I didn't have to be at a bar right now but it felt easier than Richard's self serve bar. Kwashie had to leave in the middle of the week because her mother needed her, I haven't said anything about what I heard in the kitchen and I've been trying my best to act normal.

"We have an advantage" Richard had said to me.

"What's that?" I was genuinely clueless.

"She still doesn't have proof." He smiled.

He didn't have to think twice about it, he knew my mother would go against it the second she knew and this is why he didn't tell her about it and never planned on doing so. They signed a non disclosure form when the agreement was signed about the true nature of why they wanted to open the business and I had to sign a non disclosure about Kwashie's real sex.

"Scotch on the rocks," I said to the bartender asking for my fifth drink of the night.

My chin was resting on my arm on top of the bar just staring into the back glass. There was chatter all around me and hearty laughs from both men and women in the background, I really wanted to be happy but it seems as if happiness wasn't designed for the likes of me. I believed in love, love just doesn't believe in me.

I took the drink from the bartender and slowly brought it to my lips not lifting my chin from its current resting place on my arm.

"Whatever it is, you're not gonna find it at the bottom of that glass," someone said from beside me.

"I'm looking for ice, so you're wrong because once I'm through ice will still be at the bottom of this glass," I said not bothering to lift my head to see who it was.

"You have a point," it was a feminine voice.

I tilted my head to the side to look in her direction and was greeted with a dark skin beauty with a wide smile on her face showing off her pearly whites.

"You have nice teeth," I complimented her.

"Thanks, my fiancé is a dentist." She said.

"That's nice."

"That's a really nice ring you have on your finger," she pointed out.

"Thank you very much," I counted my words as they left my lips.

"So who's the lucky girl?" She asked.

"It's actually a guy..." I said.

"Oh..."

"Yeah but they aren't the lucky one, I am." I smiled.

"I'm sorry for assuming your sexuality, I feel so stupid. It's just that you dress masculine so I assumed you were a stud or something... a lesbian..." she tried explaining herself.

"Yo, chill ma. It's cool. I just consider myself a person but if we have to label it then I'm androgynous." I said.

"I thought that label applied to lesbians," she said more to herself.

"It's doesn't mama, it's a combination of masculine and feminine traits, it's like gender ambiguity. Most persons just assume that androgynous females are lesbians because it's easier than accepting that sexuality is more fluid than man and woman. It's even the same in the homosexual community and it's stupid that they want to put a heteronormative take on their relationship." I finished my ramble.

"Why does it bother you so much if you're straight?" She asked me.

I took out my money clip and rested the money on the table using the empty scotch glass to weigh it down. I stood up from my seat in front of the bar and stared at the ignorant woman in front of me.

"BECAUSE OPPRESSION!!!!" I shouted at her and stormed out of the bar.

I was greeted with the cold night air as I stumbled to my Jeep and got in. I sat with my head on the steering wheel contemplating my life choices. I took out my phone and saw multiple missed calls from Kwashie. I clicked her name and called her back.

"Zidania, why haven't you been answering your phone?" She asked as soon as the call connected.

"I left it in my Jeep," I said.

"Are you drunk?" She asked me.

"No, of course not." I tried my best to sound sober.

"Where are you?"

"In the parking lot of the mall.." I said.

"Which mall?"

"SunsetView Mall. Man, why all these questions?" I asked.

"Because, I'm your fiancé and it's my job to worry about you." She said softly.

"Worry about yourself," I mumbled.

"Excusez-moi?" She sounded shocked and ended up using French instead of English.

"Nothing, look I gotta go." I sighed.

"I'm coming over tonight," she said firmly.

"You're not my dad," I shouted in the phone and then disconnected it.

Shit..

I started up the Jeep and drove home. I stayed within the speed limit with my eyes glued to the road and my back hunched close to the steering wheel. I tried my best to convince myself that this wasn't drunk driving but how tightly I gripped onto the steering wheel said otherwise.

I sung along to Master Groove by Wizkid trying my best to keep myself awake. I found myself driving pass my house and on my way to Carter Jones' house. I got to the gate and pressed down onto the button which I'm sure was annoying the fuck out of them. The gate buzzed to life and I waited until it was wide enough before I drove in like a mad woman and parked the Jeep behind her car. I jumped out with the engine running and left the door wide open as I ran up to the front door. Sharon had already opened it and was blocking my entrance.

"Sharon! Move!" I hissed out.

"You're drunk Zidania, go home." She said softly.

"I don't care what the fuck you have to say, move before I push you down." I shouted and she stepped aside.

"Where is Carter Jones??" I asked her.

"Miss Jones is currently in her room with company," she said.

With my blood boiling I ran up the flight of steps hoping they wouldn't take my anger with each step. I was finally at her door now and I took steps back thinking to myself.

"Dramatic entrance or calm entrance?" I asked myself.

"Fuck it," I shouted and lifted my foot kicking the door in.

