War of the Roses: Redux Edition

This is where to post any NFL or NCAA football franchises.
User avatar

Captain Canada
Posts: 2159
Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Captain Canada » 06 Jan 2020, 15:05

Caesar lit like a Christmas tree - that is evidently currently hanging outside their house :drose:
User avatar

Topic author
Caesar
Posts: 5848
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 10:47

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Caesar » 07 Jan 2020, 17:15

Sorpresa

“How are you going to try to cheat in Go Fish?” Devin asked, putting his hand over the pile of cards on the table between him and Carla.

Carla plucked his fingers until he pulled his hand back. “It’s not cheating. It’s being organized. The cards were falling off the stack so I fixed it.”

“Fixed it while looking at the cards.”

“I can’t help it if the cards turned face up while I was straightening the pile.” She shrugged and looked at the cards in her hand. “Besides, you should be letting me win anyway. Here I am telling my daddy what a gentleman you are, and you can’t even let his favorite daughter win in a card game. He’d be so, so upset.”

“Aren’t you his only daughter? Or is your brother transgender?”

“Favorite. Only. Semantics. It’s a good argument to let me win.”

He shook his head and picked up the card off the top of the stack. “I don’t need to impress your dad any more than I already have. Are you forgetting that we bonded over the finer points of a proper steak dinner? Me and Curt are tight.”

“You and Curt, huh?”

“Yeah, my podna as he would say.”

“Sounds like I’m going to have to kick you to the curb then. I can’t be a part of any illegal bromances going on in here.”

“You can’t get in the way of true love, Carla. Don’t be so jealous.”

A set of rough knocks on the door had Carla pushing away from the table to answer it. She pointed at the cards as she walked away. “Don’t cheat either. I’m watching you.”

The banging became incessant when she was only a few inches from the door.

“I’m fucking coming! Jesus Christ!” she shouted as she unlocked the door and yanked it open. On the other side stood Kaley and her boyfriend, David, who had his hand raised to continue knocking on the door. Carla looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Next time, act a little more civilized with how you knock on the fucking door.”

“We’ve been standing out here for 10 minutes pressing the doorbell. Kaley sent you like thirty texts that you didn’t answer,” he said.

Kaley only shrugged when Carla looked at her for confirmation.

Carla reached out of the door and jabbed the doorbell. No sound. “It doesn’t fucking work. Try being patient next time.”

“Or fix the doorbell,” David shot back.

“Just come in before the neighbors think y’all are Mormons spreading the word.”

“Can’t say I’d mind more than one wife,” David laughed before wrapping his arm around Kaley’s waist and essentially leading her into the house.

Carla closed her eyes and sighed, already hoping that this impromptu visit would be a short one. Devin looked up from the small card pyramid he’d started to build when the three of them walked inside.

Carla sat back down across from him. “Devin, that’s my cousin Kaley and her boyfriend. Kaley and boyfriend, this is Devin.”

“I have a name, Carla. I’m David.”

Kaley only gave a slight wave.

“What’s up?” Devin looked at the rather grungy jeans and boots he was wearing. Only the camo jacket he had on seemed to be clean. “Just getting off from work, man?”

“Yeah, just getting off the boat. Boss had us on a 21 day hitch, but you know how that is. Someone gotta get the black gold out the ground.”

Devin nodded. “Totally. Damn... bosses.”

David looked at Carla. “Mind if I use y’all bathroom? I gotta take a shit.” Before she could answer, he said, “Of course, you don’t mind. Hope you cleaned in there.”

Carla steepled her hands in front of her face and took a few deep breaths as David headed down the hallway. When she heard the door close, she almost fell out of her chair as she turned around to face Kaley.

“Why the fuck is David James in my house right now? Why the fuck are you still with him? Why the fuck are you here? Why the fuck do you not talk for yourself when he’s around?” Carla reeled off, her hands waving about as she spoke.

“First of all, I do speak for myself when he’s around. I don’t know why you always say that shit. It’s not true,” Kaley snapped back. “And he asked me to get him from Fourchon so I decided to come visit you for a few days. Is there something wrong with family visiting one another?”

Carla scoffed. “Yes, it is one hundred thousand percent true. And no there’s nothing wrong with that, but David can’t stay here. You can, but he can’t.”

