Pointe of No Return: Giving You All I Got (5 page)

“You’re mad at me?” she asked, once he joined her in bed for the first time since they began their night.

“Mad for what?” he questioned.

“You just seem like you have an attitude,” she said.

“No attitude, ball in your court for now on though. I won’t touch you no more,” he said, and turned his back on her ass. Demi didn’t know how to respond so she remained silent.

Papa could have been out popping bottles with his niggas as they pre-gamed for a memorable night, but here he was in bed with a brown beauty and he wasn’t even getting any pussy.

He didn’t mind chilling on a rainy Thursday night, but with Demi flipping the script and accusing him of being some grimy ass nigga when he had no plans of tossing her to the side no time soon, it shifted his thoughts and he didn’t even want her around him right now.

Papa was about to fall back on Demi. She had no idea, there was a line of bitches waiting on a response from him and here she was not able to take a simple make-out session.

What Papa didn’t know was that all of this was new to her. The kissing, foreplay, even being in the hood, it was all just a different experience for her.  But for Papa she would continue to tread the dangerous waters and ride the wave, just for Papa.

4

“I don’t understand, if you claim to like him as much as you do what’s stopping you from popping up on him?” Nichelle asked Demi.

It had been awhile since Demi hung out with her best gal pal. Any free time she had she was with Papa, but ever since that night she hadn’t heard from him. He walked her to her car and told her to text him to let him know she made it safe. She did as he asked, but she hadn’t heard from him since.  Her text messages didn’t receive a response, and when she Facetimed him he never picked up. Demi felt some type of way. In a very short time she had grown accustomed to talking to Papa throughout the day and spending time with him.

Her parents were happy to see her hanging back around the house, but Demi was miserable. When Nichelle hit her up saying she needed retail therapy, Demi couldn’t get dressed fast enough.

“Pop up and say what, Nichelle? He’s not like that, he might yell and stuff,” she tried to explain.

“Okay, and if he does that then you know to leave him alone, but you won’t know unless you try,” she told her.

Demi contemplated going by his uncle’s barbershop where she had picked him up on numerous occasions, or to his cousin’s house where he always shot dice. She just didn’t want to be embarrassed.

“Can you go with me?” she asked her best friend.

“Yeah, after we go in Bebe,” Nichelle told her.

Demi wasn’t even in the mood to shop anymore and Nichelle noticed it after they walked out of the third store and Demi had no bags in her hand, while Nichelle had plenty.

“Ugh, you not fun, let’s go find your boyfriend,” she said.

“Not my boyfriend,” Demi corrected her.

“Girl, whatever.” Nichelle fanned her off.

Demi was happy Nichelle suggested that she drive so Papa wouldn’t recognize her car. They drove past his cousin’s house, but she didn’t see his bike or his truck.

“Demi, I hope we don’t get shot up,” Nichelle said seriously.

Demi told her, “We not, make a left; his uncle’s shop is in the plaza ahead.”

She had peeped Papa’s red bike leaning to the left and before she could make sure her appearance was together Nichelle screamed, “There he go!”

Demi’s heart skipped a beat. “OH MY GOD!”

She looked at Nichelle. “That’s him,” she said nervously.

“Get out,” Nichelle told her.

Her palms got sweaty and Demi had second thoughts, but when she saw him putting his helmet on she knew it was now or never. Demi got out of Nichelle’s Porsche truck and walked over to him.

Papa thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, there was no way Demi just did the “pop up”.

“What you doing over here?” he asked.

Demi was so nervous; he couldn’t help but to smile. He was flattered she came to find him.

“I’ve been calling you, Papa,” she said in a low tone.

“So,” Papa said.

Demi looked up at him. What had transpired between them? “So?” she repeated his word.

“Yeah. Like, what’s up? I didn’t want to treat you like a thot so I fell back, that’s what you wanted,” he said.

Demi didn’t have time for this. “That’s not what I meant and you know it,” she told him straight up.

Papa removed his helmet. “What you want?” he asked. He really had something to go handle and she was holding him up.

“Why are you being rude?” she questioned.

