In Love with My Enemy

by A'zayler

  “Now, tell me how many biscuits you want and what time you want me to bring them.”

  “Three, and come whenever you get off. I’ll be up. I don’t sleep much at night because of the baby.”

  Ezra’s eyes went to the baby in the stroller. She was cute little baby, but she was dark as hell compared to Cannon.

  “Her daddy must be dark?”

  Cannon looked at the baby and nodded.

  “That’s what’s up. He ain’t the kind of dude that be tripping when you talk to other dudes is he? Because I know niggas love to trip about their baby mamas.”

  “Ezra, this is not my baby. She’s my sister. I just told you that, so you either gon’ believe me or you’re not.”

  “Okay, bet. My bad.” He told her, smiling just as hard as he’d been the whole time they’d been talking. “Well give me your number so I can text you for your address and stuff when I’m on my way.”

  Cannon took his outstretched phone and typed her number in it before giving it back to him. He looked down at her number and smiled.

  “Even your name looks pretty in my phone.”

  Cannon was all smiles and giggles as he stood in front of her running some of his best game.

  “I can’t stand you right now. You do know that right?”

  “Yeah, I bet, but you’ll get over that in due timing.”

  “I’m sure I will. Bye Ezra.” Cannon pushed the stroller and began walking away again.

  “Peace out, boo.”

  Cannon smiled at him over her shoulder once more before continuing down the street. Ezra watched her for a minute, getting his rocks off on her thighs before hopping into the truck with Jazz. He was on the phone fussing with somebody about something Ezra didn’t care enough to hear about.

  Once he was able to pull out of the parking lot, he merged into traffic and headed to Jazz’s spot. He couldn’t wait to get to work and get those hours out of the way. Being able to see Cannon was about to make his shift worth working.

  He’d been checking for her since the moment she walked into his creative writing class, and hadn’t stopped since. He wasn’t sure if she noticed it or not, but he was always stealing glances at her, trying to make jokes with her, or accidentally bumping into her when they got out of their seats to leave. Hopefully spending time with her later would be just as exciting as their little conversation had been.

  7

  I can be the help you need

  The sizzling from the grease in the frying pan had Cannon so zoned out, she almost hadn’t heard her phone ringing. When she finally grabbed it from the counter, she already had two missed calls. Being that it was from a number she didn’t know, she figured it had to be Ezra. When she unlocked her phone, and checked the text message that was waiting for her, her thoughts were confirmed.

  He’d texted her once letting her know that he was on the way, and another letting her know he was outside. Since she’d sent him her address earlier, she wasn’t alarmed by his presence. After clearing her screen, she sat her phone back down and checked the chicken. When she was sure she could leave it for a minute, she ran to the front door.

  Upon opening it, she spotted the same black truck Ezra had been in earlier, parked along the curb. The tint was so dark she couldn’t really see inside, but she was sure he was there. Neither her nor her mother really knew anyone in Georgia, so they most definitely never had any company at their house. On top of that, her mother’s depression was at an all-time high, and they weren’t really trying to broadcast that.

  Cannon stood at the door for a moment just watching the truck to see whether he would be getting out any time soon. When he didn’t move, she walked back into the house. He’d find his way when he was ready. The glass screen door slammed behind her as she made her way to the kitchen.

  With a fork occupying one of her hands, and the other resting on her hip, Cannon waited with a stomach full of butterflies. For some reason having Ezra over had been affecting her since she’d agreed to his company. Cannon had been trying to figure it out all day, and couldn’t. Ezra was cute and all but she wasn’t really into him enough to be as nervous as she was right then.

  Cannon’s head spun around when she heard the screen door slam closed again. Her eyes went to the entrance of the kitchen in expectancy. When it took him too long to show his face, she rounded the corner and there he was. Lord! Cannon’s eyes darted away quickly trying to give herself a minute to gather her bearings.

