Page 24 of F*ckin' With Me
My eyes connected with Rissa’s. I was slightly confused. “What do you mean, our debut pictures?”
Her head tilted, and the top corner of her lip scrunched. “Girl, why do you think he picked that color dress for you? It’s the primary color of the Augusta Chargers. You’re going to take solo pictures, then y’all are going to take couple’s pics.” She smacked my ass. “Look at you, going from fake boyfriend to a real man.”
“Your family really has a thing with smacking people on the butt like y’all don’t have heavy hands.” I rubbed my butt. “I didn’t realize that he was taking pictures too.”
I did know that he picked the dress, but I didn’t know it was the Augusta Chargers’ colors. Hell, I just found out that he played professional baseball on Wednesday. How would I have known the colors of his team?
“Sis, one thing you will learn about my brother is, once he makes a decision, it’s done. He goes headfirst in it like he has nothing to lose. You wanna know how I know it’s real?” After I nodded, she continued. “Last night, well, early this morning, after my brother sent you to la-la land, he called our dad. In all my years, my brother has never called our dad about a girl. We are in new territory.”
Rissa smiled brightly. “Sis, I know your mama and sister got your head fucked up about who you are, but fuck them. You are so fucking amazing, and if I have to come to your house every day to tell you that, I will.”
When she wrapped her arms around me from behind, something happened. It was like she spoke to the little girl who just wanted to be liked. It was hard for me to try to get peoplewho didn’t know me to like me when my own blood didn’t. “I just can’t believe how things are playing out. What if we get back to Augusta, and Daylen realizes it was just like a Maldives haze or something? I mean, this is a beautiful place, so I could see being infatuated with someone because of the surroundings.”
“Girl, bye. My brother is not that kind of nigga. If he doesn’t like you, then he doesn’t like you anywhere. Trust me! I’ve seen bitches willing to do any and everything to just be around him, on some ho shit. Simonette, you didn’t even know my brother was a professional damn athlete. Your unbothered ass,” she said with a chuckle.
I laughed. “Hey, I don’t watch sports. If someone isn’t murdered in the show, I’m more than likely not going to watch it,” I admitted.
That was just what it was. I had never been into sports. My mother used to tell me that I wouldn’t get a man until I became interested in things that men cared about, like sports. It was ironic because, in a sense, she was right. I mean, not that I liked sports now, but my boyfriend was a baseball player. The thing about all of it that brought me pause, if I had to be honest, was the doubt of whether it was real because of how it all started.
“Well, now you’re going to watch at least baseball in real time. Let me freshen up your makeup so we can get you out there to your man,” Rissa said. She pulled me to the chair to start fixing the makeup that I’d cried off.
Twenty minutes later, I was headed out to meet the photographer and Daylen on the boardwalk. I saw him before he saw me. He wore what looked like a pair of linen shorts and a button-up shirt that complemented my dress. Rashad, who stood in front of him, noticed me. He put his hand on Daylen’s shoulder and told him to turn around.
Daylen’s fist went to his mouth. There was a sense of confidence that covered me as I walked toward him. Rissa hadmy hair in its natural curls, which allowed the wind to play between the strands. I’d worn my hair like that before, but it never looked that good.
“You are absolutely beautiful, Simonette. Sexy as fuck,” Daylen complimented. “Most beautiful girl in the world.”
I did a little curtsy. “Thank you, my fine sir. I try.” As soon as I did that, I felt stupid. My personality was silly, but I never displayed it to anyone except the imaginary friends in my house. I felt comfortable being silly in my house because I was safe there.He’s going to think I’m so lame.
Daylen smiled, took a step back, then bowed. “You’re welcome, my fair lady.” When he stood straight, he pulled me into his arms and kissed my lips. “You ready to take these pics?”
I nodded. “Yes, I am. Let’s do it.”
For the next hour, the photographers took the most amazing pictures of me, Daylen, and us together. Rissa was my hype woman the entire time. I felt like a princess. Daylen took pictures with his shirt on and some with it off. They told us we would get the digital photos edited tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to see them.
On the way back to the villa from our photoshoot, we had to pass the wedding party’s villa. All of their eyes were on us. I heard my sister when she said I thought I was special because a nigga was being nice to me. Daylen stopped, which made me stop because my hand was in his. “Daylen, it’s alright. Let’s just go to our villa.”
He glanced down at me with a small smile. His hand cupped the back of my head, then his lips dropped on mine. “Let ya nigga be what, Simonette?”
“Let my nigga be my nigga,” I said. My cheeks rose when he kissed my lips again and smacked my ass.I think I like when he does that.
I let her hand go.
“Yo, Justin, I’m gonna address you. Your fiancée is real out of pocket and needs to be checked. Like I told her earlier, I don’t put my hands on women, but I got a sister named Rissa who will go to her ass behind Simonette.”
His back lifted from his seat. “Man, Daylen, I apologize about her uncouth ass. Simonette, again, please come to the wedding tomorrow or at least the reception,” Justin urged.
Lanette jumped up and stood over Justin, who still sat in his lounge chair. “Justin! Our reception is a per-plate dinner. She can come to the wedding, but the reception? No, I barely . . .”
Her mouth closed, and she took a big step back when Justin popped up out of his seat. Everyone on the patio had wide eyes.I was sure that was the most any of them had seen the couple fight. Lanette was the type of bitch who wanted everyone to think her life was perfect. From the shock on everyone’s faces, Justin must have typically gone with the script, but that day was the day he decided to rewrite that shit, which told me that he was over her, and she didn’t know it.
“Lanette, shut the fuck up!” Justin’s voice thundered in the air. “You’re talking about per-plate like all the guests came. I told you not to have this wedding here, because it would limit who could attend. No, you wanted to be so fuckin’ extra.”
Lanette smacked the tear that fell down her cheek. “Justin, why are you doing this in front of everybody? We get married tomorrow.”
Justin’s eyes bugged out. “I know that, but do you? How about you stop acting like a damn child, and I wouldn’t have to reprimand your immature ass like one.” He turned his back on her to face me. “Daylen, I got you, man. If you’re not busy later, you and Rashad are welcome to come to my bachelor’s party. It’s gonna be my boys here and a couple of other niggas that actually came for the wedding.”
There was hate in his eyes when they turned to Lanette. That was disheartening because after tomorrow she would be his damn wife. All I could do was shake my head. At least when we saw him arguing with her last night, they tried to be discreet.
