Stupid Boy

Keisha

"You ready to tell me what happened?" I asked a distraught Kassidy.

Kas popped up on me over an hour ago with her hand in a cast and a Wal-Mart bag full of panties and toiletries. She fell into my arms crying and we'd been sitting in the same spot on the floor every since.

I didn't want to jump to conclusions or rush Kassidy to talk, but I was getting real antsy with her just sitting here crying.

"I... I... left my parent's house. I can't do it anymore Keish." Kas choked out.

"Whoa wait, calm down and tell me what happened. What do you mean you left? Like moved out?" I asked. I was honestly at a loss.

I had been trying to get Kassidy to be my roommate for a while but she insisted on staying in the comfort of her parent's home. So this was shocking to me.

"Yes! Mom made a big deal about my hand and..."

"What happened to your hand, By the way?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I fell damn it! I'm clumsy ok! It's not a big fucking deal. You guys act like I can't hurt myself falling!" Kassidy yelled.

Her response alone told me all I needed to know. The fact that she jumped bad at a simple question and defended falling didn't sit right with me.

"Is he fucking hitting you Kassidy?!" I yelled with squinted eyes.

I forgot all about Slim being asleep in the guestroom until he walked out and looked down at Kas and I.

"What's goin on?" Slim asked with a confused expression.

Standing up I placed my hand on my hip and stared down at Kassidy.

"Kas-" I started.

"Don't! Don't do that Keisha. I really can't take that from you. I need someone in my corner." Kassidy cried.

"Don't do that?! Are you fucking kidding me?!" I ran to my room and grabbed my gun from the lockbox on my shelf. Walking back to the living room I stood in front of Kas. "Get up and take me to him!"

Tears spilled from my eyes as I thought of Romelo putting his hands on Kassidy. No one deserved that. A little slap would have had me locked up, she had broken bones and was acting like it was all good.

"Whoa, what the fuck?! Keisha put that shit away! What the hell y'all got goin on?" Slim yelled with his hands up like I had the gun pointed at him.

"Obviously your pussy ass brother likes to beat up on women!" I yelled out.

I didn't mean to take my frustration out on Slim but this really took me to a bad place. And for Kassidy to defend this nigga made me want to break her other fucking hand.

"Melo did that to you Kassidy?" Slim asked with his eyes turning a shade darker.

"I fuckin fell!" Kassidy yelled.

I chuckled in disbelief. I couldn't believe that this was my friend right now. Like, this was actually happening in real life.

"You can't be that fuckin stupid Kassidy! And you can't believe that we're that stupid. I love you like we came out of the same womb, and I know you better than that. Please don't insult my intelligence." I scoffed.

"He didn't mean it. I did something stupid. You guys wouldn't understand... I'm the only one who knows the real him." Kas whispered.

My head almost snapped off as I looked back and forth between Kas and Slim. He simply nodded up and down to confirm that she had indeed let that silly shit fly out of her mouth.

"Kassidy, you sound like a fuckin lifetime movie right now! You gotta be suffering from brain damage or some bullshit! Do you hear yourself?! There is nothing a woman should be able to do to a man that would cause him to break her fucking arm! Nothing! So for you to sit here and say-"

"It's my fingers," Kassidy said just above a whisper.

"What?" I asked.

"You said my arm was broken, it's just a couple of fingers."

I chuckled before pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Excuse me, your fingers. Next week it'll be an arm, after that a leg, and who knows... maybe you'll hit the jackpot and end up with a broken neck!" I screamed. "I cant and I won't bury you Kassidy! We're supposed to die together from old age remember. A few years ago this was me doing this same song and dance. Remember that? It's not worth it Kassidy! He's not worth it!"

I stormed off to my room to take a minute to cool down. I had been in Kassidy's shoes, the only difference is I killed the nigga before he killed me. Thank God for my mom. But that's another story for another day.

Once I pulled myself together I walked out to see Slim crouching down next to Kassidy.

"You know Kas, Melo's baby mother used to tell this same story. She fell down and blacked her eye, she wasn't paying attention and knocked herself out by running into the door, and eventually she ended up in a coma. Please dont let it take all of that. Romelo is damaged. My mother used to beat the shit out of him so any woman he comes across is punished for her mistakes." Slim told her.

Kassidy just sat there crying and taking it all in. If this didn't bring her any revelation I don't know what would.

"He wouldn't do that to me. This was an accident. Melo loves me." Kassidy said.

I scoffed in disbelief. Romelo must have had some diamonds dancing between his legs because that's the only explanation for this shit.

"Romelo only loves Romelo. Did he tell you about Tiff?" Slim asked. "Of course he didn't, Don't go back there Kassidy. It's not worth it."

"I'm just really exhausted and in pain. I came over here to get away. I'm here, not there. Are we done with this conversation? " Kassidy asked.

"Sure." Slim said pulling Kassidy up from the floor.

I could only hope she would stay and not go back to that coward.

"Kassidy?" I called out.

Kas stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Yes?"

"A damaged man will ruin every woman he comes across."

I left her with that jewel before walking over to Slim and breaking down in his arms.