Scarlett 2

by Tiece

  Chapter 15

  “Hey, my bestie,” Sheila said, warmly hugging Scarlett around her neck. “I see you got the pony.” She checked out Scarlett’s cute ponytail and casual wear of fitted jeans, a white snug tank top and white Old Navy flip-flops. Even dressed down, she still was pretty.

  Scarlett smiled. “Yes, girl, it’s starting to get hot, and I can’t stand that hair on my neck sometimes.”

  “Girl, I know the feeling.” She said with a confused Scarlett stepping inside her house behind her.

  Sheila had never been so touchy feely in her life. They hadn’t been close at all since she’d been dating Luke and Sheila had been dating Jay. They worked side by side, but they certainly didn’t share the laughs they’d shared in the past.

  Scarlett looked around the open floor, modernly furnished, blue and black color scheme surrounding the area. “It looks really good in here, Sheila, not that I’m surprised.”

  “Thanks, girl,” she responded, still smiling. Scarlett followed her into the spacious entertainment room. “Come on, have a seat so we can catch up. I’ll show you around the place later.” Scarlett sat down on the indigo blue faux leather sofa sectional. The seat gave a direct view to the 60 inch 3D plasma screen TV that sat above her fireplace.

  “I mean it’s really nice in here. Looks like you’ve been living here for a minute now.” Scarlett complimented, very impressed. Sheila walked over by the mini bar. She’d stocked up on her liquor already, and she fixed them a drink.

  “Thanks girl, but I wouldn’t have half the stuff in here if Daddy hadn’t shown up with the furniture guys on Friday morning to surprise me with it.”

  Scarlett smiled because she already knew of this information. “That was nice of him.” Just the thought of Sheila mentioning Greg caused her to smile.

  “So how’s your mama?”

  “She’s still sleeping right now, but I have a feeling she’ll be up soon. They have her medicated pretty good, so I’m hoping that she can just get that much needed rest that she’s been missing out on.”

  Sheila stepped away from the bar with both mixed drinks in her hand. She sat down by Scarlett, handing her one of the mixed drinks. “You know it’s my infamous peach margaritas mixed with Ciroc and tequila.”

  “The ones I’ve missed.” Scarlett said, thinking back to the times she and Sheila used to sit up at her house laughing and talking about people while drinking Sheila’s tastefully blended margaritas. They drank from their glasses. “This is on point as usual.”

  “It is isn’t it?” Sheila smiled. “Well, I’m glad that your mom is getting the care she needs, and it’s also nice to see you be there for her.”

  Scarlett didn’t really know how to take Sheila’s phony bullshit. The girl could’ve been sincere, but it was certainly hard to tell, so she chose to just take everything at face value. That only meant that she was going to feed her ass with a long handle spoon and keep it moving.

  “Enough about Gwen. What’s going on with you?” Scarlett asked just wanting to change the subject.

  “Too much,” she said, drinking from her third jumbo glass of ‘feel better now, pay for it later.’

  “So are you gonna talk about it?” Scarlett said, sensing that Sheila needed a friend since Jay had broken things off with her.

  “Since Jay and I broke up, I’ve just felt so sad. I try to smile, but it’s hard to fake it.”

  It seems like faking it should be your specialty, thought Scarlett.

  Oblivious to any thoughts Scarlett may have been having, she continued. “He’s actually seeing someone else.”

  Scarlett was a bit surprised that she’d be so candid and open about it. “I see.”

  Her voice cracked a bit. “I didn’t think that Jay would do me like that.” She was sad, and even though she’d been horrible to Scarlett, she still felt sorry for her.

  “Dang, Sheila, I hate to hear that,” she admitted then reached in to hug her.

  “He’d already been acting funny ever since he realized that I’d buckled down and was serious about us moving in together. See, I’d gotten this place after feeling like this would really be a place that the both of us would like, but the truth is that he hasn’t even seen it yet.”

  “Really,” Scarlett commented not wanting to say too much on the matter just yet.