  He was there alright, really there, and really fine as hell while being there. The black tank top and black gym shorts he was wearing were so fitting for his body, then to add the simple gold necklace with the E charm hanging around his neck, and the long locs, he was perfect. It didn’t matter if she was feeling him for real or not, she couldn’t deny the fact that the man was fine.

  “Why you ain’t wait for me?” Ezra’s unique light bulb eyes shined on her as she stood taking in the beauty of the gift God had bestowed upon her.

  In the back of her mind she knew that might have sounded like something straight out of a romance book, but that’s how she felt. There was no way any other ordinary woman was in her exact place right then. A boy as beautiful as Ezra wasn’t real. He was fictitiously gorgeous. Everything about him had to be make-believe, because real niggas didn’t come that pretty.

  “You were taking forever to get out of the truck.” Cannon told him as she padded back toward the kitchen.

  She hurried to remove the chicken from the grease before it burned. Just as she put the last piece on the plate, she heard Ezra behind her.

  “Man, your ass don’t know how to cook. You in here about to burn your mama house down.”

  “Boy, please. I can cook better than her.” Cannon smiled at him over her shoulder. “You just better have my biscuits to go with my chicken.”

  Ezra smiled back before holding up the plastic bag with the red and white box inside of it. Cannon was just about to say something else to him, but stopped when she felt his chest on her back. Ezra was leaning over her shoulder looking at the chicken, but he was way too close for comfort, so with a quick elbow to his stomach, Cannon got her space back.

  “You all over me. Move please,” she pushed him back a little more.

  Ezra chuckled and pinched the back of her neck playfully before taking a few steps back and hopping on the counter behind her. Cannon wanted to beg him not to put his hand on her body like that again, but she didn’t want him to ask her why. That topic was surely off limits on their first little date. How was she going to explain she was easy? Like, really easy. The slightest touch would have her doing things girls her age shouldn’t even know about.

  “You was at home getting ready for these biscuits, huh?” Ezra was laughing again, but this time it was by himself.

  Cannon’s mood soured immediately. “I told you earlier about the fat jokes. I’m not going to say it again. Next time I’ma just stop fucking with you before I even start.”

  The kitchen was quiet for a minute, neither of them saying anything. Cannon didn’t know about him, but she was angry, and as serious as a heart attack. She didn’t like that fat girl stuff, and Ezra was getting more and more comfortable with it.

  “I like to eat, so what? I ain’t no different than these skinny girls that love to eat, and the world thinks it’s cute.” She turned her head to the side so she could look at him out of the side of her eye. “So, don’t try me.”

  “I really didn’t mean it like that.”

  “I don’t care how you meant it, it sounded rude.”

  Ezra was off the counter and walking toward her. Cannon tried to sidestep him so that he couldn’t touch her, but she missed and both of his hands were on her elbows pulling her backwards. He stilled her movement with a forceful tug when she tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

  “Stop that.” He told her once before leaning down and resting his chin on her shoulder. His hair rubbed against her face subtly. “I’m sorry. I promise I didn’t mean it the wa
y it sounded . . . okay?”

  Cannon stood silent.

  “I talk a lot and some of the stuff I say may sound rude, but that’s because you ain’t from here.”

  Silence filled the room for only a second longer before Cannon snickered.

  “Because I’m not from here? What does that have to do with anything?”

  “You’re not used to the way southerners talk.” Ezra’s cute little laugh made Cannon laugh as well. “Just like you ain’t used to what we like, because if you were, you’d know we love thick women.” Ezra’s hands dropped from her elbows and wrapped around her stomach. “The thicker the better.”

  Cannon shrank inward when she felt his hands on her stomach. Surely, he felt the extra softness she was trying her best to hold in. Her stomach wasn’t filled with a bunch of rolls of fat, but it surely wasn’t flat. She’d had a little more than her share of fried foods and sweets throughout the years, and her current moment was making her wish she’d avoided them altogether.

  “You can go ahead and stop trying to hold your stomach in too, I can feel your muscles tightening.”

  “Oh my god,” Cannon said aloud as she tried to step out of his hold again.

