Page 14 of Certified Pressure 2
By the time I sat down, and the food was in front of me, I already felt a little better. The steak was seasoned perfectly, the cabbage was tender and full of flavor, and the potatoes melted in my mouth. I sat there with my plate and let myself enjoy it, because food had a way of calming me when nothing else could.
When I finished, I wanted a drink. Not just a little sip either. I wanted something that would actually settle my nerves. I went into the bar area and poured myself a glass of D’USSE’, mixing it with lemonade and a few cubes of ice. The first sip burned my throat just right, but when it settled in my chest, I could feel the edge of my stress loosening. By the second glass, I felt it warming me up enough that my shoulders dropped and the tension in my back eased. I decided that was exactly what I needed tonight—good food, a little liquor, and peace.
With that in mind, I went upstairs and changed into something that would make me feel better about myself. I pulled out the gold bikini I had packed. The two-piece shimmered under the light when I held it up, and I knew it would look good against my skin. I slipped it on and checked myself in the mirror. My body had always been one of the things I was proud of, no matter what anybody said. I grabbed my second drink and finished it while looking at myself one more time, telling myself I was still that girl no matter what.
Before heading outside, I filled up a cooler with ice, the bottle of D’USSE’ and lemonade. I carried it all out to the pool deck, ready to spend the night by myself without anybody else’s energyfucking with me. I set the cooler by the hot tub, poured a third drink, and slid into the bubbling water.
The heat wrapped around me instantly, and I sank down until the water reached my shoulders. The liquor had me buzzing, the jets eased the tension in my muscles, and for once I didn’t hear anybody’s voice in my head. I wasn’t worried about nobody in the mansion, not Ka’mari, and not even my mama’s harsh words that usually echoed the loudest. It was just me and the sound of water.
I sat like that for a while, sipping my drink and staring up at the sky. The longer I sat, the calmer I felt. It almost didn’t feel real, like I was floating in a place where none of the drama mattered. I had told myself I was going to chill all night if I wanted to, and that was exactly what I planned to do.
Some time passed, and I tilted my head back against the edge, ready to pour another drink, when something made me look up. That was when I saw Pressure. He was standing on his balcony above me, smoking and watching. The smoke curled around him before drifting off into the night, and even from down below I could see the way his eyes locked on me.
My heart started fluttering, and I hated that it did because I had promised myself not to give him that kind of power anymore. I quickly turned my back to him, pretending I didn’t notice, and that I was just fine sitting here by myself. But even as I turned away, I could feel his stare heavy on me, and no amount of pretending could erase what it did to me.
I picked up my cup, drained what was left, and decided to distract myself. The pool was right there beside the hot tub, clear and blue under the lights, and I figured a swim would help clear my head. I slipped out of the hot tub, dipped my toes into the pool, and slid in. The cool water made me gasp, but then it felt refreshing after sitting in all that heat.
I pushed off from the side and dipped my head under, letting the water cover me completely. For a few seconds, it was like I had escaped everything. Then I came back up for air, flipped my hair back, and swam to the other end. I did it again and again, going under and coming back up, my body moving through the water with ease. The more I swam, the lighter I felt, almost like I was washing the day off me.
I stayed like that for several minutes, dipping under the water, stretching my arms out, and then coming back up. Finally, when I came up for air and pushed the water from my eyes, I froze. Pressure was standing right there at the ledge, close enough now that I couldn’t ignore him even if I wanted to.
He wasn’t on the balcony anymore. He was right above me, dressed in a pair of black silk pajama slacks that clung to his frame. His chest was bare, dark skin shining under the pool lights, tattoos sharp across his muscles. A blunt was resting between his fingers, and he was holding a box in his other hand. It was wrapped in matte black paper with a bright red bow sitting on top.
He looked so good it almost pissed me off, because my mama’s words came back to me—telling me I was too loose with him, that I gave it up too easy, that no man wanted a woman who couldn’t hold herself. I told myself to keep it cool.
I swam to the edge, pulled myself out of the water, and walked back over to the hot tub. I sank into the warmth again and leaned my head back like I didn’t care, like I hadn’t just seen him standing there looking like every weakness I had.
Pressure moved closer and sat down on the ledge of the hot tub. He didn’t say much at first. He just let the smoke from his blunt rise up, then extended the box toward me.
“What’s this?” I asked, eyeing him and then the box.
“Just open it,” he said simply. His voice was calm, low, and it carried like he knew I would do what he said.
I took a sip from my cup, set it down on the side, and reached for the box. My hands felt shaky even though I tried to play it off. I tugged at the bow, peeled back the paper, and opened it.
Inside was a brand new iPhone, shining under the light. My chest tightened immediately because I knew exactly what this was about. Not long ago, he had broken my old one. He slammed it against the wall so hard the screen shattered into pieces, and I had been left without it.
I swallowed hard, trying not to let the tears come, because the gesture caught me off guard. He hadn’t said sorry, but he didn’t have to. This was his way of making it right.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely above the water’s bubbling sound.
He didn’t respond right away. He just leaned back, dragging on his blunt, his eyes never leaving me. It felt like the two of us were sitting in the moment together, not arguing, not fighting, not ignoring each other like we had been. We was just…. existing.
And for once, that was enough to make me breathe a little easier.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Iwas startin’ to get real restless in this damn mansion. Don’t get me wrong, it was cool but real talk… I knew what it really was. This place was like a palace, but I wasn’t no princess. I been knew Pressure wasn’t finna choose me. Hell, I checked out on that fairytale a long time ago. If we keepin’ it a buck, I felt like I was still here because I made him laugh, I smoked with him, and I kept up in the gym when half these bougie bitches tapped out. That was our thing. Pressure know I’m solid when it comes to shit like that, so instead of sendin’ me packin’, he kept me around.
I wasn’t mad at it either, ‘cause at least I wasn’t sittin’ up in here stressed like the rest of these hoes. Ka’mari was walkin’ around actin’ like she was already the queen, Kashmere wasalways lookin’ like she wanted to cry, and Pluto sensitive ass was always runnin’ away. I was just here eatin’ good, smokin’ good, and workin’ out. Still, bored is bored, and I was dyin’ in this big ass room with nothin’ to do.
I slid on some shorts and a crop top, tied my hair up, and decided to wander. Pressure had this mansion drippin’ in money—paintings on the walls, marble floors, big ass statues sittin’ in corners like we was in a museum. I laughed to myself ‘cause if this was my shit, I woulda been pawned half this art and flipped it into cash. It was just sittin’ there lookin’ pretty.
As I walked past one of the hallways, I heard music bumpin’. Not soft shit either—it was that hood shit I liked. I slowed down and sniffed the air. It was weed... strong too. The closer I got, the louder the laughin’ got, and I swear I could smell the smoke through the crack of the door. My nosy ass couldn’t help it. I pushed the door open just a little and peeked in.
I damn near dropped my jaw. Pressure had this bitch laid out like a casino. There was a pool table on one side, cards all over another table, dice cups sittin’ out, and bottles lined up like it was a corner store. Renza, Kay’Lo, and Blaqson was sittin’ there in the middle of a card game, smoke cloudin’ up the whole room.
All three of they heads turned my way at the same time. Renza blew smoke out his nose and frowned. “What the hell you doin’ in here, girl? This members only.”
