Page 22 of See No Evil

“What do you mean?”

He looked down at his sneakers, then back at her, biting his lower lip.

“I don’t care about what other women think right now. My question is, doyoulike what you see? I like what I see in front of me.” He winked.

“There you go again.” She huffed as if frustrated, causing him to smile all the harder. “You’re probably just fishing for compliments right now, but yeah, I find you attractive. Still, I just want to be friends.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“That’s because you’re not used to women tellin’ you no.”

“I’ve approached women and been shot down before. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it does from time to time. I still don’t believe you’re not interested in me, and it has nothing to do with my ego not being able to take it. You’re just scared I’m going to disappoint you like so many others have.”

“I know even if I wanted more from you, Legend, it would never be exactly what I wanted anyhow. You can’t deliver.”

Now, she had his full attention. He turned to face her. “What are you talking about?”

“You can’t give me what I deserve. My requirements exceed what you’re capable of. I can find a fuckbuddy anywhere. I’m beyond that in my life right now.” She went on and on, telling him everything that was wrong with him, shot him a dirty look, then went back to watching the television.

“Are you done?”

“Done what?”

“Done talking for a minute? You want to just keep runnin’ off at the mouth, talking to me about a laundry list of all that is Legend, and I can’t get a word in edgewise. Can I take the stage, ma’am? Damn. I’d like to speak uninterrupted, please.”

The woman sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Thank you. Now, first of all, if someone is going to give something to someone else, that means they have to possess it. You’ve never fucked wit’ me, in ANY capacity, except for my role as classmate. Yes or no?”

She only glared at him, looking empty and despondent.

“Yes or no, Desiree?”

“…Yes.”

“We’re grown ass people, okay? This isn’t high school, so we’re not even classmates with that same, childlike mindset. From my understandin’, you love to cook, but you’re interested in the business side of this, correct?”

“Yes.”

“I, on the other hand, love to cook, and want myownshit. I’ve always loved to cook, but I only just recently realized that this could really be achieved—meaning, I could do something with it. It took some people around me, that I care about, to bring it to my attention. Regardless of how long it took for itto finally sink in that I can do something a lot of people can’t, behind a stove, here I am, thirty-six years old, and it happened.”

She nodded, smiling. “I get it.”

“It’s not too late for me to accomplish this, so I’m going for it. I happen to want my own restaurant. Someone else can take care of the marketing, the books, the hosting and staff, all that shit, but I want it to bemyfood,myrecipes. My name on the shit. ‘Legend,’ in lights. Church. Now… since you don’t know what I have, Desiree, outside of the classroom and in the kitchen, you are not in any way qualified or capable of tellin’ me, or anyone else, what I can and cannot offer to anotha mothafucka when it comes to a relationship with a woman.”

“Why do you sound so mad?” The woman was goading him on. He did not miss the twinkle in her eye, the way she kept poking the bear.

“I’m not angry or emotional. I’m just passionate about the facts of my life, especially when it comes to what I know to be true, and my personal business. I’m correcting you, so when you hear my voice escalating right now,” he pointed towards the ceiling, “it is not out of being upset, but because something was said about me that’s not true. It’s a lie, inaccurate, so I’m fixin’ the shit. Setting you straight.”

She looked like she wanted to get into it, have a fight. That was fine with him. He was going to handle this one way or another. “Hold up.” Slipping a cigarette out of a pack he had in his pocket, he lit it and took a puff. “Here’s the deal. All of this—”

“How are you going to light up in my house without asking?”

“You already told me that you just stopped smoking cigarettes, and it was easy for you. Don’t act like you’re new to this. Now listen up. As I was saying, I’m about to do you a favor. I’m going to come clean about every damn thing, just so you know how serious I am about getting to know you, and not on some fuckboy shit, or only out to use you for your body. Allof this is public information, but it’s still my personal business, regardless. You are looking at a man who spent time in the military. I’m a soldier. Once a soldier, always a soldier. I loved being in the Army, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“Why’d you leave the Army?”

“Not getting into that right now, but I’ll tell you another day and time. Movin’ on.” He took another drag of his cigarette and continued, “You’re lookin’ at a man who has been told that I am everything but what I actually am, from almost everyone in my life. I know who I am, Desiree. I know the good parts and the bad parts, and they are all equally important. I never had much growin’ up, baby, but I knew who the hell I was. I’ve been locked up. Multiple times.” He tapped some ashes onto the coaster. “I’m not gonna even hold you wit’ some bullshit and lies.

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