After Rebecca texted Nas telling him that she wanted to cancel their plans, he decided to go out and have drinks with a few of his friends. It had been awhile since he got to hang with the guys. He was either at work or with Rebecca. Having a guy’s night out was extremely rare. Nas met his friends at the Bar & Grill in Downtown L.A. “I see Rebecca finally let you out the house,” joked his best friend Gary, “I thought she had you on lock and was never setting you free.” “Man, I can do what I want when I want.” “Better not let Rebecca hear you say that shit,” his other best friend Brandon chimed in. They all laughed and ordered a round of shots. Nas still hung with his same crew from high school. The three of them were the most popular boys in school. Literally, all the girls wanted to be seen on their arms. They were handsome and the star players on the football team. They came from respectable households and were taught to always give people the kind of respect they wanted to receive. Gary and Brandon, the twins, were raised by their mom after losing their father to gun violence. Their mother did an amazing job when it came to raising them and keeping them out of the streets. She taught them how to treat women, be gentlemen, and how to stand firm when it came to what they believed in. Gary followed a few of those rules here and there, but, for the most part, he did what the hell he wanted. All three of them got a scholarship to Florida State University and decided to major in Business since they wanted to start their own. They graduated in exactly four-years and went on to make their dreams a reality. While Nas worked on building his own real estate empire in Los Angeles, Gary and Brandon started their own production company—GB Entertainment. “Since ya’ll want to get on me about my relationship, when are you two niggas going to settle down?” Gary and Brandon weren’t the settling-down-types. One thing their mother did teach them was if you weren’t ready to be in a relationship, keep your ass single, and that’s exactly what they’d been doing for the most part.
Gary was seeing at least three women, all of which he had an understanding with. Each of them knew about each other, and Gary made it very clear that none of them were in a relationship with him. If the topic came up without him initiating it, then they’d have to go, and he’d be onto someone new. His line of work came with a line of women, so he had no problem getting a new one within a few minutes. Brandon was a lady’s man, and if he saw something he wanted, he went and got it—no questions asked. He was qualified to be someone’s husband, but he never came across a woman who made him want to take the steps toward building a family. “Now, you know I’ma be a player for life,” Gary laughed as he popped his collar. “Right now, my focus isn’t on the future; it’s on that group of fine-ass females across the room,” Brandon said, licking his lips. “Bet I can get one to go home with me tonight,” he added. “Niggas is crazy,” Nas laughed. There were four women standing in a circle. Nas noticed one who looked familiar but couldn’t quite remember where he knew her from. “Aye, do one of those broads you were just eyeing look familiar to you?” “Now that you mention it, the one with the braids does,” Gary said, looking back in the direction of the women. She was about 5’4, had a short-braided bob, thick thighs, and a round ass that her dress squeezed just right. Her skin was the color of mocha, and her eyes were big and brown. Brandon liked what he was looking at, but before he could make his way over to her, she was walking towards the bar with her crew following close behind. As they got closer, that’s when it hit Nas; they went to high school together. She was a year behind the rest of them. “So, you’re just gonna keep looking at us and act like you don’t know who I am?” she asked with an attitude. “Man, I’d recognize those big-ass eyes anywhere,” Brandon laughed, knowing he was lying. If Nas hadn’t said anything, it wouldn’t have crossed his mind that it was Shantel standing in his face looking like a whole-ass meal. She would always show up to their football practices trying to get Brandon’s attention, but he stayed far away from her. Shantel had a bad reputation of being the school slut, and her mouth was reckless causing her to stay in some kind of altercation whether that be physical or verbal. Brandon always thought she was beautiful, but he was not about to get himself caught up in any of the drama that followed her.
“You still going around sleeping with bitches’ boyfriends?” Gary laughed. Brandon looked down and shook his head. Unlike him, his brother had no filter. Gary said whatever he was thinking without hesitating. “If Brandon isn’t single, I just might,” she clapped back. Damn, she still has a mouth on her, Brandon smiled to himself. “I see you over there assuming I’m already an unfaithful-ass nigga,” he said with a serious look on his face, “If I was taken, you wouldn’t be standing in my face right now.” Shantel’s friends in the back started to giggle, but she shut that down with one quick glance. “Anyway, we were about to head over to the club if you boys wanted to come along. It’s not far from here.” “Bet,” Brandon said, giving Shantel a hug and a little tap on the ass. Before heading over to the club, they finished eating and decided to have a second round of shots. The night was young, so they figured it wouldn’t hurt to catch up with a familiar face. Plus, the way Brandon was looking at Shantel the guys knew he wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet. “I’m hitting those tonight!” Nas and Gary couldn’t help but laugh at Brandon. He was 28 still acting like an excited 18-year old. Brandon didn’t want to seem too juiced about spending time with Shantel, so they decided to have another drink before meeting her at the club. When they arrived, the line was long as hell, but Shantel’s father owned the spot, so they were able to get in without waiting. Shantel sent Brandon a text letting them know to head straight to the front, mention her name, and they’d be led to the top floor to VIP. “Who knew the little slut was rich?” “Be cool, Gary,” Brandon spat, “It does explain why she was such a drama queen in high school though.” “Rich men always create the sluttiest offspring,” Nas laughed. Brandon was catching an attitude; it showed on his face. His cheeks were rosy as hell, and that crazy-ass vein in his neck was starting to show. His green eyes only made him look crazier when he was upset. Those eyes may have been the only things that set him apart from his twin’s, which were hazel. “Okay, we’ll stop talking about your little girlfriend now,” Gary said as they approached her table, “She’s still a hoe though.”
“I wish you niggas would shut the fuck up,” he said as they walked towards Shantel. “About time! I thought you were dodging me like you used to in high school.” Shantel stood up and gave Brandon a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s go dance.” Shantel grabbed Brandon by the hand and started to lead him towards the dance floor. As Brandon looked up, he saw a face he knew all too well walking towards the section. She had a drink in her hand and a big-ass grin on her face. She already looks like she has some tricks up her sleeve, he thought. “…fucking Ashley,” he said under his breath.
Reneè, Sydney. Let’s Be Friends
Queen Media Collective 