At the sound of Enychi's keys rattling in the apartment door, I sat up on the couch with all types of scenarios of how to confront her running through my mind. My first reaction was to run on her with a right hook and then stomp the shit out of her once she hit the floor. But that wasn't my style, my pops never put his hands on my moms, so I wasn't gonna do it to Enychi, no matter how much she deserved a beat down. So I chilled, and took the laid-back approach as she walked through the door with her backpack hanging off her shoulder. "Hey," Enychi said in a dry-ass tone. "What's up? How was class today?" I asked, curious to hear her answer. Enychi nervously smoothed her hand over her hair and looked away. "It was all right. One of my teachers sprung a pop quiz on us, but I think I did okay." "You think?" "Nah, I'm pretty sure I did okay." Enychi dropped her books down on the coffee table. Whatever happened to honesty being the best policy? I couldn't believe that this was the same chick I'd met two years ago. I really felt like kicking her ass for real, but I was gonna give her more rope to hang herself with first. "Anyway, I'm tired," she said, yawning. "I'ma go take me a hot shower and then a nap." Enychi started walking towards the bathroom. "Nah, hold up a minute. I wanted to holla at you. I was gonna last night, but you must've been tired then, too, since you ain't hear me come in or feel me snuggle up to you." "Hoo, " Enychi exhaled loudly. "You can't wait until later, Wasuan?" "Nah, I already waited until today. So I'ma say what I gotta say and then you can go do what you gotta do." Enychi was really playing me, talking about taking a shower--she should've washed that nigga off of her scandalous ass before she brought it up in here. Enychi walked back into the living room with a slow drag in her step and leaned up against the wall across from where I was sitting. She had the nerve to stand with her arms folded and a bothered look on her face. "Yeah, so like I was saying, I wanted to talk to you since last night, to see how we can try and fix this shit between us." As I spoke, Enychi rolled her eyes up in her head like she could give two shits about what I was saying. I took a deep breath to keep from spazzing out on her ass. Barely grabbing ahold of myself, I continued. "I wanted to get shit right with us, but I could see our shit's dead now, ain't that right, Nych?" "I don't know, you tell me?" "Come on, Nych, man, just tell me the truth. Be real with your shit. I mean, you can't even stand here and have a conversation with me without a fuckin' attitude, right? So let's stop with the games. Tell me what's up?" "Tell you what's up with what?" Enychi started fidgeting with her fingers. "You know what! You the one that's been walking around here wearing your ass up on your shoulders, like I did something to you. And all along, you fuckin' that nigga Tone. You was fuckin' him all this time, wasn't you?" My blood boiled as I stared at her. "Here you go again with that Tone bullshit. I'm going to bed!" I charged at Enychi as she was finishing her words. "You ain't going nowhere." I lost it and wrapped both my hands around her neck and slammed her against the wall. "Get off of me," Wasuan!" she screamed, with a look of shock on her face. "Tell me, just admit it! You a sneaky, lying-ass bitch! I already know! I followed you today!" My voice started to crack as I struggled to keep my emotions from showing. "Let me go, Wasuan!" I slammed her ass again. "Enychi, I'm not letting you go until you fuckin' tell me the truth. I seen you! I watched that nigga pick you up from school and how y'all got down in the movie theater. So just let me hear you say it, for my satisfaction!" I know I said hitting her wasn't my style, but fuck it! Her ass deserved it. Shit, she's lucky all I was doing was hemming her ass up by her neck. "Okay, you wanna know the truth?" Enychi's eyes started to water. "I'll tell you the truth. I'm fucking him every chance I get! You happy now, you sorry muthafucka! Now get off of me!" she yelled as she yanked at my hands. I blanked out for about ten seconds, thinking, should I take my hands from around her neck or listen to the voice in my head, saying 'kill the bitch' and rock-a-bye her ass to sleep? I already felt like a sucker for letting Tone play me out, so taking my frustration out on Enychi's ass might've made me feel a whole lot better. But was it worth me going back to jail? Hell, no! So I came to my senses and released her with a push. "You know what? Pack your shit up and get the fuck out! Go be with that nigga, I'm done with you." "I will. Besides, I been done with your punk ass! At least he's a real man," Enychi said with that slick-ass mouth of hers. And damn, did that hurt. I tightened my fist up for that comment, but instead of entertaining all that mouth she had, I did us both a favor and freed myself from the crib--because I was seconds away from seriously hurting her. Copyright (c) 2007 by T. N. Baker. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Dice by T. N. Baker All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