“Cause I don’t have time for games and your young ass ain’t ready for a real nigga,” he told her.

“You didn’t give me a chance, you just stuck your hand in between my legs,” she shot back.

One of the barber’s who worked in his uncle’s shop was now all ears.  Papa hated people to be all in his business, especially his business with Demi.

“Go on”, he told her.

“No, I’m not going anywhere until you at least apologize for ignoring me.” She crossed her arms.

Papa laughed. “You got some balls.” No one had ever talked to him like that, but then again he never had a Demi.

“You can’t deny that you like me. I know you like me,” she said confidently.

“No reason to deny the truth,” he said. His phone rang and he knew he had to dip.

“I’ll call you, I gotta be somewhere,” he told her in a rushed tone.

“And if you don’t then I’m through. I don’t do stuff like this,” she told him.

“Oh trust me, I know,” he said. Papa was flattered. Demi walked off and Papa eyed her in the jeans she wore. He had missed his lil boo, but the ball was in her court and she just slam-dunked on his ass.

“What did he say?” Nichelle asked.

“He said he’ll call me so we will see.”

“He is so fine,” Nichelle complimented.

“Watch it,” Demi warned her best friend.

She watched Papa rev his engine up and peel off. She turned her phone on loud, praying he called for real.

Demi liked him. She really did, and hoped they could resume spending time together. If Papa couldn’t respect that she wasn’t ready for sex then she would let him go. Demi didn’t care how much she enjoyed his company; she would never compromise her standards for anyone. She was raised with integrity and did nothing she didn’t want to do. If the time came for her to spread her legs and allow someone to take something so precious from her, whomever she granted that access to would rightfully deserve it. Without hesitation or a second thought Demi would if know the person was right for her. As much as she thought Papa was so freaking cute, she didn’t feel those things just yet.

***

Papa was sitting in his truck smoking a blunt waiting on Demi to pull up so they could walk in Benihana’s for dinner. She was late, and Demi was never late. Papa had called her phone twice, but she would only respond with a text, promising she was on the way. Thirty minutes had passed and Papa realized she was standing him up.

              He shook his head and prepared to reverse out of the parking lot. She was the one that popped up on him last week. He only agreed to meet with her because she insisted on seeing him again so they could talk. Before he could turn around to make sure the coast was clear, Demi was pulling in the parking spot in front of him. She got out of her car and came to his door.

Papa rolled the window down and told her, “I’m not even hungry no more.”

“I’m not in the mood to be joking. I’m hungry so come on,” she said.

Papa put his blunt out. “Who you talking to?” he asked.

Demi smacked her lips and walked off. She didn’t bother to wait on him to turn his truck off or nothing. When Papa made it across the street, Demi was already walking into the restaurant.

They opted out on the grill experience, being that they both ate Benihana’s frequently. Once they were seated in the sushi and bar section Papa asked her, “What’s wrong?”

Demi took a deep breath. “My mother. Like, she’s so freaking annoying.”

Papa didn’t understand those troubles, he barely remembered his parents. “What happened?” he asked her.

She scanned over the menu trying to decide if she was in the mood to try something new, but ended up ordering her usual Benihana Delight with extra garlic butter sauce.

“It’s just time for me to grow up and do my own thing,” she told him.

“You still young, I wish I had someone to look out for me when I was eighteen,” Papa told her.

“She treats me like I’m ten!”

“Well move out then. You said your pops told you that was an option for you,” he suggested.

“I don’t wanna be alone,” Demi admitted.

Papa would have told her he would be there with her, but the way she flipped out on him the last time he was hesitant. “Just think about it some more then,” he told her.

Demi didn’t want to talk about her mama. “What you doing after this?” she asked.

“I just got back into town, so I’m chilling until some calls come through,” Papa told Demi before taking a sip of the Long Island drink he ordered.

“How was the trip?” Demi tried making small talk.

Papa wasn’t about to discuss that shit with her so he changed the subject. “Did you dance today?” he asked.

Demi looked at him. “Yeah, I dance every day.”

“When you gone’ dance for me though?” Papa asked her.

Demi looked down. It was something about him that always made her nervous.