This must be the strength of the scotch because I knew I couldn't do that on a regular day. I ran into the lit room seeing Carter Jones laid up with another girl. They both jumped up once the door was kicked in and now hung loosely on its hinges. I ran over to the girl who I remembered as Amanda from the beach and grabbed her hair dragging her off the bed. I pushed her out into the hallway and threw money at her telling her to catch a cab home.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Carter said to me jumping off of her bed.

"No! What the fuck are you doing!?" I walked up into her face and shouted at her.

"You say you want me so fucking bad but you laid up with some other bitch, who the fuck you think you fooling?" I cursed.

I draped her shirt and flung her into the wall. I walked over to her and used the back of my arm to pin her to the wall by her throat. I'm sure she could see the anger in my eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Her breath was low and forced.

I let her go allowing her to fall to the floor holding her throat and trying to catch her breath.

"Carter fucking Jones, why are you trying to hurt me?" I asked feeling the hot tears now running down my cheeks.

"I'm not, I'm trying to make you happy." She got up and made her way to me.

"Don't fucking touch me homes," I stepped back.

"Why are you acting like you don't miss me though?" She asked.

"Because I don't, Okay? I don't fucking miss you, kid." I wiped at my face and decided that this wasn't worth my tears.

"Stop acting like I'm not THAT nigga," she said.

"Don't use that word around me and brother, you ain't SHIT!" I shouted out.

"Don't use the word nigga? So the African really getting to you huh?" She rolled her eyes.

"It don't fucking matter, it's a bad word so don't use it." I said sternly.

"And why the fuck not?" She folded her arms across her chest.

"BECAUSE OPPRESSION!!!" I shouted and threw the closest object in my reach at her. She dodged it easily.

"I heard you that night, I heard you making deals with the devil." I said.

"You think if my mother doesn't allow me to marry Kwashie because she's a "girl" she's going to allow us to be together? You fucking idiot!!! You're setting yourself up for failure." I shouted.

"I'm not, honestly. Just watch how it plays out. We can stick with our original plan of leaving them behind and going to Canada. Everything was great before you turned 18. All of our plans made sense," she said holding onto my face.

I pushed her away and said, "well you're wrong! I am going to get married to Kwashie Ekuban because I love him."

"You expect me to believe you love niggas now?" She rolled her eyes.

"I said to stop using that word around me before I rock you a solid one and knock yo fucking lights out boy," I pushed her and clenched my fists at my side.

"Hear the ghetto coming out, remember that you were nothing before your mother married Richard and you'll always just be that scared broken little ghetto girl that longs for acceptance so she dresses expensive and hangs out with the rich kids because she wants to play her new found role," she said softly. My mouth hung open, I never expected her to say that.

"I don't think I'm doing this to get you back anymore, I'm doing this to spite you and to break you down Zidania McGlashan. I want you to feel how I felt when you left me broken and alone, I fucking hate you. Don't slip because if you do and I get the proof I need, it's over for you and that tranny nigger," she smiled.

I ran up to her and connected my fist with her jaw, before she could recover I connected my other fist with the other jaw. I continued to punch her in the face until she found an opening to push me away. We've sparred before but we've never actually fought. She lifted her fist to punch me and I ducked sending an uppercut to her stomach, she doubled over and I kicked her down.

"You see the thing is, I don't care where my roots are from because I'm still me and you still got yo ass handed to you by a ghetto baby with new found riches bitch!! Leave MY FUCKING FIANCÉ ALONE AND IM OUT HERE SUCKING DICK SO HERE'S SOME DICK SPIT YOU FUCKING IMMATURE RICH WANNA BE DYKE UGLY ASS I NEED TO FLAUNT MY MONEY SO PEOPLE CAN LOVE ME LOOKING ASS HEFFER" I spat in her face then lifted my foot and brought it down to her face knocking her out.

"That's what you get you fucking bitch, better watch how the fuck you talk to people in these streets. Daddy's money ain't gon be around forever." I kicked her hand and turned around to walk out.

"What did you do to her?" Amanda came in screaming.

"Bitch, didn't I send you the fuck home?" I hissed my teeth.

"You ain't the boss of me nigga," she rolled her eyes.

She walked up to me and slapped me across the face and said, "That's for dragging me by the hair, these bundles were expensive."

"I'm just about tired of y'all hoes, on god," I grabbed her by the hair again and started punching her face.

She was screaming and flinging her arms about trying to defend and protect herself at the same time.

"Nigga is a bad word, don't say it again bitch." I let her go and she stood up holding onto her face.

She didn't respond so I fake rushed her and she flinched holding up her hands.

"What I say?" I asked.

"The n word is a bad word, don't use it again." She stumbled on her words.

"Good girl," I patted her head as I walked out of the room and down the steps to leave the house.

"Have a good night, Miss Sharon," I said to her as I walked passed her to the door.

