A Losing Game

"Moonlight Desires"

            Roderick stared at his phone as it lit up with Jacory's number displaying as the caller. Without waiting any longer, he answered the call, asking, "Jacory, are you okay?"

            Jacory was silent for a few seconds before finally replying, "I'm okay. I just got off of work and I was wondering"—he zipped up his coat—"if you could come pick me up so that we could talk? If not, then I'd understand."

            "You're at Buffalo Wild Wings out by the northside mall, right?"

            "Yeah."

            "I'll be there asap, Mookie. I just gotta make one stop and I'll be there. I promise. Are you sure you're okay?"

            "Yes, I'm okay. Take your time."

            "I'll see you when I get there." He ended the call and then drove away from Kelvin's house as quickly as he could.

            After going back to the stash house to leave his backpack of drugs and to put away the money he'd made from his dealing that night, he drove to the more affluent northside to pick up Jacory. Jacory quickly climbed into the car and warmed his hands by putting them closer to the vents that were blowing out heat. Without saying a word, Roderick put the car in gear and began driving back to their side of the city. Instead of driving directly to Jacory's house, he drove to the abandoned house he used to live in and parked on the street. He left the car running so that he could continue to run the heater while they talked.

            "I'm sorry for pulling you into my mess," Jacory offered. "And I'm sorry that Nate punched you."

            "Don't apologize for that punk," said Roderick. "You don't owe me an apology, Mookie. I got involved because I'm not gonna let him put his hands on you."

            "Rod, I can handle Nate."

            "No, you can't. He's bigger than you and he's stronger. Look at that bruise on your wrist. How long has he been gettin' rough with you?"

            "That was the first time."

            "Mookie, don't lie to me."

            "I promise you; he's never hurt me like that before. And I don't think he'll do it again. I just...I made him so mad."

            "Don't blame yourself for that shit. I don't care if you kicked that nigga in the balls, he does not get to put his hands on you."

            "I don't know what to do. I know you don't want to hear this, but I love him, Rod. I love every part of him."

            "Look at me, Jacory." When Jacory looked into his eyes, he told him, "It's okay for you to be in love with him and it's okay for it to be complicated. What's not okay is him beating you. That ain't love. And if it gets to that—"

            "It won't."

            "If it does, you need to kick his ass to the curb. And then you need to tell me or your brother because you know we'll do whatever needs to be done to keep him away from you. I let you go so that the shit I was caught up in wouldn't hurt you. I'll be damned if I let some punk ass nigga knock you around because he's insecure."

            "You let me go? I dumped you."

            "Yeah, because of my thing with Reece. My thing with Reece was my way of lettin' you go. And I'm glad I did."

            "Wow."

            "Nah, I ain't mean it like that. I'm sayin' I got caught with all that coke. You used to ride with me everywhere. They would've arrested you, too."