“What you looking down for?”

Demi picked her head up. “You make me so nervous.”

Papa smiled and winked his eyes. “’Cause you fucking with a real nigga.”

She shook her head. He was so cocky! But that’s what she liked about him, his confidence. “Have I crossed your mind?” she asked him.

Papa said, “Sometimes. I’m not with the games, Demi.”

She respected his honesty. “I froze up. It was a moment. I can’t say it won’t happen again.”

“Nah, I ain’t gone’ touch you no mo’. No worries,” he told her.

Demi wondered if that meant he would touch someone else, so she asked him and he ignored her question and dived into the onion soup that had been placed in front of them.

“Papa, you don’t hear me?” she asked.

“Don’t ask me questions you don’t want the truth to ‘cause I’ll never lie to you.”

“Wow,” she said, and sat back in her seat.

Papa wasn’t in the mood for the dramatics. “What you want me to say?”

“That I’m worth the wait.”

“You are, but in the meantime I will still do me,” he told her straight up.

Demi didn’t like his answer at all. I’m not talking to anyone,” she told him.

“And your ass better not be either, get that nigga bodied,” he threatened.

Demi eyes got big.
Bodied?

Papa looked dead at her ass. Demi heard him loud and clear.

“I don’t believe in open relationships,” she told him.

“We not in a relationship though,” he laughed.

Demi felt like she was being played and she didn’t know how to take it. “What did I do to you?” she asked.

“Nothing, but you pissed me off, so I gotta show you how I roll.”

“Well, I’ll show you how I roll too.” She rolled her eyes.

He couldn’t even take her serious, she was so polite and mannerable.  “Eat your food, I can’t be with you all day,” he teased.

Demi didn’t care what he
thought
he had to do today; he was hers today. She had been missing him entirely too much.

“What you about to do?” Papa asked after the remainder of their lunch was bagged and the ticket was handled.

“Hanging with you,” she informed him.

Papa shook his head. “Nah, I got shit to do.”

“I want to be with you, we haven’t hung out in so long,” she pouted.

Papa was surprised to see her being so open and vulnerable. She must have really missed his company.

“Demi, today is one of those days,” he told her.

She stuck her bottom lip out. “If I go home and come back out my parents will trip,” she told him.

“I gotta find you some home girls in the hood or something to keep you busy,” Papa said.

Demi laughed. “Just take me your house, the one you claim you have. I’m tired anyway from practice, I just want to chill while you handle your business.”

“Oh you got jokes? Bring your young ass on,” Papa laughed.

Demi followed him out of the restaurant and downtown to what looked like an abandoned building. Papa drove around to the back and then punched a code in and a gate opened. Demi looked around and hoped he didn’t live in the slums. The exterior wasn’t impressive at all. She parked her car next to his and hopped out, making sure to have her overnight bag with her.

“You just knew you was gon’ be with me all day,” he teased.

“I told you my mama made me mad and I stormed out,” Demi reminded him.

“What if I didn’t have a spot for you to chill at, then what?” he asked.

Demi said, “I always have somewhere to go, Papa.” She would never let him think she needed him for anything. Demi would always be straight. She had multiple bank accounts to prove it.

“Come on, smart ass.” He walked to unit fourteen.

Papa used a keypad to enter his loft and turned the lights on. He was rarely there so he went looking for a candle, hoping he had one to air the smell.

Demi was in awe of how spacious the loft was. The hardwood floors and high ceilings complemented the loft and created the perfect ambiance. Metal hung from the ceiling along with large factory fans and the stained windows. His house reminded her of the homes in Italy. Everything was out in the open and there were no closed rooms or walls to separate one room from the other. Demi watched Papa climb the spiral staircase to the second level where she assumed the bathroom and bedroom was. She loved his home and if she were Papa she wouldn’t be staying with her uncle.

Demi could already envision herself waking up early, drinking her green tea, and dancing in the middle of the floor on Saturday mornings. Demi would have to ask Papa to get a barre installed for her on the back wall once they reached that point in their “relationship”. Although Papa told her they were not in a relationship, Demi was sure they would be together soon.