”

“Crazy, especially since Mandro came to stay. You can’t tell Major he ain’t the best host in the world. Shep came back, too.”

“Are they staying with you?”

“Mandro is, but Shep has a house here that he usually stays in when he comes in from the Islands. So, that’s where he’s living now.”

“Oh.”

“Have you talked to Seven at all?” She asked skeptically.

“No Birdie, and I doubt if l will.”

“We’re always here for you, Bari. All you have to do is call, and don’t be a stranger. Come see us sometime.”

“I will,” I promised. “Take care, Birdie.”

“You do the same. Major spoke to your uncle last night. He can’t wait for him and Marion to get here to stay.”

“I can’t either.”

“I know you want your own family here, Bari, but we’re your family, too. You’re not alone. You know that, don’t you?”

“Thank you, Birdie.”

“Call me soon.”

“Bye.”

I hung up the phone. A few minutes later, it rang again.

“Bari, what are you doing?” Gucci asked.

“Nothing. You?”

“Not a damn thing, and Thirteen had to go to Frisco. I’m bored as hell.”

“You can come over here.”

“I can’t. I ran a stop sign and hit a cat. Now I have to go to traffic school for two weeks. I can’t drive until I’m done. Will you come over here?”

“Okay, I’m not doing anything,” I said.

I showered and dressed in a pair of Dior jeans and a white baby tee with a picture of an apple on it and the words ‘bite me’ underneath. I grabbed my white bucket hat with the picture of a bright red apple on it, then walked out to my Rover, started a mixed R&B C.D. and went to keep my friend company.

“Damn, it took you long enough,” Gucci said, coming out to stand on her porch.

Gucci and Six lived in a two story, four bedroom house, with a heated swimming pool in the back and a motorbike trail behind the property where Thirteen often took off for hours.

“I had to drive here, bitch. Sorry I left my magic cape at home. What’s in Frisco?”

“My man,” she said gloomily. “They’ll be back tomorrow night. They took Shepard with them.”

“Why didn’t you go?”

We walked into the living room where Gucci was blasting the old Twelve Play C.D. by R. Kelly.

“I wish I would get on an airplane that ain’t at least flying to another state. It ain’t even gon’ have time to get off the ground good before it has to land. How is it gon’ pick up enough speed to stay in the sky? They could have drove there.” I was laughing so hard I thought I would pee on myself. “They left at four o’clock this morning. I should have went though. Them stewardesses are hoes. Always flirtin’ with somebody’s man. I’ll beat a bitch ass up in the friendly skies.”

“Stop, Gucci!” I laughed. “Please, stop!”

I ran for the bathroom and made it just in time. When I came out, Gucci was looking at me strangely. She wasn’t saying anything, just staring at me.

“What’s wrong with-”

Then I realized that Six was sitting on the couch. My eyes followed hers to the den, and there, sitting on a barstool at the mirrored bar that ran wall to wall, was Seven staring back at me. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. I turned my head. Six got up and hugged me, kissed Gucci, then went into the den.

“Bitch, you told me they wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.”

I picked up my Michael Kors backpack and slung it over my shoulder.

“Bari, don’t go, please. I didn’t know they were coming back tonight. Six said they found a flight with seats today, so they took it. I didn’t know, and they’re in the den. You know Six and Seven are always together, so you’re telling me that every time he’s around you’re gonna leave? Then I’ll never see you, Bari.”

“Gucci, I’m not mad at you. I just don’t think I’m ready for this yet.”

“Well, you should have kept your ass where you knew you belonged. Serves you right,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“What serves her right?” Seven asked, coming into the living room and sitting in an overstuffed Armani chair.

Gucci looked at me and smiled.

“I was just telling her that-”

“Ahem!” I said loudly, glaring at Gucci. “Do you even know what a secret is?” I snapped.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Seven. He looked so damn good in black Armani baggy pants a black button down shirt, and a black leather jacket I had bought for him months before. His dreadlocks were pulled back in the front, hanging loosely down his shoulders in the back. I had a sudden urge to pull them between my fingers.

“How you been doin’, Milkshake?” He asked.

“I’ve been fine, Seven.”

He looked at Gucci.

“Oh! I’ll be right back,” Gucci said. She was so obvious. “I have to get the clothes out of the dryer,” she lied.

She headed for the den. I glared at her.

“The dryer is the other way,” I pointed out.

“I know,” she snapped. “I have to tell Six something first.”

She went into the den and closed the double doors behind her. I looked everywhere but at Seven, and when my eyes finally rested on him, they devoured him.

“What’chu looking at, Milkshake?”

“I know, you’re a man,” I said, causing him to laugh.

He stopped laughing and watched me watch him. ·

“You miss this, Baby?” He asked quietly. I blushed and focused on the clock. “You got somewhere to be?”

“No.”

“Then look at me. Fuck that clock. Com’ere, Bari.” I sat down on the couch. “This is fine.”

He got up from the chair and came to sit next to me.

“Seven. . .”

“If you’re not about to tell me that you miss me like I miss you, or that you’re coming home, then don’t say shit. Just let me do the talking, ‘cause those are the only two things I want to hear from you. Not shit else.”

“I’m not-”

“My baby never did know when to shut the fuck up,” he whispered and leaned towards me.

I gasped when his tongue touched mine. I couldn’t help but lean in closer. He pulled me onto his lap. I gladly went. He was rock hard.

“Damn, I miss you, baby. I miss you so much.”

I knew in my heart that I wanted Seven back, but this wasn’t the way to do it. We needed to talk. Or was the fact that we missed each other and still loved each other enough? We hadn’t seen each other in a month. For real, neither one of us knew what the other had done during that time.

“Have you been with anybody, Seven?” I asked, running his hair through my fingers.

“Hell naw,” he answered, then glared at me.

I felt him tense up.

“No, Seven.”

He relaxed.

“I know good and damn well you haven’t. A nigga will get killed fuckin’ with my Milkshake. I don’t care if we’re together or not.”

I searched his face for a sign that he was joking. There was no such sign.

“That’s not something you need to worry about anyway. I love you, Seven.”

“I love you too, Baby.”

He hugged me tightly. His lips had barely touched mine when my cell phone rang. I reached over and pulled it out of my purse.

“Bari?”

Heaven help me, I closed my eyes and prayed. My hands started to shake. It was Trim. I started to get off Seven’s lap. He held on to me.

“Where the fuck you goin’? Who is that?”

I acted like I didn’t hear him when we both knew good and well that I did.

“Yes?” Even my voice was shaky.

“There’s some girl looking for you, says she’s your sister.”

“What? Where? Who is she?” I asked.

“Who the fuck are you talkin’ to?” Seven demanded to know.

I waited for Trim to answer.

“Her name is ...hold on....Niecy.” Tears flooded my eyes. “I wrote it down.”

“Where is she?” I asked. “Is she at your house? I’m coming home.”

“She left, but she left a phone number for you.”

I listened as he recited the number.

“Whose damn phone number is that? And who the hell are you talking to?” Seven repeated.