“Okay. I’ll ask him if he’s fine with that.”

Carla stared at Kaley for a moment then grabbed her hand and held it up. “And what the FUCK is this?”

“Looks like a ring to me,” Devin said.

“Shut up, Devin. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to think about that, though? Yay, Kaley? Congratulations?”

“No, tell her she’s being a stupid bitch if she’s engaged to him in fucking high school.”

Kaley pulled her hand back. “It’s a promise ring because well... I’m not going to get engaged in high school. That’s crazy.”

“It’s crazy that you’re even still with him, but here we are. You better hope I don’t stab him before he leaves. Devin would definitely help me hide the body,” Carla said.

“I would?” Devin asked.

“Yes, you would.”

“Alright, alright. You made your point. You don’t like him,” Kaley said. “I’m going to need you to cover for me later though.”

“For what?”

“Well... I can’t exactly tell you, but if he asks just say that we went eat or something. I’ll wait until after I bring him to a hotel somewhere so it’s an easier lie to pull off.”

“You’re being sketchy, Kaley.”

“Please?”

“Only if you tell me why tomorrow.”

Kaley nodded. “Maybe so. By the way, your brother’s not here, is he?”

Carla palmed her face and shook her head. “No.”

“Thank God.”

“What do you have against Chris?” Devin asked.

“He always tries to catch glimpses of her naked. Weird little fuck,” Carla said.

“Shouldn’t have asked. Shouldn’t have asked.”

-*****-


Caesar leaned on a golf club as he waited for Ron to line up a putt – his fifth attempt at making the putt, putting him at least seven strokes over par. Caesar was almost embarrassed that they had a similar handicap.

“Just pick it up and drop it in the hole!” Francesca shouted from the golf cart.

“Like hell he will,” Caesar said. “It’s a good thing you don’t have this much trouble putting things in holes off the course, Ron, or you’d just be struggling through life.”

Ron waved off the comment and pulled on the edge of the glove, that was on the wrong hand, before squatting to survey his approach for the umpteenth time. He stood up, lined up the putter and tapped the ball. This time, it rolled around the rim and dropped into the hole.

Ron jumped into the air and fist-pumped. “Fuck yeah! You’re going to be owing me money, motherfucker!”

“Emma, how’s the numbers looking?” Caesar asked as he placed his ball down.

“Well, I got a little confused with how many times Ron was hitting the ball, but I think he owes you like $150 right now,” Emma said, looking at her phone where she’d been trying to keep score as it was explained to her a couple hours ago.

“Francesca, keep an eye on her. You know Caesar a cheating motherfucker,” Ron said.

Caesar pulled his phone out of his back pocket after feeling it vibrate.

“Hey, motherfucker. Don’t be pulling up any apps to measure distance. Line up that putt like a man!” Ron swatted at the phone, but Caesar pulled it away.

“I’m answering a fucking text, dumbass.” He hit send and kept the phone in his hand as he looked at the green. He answered it as soon as it vibrated again.

“Today, bro.”

Caesar sighed as he lined up to take the putt, phone still in hand. Giving the ball just the slightest of taps, it slowly rolled to the edge of the hole before tipping in.

He held his hand out to Ron. “Eight more holes. You sure you don’t want to just quit now and give me a few hundred bucks?”

Ron slapped his hand down. “Fuck that. I’m going to win. Let’s go to the next one.”



“Ma’am, we have a dress code here. You can’t come in here wearing that.”

Kaley looked down at her clothes. “I don’t see what’s wrong with what I’m wearing. I’m just meeting someone here. I’m not trying to make it an everyday occurrence.”

The doorman shook his head. “You can’t come in here wearing that. It doesn’t fit our dress code for women. I’m sorry.”

“What is your dress code for women? A burka? I’m wearing fairly decent jeans and a sweater. You’re talking as if I’m naked.”

“There’s no need to get hostile, ma’am. I don’t want to have to call security.”

“Hostile?! I haven’t even raised my voice! If you could just get off your high horse for two God damn seconds, I--”

The doorman reached under the podium and grabbed his headset. Before he could get the word security out of his mouth, Caesar rounded the corner. He dropped his bag of clubs on the ground, glancing at Kaley and then the doorman.

