Kailani & Bishop: A Case of the Exes (2 page)

Kailani

Lay and I never fit in when we went out. We weren’t like these basic females these days, spending hundreds of dollars on weave and clothes just to look like everybody else. I never understood the concept of following trends. I was always my own individual and Lay was too. Guess that was why we stuck around each other for all these years. I met her in the eighth grade. She was a cool chick, still was. She was crazy like me. We both were little, but people should never underestimate us because of our size. Her hips and thighs were bigger than mine.

At one point, we both had pretty long hair, but I cut all mine off and went natural. That was one of the things I admired about her. She never colored her hair. Me, on the other hand, I colored mine about twice a year if not more. Since I got it cut so much, it didn’t damage my hair. I was letting it grow now, though. I had it cut into this bad Mohawk with ombre gold highlights. Yeah, my best friend was bad. That was why we stayed having beef in high school because we were smart and quiet. Females thought they could test us, but you know what they say, the quiet ones be the most violent ones. She was light skinned and I was brown, so we had all types of niggas approaching us. It was always some kind of drama. I got out of it, though, when I stopped dating.

Lay, on the other hand, didn’t. She was always getting into it with somebody over her nigga. Because she was my best friend, I was getting into it with them too, but this new nigga she had, Terrell. He seemed cool. He was into music and business. He had his own recording studio and hoped one day to have his own label. He was a good dude with a rough side. I liked that.

That was what we needed, a good man with a hood nigga attitude. He had to have the mind of Kendrick Lamar, the hustle of 50 Cent, heart and looks of Tupac, and the soul of Bob Marley. Was that too much to ask for? Well, if it was, oh well. I think she found hers in Terrell and I was happy for her, which was the only reason I agreed to come out with her tonight. He was throwing one of his friends a welcome home party and he invited us. Otherwise, I would’ve been at home in my sweats, watching reruns with a sack full of snacks.

We hadn’t been in the place for five minutes before I saw this fine nigga walking over to our table with a bottle of champagne. He was built but not too built. Built like I could trust him to protect me, but it wasn’t excessive. He had the prettiest smooth milk chocolate skin. I could see a few of his tattoos that covered the top of his chest and his arms. His hair was cut in a low fade. The nigga was looking good and he was dressed so simply, which made him even sexier. He had on a white tee, some dark colored jeans, and a pair of custom Nike Roshes. I must have been staring hard because he blushed and showed off a set of pearly whites that made me cry between my thighs. All I needed was a milk chocolate nigga with a set of lovely white teeth. Lord, have mercy.

Not wanting to get too deep, I quickly regrouped by grabbing my phone and going through my apps for a game to play while I waited for our food. Best friend or not, after I ate, I was gone dip. He even smelled good. He was wearing my favorite men’s cologne, Bleu de Chanel. I didn’t want to look up at him. I couldn’t look up, so I just stared at my phone as he sat the bottle down and rested his palms on top of the table. I could feel him staring at me, but I couldn’t look up.

Sensing my apprehension, he threw some conversation to Lay, but his eyes never left me.

“I’m glad you came out, Lay. I’ve been waiting to meet the woman who got my nigga’s mind gone.”

God, he sounded so good. Chocolate, white teeth, my favorite cologne, and he sounded good.
Lord, help.

“It’s cool. He’s been talking about you since we met, so I’m glad I could come out,” Lay replied.

“Who is this you got with you?” he asked her.

“This is my best friend, Kailani, but everyone calls her Kai.”

“Kai and Lay. That’s cute. It’s nice to meet you, Kai.”

That voice of his was going to get me in trouble. He had the type of voice that sounded like he could sing. The kind of voice that made me wanna sing to him and I don’t even sing! Trying to act cool, I dryly looked up at him and put my hand into his, which was a mistake because he closed it and acted as if he didn’t want to let it go.

“Nice to meet you as well…” I paused, realizing I didn’t know his name.

“Bishop.”

“Is that a title?”

He smiled and flashed that pretty smile again, and I got even wetter.