  “I don’t even want him over here like that. You should’ve heard him. He pretty much explained to me that he’d been seeing someone else, but don’t worry because he didn’t want to be with her either.”

  I can’t believe that his ass was actually telling me the truth. “So do you believe him?”

  “No,” Sheila responded.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I spoke to his bitch the other night, and she made it clear that he was over to her house.” Sheila informed her. “Okay, so I got her number out of his phone and decided to call the bitch.”

  “Wow, you did what?” Scarlett was amazed to see that Sheila was finally getting some balls about herself.

  “I had to call her ass. I just didn’t think that Jay was fooling around on me. I mean, we were always together, and when we weren’t, I didn’t think that there was someone else. I had to see who this sad female was, because obviously she didn’t know any better. Anyway, you won’t believe that she and I are having a few words and she insists on proving that she’s his woman and calls the nigga to the phone.”

  “GIRL HUSH!” Scarlett responded, all tuned in now.

  “Yes, ma’am. Then he had the nerve to get the phone and say hello. Girl, I wanted to say something so bad. It took everything I had just to hang up and keep the peace.”

  “Well, did you at least call private?”

  “You know it,” Sheila stated.

  “Good, because I grant you that the bitch ain’t gonna tell him that it was you, since you didn’t say anything. She’s the type of bitch that’s wants to play a little, I see.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Sheila stated, thinking back to how the bitch had just reached out to her the day before, just to dig in her wounds a little deeper.

  “Well, what do you plan on doing about it?”

  “Honestly, I want to just move on. But then again, because this bitch is playing with me, now I think I’m gonna just keep fucking with Jay for the hell of it.”

  Scarlett was confused. “How are you gonna fuck with him if he’s not wanting to fuck around with you?”

  “Girl, have you seen this body?” She grinned then drank from her jumbo glass again. “I have some shit hanging up in my closest that will make a nigga fall to his knees. Don’t worry, I got this.”

  “Do your thang, girl.” Scarlett teased.

  “I know one thing. I’m never getting played again like how Mike did me. I respect the fact that Jay kept it partially one-hundred, but he ain’t getting off the hook that easy.” she said, trying to be tough, but Scarlett could still see the hurt in her face.

  Sheila reached over and touched her leg. “Scarlett, I know I’ve not been the best friend that you’ve deserved over the years, but I want to make up for that.”

  Scarlett could see her sincerity, but didn’t want to be too quick to accept her way of apologizing for being such a devious, hateful friend.

  “I have an idea. Let’s both make a confession, something that we may have felt we shouldn’t have done or something we should have kept it one-hundred about, concerning each other.” All Scarlett wanted was a confession about her paying Gwen to put sugar in her tank.

  Sheila smiled. “Hmmm, I don’t even know if I want to admit this. I feel so ashamed, now when I think about it.”

  “Well, I’ll go first.” Scarlett stated. “I actually knew that Jay was going to break up with you, because he called and told me, rather asked for my advice.”

  Sheila felt relieved because she didn’t know how she was going to ask Scarlett why her number was in Jay’s call log.

  “He told me about the other woman too, and that he didn’t want to
be with her either. He was just scared to commit, and that was the reason why he cheated on you.”

  Sheila was surprised that Jay would open up so freely to Scarlett about their problems. “Oh, so he spoke with you about it,” she said as if she didn’t know. “Why didn’t you call me, at least I would’ve had a heads up?”

  “I hated that he even called me. I don’t want to be in the middle of y’all’s problems. You know how you and I used to disagree about the shit that Mike put you through, but I did tell him to keep it one-hundred with you, because then I would’ve had to tell you. I’m just glad he did, and didn’t lead you on.”

  “I guess I can thank you for that, then.” Sheila said with a slight smile. She wasn’t pleased about it, but it was over and done with, and at least she knew why Scarlett’s number was in his phone. “I forgive you for not telling me.”

  “Thanks Sheila. Now it’s your turn.” She said, anxiously waiting to hear her come clean about her mischievous deeds. If you come clean about that, then I can forgive you for everything, she thought.