“One moment, Mr. Jenkins. I just have to deal with this unruly young lady and I’ll be right with you.”

“Shut the fuck up, Darryl. She’s with me,” Caesar said. He turned to Kaley. “You didn’t tell him that?”

Kaley shrugged. “I was trying to get there until he started jabbering on about dress code.”

Caesar shook his head. “Darryl, have someone come take care of those clubs. Put her name down so we don’t have to go through all this shit next time.”

“Mr. Jenkins, it’s highly inappropriate--”

“Kaley Parfait. Put it down. I didn’t ask for a lecture about appropriateness. Tell your boss to go talk to my dad if it’s that much of a problem. We can go to the new club.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Caesar, I don’t think I’ll be coming here all that often,” Kaley said.

Caesar shrugged and walked around the podium, opening the door for her. He waved his hand. “Gotta move quick.”

“Move quick?” she asked, walking inside of the clubhouse. Her eyes scanned the people milling about. They weren’t dressed all that fancy. “Why the rush?”

“Ron’s stalling for me while I sneak you in here. I was doing some couple-y shit when you texted me.” He led her up a set of stairs to a sitting area.

She remained standing while he sat. “If you’re here with your girlfriend, you should’ve said that. I can leave.”

“I said I was doing some couple-y shit, not that I have a girlfriend. Emma’s just Emma. We fuck. Besides, it’d make it easier for you if we both had a significant other to lose. And I know you didn’t just almost get arrested to walk right back out the door. Now, could you please sit down?”

Kaley looked around for a moment before sitting next to him. “So, Emma’s her name, huh?”

He laughed. “I know you aren’t about to try to talk about that of all things. Start with why are you in Houma.”

“You know why,” she said, her voice quietened a few levels.

“Staying with your cousin?”

“I’m not sure. I, uh, got a hotel room.”

“Well, shit,” Caesar said, smiling. “I’ve never fucked in a hotel room, but there’s a first time for everything.”

“I’m not a prostitute. I don’t fuck in hotel rooms,” Kaley shot back. Her next words came out in a jumble. “Also, David’s with me.”

The smile faded from Caesar’s face. He looked forward for a moment before turning back toward her. “You hungry? I’m going to be honest with you. Country club food isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be and the shit is expensive for no reason, but it’s better than Applebee’s.”

“What about Emma? She won’t be looking for you.”

“She’s already blowing my phone up, but I’ll deal with that later and you don’t need to worry about that.”

Kaley looked at her phone. She’d given herself an hour-and-a-half before she figured David would start looking for her. Fifty-five minutes left. She nodded, smiling. “I’ll be the judge of that, but I hope they don’t mistake me for the help.”
User avatar

Captain Canada
Posts: 2159
Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Captain Canada » 07 Jan 2020, 23:34

Keep this shit going. I can't wait to see how you blow all this shit up.
User avatar

Topic author
Caesar
Posts: 5848
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 10:47

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Caesar » 08 Jan 2020, 17:19

Sometimes, You Reach Across the Aisle

Kaley set a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of Carla. Her cousin looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re cooking, now?” Carla asked.

“Don’t say that like I haven’t always known how to cook.”

Carla turned the plate with her finger. “You just don’t tell David that because he’d have you in the kitchen three times a day to add to the waiting on him that you already do, right?”

“He knows I can cook.”

“Yeah, okay. So, what are you trying to butter me up for?” She picked up a slice of toast. “I don’t like grape jelly, by the way. I’m still going to eat this, though.”

Kaley sat down next to her. “I’m not asking you for anything. I just thought I’d make you breakfast to thank you for being the best cousin that a girl could ask for.”

“And this is where you get to what you want.”

“Okay, okay,” she said, her hands up in defense. “I need you and Devin to come eat with David and me tonight.”

“That’s worthy of having breakfast hand delivered?”

“I also need you to not be mad about something else.”

Carla dropped the toast. “What...”



Devin leaned against a pillar outside of one of the city’s eateries. He pulled on the strings of his hoodie as Carla paced back and forth in front of him. Every so often, she would stop and start to spit out the beginnings of a rant before sighing and starting to pace again.

