Page 23 of Weddings on the West: Vol. I Brick & Destiny

“Listen, just… It was wild as hell,” I huffed.

“And the other?” she asked.

“Man… I ain’t tryin’ to talk about her ass.” I sucked my teeth and turned away.

“Please? I told you all my tea!” She pouted.

“Fine… fuck,” I grumbled. “Dominique was my high school sweetheart too. From fourteen to twenty-one, that girl was my fuckin’ heart man.”

“So, what happened?”

“She just… left. One day, I came home to an empty apartment and a note saying that she had to leave because she couldn’t deal with my lifestyle. Never saw her again.”

“Dang… I’m sorry,” she said sadly.

“Don’t be. I’m over it.”

“You’re clearly not… and that’s okay. It seems like she may have been the love of your life. It’s okay to be hurt by that.”

“I’m not! Maybe you should mind your fuckin’ business!” I snapped, feeling like shit again at the way she recoiled. She tucked her bottom lip in, and I didn’t miss how her body naturally angled away from me as we continued walking.

“Um… You want a slushy?” That was all the apology that I could offer her.

“I think I’m good. Actually, I’m ready to call it a day if you don’t mind,” she said, not even looking me in my eye. She went dead silent the entire walk back to the car and the entire drive back to her house.

“Peep,” I grumbled, folding like origami. “I’m… sorry.” Her head whipped towards me like she couldn’t believe I just apologized to her. Hell, I couldn’t believe it either, but being around her and her not talking to me was fuckin’ me up. When she didn’t speak, I kept going. “Listen, maybe I am a little tight about that situation with Dom. I don’t really talk about it because shit got kinda dark for me. I shouldn’t have snapped on you like that, and I apologize. We supposed to be a unit, and we can’t do that if I’m not open with you.”

“Thank you,” she said softly. “I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability.”

“Vulnerable?” I scoffed. “Relax, girl. Ain’t nobody bein’ vulnerable! You trippin’! I’m just bein’ real.”

“Okay,” she said, but I could tell she didn’t believe me. “But thank you for that, because I was about to be giving you the silent treatment until further notice, and I actually enjoy talking to you a little bit.”

“Aight then, Peep. I guess you okay with me too,” I teased, fighting like hell to contain the way the corners of my mouth wanted to turn up into a smile.

Six

Yes to the Dress

DESTINY

“Ican’t believe you’re getting marriedddd!” Stasha cooed. Aside from Eden, she was my other best friend—my only other friend, really. Since I kept to myself and stayed in the church, I didn’t have a huge group of friends. Stasha had been down with me since junior high and accepted me the way I was. She loved the church just as much as I did, so we had more common interests than Eden and I.

The past two weeks had been a blur of meetings, calls, and expensive decisions, and I would be walking down the aisle in exactly twenty-seven days. I should have been a nervous wreck, but I had so much going on that I didn’t even have time to be nervous.

“Me either,” Eden said dully as she scrolled on her phone before looking up at me in disgust. “I fucking hate it!” she spat.

“Language!” Stasha fussed before sending a smile my way. “I think she looks beautiful.” Eden and Stash were always the angel and demon battling it out on my shoulders. Eden had been encouraging me to get in trouble since she could speak, and Stasha had been the one to talk me down. Usually Stasha won, but today may have been one of those rare occasions where Eden took home the W.

“Yes, she looks beautiful because she is beautiful. But this dress looks like a tulle sleep paralysis demon. Listen, I agreed to help, but I refuse to put the stamp of approval on this ugly shit, and if you think I’m gon’ follow suit in my bridesmaid’s dress, you got another thing coming. These titties will be making an appearance.” She squeezed them together for emphasis.

“They’re always present and accounted for,” I said, rolling my eyes. That day, she wore a tube top that had me wondering how it even stayed up with her pierced nipples poking out.

“Whatever. So, when do I get to meet this nigga?” she asked, popping her gum.

“Soon. I meet his family tonight, so maybe we can set something up soon. This wedding planning has us busy."

“I look forward to it.” She smirked. I gulped, feeling nervous all of a sudden. I knew that if Eden found out about the arrangement, she would raise all kinds of hell. All I could do was pray that we made it down the aisle before that happened.