  Utter embarrassment and shame was all over her. She was so ashamed she even covered her face with both of her hands. Ezra was killing her. Before the night was over she’d probably be in the local morgue, waiting for her toe to be tagged.

  “Cannon, you don’t have to hide who you are for me. I ain’t nobody.”

  The coolness from his breath made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up while his cologne and voice made her stomach churn. Hopefully he couldn’t feel that too. She’d just die if he did. To go ahead and drop her casket six feet under, he gave her belly a light squeeze.

  “Ezra, please stop.”

  “You damn stop. You the one acting crazy.” His tone was accusing and comical at the same time.

  The subtle sizzling from the cooling grease was the only noise in the small kitchen as Cannon stood awkwardly in Ezra’s arms. Her back was still to him, while he’d raised his chin from her shoulder and was in place behind her.

  “Now, are you going to keep acting a fool while I’m over here, or are you going to chill? I ain’t got time for you to be not liking me already and I ain’t even been here that long yet.”

  “Who told you I liked you in the first place? You asked could you come see me and I said yeah. That don’t mean I like you. Pump your brakes, Mr. Southside.”

  Ezra’s laughter caused him to finally release her, and for that Cannon was grateful. She even turned around so that she could watch him. He was leaned back casually on the counter with one hand over his mouth and the other on the granite next to him, laughing. He was freaking adorable. Almost cuter than Yara. Almost.

  “I can’t stand you. You think everything is so funny.” Cannon pushed his hand that was resting on the counter causing him to lose his hold and fall forward a little.

  Ezra stood to his full height and poked her forehead with his pointer finger. “Alright now feisty ass girl, don’t be putting your hands on me.”

  “Or what?” Cannon walked into his space with her arms folded over her chest. Her face was serious as she tried to hold back her smile. “What you gon’ do Southside?”

  “First of all, I ain’t say no damn Southside, I said Southerner. Get your shit straight.”

  “It’s whatever I say it is.” Cannon took a step closer to him. “Now like I said, Southside, what you gon’ do if I keep putting my hands on you?”

  Ezra’s long hair fell around his shoulders, shielding the sides of his face some as he stared at her. His eyes dimmed a little as they squinted in the corners when his lips balled into his mouth.

  “I don’t care about your little serious face. Do something.” Cannon stepped closer so that her chest was pressed against his. “I dare you.” She pushed one side of his hair over his shoulder and held it back so that she could see his face.

  Ezra remained stoic with an underlying smirk on his face. The two of them stood there pressed against one another, breathing, staring, and flirting silently.

  “Don’t dare me sweetheart, because I really do the stuff I say I’ma do.”

  “Show me.” Cannon challenged, her confidence coming through with a vengeance.

  Ezra stared at her for a little bit longer, before grabbing both sides of her face and pecking her mouth quickly. Cannon’s first thought was to pull away, but like he’d been doing since he’d gotten there, he held her to him. His lips pressed against hers again. This time, remaining a little longer than before. Cannon’s chest sank as she grabbed both of his hands with hers and pulled away.

  “Boy, what you think you doing? How you know my mama ain’t here?”

  His smile spread across his face slowly. “She can get a kiss too if she wants one.”

  “I hate you.” Cannon shook her head with a broad smile on it.

  “You’ll love me sooner or later, so I’ll take that for now.” Ezra walked past her and grabbed a piece of fried chicken and took a bite out of it. “Messing around with you, the food gon’ be cold and I can tell you right now, KFC biscuits be nasty as hell when they cold. You might even choke on them bitches if you ain’t careful.”

  “You ain’t lying. Let me hurry up.” Cannon grabbed the plate of chicken wings she’d fried and the bag of bread and told him to follow her.

  Ezra was right on her heels as they walked into the living room. Yara was lying peacefully in her bassinet sleeping. Cannon checked on her before sitting down and placing the food in front of them. She’d thought Ezra was about to sit next to her, but he gave her his chicken instead and went to the bassinet to grab Yara. She squirmed a little until he placed her against his chest and began rubbing her back.