“You’re going to wear out the bottoms of those shoes,” Devin said.

“I just... You know it’s fucking stupid how... I just can’t believe she... Fuck, it’s fucking... You know?”

Devin nodded slowly. “Definitely.”

“How are you not angry about all of this?”

“It’s not really my business. I’m just along for the ride which hopefully is a fairly calm one, but we both know how this is going to turn out.”

Carla scoffed. “Yeah, with someone going to fucking jail probably.”

“You could’ve said no.”

“You could’ve said no and then I would’ve had an excuse. Damn you for being a good boyfriend.”

Devin shrugged. “My bad.”

Carla looked over his shoulder and saw David and Kaley walking up the sidewalk toward them. A few paces behind them, almost as if they weren’t going to the same place, were Caesar, Ron, Emma and Francesca.

“What’s up, D?” David held out his hand to Devin for some dap.

“Devin,” Devin said, reluctantly slapping his hand.

“Alright, D.”

The other four stopped next to them.

“What an odd group we are,” Ron said, looking at Caesar and nodding toward the others.

“Let’s just eat,” Caesar said.

“Oh, we’re all together?” David asked. “Guess we’re the odd ones out since we don’t know all of y’all huh?”

“Guess so.”

Devin opened the door to the restaurant. “Y’all want to get out the cold?”

Kaley hung back and grabbed Caesar’s arm as the rest of the group filed into the restaurant.

“I couldn’t just ditch him, okay? You just have to get through like an hour meal and then we can disappear somewhere,” she said.

“I know. That’s why I brought Emma. I’ve played the game before, Kaley. He looks like he fucked his cousin when he was 12, by the way.”

Kaley smacked his arm. “None of that. Just get through the hour.”

“We better get in there.”

By the time the two of them got into the restaurant, the others were already being led to a table toward the middle of the restaurant.

Emma gave Caesar a questioning look as he sat down next to her, Kaley across from him. Caesar looked at her and shrugged before picking up the menu that had been placed in front of him.

“Can I start y’all with some drinks?” the waiter asked.

“I’ll have a coke,” David said. He nodded toward Kaley. “She’ll have water.”

Caesar looked up from the menu, absently mumbling water to the waiter as he took the others’ order as well. Once the waiter had walked away, Caesar looked around the table.

“Hey, what year is this?” he asked.

“2050?” Francesca answered, confused.

He nodded. “Alright, just making sure I hadn’t stepped into a time machine bound for 1920 where women can’t speak for themselves. Carry on.”

Kaley narrowed her eyes at him. Down at the other end of the table, Carla resisted the urge to agree with Caesar of all people.

Ron scanned over the menu before leaning over to Francesca. “You know I told you that I wasn’t paying for your food, but these prices are kinda low so I think I can manage.”

“You were going to ‘manage’ whether it was cheap or expensive,” she said. “That’s the only reason you got me out of the house when it’s cold as fuck outside.”

“Preach,” Emma said.

Caesar scoffed, one hand over the folded menu in front of him and the other under his chin. He stared at Kaley, but outside of a few stolen glances she seemed bent one avoiding eye contact with him.

David sat back, his hand waving around when he spoke. “So, Devin, you know these four, right? That’s what Kaley told me.”

Devin glanced at Carla, who gave him the briefest of nods. “Yeah, we go to school and play football together.”

“I wouldn’t call what you do on the field ‘playing,’ King. More like running around like a headless chicken and getting lucky you don’t get run over every play,” Caesar said.

“Didn’t you drop the game winning pass at Slidell?”

Ron held up his hands. “Ladies, ladies. Please, the season’s over. Can we not call a truce for one night so I can enjoy this cheap ass food? I swear on all that is holy that I’ll cut the both of you if you ruin this $6 steak I’m about to order.”

Caesar shrugged. “I was just pointing something out to the motherfucker, bro.”

The waiter came back to the table. “Y’all ready to order?” When everyone shook their head ‘no,’ he looked at the drinks and turned to Kaley. “Need a refill on that water?”

“Nah, she’s good,” David said, answering for her again. The waiter raised an eyebrow but walked away all the same.