“Nah, that’s my birth name. My momma was a churchwoman, said I had some type of calling on my life, so she named me Bishop.”

“And, you ended up selling drugs and going to jail? How’d that happen?”

I was hoping my attitude would run him away like it did most men, but it didn’t. He didn’t flinch. He smiled wider before sitting next to me, still holding my hand.

“Well, she died shortly after my birth. I bounced around different family member’s houses until I was sixteen and able to take care of myself. So, I guess I just chose the route that best fit me.”

“Are you going to let my hand go?”

“I could, but you don’t want me to.”

This nigga was cocky, but he was right. I liked the feel of his skin against mine. He made me blush. Fuck. Slowly, I removed my hand from his and returned my attention to my phone, hoping he would get up and leave, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen a soon as Rell walked over and sat next to Lay.

“I know you ain’t tryna get no play from Kai mean ass…”

Lay nudged him as I shot him a stank face.

“Leave my friend alone,” Lay said and I just chuckled.

He was right. I was mean, but I was the sweetest, softest-hearted and giving woman to the man I loved. I hated being that way.

“She’s mean? She ain’t mean. She’s strong, but she can be broken easily. That’s why she act like that. She just ain’t met a nigga that can handle her,” Bishop said.

He read me better than I expected. I couldn’t help but look at him with surprise written all over my face. I wasn’t used to this at all. I was usually stone faced because I suck at hiding my facial expressions, but he had a nigga open. I uncomfortably scooted closer to Lay as I tried to get out of the booth. I knew Bishop wasn’t going to let me out.

“I gotta pee. Let me out,” I said to Lay, who pushed Rell slightly.

He was about to let me out, but he and Bishop had some type of exchange that caused him to change his mind. I looked from him to Bishop and shook my head before picking my phone up again. Bishop just sat there, cheesing and staring at me. This was going to be a long and draining night.

Bishop

She wasn’t going to make this easy for a nigga. She was going to be a handful. I should have expected that from the hard time Rell had breaking Layyah down, but I knew she was going to be worth it. Easy was cool, but it wasn’t wife material. I was glad she was giving a nigga a hard time. Just made me want her more.

“So, how long you gone give a nigga a hard time before you give me your number?” I asked her.

I could tell she was feeling a nigga, by the way, she was looking at me on my way to their table. Now, that I was here and in her face, she wanted to act like she wasn’t interested.

“I’m not giving you my number,” she answered calmly, which caused me to chuckle.

She really didn’t know who she was messing with. I always got what and who I wanted. She wasn’t going to be the exception.

“So, you want me to get it from Lay?” I asked.

Finally, she looked at me briefly before burying her head back in her phone. She couldn’t handle looking at a nigga. She didn’t want to blush.

Look me in my eyes
.

Probably was scared I was going to see the real her. I don’t know what the last nigga did to make her so guarded, but I was ready to break down all them walls.

“You can have the number all day, but that don’t mean I have to answer and talk to you.”

She caught a nigga off guard with that. Brown skins were always doing that. Quick to give a nigga the number, but would never answer. Light skins, on the other hand, hardly ever gave a nigga the number unless they were feeling him. I couldn’t help but laugh at her. Then, she gave me a look that let me know she couldn’t understand why I was laughing because she was serious, which made me smile even harder. Yeah, she was gone be a trip.

“So, you not gone answer my phone calls, baby?” I asked, taking the phone from her hands.

I could tell I was getting to her. She straight up refused to look a nigga in the eyes for more than a second.

Sighing heavily, she quickly looked at me then at Lay, who was cheesing hard at the show. “If y’all don’t let me out, I’ma crawl under this table.”

I didn’t believe her. She looked too pretty and girly to do something like that, but then, I looked down and saw the scar on her thigh and thought maybe she wasn’t as prissy as I thought she was.

“Kai, just give the nigga yo number,” Lay said, finally helping a nigga out.

My boo looked at her like she was crazy. “Girl, bye. I am not giving this nigga my number.”

