I take a bite of my chicken tender, dripping in the restaurant’s famous honey hot sauce, seasoned to perfection. I slurp the sauce beginning to drip down my lip.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve done that,” Courtney jokes.
“Ugh!” we fall out cackling again. “Ok. So, I don’t know how to say this…”
There’s a pregnant pause saying, “I ain’t trying to hear that shit.” The ball is in my court, whenever I’m ready. Only my continuance of the story would break the silence.
“Girl, my new neighbors,” I begin.
“Ooh, what they do?”
“Each other,” I say, trying to sound like I’m joking.
Courtney starts laughing. “What?”
“I saw my two neighbors fucking through their bedroom window.”
“OH MY GOD!” Courtney exclaimed. There are only a few other people in the restaurant. They look over at us shocked, probably making sure we’re mentally stable. “Are you serious?”
“That’s not even the tea, girl.”
“Whettt? What else happened?!”
“The husband caught me.”
“HOL-Y SHIT!”
We both start laughing. Our dramatics kill me every time.
“So, what happened after that?” Courtney is all eyes and ears.
“Nothing really. He…winked.”
“OOHHHHH!” Courtney knew something that I didn’t know. But then again maybe I did know and just didn’t want to be honest with myself about knowing yet.
“There’s something else too. I’ve kinda been thinking about…like…what if…”
“HOLY FUCKING HELL!” At this point, the other customers are growing a bit concerned about what we have going on at our table.
“I haven’t even said it yet!”
“You know that I already know what you’re gonna say.”
“So, what do you have to say now?”
“Hell, knock on the door and tell them you wanna put that pussy on them.”
“I’m not as bold as you.”
“Girl, you gotta live! Girl it’s been what? Eight months? Hell, two years and eight months. The two years didn’t even count.”
“Now that’s harsh.” I’m giggling in between bites. Courtney is so brutally honest and it hurts so good.
“It’s tough love. And I’d love for you to get fucked…toughly.”
I don’t know what “living” is anymore. Courtney was right. The sex with Julio never hit on much and did way more missing. Anything I even dreamed of doing only remained in my mind. It was time to explore, and I was terrified.
“So, what do you say?” She asks, curious about my take.
“Yea…NO!”
“You’re unbelievable. It’s on your mind for a reason. What’s stopping you? They seem down.”
“But I’m not.”
“You need to get down–down on your knees.”
“I can’t take you.”
“You need to take a dick.”
“You need help.”
“You need dick.”
We finished our lunch and headed outside toward our cars parked next to one another’s. We shared a hug.
“Thanks for coming out with me today.”
“You think about what I said,” Courtney advised.
“BYE GIRL!” We start laughing.
“Call me if you change your mind.”
“You sound like you want me to screw you.”
“Maybe I do,” Courtney says jokingly, winking.
“You’re a disgrace.”
“Bye-eeee!” Courtney slides in her car.
On my drive back home, I start thinking about what Courtney said after all. THINKING, that’s it. What if the Jones’ and I were to get together? What would the vibe be like? Courtney was right. They definitely seem like they’d be down. Especially Mr. Jones. He seemed to confirm his stance on this before the curtain-close. How would something like this even be initiated? Certainly not by me.
I’m nearing my driveway. Mrs. Jones is outside working on her front yard. Oh boy. This is about to be awkward. I slow down my speed coming up the road, pondering how I’m gonna greet her if we make contact–if I’m gonna greet her at all. Am I gonna act like I don’t see her? Speed walk to my front door with my head down? I’ll still have to put my key in the door, which’ll give her at least another twenty seconds to notice me. Fuck. Well, here goes nothing.
I arrive at my house and pull into the driveway. Mrs. Jones is standing up, facing my house. She waves while I’m still in the car. There it goes, the contact. I wave back with a nervous smirk on my face. I swing my door open, collecting my bag and leftover food from lunch. Mrs. Jones starts walking over towards me. What the hell?! Now I’m really nervous.
Do neighbors really do this anymore? Approach and introduce themselves to each other? What’s about to transpire here? Is she gonna mention the day? I’d be mortified. I get out to meet her, fixing the nervous smile on my face again.
Mrs. Jones approaches me, sliding off her right yard glove.
“Hi!” She greets me, chipper.
“Hello!” I say, trying not to sound nervous.
“I’m Marcia Rodriquez. You can call me Marcie. We just moved here a few months ago. I wanted to come over and introduce myself.” She put her hand out to shake. Yea, this is definitely revamped hospitality. I can’t remember the last time I had a formal meeting like this. I mean, first and last name? A handshake?
“I’m Devine. Devine Thompson.” I felt compelled to give her my full name since she gave me hers. Wow. I feel…exposed. And now that I know their names, they are no longer the Jones’. They are Mr. and Mrs. Rodriquez.
“That’s such a pretty name, Devine. You are certainly that.”
Is she flirting with me?
“Thank you.”
There’s a pause. I’m not sure what happens next. Introvert problems. Or problems of a girl who watched her neighbors fuck.
“Well, I didn’t mean to bother. I just wanted to say hello.”
“Well, hello to you too. It was very nice meeting you.”
Just as we’re about to part, Mr. Jones–I mean, Mr. Rodriguez, strolls onto their front porch. I tense up for some reason. I can’t handle meeting both of them at the same time. Not right now. This is enough for today. Mr. Rodriguez puts his hand up greeting me, his infamous quiet smile on his face.