  “Ain’t nobody tell you to pick her up.” Cannon told him while opening the pack of honey with her teeth. “If she wakes up, you seeing about her.”

  “You ain’t saying nothing. I know how to take care of a baby.”

  “You must got one?” Cannon watched him sit on the sofa opposite of her and stretch his legs out.

  Yara was balled up in the center of his chest, while he rested one hand on her body, while the other was behind his head. He looked extremely relaxed for a person that had never been to her house a day in his life. Though they didn’t know each other from a can of paint, the chemistry was there. Not to mention, how cute he looked holding Yara. It didn’t make Cannon want a baby or nothing crazy like that, but it did make her daydream a little bit.

  “Nope. I’ve got a lot of nieces and nephews though. They love me too.” A boastful smile lit up the living room. “Uncle Southside love the kids.”

  A series of coughs left Cannon’s mouth as she tried to laugh and ended up choking on her bread. Ezra sat across from her with a grin on his face.

  “I told you that bread was gon’ choke you. You thought I was playing, didn’t you?”

  Cannon’s middle finger served as her response as she sat with her hand on her chest trying to relax again. She could feel Ezra’s eyes on her the whole time. She only moved when Yara’s soft grunts came out of nowhere. With his head leaned over so that he could see Yara’s face, he rocked her body softly until she quieted down.

  “She needs to shut her ass up don’t she, li’l mama? Keeping up all that fucking noise while you trying to get your beauty sleep.” Though he was insulting every action of Cannon’s, his baby talk was the cutest thing Cannon had ever seen. “Don’t worry about it li’l mama, I got you. I’ll make her behave.”

  “Nigga, please. I ain’t thinking about you or Yara’s little behind.”

  Ezra gave her a stern look and placed his finger to his lips before mouthing, hush. His eyes were bucked and everything giving Cannon yet another laugh. Something that had been reoccurring since he’d arrived.

  “Let me get out of here before I knock you out.” Cannon gathered the empty fast food box and walked to the kitchen.

&nb
sp; When she came back she sat the soda she’d gotten for him on the table in front of him and took Yara from him so that he could eat. With the baby in her arms, Cannon walked to the back to get her together. After a quick change of her Pampers, and clothes, Yara’s little round eyes were wide open.

  “Hey Yara boo,” Cannon kissed all over her face.

  “Don’t be trying to kiss all over my li’l mama now. You were just being disrespectful and shit while she was sleep. Keep that same energy you had in the living room, fam.”

  Ezra stood at the door sipping from the green and blue can of soda.

  “I’m sick of your fan club, Yara.”

  Yara’s small legs and arms waved around in the air as she got excited by Cannon’s voice.

  “I’m sick of you too. Give me the baby back and I’ll be on my way.” Ezra walked further into her mother’s room, looking around at the pictures hanging on the wall. “Why your room look so dark and gloomy? You ain’t got no posters, perfume, clothes, or none of that other girly stuff girls our age be having everywhere.”

  “You know how girls our age rooms be looking, don’t you?” Cannon side eyed him knowingly. “Probably live in these hoe’s house when they mamas be at work.”

  Ezra kept a straight face and held his open palm up toward her. “Talk to the hand, New Girl.”

  “Yeah, you know not to incriminate yourself.”

  “Just tell me why you got this old lady room and I’ll mind my business.” His locs dipped lower across his back as he tilted his head to admire the picture of the black lady above her mother’s closet.

  “Because, Mr. Nosey, this ain’t my room.” Cannon picked Yara up and cradled her in her arms. “It’s my mama’s, now get out.” She stood to her feet with him following close behind her.

  Cannon hit the lights and walked across the hall into her room. She pushed the door open and flipped the lights on. The lavender-colored decorations against the Cherrywood furniture came into view. Her full-sized bed was on one side, while Yara’s crib that matched her furniture was positioned on the other side. One dresser, a changing table, and a vanity were all strategically placed around the room.