I got into my Jeep slamming the door behind me and reversed down the driveway and made my way home. Honestly hoped she learned her lesson because I'll beat her ass again if she ever calls my fiancé out her name and if she ever disrespects me like that again. Can't believe I ever felt something for this girl, people really ain't who you think they are. You don't really know bitches until they're under pressure and pressure can make the calmest man go mad.

I buzzed my gate and drove up the driveway once it was fully opened. Kwashie's red BMW M2 was parked in front of my house. I parked in the garage and walked in through the side door, I wasn't drunk anymore. I felt sober as fuck. I walked into the kitchen and there was Kwashie and Richard having a serious conversation with wine glasses in their hands.

"Goodnight," I said walking up and going to the fridge to get some milk.

"Well, you look like shit," Richard said.

"Thank you for being observant, father." I gave him a humorless smile and he started laughing. It wasn't funny, none of this was.

"Why do you have scratches on your face?" Kwashie asked.

"Cats man, you don't know when they're gonna go all demon spawn on you." I laughed.

"Orrrr you ended up in a fight," Richard shrugged his shoulder and I mean mugged him.

"I'm just saying," he lifted his glass to his lips.

"Why would you be in a fight?" Kwashie asked me.

"Because bitches need some act right," I twisted up my neck while I said this.

"Suuuuuuure," Richard said.

"Richard man, stop bugging." I rolled my eyes.

"Zidania, how many times do I have to tell you to speak properly," my mother said walking into the kitchen.

"Enough times," I said.

"Good, which means I shouldn't have to tell you again." She patted my cheek and walked over to the sink.

"Dinner will be served in thirty minutes," she said and we all got up and walked out of the kitchen.

"Geez.." I breathed out.

"So are you going to tell us what happened or do I have to track your car to see your whereabouts," Richard said as he sat in his office chair and Kwashie and I filled the seats in front of the desk.

"You really don't gotta do allat," I rolled my eyes and raised my legs to rest my feet on his desk.

"So talk..." he folded his arms and leaned back into his expensive leather chair.

"I went drinking, okay. I went to a bar and then I found myself at Carter's house." I said.

"You drunk drived?" That was Richard.

"You were at Carter's house?" That was Kwashie.

"Bro, y'all gon listen or what?" I twisted up my face.

Richard lifted his head telling me to proceed so I sighed and continued.

"When I got there I Bruce Lee'd her room door and then dragged the bitch she had in bed with her and kicked her out. Then I went over to her and put her in a choke hold on the wall, she talknbout oh you out here sucking dick now huh so I said yeah bitch I'm out here sucking dick dick whatchu know bout this?" I was exaggerating and stalling and Richard knew.

"Then she said you just a lil ghetto baby with new found money and she called Kwashie a tranny so I beat her ass. I Tom Cruised her ass, boy," I lifted my hands to bob and weave the air in front of me.

"I stepped in her face to knock her out after telling her to not disrespect me or Kwashie again and then I beat her bitch for slapping me across the face and using the n word," I said.

"You had an eventful evening," Richard said.

"Dramatic entrance or calm entrance?" He asked me.

"Did you not hear when I said I Bruce Lee'd her door, dramatic entrance of course." I greeted his high five with my own.

"Richard, you can't possibly be condoling this kind of behavior." Kwashie said.

"From what she explained it sounded like CJ deserved it, I might have to work some magic to not have her press charges but that's the least." Richard said.

"That's the least ..." I said snapped my fingers.

"Why are you so angry at Carter Jones?" Kwashie asked me.

"Because I heard her the evening you came over earlier this week in the kitchen talking with my mother," I said.

"Sophia?" Richard said.

"Yeah man, she knows that Kwashie is a female." I sighed.

"What?" Richard said.

"You didn't tell me that bit of information, you said that she had something planned." He said grabbing his hair.

"That was before I heard the conversation and we still have the advantage because she doesn't have any proof," I said.

"How did she find out?" Kwashie asked.

"Apparently she heard when you confessed it to me that evening at the beach," I ran my hands on my jeans trying to dry the beads of sweat that had formed in my palms.

"No need to panic guys, we have law on our side." Richard said but he sounded as if he was panicking himself.

I looked over at Kwashie and she seemed lost in her own mind, her face was in a neutral expression staring at Richard's dark blue office walls.

"Come on, let's go to my room." I grabbed Kwashie's hand to lead her out.

"Zim," Richard said.

I looked back at him and he had the same lost expression on his face.

"Try to keep appearances as tight as possible, we have to protect our three points." He said.

I nodded and closed the door behind me. I walked down the hall leading Kwashie to my room even though she already knew where it was.

"Let's have a shower together, fiancé." I said spinning around in her arms.

"I'd love that," she smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I'll take care of this, I promise." I kissed her forehead and helped her to strip out of her clothes.

I had to protect this woman at all cost, when I looked at her I saw my heart in human form and I'd do anything to protect that from the liars and dirty cheats of the world.

-

Since someone decided to call my ass out on it I'm just gonna make it clear, 🗣🗣

If you're going out for a good time please have a designated driver or cab money.