Devilish Taste

It Begins

The next two days had been stressful dealing with my family get together on our lost. Thomas and Janet gave me the rest of the day this week off so I can be with my family to arrange for the funeral that was coming up real soon. I was over pleased when Jerry told me most of the people from the group young winners were satisfied with my customer service on their event, especially the birthday boy. I was surprise to hear that he enjoyed my services towards him when he was definitely rude to me.

Angelica, I whispered to myself. Changing my thoughts about my work to Angelica. I turn my whole body to the right side facing my bright clock projecting three o clock in the afternoon. I slept in letting my body rest for the upcoming events. I grab my phone turning my home screen on, staring into the wallpaper that made me want to tear up every time I glance at it. Angelica smiles bright at the camera while Stanley, Jessica and I were showing off are goofy faces at each other. My heart aches as I stared into Angelica dark brown eyes. The day to say goodbye to Angelica is painfully coming up, and I don't know how to handle it. I can tell my family is trying so hard to hold everything in, but soon enough that day we'll bring out our desperate side, begging our God to bring her back to us. My phone begins to ring signaling a call coming in, when I glance over to the caller id, it shows Janet.

"Good afternoon Janet." I greet her first.

"Hey beautiful, how are you?" Janet question me. I shrug my shoulders even though Janet couldn't see it physically. I didn't know how to answer that, how to feel exactly.

"I honestly don't know." I responded. I can tell I put Janet in an awkward situation since she didn't respond right away after I told her that.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but there's a gentleman here that's been waiting for you to come to work." I cringe my eyebrows in a confuse expression, trying to figure out who could it be that I possibly made a mistake in meeting up with this week. When no names appear in my mind. I gave up and question Janet, who could it be.

"You sure, this guy waiting on me Janet? I haven't made any time to meet up with anyone since I have to be with my family this week, and you should know that." I replied to Janet honestly. I heard shuffling noise in the background of the call, making me curious about who it was.

"Well this gentleman said he's sorry to bother you, but he said you owe him and he didn't have a way to contact you." My heart drops when the realization came to me. The birthday boy! I mentally scream to myself.

"Can you please put him on the phone Janet." I begged her and she quickly obey my wish.

"What's good shawty?" His rough, raspy voice came on the phone, and I mentally squealed. I quickly shot up from my bed into a sitting position, letting my legs dangle on the side of the bed. I compose myself making sure the next words that come out of my mouth doesn't sound like I'm thirsty for him.

"Hey, I'm okay, just woke up actually." I slap myself on my knees. Out of everything I can reply to him, I choose to say this. Wow!

"For a minute there I thought you were hiding from me, you know." He states and I couldn't help but wondered why he thought I was hiding from him. Does that mean he's interested in me? I hope so!

"Well you found me didn't you?" I mentally slap myself. Oh that's a great way to pull him into you. I sarcastically told myself. He let out a few chuckles when he didn't reply and in that second I thought I embarrass myself for saying that. God, did I sound like a child saying, well you found me didn't you?

"So what did you need me for?" I question after an awkward silence between us.

"I don't need nothing from you, I just wanted to see if you wanted to chill with me, but I can tell you going through some things and the loss of your family matter. So if you want, you can hit me up after everything and we can start from there." He told me. I was stunned in my position. First off, how did he know about my situation. If he knew about that, does he know who my dad was and how our world couldn't mix together? I shook those thoughts out and I return to him on the phone.

"What about the money you gave me to take you out?" I quickly ask him. I hope he wasn't kidding when it came down to going out with him, because I really wanted to take that risk and see him again. It was quiet on the other hand and I was so eager to find out what his answer was.

"The money is actually for you, I was joking when I wrote that note on the napkin. I want you to buy an outfit so when we go out to eat." I mentally start dancing a victory dance as I cover my mouth to not let any noise come out. I had to keep it cool, and not sound like I was thirsty waiting on him to quench my thirst.

"Well, I didn't know my services that night would earn me a night with you." I flirt back. I gave myself a pat on the shoulder as I respond with a smooth sexy voice. Yes Ashanti keep it up! I told myself.

"Well, you handle everything great that night, despite the fact I was drunk. You took charge from that other girl, I'm guessing she was new to this. Beside you reheating my food and dealing with my crazy ass, I wanted to know If I can return the services back to you and let me wine and dine you." I almost choke on the air when he told me this. It wasn't easy hearing this, especially his voice is so deep and alluring to me. I didn't know what to say next. I wanted to make sure he knew I was definitely interested in him. The next words that will come out my mouth will either continue our flirtatious back and forth or I could end it and he back off.

"I don't mind at all boo." I said, smiling through the phone. Great Ashanti short and simple! I told myself giving another pat on the back.

"I got a lot of things to deal with, but as soon as I get things out the way, I don't mind going out with you." I add in, just in case he wanted to go out this week. I didn't want him to think I was free already.

"Naw, it's cool like I said before you going through some things right now, I was just trying to introduce myself to you. When you ready for me, you can come looking for me. I got time and I can be real patient" For that I gave him cool points. Right when I was about to reply to him, he cut me off saying he had to go, and I told him to take my number from Janet before he cut the call.

I sigh wanted to continue our conversation, but I knew he had to go back to his gang and handle things. I wonder what made him choose that lifestyle of constantly watching your back and letting violence embrace you like a lover. Maybe he didn't have a choice, and someone blackmails him to become the leader. Yeah right! He a grown ass man that can handle himself. All of these thoughts were forming a headache.