“Why not? Bishop is cool.”

“How you know? You just met the nigga!”

I chuckled lightly at their exchange. It was like they completely blocked Rell and me out.

“Mane, give the nigga yo number. You know when we leave you gone regret not giving his fine ass yo number. Just do it.”

“Aye! Watch yo mouth, Layyah. You don’t see me sitting here?” Rell asked.

“I’m sorry, baby. You know what I mean. I’m just trying to help your friend out.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but that was when I saw Ashley coming to the table from the corner of my eye. The last thing I needed was for her loud mouth ass to come over here starting some shit. Kailani was too small and pretty to be messing with somebody like Ashley. Ashley was wild and reckless. She had no problem fighting over a nigga. Normally, I didn’t mind, but Kai had a nigga feeling some type of way already.

“So you just forgot all about me, huh?” Ashley stared at Kailani, who made eye contact with her as if she wasn’t intimidated at all.

“Mane, gone on. I’ll hit you up a lil’ later,” I said, hoping she would leave, but I should have known she wasn’t letting a nigga go that easy after six years.

“Why, so you can lay up under this bitch for the night?”

Kailani laughed.

“Bitch? Who you calling a bitch?” Layyah asked.

She was the mouth between the two. Kailani was the calm one. I didn’t know how to take that.

“Bitch, I ain’t talking to you, but if you want it, you can get it too.”

“This why Ion mess with y’all niggas. Ain’t, nobody, got time for this,” Kai stated as she stood.

“Bitch…” Ashley couldn’t even finish all that talking she was about to do before Kailani grabbed her by her head and smashed it into the table.

Surprised the hell out of me.

“If you call me a bitch one more time, I swear I’ma beat the shit out yo ass,” she said calmly.

Ashley was trying to rise up, but Kailani had a nice little grip on her. I just sat back, watching with a big smile on my face. Ashley was always talking shit. I was glad somebody finally embarrassed her, but when Ashley did get up, she was gone be throwing blows at anybody nearby. I was ready to pick Kailani’s pretty ass up and haul her out the club. I couldn’t afford to have that pretty face messed up because of me.

“Let me go and talk that shit, bitch!” Ashley yelled, still clawing at Kailani’s hands.

Kai looked at me and I shook my head no at her as I stood. She smirked at me before letting Ashley go, pushing her into the bar in the process. As Ashley was regrouping, Kailani jumped over the table with Layyah right behind her. Terrell grabbed Layyah and almost made her bust her head on the table.

“Hell you think you doing? You ain’t finna be fighting in front of me. Sit yo yella ass down somewhere,” he barked.

“Fuck all that! That’s my best friend,” she countered, trying to get free of Rell, but he wasn’t going and neither was Kailani.

I thought I was going to have to step in, but she had Ashley on the ground, punching her like she’d been in a few fights before and then I thought about it. As pretty as they were, they probably was always in some type of drama. I didn’t want folks thinking they could fight in my spot, so when I felt like Ashley had gotten enough, I lifted Kailani off her. She was surprisingly calm while I carried her outside.

By the time she pointed me to her car and I had carried her over there, Rell was carrying Layyah outside too.

Ashley’s crazy ass was right behind them. “This ain’t over bitch!” She was yelling with blood dripping down her face.

Kailani just looked at her and smiled as Layyah broke free of Rell and landed a few punches of her own.

“Aye!” Rell yelled, grabbing her again and throwing her over his shoulder.

“You can let me go now,” Kailani spoke lightly.

I couldn’t believe this was the same woman that was just beating Ashley’s face in. I didn’t wanna let her go, but I didn’t want her swinging on me next, so I pushed her towards her car with a light force. I had to ignore Rell and Lay’s yelling match on the sidewalk. She still wasn’t looking at a nigga. I knew I really didn’t have a chance now. I was going to have to pay Ashley a visit if she ruined this for me.

“I ain’t mean for you to have to deal with that crazy shit.” I offered my apology.

