"Roman, man, I haven't seen you in so long."
If another stranger claps me on the shoulder one more time, and says those words to me, I'll flip my s**t.
Who were these people man?
I mean, I knew Joe, my dad and him were indeed extremely close back in the day but the rest of the people here man . . . It was a fine line between childhood, and probably meeting you once in my entire night.
My attention wanted to be on one person, Honey. She stood over at the table, serving everyone their plate with a smile. All I wanted to do was listen to her talk all day. I wanted to be around her, and watch her just. . .be.
I moved to walk over to her, but unfortunately, someone beat me to it.
A male, shorter than me with waves that were rougher than the Atlantic. She turned to him and help up a plate but he declined. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear and she looked around for a second before shaking her head, and whispering something back. He grins before nodding, and then moving to the other side of the yard. I kept my eyes on him, then moved them back to her.
Her friend takes the big spoon and plates away from her, then ushers her off even if it seems like she was protesting. Eventually she does walk over to a group of females.
My eyes wander back to the man who previously spoke to her, only to find that he was already looking at me, smirking at me.
Now who the f**k was this nigga?
"Roman, are you ready to eat?" Joe distracts me and I shake my head, letting out a breath.
"Nah pops, I'm all good over here. Could use a drink though."
"Definitely." Joe calls over one of the women at the get together to bring me a drink, and they do so oh so happily, as usual. I smile at her politely as she hands me the drink, and look away so she wouldnt think I was interested.
"So, Honey, huh?"
"What do you mean?" Joe rolls his eyes.
"Don't play with me, boy. I was once your age."
"Theres nothing between the two of us though," I inform him and he shrugs.
"Not yet. With the way you've been eyeing her down, I wouldnt bet on it."
"She's pretty cool, but she doesn't have her mind on anything besides her kid and her money."
"Which is exactly how it should be when you've got to take care of your own. That girl's baby daddy was a punk."
"Yeah?"
"Yup, pimped her out, then left her to figure it out when he got her pregnant. Poor girl only did what she knew how to do best in order to survive."
I turned to stare at Honey as she stood with the group of women, listening, but not really listening. She looked far away, a straw in her mouth her eyes zoned out. But none of them noticed. So that was how it all started, huh?
"This conversation never happened though. Shes no longer that naive girl, and will eat both you and I alive."
"Got you," I nod as he leaves to return to the grill. I turned my eyes back to Honey, but she wasnt where I had left her.
I looked around, and got ready to go find her when I couldnt but she finally emerged from the house, with lover boy in tow. I felt my blood boil . . . my jaw tick and all I wanted to do was smash the glass in my hand, right into his face.
She hands him something that I couldnt see, and he grabs her elbow to whisper in her ears. She nods.
I down the rest of my drink, before walking up to her and taking her arm right in front of him. She's in shock, so at first she walls with me before she realizes.
"What're you doing?"
I don't answer, but drag her into the nearest room which happened to be a bathroom.
"Take these off," I tug at her Jean's, and she looks at me as if I was insane.
"Roman —" I grab her throat and push up against her.
"I said, take these the f**k off."
She looks at me with defiance, but takes them off nevertheless.
I thought so.
I turn her around and push her against the wall. She let's out a little gasp as I slap her ass roughly.
"What the f**k are you doing," I whisper in her ears, "you tryna tease me?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Mhm?" I hum, grabbing her ass and she bites her lip.
I was about to spread her cheeks and sink inside, but then I thought about how many men had already done that to her. I thought about where she came from, and what she went through, and I quietly wondered if I was just one of those men too.
Honey looked back, confused. I take a step back, and shake my head. This isnt what I wanted her to feel.
I wanted her to feel different around me, I wanted her to know that i wasn't one of those men who just used her for her body. I wanted to show her something different, that she was loved, and cared for, and this wasnt the way to show her.
"What?" She asks, turning back around. She stared at me, obviously wondering why my d**k was as limp as a boiled noodle.
"You good." I tell her, and she put out both hands like, 'what the f**k does that even mean?"
I pulled up my pants, and got the f**k out of there. I probably shouldnt have just left that way, but what could I possibly tell her without sounding like a p♡ssy?
I left without anyone really noticing, and just hoped that Honey wouldn't bold tonight against me.