Page 27 of See No Evil

“Well, that’s a good sign, right?”

“Yeah. I was kinda pissed though, because I don’t want to bejusther friend, man. When she says it to other people, it makes me feel angry for some reason. Like, it solidifies that she might really keep my ass in the friendzone. I ain’t never had to beg for a woman’s time or pussy, Axel. The more she resists, the more I chase her. Chasing women is for simps, man. I ain’t gotta chase shit, and yet, here I am. Doing it. This is totally out of character for me. I even stopped fucking other women a few weeks ago. I just want to focus onher. I don’t know how much longer I can last though. Besides when I’ve been in prison, I ain’t never went longer than two weeks without smashin’. Sex is really important to me, Axel.”

“Hell, me too!”

“Right! It’s like eatin’ and breathin’. I have to have it, and yet, I’m not getting any. This is downright disconcertin’.” His heart started to beat faster. “I’m pissed about it, but it excites me, too. Makes me want her even more. That’s weird, ain’t it?”

“Not really. You like this girl. You like the hunt, too.” Axel shrugged. “You say you don’t want to be in a relationship, but a part of you does because you met someone who fits the bill. A part of you is not on board, but another part of you wants to be her man. It’s a struggle goin’ on inside of you.”

Legend nodded.

She’s got my head all fucked up… shit. This is why I didn’t want this to happen!

“In class, we’re always laughing and having fun together. I make sure I’m early now, just so I can sit by her. Man… Each time I’m over at her place, at the end of the night, there’s always a lot of sexual tension. I kiss her, but I just go home after that. I can tell she wants it, but, uh… she just won’t give in… it’s killin’ me, man. I’m about to throw in the towel because it’s kinda childish in my opinion, for her to keep holding out like this, but at the same time, I’m not a woman, and I know their body count holds more weight than ours. I’m still trying to hang in there because I dig her entire vibe.”

He swallowed, feeling flushed all over, and cracked his knuckles. He had it bad. He couldn’t recall having a crush this hard on someone in a long ass while.

“Just follow your instincts like you’ve been doing. They haven’t led you wrong yet, have they?”

“Funny you should mention that. I had another dream about Mrs. Florence. I think she’s responsible for this—me finding this lady, at just this exact time. I am convinced she put all of this in motion. I sound like a lunatic, talkin’ about some dead teacher of ours pulling puppet strings, but can’t nobody tell me different, man. But you know what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah, I know. What happened in your dream?”

“Mrs. Florence said something like… uh, I can’t remember the exact words, but it was like,‘She’s dripping wet.’It sounded sexual, but wasn’t supposed to be. You know Mrs. Florence wouldn’t say no mess like that. Anyway, so the very next time I spoke to Desiree after that dream, she’d been caught in the rain, man. She just so happened to be in the bathtub at the moment of our phone call, too.”

“OH… SHIT.”

“Right… creepy as fuck. So now you see the other issue I’m having. I told Mrs. Florence that I was going to do good on my promise. She’s been hounding me for years about this, and the dreams were coming almost nightly. It was gettin’ bad. I couldn’t take it anymore, but I needed her to help me, because I couldn’t do it by myself.”

“I know you probably still refuse to tell me what you promised her, but whatever it is, Legend, I told you there is no shame in askin’ for help.”

“To me there is, but I know what you’re sayin’. After I asked Mrs. Florence for help, all of a sudden, this girl I had been crushin’ on calls me, Axel. Desiree had my business card fordays. I heard nothing. As soon as I tell Mrs. Florence that I will do it, but I can’t do it alone, this happens. My phone rings! Just like when you called me a few years ago, after us not talking for forever.”

“Then maybe you just need to trust the process.”

“I know, man. It’s just… I wasn’t expecting this. I don’t know what I was expecting, but definitely not feeling like this about a woman. The timing seems bad, but at the same time, it feels right.”

“That’s because you’d convinced yourself you didn’t need anyone, Legend. After your last relationship, you were just emotionally exhausted, but you didn’t realize the toll it had taken on you. It’s not that you didn’t want to be in a relationship ever again. You just needed some time. It’s been years, Legend. Your time is up.”

Legend nodded, feeling some kind of way. He looked up at the dark clouds, figuring it would be raining soon. They walked side by side, talking. Spending this time together, as brothers. Axel was one of the few people he could confide in about Desiree. It felt good to take off his burdens—to really admit that he felt something for her, other than a need for sex.

“Legend, I told you that I could have never confronted my father the way I did, listened to him, been open without the anger and judgment so he could speak freely, if it weren’t for English. She gave me the strength to do it, and nobody on God’s green earth can convince me that Mrs. Florence didn’t have a hand in the two of us finding each other, as well as me and you mending our friendship. Now listen. If you told Mrs. Florence you were going to deliver on your promise, but said you needed help, then best believe, she sent that help, man, and you better stop looking a gift horse in the mouth. You found somethin’ special. Don’t muck it up because the timing isn’t to your liking.”

“I hear you…I just… I just love this lady’s fighting spirit. It’s sexy… Life has dragged her through the mud, but she’s not bitter. She’s angry about some things, but it’s not all-consuming. She took the bad hand she was dealt and built a gold mansion out of that shit, man. This girl is bad! Not just physically, but her head game, her mental, is on point. She’s just a beautiful mothafucka…” He felt his eyes watering, emotions filling him to the brim. “She’s magic on steroids.”

“Then damn it, this is good! Looks like Mrs. Florence sent in the big guns, and it looks like the heavy artillery is a woman who goes by the name of Desiree. Batten down the hatches. Looks like you’re preparing for a love storm. Other than you not havin’ control over the situation, and her not puttin’ out, what the hell is the problem, Legend?”

“I don’t want this! That’s the problem! I CAN’T HAVE THIS! Women make us weak! Just like I warned you. They break us down.”It started with my own mama…

“What are you talkin’ about? This is fear talkin’, Legend. Stop it! A woman can break ya down, but a woman can also build you up! Stop bein’ so pessimistic.”

“When I told Mrs. Florence that I needed help, this wasn’t what the hell I meant.” He found his jaws tightening, and hisheart pounding. For the life of him, he could not figure out what was going on.

Then, Axel grabbed him by the shoulders, and looked into his eyes.

“Don’t be afraid of what’s happening between you and this gal. Let things flow, Legend. When you’re on the right track, there’s always going to be some resistance. That means you’re real close to a breakthrough. The devil don’t fuck wit’ nobody who’s already drowning. He only messes with those treadin’ water…”

Chapter Nine

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