I jump out of bed and walk out my room, heading towards Stanley room. I knock softly, waiting for him to reply, but Stanley didn't reply, causing me to get worried. I twist the door knob slowly not letting any sounds give myself up. Right when I was about to come in, a hand grabs me from behind on my shoulder, yanking me back and I stumble back in shock letting my fear increase.

"Don't go in my room Asha." Stanley stand right behind me without a shirt, letting his sweat pants sag a bit letting his boxer shows.

"And why the hell not Stanley? I came to check on you, and this how you treat me?" I half yelled at him, figuring out why he would yank me back from his room.

"Is there something you're hiding Stanley? because if there is, then you know you can tell me right, I mean-"

"I'm not hiding anything!" Stanley voice booms at me, and I quickly shut my mouth. He looked so tired with the bags under his eyes. I didn't press on him anymore as I walk around him. I am definitely hurt by his action, and I didn't try to hide it. I heard him sigh and call out my name as I went into the kitchen to make some breakfast for myself. I know it's three in the afternoon and I'm making breakfast.

"Asha, listen to me." He begs trying to get my attention. He tries to grab my arm and I snatch it back from him. He kept pleading me to stop moving and to turn around and face him. I finally gave in whipping my head to confront him.

"The fact that you yell in my face, demanding that I don't go inside your room makes me worry. Then when I ask you, are you hiding something in your room, instead of keeping it real with me, you make it worse by lying and yelling at me. I'm not the type to pry on people business and you know that Stanley. You have been acting weird ever since I came back, and I never confronted you about these things, cause I know how you are." I spoke to him honestly. The more I talk the more my voice were filling up with disappointment. He went over to the couch, throwing himself like a lifeless doll. I waited for him to respond to me and he didn't.

"I've been dealing with a lot of problems Asha." Stanley begins. A few times he would hesitate, letting him cover his face with his hands. He peek through his hands, watching my facial expression. My face didn't change, waiting patiently for him to reveal what was it that kept him all suspicious.

"Asha I'm in deep s**t and with the whole Dad wanting me to be a pastor is stressing me out." I look dead in his eyes and I could tell he was lying to me. I never told him that I can tell when he's lying to my face the way his fingers would twitch. He would also scratch the back of his neck, looking anywhere but me. I decided to play long with his game, because I had better things to do and the fact I will investigate on him later on after everything passed on.

"Listen Stanley you need to just get your s**t together. Be a man and tell our father that you don't want to be a pastor and carry on his legacy. Our father will forever be here. You're his first born son, and if he can't accept that then you know in your heart you tried everything in your power to make him happy, okay?" I said. Hopefully this advice will actually get him to tell dad the truth before dad begins assigning him work on becoming a pastor.

"I'm glad you back Asha." He said smiling a real genuine smile at me. I return his smile with a half smile of my own.

"You want some breakfast?"

"Asha it's three in the afternoon." He told me stating the obvious and I shrug my shoulder walking over to the refrigerator and grabbing the ingredients to make some pancake, eggs and hash-brown.

"Suit yourself, you missing out." I stuck my tongue out towards him and he chuckles walking over to a chair.

"What are you doing today sis?" Stanley question me and I honestly didn't know what to do today. I didn't want to see the birthday boy because I didn't want to get to distracted when I have important matters to attend to. I was off for the rest of the week till I was ready to go back in. Our parents were mostly doing everything while Stanley, Jessica and I would just show up in case they needed us. Dad has been ignoring all of us, including Stanley, saying he wants to be alone to pray and crap.

"I honestly don't know Stanley, do you want to hang together?" I ask him as I crack the eggs in the bowl.

"Well actually Jessica and I got a basketball game later on that I'm playing in." He said sending a smirk my way and I automatically knew where he was going on with this. I shook my head.

"No I'm not going Stanley, you know how I feel about where you and Jessica be playing your games at."

"Come on, it changed when you left. There's more securities around and plus the police be roaming around more. You haven't seen us play in a good while, and I got to tell you Jessica is like a pro now." He said trying to persuade me. It has been awhile since I seen them play, and Angelica and I were their number one fan back then.

"When time it starts?"

"You can ride along with me as I go pick up Jessica since her game starts before mine." He smirks as I shook my head going back to my cooking.

"So what changed on your team?" I said, trying to get to know what to look for when I arrive later on with them.

"Well your ex lover boy Jerome on the team and he's been decent scoring more than ten points. I'm pretty sure once he sees you, his going to try to impress you." I made sure Stanley saw my face expression as I roll my eyes. when I didn't respond, he continues to talk.

"Jerome been asking me non stop question about you."

"And what do you tell him?" I ask Stanley. I was curious to know what he said to Jerome.

"That you need your space and when you ready you ready."

"When I'm ready I'm ready? Stanley I don't want Jerome any more and you basically gave him a chance that I might actually be into him still." I stop what I was doing and glared at him. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Well you should of told me, I honestly thought ya'll broke up because you went away to college."

"Stanley no, you knew how annoying he was back then. He kept picking up a fight with every guy that would even look my way-"

"That's his way of showing his affection for you-"

"Stanley I thought you dislike him when we were dating?"

"Look he on the team and I was able to get to know him a little more, while you was away." He chuckles at me and I wanted to slap the grin that was present from his face.

"I told him that you were going to the game later too." Stanley smirk.

A sound from my phone made me stop what I was doing to check it.

A text pop up.

'I can't wait to see your sexy ass on the bleachers watching me ball beautiful =)'- Jerome ugly ass.

I groan sadly looking up to Stanley as he continues to smirk my way.

Great!