  “Well, I only started talking to Jay because I thought you wanted him.”

  Scarlett quickly frowned. “Say what now?”

  “Well, that and the fact that he’d cut his hair.” Scarlett’s blank stare caused her to keep talking. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I used to see the way Jay looked at you. He would try to ignore you, but he couldn’t, and I peeped that a long time ago. He used to always be in my face, and I would use the excuse about his background. But in actuality, I especially didn’t want him if you didn’t. Then when you started to act like you was liking him a little, it caused me to change my perception and see what it was that you were now seeing that you weren’t before.”

  Scarlett shook her head in a deeper confusion. “Soooo,” she said, trying to find the right words before she went the hell off on her so-called best friend. “At first you didn’t want him, but once you noticed that I may have had a thing for him, then you wanted him?”

  Sheila was ashamed of herself. “I’m sorry, but once I started flirting with him, I realized how much I liked him.” She looked over at Scarlett sadly. “Did you ever see yourself wanting to someday be with him?”

  “Uh, no, no I could have never seen that.” She lied. “Who wouldn’t gaze at Jay every now then? I mean, the brother is fine as hell.” She played it off.

  “He is, isn’t he?” she said, thinking about him. “I’m glad you didn’t, Scarlett, because I would’ve really felt bad about that.”

  “Nah, don’t sweat it,” she said then looked down at her watch. “Come on and show me around, because I gotta go back to the hospital. I’m staying the night with Gwen.” She lied smoothly, knowing that she was going to chill with Nina then head on home after that.

  “Aww, I think that’s so sweet of you. I really hope that she gets well and is able to get outta there. You know Gwen, she’ll be back on her feet before you know it. Come on, so I can show you my lovely home.” She grinned, feeling a little lighter about coming clean about Jay. She knew she’d done some fucked up things in the past to Scarlett, but hopefully in due time, she’d be able to see a change for the better in her.

  Scarlett followed Sheila upstairs, sipping the last few drops of her drink. Sheila seemed to be changing, but Scarlett still saw a chameleon. It pissed her off to know that Sheila only went after Jay because she thought she was interested in him. If only she knew about their hot steamy past, she’d shoot herself on the spot. From that day forward, she promised herself not to ever forgive Sheila, unless she admitted every dirty thing she ever plotted against her.

  __________

  It was around ten at night, and Scarlett and Nina were sitting at the bar in the Surry Tavern. Scarlett stirred her ice cubes inside her drink.

  “Red, you know that’s gonna taste like water soon.” Nina commented.

  “Yeah, sis, I already know.”

  “So how was your visit to High Yellow’s house?”

  “The visit wasn’t bad. Actually, she has a bad ass crib.” Scarlett expressed.

  Nina rolled her eyes. “Somehow, I already knew that.”

  “The visit would have been better, but she admitted to only fucking with Jay because she thought I wanted him.”

  Nina almost choked on her drink. “Girl, don’t give me too much.”

  “No, seriously, I just looked at her like, ‘what the fuck?’ ”

  “I told you she knew about y’all.”

  “She claims that she had started noticing me watching him a lil more. She didn’t figure that Jay was my type anyway, so after numerous times of him trying to holla at her, she took him up on the offer.” Scarlett drank from her watered down drink.

  “That girl is full of shit. Why would you step in to talk to a dude that you think your best friend is feeling? She sounds like a real fool.” Nina stated.

  “I know, and it just pisses me off more to know that she can be so fucking conniving. One thing I know, is that I will never trust her again. I’ll still play her game, but I’ll no longer be fooled by her sweet smile and kind words.”

  “I don’t blame you, Red.”

  “I just got so much shit on my mind. The only good thing that has come out of today is that Luke’s Daddy threw away the video. But it’s just a matter of time before April finds a way to get him another one.”

  “Damn, and you said the video was off the chain, huh?” Nina asked causing Scarlett to roll her eyes at her.

  “Bitch, I don’t even wanna think about that damn graphic ass video. It’s so fucking embarrassing.” She took a sip from her watered down drink then asked the bartender for another one. “I was so embarrassed, that I broke the CD and trashed it too.”