“What the fuck is your problem, bitch? I’m sure she could’ve said that herself,” Caesar snapped.

Emma jabbed Caesar with her elbow. “Mind your business, bae,” she said under her breath.

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to,” David said.

Caesar looked to his left and then to his right then at David. “I’m talking to you, you feckless cunt. You,” he said, pointing across the table. “You, bitch. I’m talking to you.”

“Caesar,” Kaley said. “It’s fine.”

“Y’all ever had the breadsticks here?” Ron asked, ignoring what was going on next to him, Devin and Carla. “They sound good, but there’s no way they’re giving you a dozen fresh breadsticks for four-fifty, right?”

Devin shrugged. “Never been here.”

“Well, shit.”

Carla didn’t answer, her eyes on the argument at the other end of the table.

“You better watch your mouth,” David said. “I don’t know you, but the day I can’t whoop a man’s ass is the day I don’t get out of bed.”

Caesar pushed away from the table. “Who you think you talking tough to? You don’t know me, man.”

Emma and Kaley both reached for his arms to coax him back down. They both pulled away when they noticed the other had done the same thing. The two girls exchanged glances, but didn’t say anything. Kaley looked around the table hoping no one had noticed other than Emma.

“Hey! Y’all cut that shit out. We’re trying to be civilized tonight,” Ron said. He reached over Emma and swatted at Caesar. “Sit the fuck down, man. You started the shit. Just let it go.”

After a pregnant pause, Caesar sat back down.

“You boys who waste y’all time playing football really need to work out some of those anger issues,” David laughed at his own joke.

Francesca leaned over to Ron. “What’s that all about?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.” He looked at Caesar before adding. “If we don’t all end up in jail tonight.”

“I told you this was a terrible idea,” Carla said to Devin in hushed tones. “Even what’s his name thinks it’s a bad idea.”

“We wouldn’t be here if you didn’t agree to come. You know that, right?” Devin asked. “We could’ve been at home minding our own damn business and letting them come have this fun without us.”

Emma poked Caesar’s arm. “Stop fucking staring.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he snapped.

“Devin, your friend over here has an attitude problem, huh?” David asked, chuckling.

“He’s no--” Devin was cut off when Carla kicked his leg under the table. He choked out a laugh. “Yeah, man, just a little bit.”

Ron looked at David, tsk’d and shook his head, then looked back down at the menu.

The waiter came back to the table, notepad in hand. “Y’all ready now?” Hearing no objections, he looked at Caesar first. “What can I get you, my man?”

“I’m good. Just bring me another water,” Caesar said.

“Alright. And for you?” he asked Emma. She reeled off her order. He turned to Kaley. “What about you?”

“She’ll have a salad. No dres--”

Before David could finish ordering for Kaley, Caesar jumped over the table and tackled him to the floor. A chorus of gasps and screams filled the restaurant as the two of them rolled a couple times on the floor. Eventually, Caesar got on top of David and threw a few punches that landed flush on his jaw.

The waitstaff and a few of the cooks out of the back rushed over to break them up. Caesar clocked the first cook who grabbed his arm, sending the guy tumbling back. This prompted all of them to pile on top of him.

Kaley put her head in her hands, tears in her eyes as the fight was finally broken up.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest, staring at Kaley.

Devin acted like he wasn’t with them.

Carla dragged her hand through her hair, the stress of the night getting to her.

Francesca had pulled out her phone and was videoing the entire thing.

Ron stood up and waved at their waiter. “Hey, man. How these breadsticks hitting?”
User avatar

Captain Canada
Posts: 2159
Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Captain Canada » 09 Jan 2020, 12:48

Boom goes the dynamite.
User avatar

djp73
Posts: 5347
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 13:42

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by djp73 » 09 Jan 2020, 14:51

people still knocking doors in 2050?
User avatar

Topic author
Caesar
Posts: 5848
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 10:47

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Caesar » 09 Jan 2020, 15:16

djp73 wrote:
09 Jan 2020, 14:51
people still knocking doors in 2050?
That's only 30 years from now. Damn near everyone got Ring doorbells now and folks still knock on doors. :shrug:
User avatar

djp73
Posts: 5347
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 13:42

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by djp73 » 09 Jan 2020, 15:19

was hoping to see caesar put in his place by the roughneck
User avatar

djp73
Posts: 5347
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 13:42

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by djp73 » 09 Jan 2020, 15:19

also I'm with Ron on the breadsticks
User avatar

Topic author
Caesar
Posts: 5848
Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 10:47

War of the Roses: Redux Edition

Post by Caesar » 09 Jan 2020, 17:23

Error in Judgement

Caesar stood in his driveway, his back against his car. Dried blood streaked from the corner of his lip down his chin. He wasn’t sure if it was David that had caught him with a lucky punch or the wait staff when they piled on top of him.

