Battlefield of Love

1

Val

Alright, mama, I have a photo shoot after school today, so I’ll be home a little late, I called out as I head towards the door.

I was so ready to get my headshots done. Call it cliché, but ever since I was a little girl, I had wanted to be a model. I wanted to take pictures in designer clothes and go to the parties. I wasn’t too hip to the drug scene or whatever, but it didn’t mean that I couldn’t get with the rest of it. Plus, modeling would lead to acting, and I wanted to do that too. Honestly, I wanted it all and not just for the fame either.

I wanted to be an inspiration for girls like me. I mean we had the #blackgirlmagic movement, but it wasn’t enough. Even with that hashtag trending around the world, we still were being left out of the big leagues, and I wasn’t with it. I wanted to make it to show girls there’s always a way and help them climb up any way that I could.

I wasn’t exactly typical model material, but I was gorgeous. I don’t say that to sound conceited or anything, but I knew that I was beautiful. I had milk chocolate skin that didn’t have a blemish on it and was currently rocking my hair au naturel. The afro I sported was well groomed, and when I did straighten it with a flat iron, it hit the middle of my back. I stood at about five feet eight, and I was curvy. I wasn’t on no disproportionate shit either. I was a C-cup in the chest and had the ass to match. Curvy doesn’t equal fat, or as they say in the modeling world, plus size.

My face was what I considered my best asset aside from my mind. I had full lips and big brown eyes that could look almost doll like with the right makeup.

Alright, baby, my mom responded, heading my way with an apple, I’ll tell your daddy, but try not to be too late. You know he might blow a gasket.

I nodded, taking the apple out of her hand and kissing her cheek. My mom was my best friend. She kept me grounded but still helped me pursue my dreams. I really couldn’t ask for more. My big brother walked downstairs with his keys in hand. My mom always said that she had gotten lucky. One boy, one girl, and that was it for her, but that was cool with me Ezreal was more than enough for me.

If you don’t hurry up, you will be walking to school, he said without looking up from his phone.

Ezreal was a senior at Jefferson High, and I was a junior. I didn’t even bother saying anything to him as I headed towards the door. He felt like he had gotten stuck with me, but he wasn’t a walk in the park for me. If it wasn’t about one of his many hoes at the school, he didn’t want to be bothered. It was honestly annoying. Not just because he was so absorbed with himself, but because these girls just didn’t know when to quit. I swore with all my life I would never be them. They would show up to our house looking for him. On more than one occasion, they would fight over him at school, and one had the balls to step to me about covering for him. I swear they just didn’t know when to call it quits, but that was not my problem.

The entire way to the school I ate my apple and texted my best friend, Nyla. Me and Nyla had met in the second grade and have been inseparable ever since. We both grew up in middle class families that lived close to the hood. We had little quirks that were similar. Aside from that, we were very different. In some ways, she balanced me out, but she wasn’t afraid to get hood when she had to. I loved it because Lord knows I was petty when I wanted to be.

When we pulled up to the school, Nyla was already there, I hopped out to walk over to her. On my way over to her, a group of guys stepped in my way. I didn’t really talk to boys. They weren’t my cup of tea especially not after watching how my brother did them.

So, when you gon’ let me hit? one of them asked.

I recognized him from my English class. His name was David or some shit like that.

When you can tell me the difference between there, they’re, and their, I responded with a smile on my face.

This nigga was one of the dumbest people in that class. Then had the nerve to ask me when I was going to let him hit? Tuh! I wish I would. Not in this life or the next.

Whatever, bitch. You ugly and fat anyway, he spat.

I swear, I hated niggas that did that dumb shit. Don’t be a little bitch about getting turned down. Take that L and move along.

I was fat and ugly when you approached me, lil’ bitch ass boy. Now please keep walking, I yelled out after him.

He wasn’t about to mess with my confidence. It would be a cold day in hell before I ever in life believed a bitter nigga about me. I got to Nyla, and she was almost on the ground laughing so hard.

Man, you ain’t even have to do David like that, she said, trying to catch her breath.

I just shrugged. He should’ve left me the fuck alone, I said seriously.

I wasn’t fooling with these clowns, not in this life. If it wasn’t about my career or my family, Nyla included, I wasn’t dealing with it. Nyla and I headed towards our first period class talking about the photo shoot that I had later in the day. She was going with me and was just as excited as I was.

You gon’ be famous and shit, she exclaimed, getting hyped up.

You gon’ be right next to me, DJ Ny, I commented, smiling.

Nyla had dreamed of spinning records for the same amount of time that I had been dreaming of modeling, and I wanted that for her. It was hard to break into that world as a woman, but if there was any one who could do it, it was definitely Nyla.

You know it, sis. We taking over!

I laughed before slamming into what had to be the hardest wall I had ever hit in my life. I bounced off it and hit the floor. All of my shit scattered across the hall, and all I could do was sit there trying to gather my thought.

Ow, shit, I said as I started to get my thoughts together.

Yo, my bad, ma, a voice called out from above me.

I looked up and saw one of the sexiest men I had seen in a while. He was about six feet one and a sexy shade of dark chocolate. His eyes were so dark that they were almost black. Just from running into him I knew he was fit as fuck under those clothes.

I couldn’t find my voice and just drooled. I had never been so intensely attracted to someone in all my life. Just like that, all my walls went up. I wanted to get to know him, but I didn’t want to get derailed from what I had going on in my life. He was staring at me hard as hell. He licked his lips and smirked at me before reaching down to help me pick up my stuff.

