NERDBAE

Part 6

Elle found herself in a position that was beyond awkward; and alone for the first time she could remember. Gina had always been the keeper of her secrets but it couldn't be this time. If Tre wanted his lifestyle to be known he'd have to tell Gi on her own - Elle wouldn't do that to him. But still. It left her in a precarious position with no one to talk to who could understand the full magnitude of the situation. There'd been flirting and touching and looks and almost a kiss and then that porn. But it was Tre. Tre! Tre who went to prom alone. Tre who in college when they'd went up to visit blew off beautiful women to hang with his sister, her best friend and mom's. Tre who buttoned their blouses to the neck to preserve their innocence and whose eyes never lingered at a fat ass or plunging cleavage in Elles presence.

He'd been a pillar of virtue her whole life, Gina prided herself in making her big brother squirm. Elle enjoyed it from time to time too. Being his 'girlfriend' was Elles way of defending the defenceless - coming to his aid. Only to find out he was the man - somewhere between all of that she'd started to have foreign feelings. She could be herself around Tre - he wasn't like other men that just wanted sex, he'd had her in a position and made no advances.

"Elle?" A voice calls snapping her out of her thoughts and she sees Lily looking at her awkwardly.

"Yeah?" She responds and Lily sits across from her in the booth at the coffee shop. "I just wanted to apologize for speaking out of turn - I didn't mean it maliciously. I swear" Lily explains as Elle reads her body language feeling only truth.

"Excuse me for not understanding your thinking" Elle shrugs sipping her drink.

"Well" Lily sighs. "Tre's the best at what he does and he hasn't been active. Then I hear he has a girlfriend and I see you with him. Tre doesn't really do that so I figured you were his sub and his girlfriend. Its not really taboo among people living it - because who else can we talk to besides each other. He's a natural so I didn't think he'd go vanilla but its not hard to see why, you're beautiful and he must really love you to quit" she explains herself openly.

Elles teeming with questions on the inside but this isn't the place or the person to ask, especially when she's supposed to be in a relationship with an expert.

"I appreciate your apology" she smiles standing and heading into the car to head back to the house. She'd been mad at Lily first and then mad at Tre for not having her back. The revelation didn't piss her off as much as it scared her. It erased the foreseeable future of them being anything but friends in her mind.

Sex parties, submission and a whole lot of other shit Elle hadn't practiced or partook in ever. She gets a shiver thinking about his calm her first night when she'd been perplexed by the intricate positions and he'd cooly demonstrated them with ease. Impressive then, horrifying now she'd heard he was the best by someone clearly well versed in the world.

"Hey baby, where you been all day?" Jo asks Elle getting a smile as she walks in.

"Bookstore and coffee shot, trying to find something good" Elle smiles.

"Any luck?"

"Negative" Elle smiles until Tre materializes from the movie room area.

"She's home Tre. We were waiting for you to come home and watch Get Out with us." Jo continues handing Elle a bowl of popcorn.

"Got a headache, I'm going to be in my room, enjoy it ma" Elle smiles excusing herself and making herself scarce.

....

"What did you do?" Gina asks walking into the gym finding Tre pushing through his midday workout. Shed noticed Elle's trepidation and change in demeanour around Tre and gotten nothing from her best friend. "What did you do? One minute Elle is the best I've ever seen her around a man and the next she's giving those fake polite white woman smiles and doesn't want you near her?" Gina rants.

Tre sits up wiping his sweat and catching his breath. He noticed the same thing, Elle had asked for space he had to respect that but there'd never been distance like this between them. Elle had always been warm with him, sweet, honest. He could do far more than any other man could even by just being in her presence during candid moments.

"A misunderstanding"

"Elle is a very understanding person Tre, what happened?" Gina pries further.

"We were out and a woman I've been with asked if Elle was my pet?"

"What?" Gina shrieks before he can continue. "White bitch? Did Elle slap her? Did you have Elles back?"

"It wasn't like that?" He tries and Gina steps mack hands on her hips.

"What the fuck Tre?" She asks lost. "Elle pretends to be your girlfriend to make you look good one of your birds tries to disrespect her and you don't stand up for her? I'm glad she won't speak to your bitch ass, you have no balls!" Gina snaps walking out of the gym too mad to work out. "To think I was rooting for you and you just treat her like shit! Live every other asshole." Gina continues.

"Watch your mouth Gi" Tre warns

"Oooh" Gina gestures feigning fear before flipping him the bird. "Don't check me check the bitch that just lost you quite easily the best thing that could have happened to your spineless sorry ass! You fucking Prick!" Gina shouts rounding the corner into the kitchen.

"You're not going to speak to me like that in my own house or act like I'd ever purposely do anything to jeopardize any of you"

"Hard to fucking tell, what are you going to do throw a couple thousand? Like one of those rich fat fucks you work with?"

"Where was this energy for Cameron huh? If you're such a good friend to her why did you let that happen? If you're so perfect and I'm such a loser why have I been supporting you through your dreams and schemes? I'm always a call away, an e transfer away, always!" He shouts so upset his voice vibrates through the space startling Gina still.

"Elle's had enough of bitches, you aren't man enough for her - be upset all you want. I don't want to speak to you either" her voice shakes.

"When you're perfect i'll take you're judgement, until then shut the fuck up and keep your opinions to yourself" Tre snaps just as their mother and Elles walk in startled at the scene.

Never, never in their lives had they heard Tre raise his voice at his sister and Gina did a considerable amount of prodding him through the years. In a huff Gina grabs her purse pushing past them and heading for the door. Tre swallows turning and heading back to the gym to work out.

The mothers look at each other in shock not knowing where to start.

Gina smiles taking a breath before she pulls off, she lets out a chuckle. She'd never in her life seen Tre so mad at anyone, not his bullies, coaches, competitors, their piece of shit father, no one - not for nothing.

"That boy loves her" she smiles thinking out loud.