His wrists stung from a cop putting them on too tight before he was eventually let go – with a banning from the restaurant. And Emma stood in front of him, her arms wrapped around herself and tears down her cheeks. All because he’d overestimated his ability to sit across from Kaley’s boyfriend.

“Why? Just why?” Emma asked.

“Why what?”

“Why can’t we be like normal couples? While you were getting yourself arrested for whatever the fuck that was, Francesca told me that you’ve fucked that other girl that was there, too. Do you know how stupid that makes me feel?”

Caesar’s lip curled up. “I fucked Francesca, too. So what? I don’t care how it makes you feel, Emma. I’m not begging you to stay with me. You fuck other guys. You’ve fucked my best friend at least five times that I know of. C’mon. You’re honestly upset right now? About this shit?”

“Yes, I’m upset! You just told me you don’t care how being made to look stupid makes me feel, but you just fought some random fucking guy for some random fucking bitch--”

“Watch your fucking mouth.”

“See?! Like who is this girl?”

He shook his head and stood up off his car. “It’s really none of your fucking business. If you want to leave, Emma, leave. I’m not going to stop you. You don’t want to talk to me anymore, fine. I’ll survive and so will you. Now, go home. I’m tired of this conversation.”

“Just like that, huh?”

“Just like that.”

Emma scoffed. “Fuck you, Caesar. Burn in fucking hell.”

Caesar stamped his foot on the pavement.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Stomping my feet so the Devil can hear and be waiting for me when I get there, cunt. Now, fuck off.”

-*****-

Devin poured himself a glass of water then thought better of it. Walking into the living room, he handed the glass to Carla. She took it from him and put it on the coffee table.

“You know you’re going to have to go talk to her, right?” he asked.


Carla sucked her teeth. “No, I don’t. This isn’t any of my business. I was enjoying my Christmas break just fine without all the shit. And I didn’t ask for any of it. Caesar Jenkins? Really? I don’t like David any more than anyone else, but Caesar fucking Jenkins? It’s all so fucking stupid. She’s fucking stupid.”

“Sounds like more reason you need to go talk to her. I’m sure she would do it for you.”

“Obviously not. The only reason Kaley knows who Caesar is is because I told her that he cheated on me. So, what’d she do? Run to social media, find him, send a few naked pictures and fuck him behind her boyfriend’s back?”

Devin shrugged. “I can’t answer any of that. I’m just saying that I’m sure she has her side of the story and that you should go get it from her because David wasn’t letting her get a word in when we all left and she came back here alone.”

She picked up the glass, but put it back down immediately. “You know what’s the dumbest thing about all of this? I didn’t even ask her why she was being so shady. I just assumed that because it was her, she was off trying to find David an anniversary present or some shit. Something she would do.”

Devin started to respond, but the door to the guest room opened and Kaley walked down the hallway, with her bag on her shoulder.

“Sorry, Carla. I’m going to head back home now,” she said.

“Fine,” Carla snapped.

“Carla,” Devin said, through his teeth.

She sighed and stood up. “Fine! What the fuck was all of that, Kaley?! Why didn’t you tell me that the reason that you came here was so you could sneak off and fuck Caesar behind David’s back? You know you could’ve done that when he was offshore. You probably SHOULD’VE!”

“We’ve never fucked. It’s... complicated,” Kaley said, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Oh, sure. I can totally believe that Caesar fucking Jenkins is fighting some guy over some girl he’s never stuck his dick in. I can’t believe of all the people, it’d be you. I can’t believe you’d go after him. Where did you even meet him?”

“Galveston, for that hurricane.”