  “I don’t blame you.” Nina shook her head. “You do have a bunch of shit going on. You and me both,” she sighed. “Can you believe that Stephen came over last night to stay the night with me, only to be awakened by Rick this morning around six, knocking on my damn window like he had lost his mind?”

  “GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!”

  “You heard me.”

  “Then what happened?” she nosily asked, turning up her drink.

  “Girl, normally I have to be the one to go out and calm Rick’s ass down. You know how he is when he gets drunk. He just doesn’t know how to act.”

  “You’re right,” Scarlett agreed, having been around Rick more than a few times to see him show his ass. She and Nina once even had to double team him for getting drunk and calling Nina a bitch one too many times. He couldn’t do anything with either of them. They were all over his ass like bees on honey. They put a whooping on him so bad, that he didn’t drink for the next eight months straight. “Why the hell was he drinking so early in the morning anyway?”

  “No, that wasn’t drinking early in the morning. That was drinking all fucking night until the next morning,” she spat.

  Scarlett shook her head. “I thought he had slowed down.”

  “He had, but he’s been hanging over in the hole again.”

  “Well, no wonder.” Scarlett uttered, well aware of what the hole consisted of, since that was Gwen’s favorite hang out spot. “Is he going through some shit or something?” Confusion set in. “What the hell was he thinking anyway? You haven’t fucked with him like that in a few months now.”

  “I know girl, and this pussy been so hot for some dick till I don’t know what to do with myself.” Scarlett laughed. “You know I’m serious girl, if I wouldn’t give his good dick ass none.” She said drinking from her glass.

  “I had to remind this simple minded nigga that it was over and I meant it. I can’t do it no more. I understand now, that hurting Stephen all those times for Rick was just straight out stupid. Why you didn’t just kill me back then?” She shook her head.

  Scarlett grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t have killed you, but I did try to tell you. You know I’ve always been team Stephen.”

  “I know,” Nina sadly stated, because everybody knew that she was a
fool, including Gwen, and that said a lot.

  Scarlett could sense Nina’s frustration. “But you know when you’re head over heels in love with somebody, that nobody can tell you anything different. You’re never gonna see it at the moment, because you’re so stuck up his ass, till it ain’t funny. One thing I realized from being with Jay, is that until you’ve finally found that place where you’re completely fed up, you’ll keep going back.”

  Nina nodded her head in agreement.

  “Rick knew what he had over you, one being sex. The other was showing you that side that he knew you wanted to see. Like cooking meals, and paying a lil bill here and there. Playing with the kids like he’s the best father in the world, then as soon as you fall for it, he turns right back into old conniving ass, no good Rick.”

  “Damn you’re right Red,” she said, taking another drink out her glass then asking the bartender for another.

  “Damn, you ain’t had enough?” Scarlett grinned.

  Nina smiled, feeling good to know that she’d kicked her bad habit to the curb, and didn’t want him back.

  “I’m good,” she responded, but was definitely close to reaching her limit. “So anyway, back to this morning. I don’t know what happened, but Stephen was fed up and went to the door. You know for yourself that he never really says anything to Rick. He would always say that it was best to ignore ignorance, and he did a damn good job of it over the years. Rick had talked so much shit to Stephen until his ignoring techniques started to turn me off.”

  “I can see that.” Scarlett said, taking another drink. “Being too nice and not having a backbone can certainly be a turn off.”

  “Well honey, let me tell you what happened. That damn Stephen opened up the front door. When Rick saw him, he called himself running up on the porch, only to get a surprise greeting by Stephen’s fist to his face. Girl, he cold cocked him so hard, it knocked that nigga flat on his ass. If you had seen that facial expression afterwards, you would’ve laughed your ass off.” She grinned a little. “I swear, he sat down there on the porch so long, that Stephen walked back in the house and took his time getting dressed for work, then left with Rick still sitting in that same spot.” They both fell out laughing so hard, until Scarlett cried.