I’m Jerome.

Nice to meet you, Jerome, I gritted out snatching my stuff.

I didn’t get your name, he said, trying to get me to stop walking away.

I didn’t give it.

I bolted as far away from him as I could. I didn’t know who he was. I had never seen him around school before, and I sincerely hoped that I wouldn’t again. My mind was gone from looking at him for thirty seconds. Nyla was right next to me the whole time, and I saw a sour look on her face.

What’s wrong?

Do you know who that is, Val?

I shook my head. That’s Jerome. His name is out there now because he’s getting bigger in the streets, she explained, shaking her head. I don’t trust him girl. I would keep my distance.

I nodded because I was not in any way, shape, or form about to allow myself to get mixed up in that life. I hoped that he stayed away from me. With that information, I pushed Jerome to the back of my mind and made my way into class. I had other things to focus on.

The end of the day just couldn’t come fast enough for me. Maybe I was counting my eggs before they hatched, but I was ready to get started on my career move. I closed my locker, and Jerome was standing on the other side of it. I didn’t say anything. I just tried to step around him.

You ain’t gon’ say nothing, he asked, following right behind me.

I don’t even know you like that. Besides, do you even go here, I asked with much attitude.

Nah, I had some business to take care of up here, but I’m trying to get to know you.

You don’t need to get to know me. See you around or maybe not, I retorted without looking back at him.

I could tell I had probably hurt his little ego because I didn’t hear his footsteps beside me anymore. I could tell just from the short conversation we had that he wasn’t used to being turned down, but if he kept bringing himself around me, he would get used to it real quick. I couldn’t let him distract me even if he was the sexiest piece of chocolate I had ever seen.

I stepped out of the front door, and Nyla was waiting for me. She linked her arm in mine just as Jerome walked out the door.

I’ll see you later, Miss Val, he said cockily.

I didn’t even bother entertaining him, but Nyla looked irritated.

How does he know your name? she asked.

Who the fuck knows. He was by my locker after the bell rang, but that’s all I know. I hope he stays from around me, I shrugged.

Nyla nodded and I had to stifle a laugh. One thing about Nyla was that she was always looking out for me. I was standoffish, so most people stayed away. When they didn’t, Nyla was right there reading them like a book. If she wasn’t feeling them, that was it.

Shaking her head, she broke out in a grin. Let’s go get this photoshoot popping!

I laughed. I was ready to go do just that. I was about to break barriers in this bitch.

2

Jerome

That’s 30k for one day?

I nodded, smirking. When I started copping from these niggas on the east side, they thought that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with their demands. I was on a come-up mission, and this was just step one.

Alright, lil’ nigga, we can put you on to more product. Be back here on Friday, he said, nodding before shooing me off.

Hearing that they were going to let me in had a nigga hype. I was feeling myself for real. I only had one little slip up today, and that was with that Val chick. Lil’ mama was bad as fuck, and I wanted her. I wasn’t feeling the way she talked to me, but that could be fixed later on. I knew she wanted me from the way she had looked me up and down both times I was in her presence, and I couldn’t say I blamed her. I was a sexy chocolate nigga with my dreads nicely done. Bitches stayed flocking to me, and I didn’t know why she wasn’t, but I was going to get to the bottom of it.

I headed to the apartment I shared with my sister, Ty, ready to catch some sleep. I had plans to see Val again tomorrow, even if she didn’t know it. It was a school day, so I already knew where I could find her lil’ ass. I was going to make her mine if it was the last thing I did. I could mold her, make her my lil’ ride or die, and have her have my back through all the bullshit.

I walked through the front door and released a frustrated sigh. One of the girls I fucked from time to time was sitting on my couch talking to my sister. I mean, I couldn’t be as irritated as I wanted to be because Lee and Ty had been best friends for some years now. It was my fault for taking it there with her.

The pussy was okay, and the head game wasn’t much better, but she had become an issue. She would pop up then try to send my sister off to pick up some bullshit so she could be alone with me. She always wanted to talk about a relationship and shit, and I just wasn’t with it— not with her anyway.

Hey, brother, Ty greeted me, smiling.

Hey, sis...Lee, I said while heading straight to my room.

I shut the door, turned on my TV, and relaxed. I lived with my sister because we were all each other had at this point. Our bum ass sperm donor had dipped out, and our mom died two years ago, from breast cancer. Every time Lee brought her ass around, I wanted to move out. I heard my door knob move, but I had locked that shit. I wasn’t trying to deal with her at the moment.

Jerome, let me in. I heard Lee whine.

Nah, you good, I said without moving from my position.

I have to tell you something, and it’s really important. She continued knocking.

I sat there trying to tune her ass out, but she just wasn’t taking the hint. I finally got up and opened the door, and she was standing there with a weird ass look on her face.

Talk! I bellowed.

I was already tired of dealing with her ass, and she wasn’t even asking for the dick yet.

Um… I’m three months pregnant, and it’s yours, Jerome.

I shook my head. I wasn’t doing this bullshit with her. It couldn’t be me.

Nah, must be anotha nigga, I commented.

Ain’t been nobody else, Jerome. I’m having your baby, she replied with an attitude.

Yeah, aight. We will see in nine months or whatever. Until then, stay from the fuck around me.

I meant that shit too. I wasn’t about to take care of nobody’s baby but mine, and that one wasn’t it. Call me what you want, but I damn sure wasn’t about to cop to a baby that wasn’t mine. I shut the door in her face