Kai folded her arms across her chest before looking at me for a brief second. “It’s cool. Well, it ain’t, but obviously, you can’t control her…”

“She ain’t mine to control. I’m single.”

She chuckled like she ain’t believe a nigga. After that, I wouldn’t have believed me either.

“Can I take you out and make up for this?”

“Nah, my nigga. I can see now that dealing with you would be a problem that I don’t need. I don’t do all this drama. You fine but you ain’t that fine.”

I smiled at her. At least I knew she was attracted to me.

“So, you think I look good?”

Finally, she looked at me and this time, she didn’t turn away. “You know you look good. You’re beautiful.” She was so sincere.

So sincere, I blushed. I had to get out my feelings, so I stepped closer to her and watched her chest rise as she inhaled a deep breath.

“You make a nigga feel like he the finest nigga in the world saying some like that.”

This time, she blushed before pushing me away from her. “You are. To me.” Kai grabbed her purse and phone that I’d snatched during the fight off the hood of the car and unlocked it.

“Lay, you riding with me?” she yelled.

“Nah, she good,” Rell answered.

“So, let me get your number, Lani. At least let me make up for tonight if you don’t wanna deal with a nigga.”

“I’m good. I can’t mess with you on any level. Welcome home, though.”

She got into her car and tried to close the door, but I gripped it and stood in front of it. Staring down at her, I held in my smile at the sight of her losing her cool.

“Bishop. Move.”

“Why you in such a rush to leave, baby? I wanna spend some time with you.”

“I don’t think Ashley would like that. Besides, I’m sure you just want some cooch and you can get that from any chick in that club.”

I wasn’t the type to explain myself. Wasn’t the type to go back and forth and argue and shit. She had me doing shit I didn’t normally do and it was starting to irritate me, so I reached over her and pulled her keys out of the ignition.

“The hell?” she asked, trying to grab the keys out of my hand, but I stepped back before she could.

“Get out the car woman,” I commanded.

She didn’t move. Instead, she folded her arms over her chest and looked in the opposite direction.

“I ain’t gone tell your stubborn ass again.”

Slowly and unwillingly, she sighed heavily as she stepped out of her car.

“Come ‘ere,” I spoke lighter.

She took a step towards me.

I chuckled. “All the way, Kailani.”

Rolling her eyes, she came and stood directly in front of me. When I saw that she wasn’t going to look at me, I lifted her face by her chin and kissed her forehead.

“Bishop…”

Ignoring her, I kissed each of her cheeks before wrapping my arms around her hips.

“Kiss me,” I commanded.

She looked at me like I was crazy, but I saw the lust in her eyes. “Nigga, are you crazy? I am not kissing you. I don’t know where your lips been.”

“I know where you want them to be,” I replied slowly, easing my hands up her dress before resting them right under her ass cheeks. As if my dick couldn’t get any harder, she ain’t have on no panties.

“Why don’t you have on any panties, Kailani?” I grabbed a handful of both of her ass cheeks, pulling her into me so she could feel her effect on me.

She moaned slightly and bit her lip as she pushed me away. “Bishop, give me my keys, please,” she pleaded weakly. If she wanted to be strong and fight it, I’d let her tonight, but I wasn’t gone make it easy.

“I ain’t gone give them to you. You gotta get them yourself,” I told her before dropping her keys down my pants.

Running her hands down her Mohawk, she looked around before scratching her scalp.

I laughed at her ass.

“This is not funny,” she whined, stepping closer to me.

“Get um…” I almost whispered.

She looked into my eyes for a brief moment before turning her attention to my pants. My eyes followed her hands as she used one to pull my jeans from my hips and the other to stick her hand inside my boxers. Just the feel of her knuckles against my dick had a nigga about to shoot out some precum. I couldn’t help but lick my lips as she pulled her keys out and looked at me once more before returning to her car.

“You still ain’t gone give me the number?” I asked, gripping my dick through my jeans. She said nothing as she got in and sped off.

I watched her drive off, making a mental note of her license plate number. She wasn’t gone get away from me that easily.