Page 16 of In the Safety's Zone
She grinned at my joke but I was dead ass. I didn’t want someone who was going through me to get to Ant and tried to be slick about it. Was that the vibe I got from her? Nah.
“That’s cute. But I think you and I have a lot in common. There are certain people who would rather see us and judge us based on others rather than as individuals. They do the whole comparison thing when really it’s unnecessary. They do it to cause drama.”
“My brother would never give them what they want.”
She chuckled as she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket but didn’t bother to hide the bitterness. “Then you’re lucky.”
“Damn, your pops don’t be shutting that shit down?”
I shouldn’t have been surprised because my sperm donor wasn’t shit, but I just thought her father was only a ho. Hearing that he was deadbeat while still being in her life was a special kind of fucked up.
“Why when he can relive his heyday while also indulging in his favorite activity.” She was smiling but then again it didn’t hold joy. It felt like a reflex she’d learned to cover up the pain she was feeling.
“Which is what?”
“Critiquing me to anyone who will listen because he knows I’ll tune him out.” She’d sighed as she got that off her chest. Like she’d been waiting for a minute to say that to someone who wouldn’t judge her.
“Damn.”
I hated hearing the acceptance in her voice. Acceptance meant that she’d been dealing with the shit for so long that she was no longer surprised by it. She didn’t seem weak, but shedefinitely gave delicate and somebody fucking with her like that pissed me off.
“Yeah. I probably shouldn’t be telling you all of my business but I don’t know. You seem like a cool dude.” She gave me a half-smile as though she were hoping my words were true.
“That’s one way to put it.”
“And what’s the other?”
“That I’m just chill.”
She laughed and shook her head at me. “That’s basically the same thing.”
“Yeah, your shit was just way more…” I motioned with my hand pointlessly because I wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.
“Stuck up?”
I shrugged ‘cause that was the word that fit but it seemed like I was saying something negative about her, but I really wasn’t.
“I was going to saynorthernor proper but yeah I guess that works too.”
“Dang you aren’t even going to soften that?” Her mouth was open in shock but she had a playful smile on her face.
“Wasn’t meant with malice so there was no need, feel me?”
Her head dipped, her light brown skin tinting slightly. “Yeah, I feel you.”
“Ant, you good?”
Antwan walked up, breaking up the moment then and I wasn’t sure if I should be happy he did or annoyed. He was glancing between me and Aphrodite with interest. I knew he was going to grill me on what was up between the two of us but it wasn’t anything. Not yet.
“Yeah. Antwan, this is Aphrodite. Aphrodite, my brother Antwan.” I nodded toward her and he stuck his hand out with a smile on his face.
“She don’t need no introduction. You doing big things in the tennis world. Love to see us dominate in all areas of sports.”
“There are still some areas for us to conquer.” I watched their interaction and saw that she was speaking with respect and not weird admiration. Or desire. She didn’t linger shaking his hand or try to get any closer to him.Damn, maybe she is feeling me like that.
“Yep. Can’t wait ‘til we get more niggas on ice and then do that gymnastics shit on horseback.” This fool rubbed his hands together like he was excited at the prospect and Aphrodite glanced at me confused.
Normally I could translate hisAntwanismsbecause we had similar senses of humor but even I had to wonder cause ‘Twan would talk about some weird shit. Folks thought he was being silly but really it’s because his ass did so much reading that spreading information over random topics was second nature.