“And you know who he was?”

“Yes.”

“And you still did it.”

Kaley ran her hand through her hair. “What do you want me to say, Carla? I know I fucked up. That’s why I’m leaving to fix everything. Why does it even matter to you anymore? You’ve got Devin. He seems like a nice guy.”

“Because you should hate him like I do.”

“I’m sorry. I’m going to go now.”

“Fine.”

Kaley gave her cousin one last look before she turned and headed out of the house. Devin waited until he heard the door close before saying anything.

“That went... well,” he said, a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

“I just can’t deal with this night anymore. Are you staying here tonight or going home?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Come on, then. Let’s go to bed.”

-*****-

Kaley’s car pulled to a stop at the end of Caesar’s driveway. He still stood against his car as he’d been for the last forty or so minutes since Emma had torn out of there. His face had stopped hurting, but now he was feeling a headache coming on.

Or maybe he just needed to see if he had anything mind-altering in his car.

Kaley got out of her car and walked over to him, her feet barely leaving the ground as if she was carrying a boulder on her shoulders. She kept her eyes on the ground until she was right in front of him. She didn’t look up.

“I just came to tell you that I’m sorry and I’m heading back home tonight. You won’t hear from me again,” she said, her voice quiet.

“No.”

That made her look up. “No? It’s not really your choice. I shouldn’t have come here. I almost – probably did – ruin my relationship. We shouldn’t have done this. I just got caught up. It was something different and I was too quick to jump on it.”

“No,” Caesar repeated.

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

He shrugged. “I’m not going to apologize for what I did. I don’t know why I did what I did, but I felt that’s what needed to be done at the moment. He shouldn’t treat you like that. You shouldn’t let him treat you like that.”

“You barely know me, Caesar. You don’t know how I should be treated. If anything, this whole thing shows that I’m not that great of a person and that I should probably get some shit for being a bitch.” She rubbed at her eyes. “Look, I’m going to leave. Delete my number or don’t, it’s up to you. But I’m not going to respond. I need to fix this.”

She turned to leave, but Caesar grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Hold on. Just a second, please,” he said. He walked to the driver side door of his car. Reaching in through the open window, he grabbed an envelope out of the center console. Walking back over, he held it out to her.

She took it. Looking at the front of it, she ran her finger over the emblem emblazoned on it. “What’s this?”

“You told me in Galveston that you wanted to go to Tulane. A couple weeks ago, they sent a recruiter down here. A booster, too. Old guy who lives in the Garden District in New Orleans.”

“I don’t get it. What’s that have to do with me?”

“That’s an acceptance letter to pre-college courses in the summer. All this shit, this recruiting shit? It’s just another game of what you can get out of these motherfuckers who want to get their use out of you for three years,” he took the envelope from her and opened it. Pulling the letter out, he held it up to her. “This is your acceptance letter to their pre-college courses. You just need to fill out the application and they’ll grease the wheels to make it fit. Probably got a good chance of getting into their undergrad if you already have credit there.”

“I can’t do that. It’s dishonest.”

“Bullshit. You have the grades. You just hold yourself back. Besides, you don’t think these other rich motherfuckers out here do the same type of shit? Calling their friends to get their sons and daughters in early and over other people? This is what you want. Take it.”

She took the letter from him. “But I thought you were going to Oklahoma State?”

“I am. I haven’t committed yet. Haven’t signed officially. I told them they were in my top 3. Real strong possibility. This was the trade.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

He sighed. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to give that to you before you left. It was nice knowing you, Kaley.”

Kaley nodded and turned around, but she sighed and faced Caesar again. “I don’t know what to do,”
“Stay.”

“But David’s waiting for his friend to pick him up and I don’t want him to get to Slidell before I do because I don’t like going to sleep angry.”

“Then leave.”

“I don’t know, though!”

“Stay. Please. He’s already angry. Figure that out tomorrow. Stay with me tonight.”

She looked up the driveway for the first time at the massive house that seemed to loom over them. She counted the half a dozen cars in the driveway. “Your parents won’t be mad?”

“My parents aren’t home. Rarely are.” He held his hand out to her. “Please?”

She nodded and put her hand in his. “Okay.”
Post Reply