Star Struck(45)
“I tried, but I kept getting your voice mail.”
They stood in the foyer. “Then that probably means I was busy.”
“Hey, I was just coming over to apologize for how I acted yesterday.”
“No problem. But hey I got company so we can catch up later.”
“Oh my bad. I should have known. I just wanted to get that off my chest.”
Before Trevon could turn around and leave, Hailey’s voice rang out, “Garrett, what’s on our agenda for today?”
“I know that’s not who I think it is,” Trevon said, as he turned and looked in the direction where he thought he heard Hailey’s voice.
“Tre. Calm down,” Garrett said, while rubbing his sweaty palms.
“Is that Trevon?” Hailey asked, as she entered the room dressed in a pair of jeans and t-shirt. “Hey what’s up?”
“What’s up? You’re what’s up. My best friend and my girl.”
Hailey crossed her arms. “I haven’t been your girl since forever.”
Garrett, trying to keep the peace, said, “We’re all adults here so let’s sit down and talk about this.”
“Man, you’re a joke.” Trevon’s veins in his neck seemed to poke out.
Garrett said, “Look. What happens between Hailey and me is between us. You and Hailey are not together. You have a fiancé so you need to worry about her and who she’s with.”
Trevon asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Garrett almost let it slip but caught himself. “Nothing. All I’m saying is that you’re getting married soon. Your concern should be about Shareeka. Let me worry about Hailey.”
Trevon threw a punch at Garrett but he ducked before it could land. Garrett got him in a headlock. “We either talk about this like two mature adults or you get the hell out of my house.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. This was the ultimate betrayal,” Trevon said, as he squirmed to get loose.
Garrett released him. Trevon stood up but looked dazed a little. He looked back and forth at Hailey and Garrett and said, “You’ll both pay for this.” He didn’t wait for them to respond. Trevon walked out the front door and slammed it.
“Wow. I’ve never seen him that upset,” Hailey said.
“He’ll be alright.”
“There’s something more going on here. You two used to be tight,” Hailey said.
“Our friendship hasn’t been right for a very long time now. Our interests don’t lie in the same place.”
“Have you tried talking to him about it?” Hailey asked.
“Men don’t talk about those things,” Garrett responded, as he led her to the living room and sat next to each other on the sofa.
“But you were boys long before I knew either one of you. I don’t want to be the cause of your friendship ending.”
Garrett took his hand and wiped the strand of hair off Hailey’s forehead. “That’s why I care about you. You put up this front, but you are a very caring person. I wish others could see this side of you.”
Hailey tilted her head down, avoiding eye contact with Garrett. “It’ll be our little secret,” she said, in a hushed voice.
Garrett spent the next few minutes talking to Hailey about his confused feelings for his best friend. “I don’t blame him for being upset. I would have tried to punch me out too.”
“I have a feeling something more is going on here,” Hailey commented.
Garrett let out a deep breath. If he wanted their relationship to progress, he knew what he had to do. He hoped Hailey would understand what he was about to reveal. “If we’re going to be together I don’t want any secrets between us.”
Hailey crossed her legs up under her. “I’m listening.”
“Trevon’s fiancé Shareeka and I have been sleeping with one another.” Garrett felt uncomfortable telling her about Shareeka but he didn’t want her to find out another way. He watched the shocked look on her face.
“How did this come about?”
“We met before she ever met Trevon. I had no idea the woman he claimed to love was the same woman I had been knocking boots with until much later.”
Hailey said, “Talk about a real life soap opera.”
Garrett caressed Hailey’s hand. “That’s why I say he and Shareeka deserve each other. Neither one of them knows anything about being committed to one person.”
Hailey said, “I can’t say I’m surprised about her. She looks like a gold digging tramp. But you. Y’all been boys for too long.”
“Like I said, I had no idea he was her man until much later. She was just a booty call to me.”