“That’s how you feeling right now?” He snapped, shoulders squared like he was ready for action. “After all the time I done put in with yo’ ass?”
“All the time? Like this is some kind of community project or something.” She shook her head and snatched out of hisgrasp. “What the fuck does that even mean, Gannon? You think because you put forth a little effort that I’m supposed to submit to you when you ain’t trying to make no kind of real commitment? You want me when you want me. Like everybody else. Something to pretty to look at. That’s all this is,” Minx argued abrasively.
She couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Gannon stood staring at her while she passed off a ticket to the ride conductor and grabbed a seat in one of the little rocking cars. From afar, Rose noticed the dispute between the two. Shaking his head, shaking off the urge to snatch her ass up, Gannon opted to turn and walk away. He knew better than to keep going back and forth with her, especially in this setting. Once they were alone, he would let her know how shit was going to be.
Nadia licked around her ice cream cone and studied Rose. Minx and that fine ass Gannon had a few heated words, and now she sat on the Ferris wheel pouting. As usual, Rose had that look on his face, ready to ride to her rescue. Just as he was about to take a step toward her, Nadia’s voice stopped him.
“You sure you want to go over there taking sides in a lover’s quarrel?” she asked warily.
A flicker of irritation and impatience shined in Rose’s eyes when he glanced at her over his shoulder. Without a word, he left her standing there with Mille. After giving his ticket to the conductor, he slid right into the car with Minx, draping one arm behind her protectively. She wasn’t expecting him to hop on with her, and her annoyance shined behind her troubled stare. She wanted to be alone. Right now, it seemed like the best thing, but of course, Rose was going to put his two cents in. She really didn’t want to hear shit from him either. She ate her popcorn and avoided the piercing eyes he fixed on her. The bar to the car was lowered, and the Ferris wheel moved upward as other passengers loaded. Mille and Nadia hopped on the car ahead ofthem, and Minx grew even more irritated from the sight of the girl.
“Rose, I was looking forward to making this a solo ride.” She finally spoke up, her face crinkling in annoyance.
“I know. That’s why I got on.” He gave her his boyish smile, and she wanted to sock him in the mouth.
Like the rude nigga he was, he dipped his hand in her popcorn bag.
“If you really wanted to get on my nerves, you should have just hopped on with your on-again, off-again… what exactly are you two?” A frown covered her face, amusing him. She was jealous and didn’t want to admit it to herself let alone him. It wasn’t just because of their friendship either. She had that territorial, warped look behind her sullen gaze.
When Rose ran his tongue over his lips, the thoughts that penetrated her mind left her breathless. The tingle she caught between her legs anchored her attention on him. Her heart rate developed its own off rhythm she couldn’t quite get a hold on. The ride continued to load with more people until they were at the top, in the air, and Minx lifted her eyes to the clear, blue sky above them.
“Why would it matter to you what we are, Minx?” Rose asked, holding her hostage under his suspicious eyes. “It’s pretty selfish of you to want a keep a nigga like me all to yourself,” he added teasingly.
“I don’t like her,” Minx blurted out, a cute pout taking over her face.
“You don’t know her. Never even took the time to,” Rose pointed out.
“And I don’t want to know her. If that’s who you choose to occupy your time with, that is all on you,” Minx stated, callous as she examined her nails.
“You a real fucking trip.” Rose shamefully shook his head.
His feelings for her were damn near at the capacity, overflowing inside of him. It was only a matter of time and proximity, and he was sure he would break. At fifteen feet in the air, he was about to view the entire carnival, soaking in every detail. Rose pat himself on the back for being so robust when it came to Minx over the years. At the end of it all, she was his friend first. There were things they said to each other or experienced that they could never tell another and never would. She was his heart and soul, and he was pretty sure she wasn’t even aware the type of influence she had over his life.
“You can say that like it’s a bad thing, but I know better,” she muttered with dry sarcasm.
“The world don’t revolve around you, Minx.” Rose’s voice held a slight bitter note. “And a nigga like me might not ever get married or no shit like that, but we ain’t kids no more. We both grown, and we both have other people in our lives that mean something to us, whether it’s serious or not. You been with Gannon since I left, which I find pretty fucking funny?—”
“Wait, where is this coming from, and what are you trying to say?” She squinted, mouth and jaw tight as anger filled her veins.
She didn’t like what Rose was insinuating. A large part of her wanted to shove him off the damn Ferris wheel for even having the audacity to come at her like that.
“Take it however the hell you want,” Rose fired back, a deep frown creasing his forehead.
The conversation was going left pretty fast, and Minx was thrown. Rose hardly ever got an attitude with her, and if he did, it never felt like this. The heat radiated off him, and he kept his shadowy eyes locked ahead, far from her. She was actually afraid of what she might see if she looked back at him. Before he left, they shared a kiss. Now it was an invisible thing between them that neither of them spoke on. Minx wondered if he kept out of touch recently because of that. The more she thought aboutit, the more fidgety she became as the Ferris wheel was set in motion. For the first few minutes, there was nothing but the sounds of the music and the people surrounding them. With his hand to his chin, Rose sat very rigid and pensive beside her. He could feel her checking his temp with her sideways glances.
“I guess you’re right. We aren’t kids anymore. We are who we are, and we are going to be with whoever we choose. Neither of us should have that kind of power in the other’s life. But… as your best friend, you know I’m gonna talk shit. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.” Minx excused herself with a half-ass apology, and Rose kept silent. “Maybe I always thought… down the line… something else might happen. It was in the back of my mind though, so I never entertained it. Then you kissed me, and you just left. What was I supposed to do with that?” she murmured, eyes downcast as the wheel moved in slow circles.
Peeping Mille with Nadia below them, she could tell she wished she was a bird in the sky so she could hear their conversation. All these years, and Minx never understood the bond that Rose had with her. Nadia was intimidated by it, and there was no other word for it. Slowly, Rose’s head spun in Minx’s direction. She even attempted to pull away from him, but there was nowhere for her to go. Pouting like a little ass kid, she folded her arms over her chest. Rose tightened his arm around her, but she didn’t want to look at him. Hugging her close to his hard body, he grabbed her chin and forced her to turn his way.
“You know the darkest pits of me, Minx. You’ve seen that shit up close, and it’s ugly. I can’t change who the fuck I am.” Rose grit his teeth, jaw tight while speaking to her.
The tone of his voice stiffened her spine, stirring this uneasiness in her stomach. All that junk food and being midair was starting to sound like a bad idea.
“Nothing and nobody can change the nigga I am, not even you.” He released her chin, startling her.
She finally looked at him, this stricken expression on her face. His nostrils flared, fluttering her heart wildly in her chest as she watched him. Rose always had a temper, but he never inflicted any of it on her. Everybody else could get it, never Minx, and now she was feeling slighted. Blinking back tears that threatened to slip down her face, she sniffled and reluctantly pulled her gaze from his as the wind blew her tears away.
“What you need to do is stop worrying about me and deal with your own life. Stop deflecting. We both know I ain’t shit. It was never supposed to be a me and you. I’m a fuckup. I take too many chances and risks to put you in the line of fire like that. A nigga lives on the edge, and you’re my safe place. I’m grateful as hell for it and don’t know where I would be without you. We just… it’s not supposed to go there.” Firm in his words, Rose returned her lingering stare. Seeing the hurt he put in her eyes shredded his heart.
