Fuck his head hurt. Derrick groaned a bit as he rolled onto his side reaching for the Vicodin on his nightstand. Prescribed for a change. He
was man enough to admit he got fucked up in that fight. And he’d been right here; laid up for two days, sleeping on and off and avoiding his phone.
He didn’t want to see the bullshit. The lies, the rumors, the fucking chatter about what happened and why. And the questions. Ugh, he got enough of
those at home. His mom while she was changing his bandages. His dad when he came in to check on how his eye was healing up. I thought you two
were friends? I let that boy in my home. I told you not to hang with that boy, now look at you. He was fucking over it. Koi Kidd was dead to him
and he just wished people would stop talking about him. Derrick would rest up, Koi would do his agreed upon penance of community service and anger
management and then the two of them never even had to think of each other again. Sounded fucking good as shit to him. If he saw Koi Kidd in Hell, it
would be too soon.
Derrick popped two pills, swallowing them dry before he laid back down. Water would have been nice, but fuck if he didn’t feel like moving and fuck
if he wanted to listen to him moms talk about how she couldn’t believe this shit again. No. Nah, he wasn’t here for that. And as if on cue there
was a knock at his door. Fuck It was her day. No one was home but his mom. He could already hear her. Hi DJ. Are you awake? I’m just
checking on my baby...And her voice would be full of pity and she would look at him the way she did was he was 10 and he rolled his ankle
perfecting his lay up. Maybe he would just play sleep. He didn’t want to talk to her. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Derrick closed his eyes and waited for her voice...only that wasn’t the voice he heard when the silence was broken.
"Broke Bitch" and a $20 bill. The vision of that shit on Taylor's car just...wasn't getting old. And it wasn't getting any funnier, either.
Not to her and not to her stepmother who'd been the first to see the shit that Devyn Devereaux had scratched into the paint of Taylor's SLK RIGHT in
the middle of her own driveway. After listening to an HOUR rant from a bitch that wasn't even her mother about keeping their family business out of
the streets and out of strangers' mouths, Taylor got in her stepmother's car, cheeks as red hot as her fucking anger, her destination pretty obvious.
That snitching ass mother fucker...
This shit? This was her fault. She could take responsibility for it. No, not Devyn's childish reaction to the news about a nigga that wasn't even
hers. Granted that that shit was offensive and she'd scratched letters so large that it was going to probably a brand new paint job just to fix her
car. But it wasn't about the damage. It was about what Devyn had written. Broke. Bitch. Those words, on display for all of the neighborhood
to see, were worse than the bills in their mailbox, "overdue" and "final notice" decorating their fronts with bold, red lettering. It was worse than
the rumors that were starting to circulate because Bobby Westbrooks was three months late on his paying his community dues. No, this just verified
everything that everyone had been thinking. That the Westbrooks were fucking BROKE. And it was all Taylor's fault. Because she'd done a stupid thing.
She'd trusted a snake.
So, it wasn't too much of a surprise when she'd heard, after missing school the day her car was defaced, that Derrick had gotten twisted up in his own
lies, Koi beating him into a fucking concussion. Good for Koi. And Taylor's only regret? That she hadn't been there to see Derrick get his
ASS handed to him! Because out of everything that had gone down in the past couple of days, telling Derrick anything about her family was the only
mistake she'd made. Trusting him. And for what? Why? Why had she been so quick to trust him? A couple of orgasms, a meal or two and she was ready to
pour her life's secrets to this motherfucker? Stupid. Stupid and clumsy on her part and she could only blame herself! She ran these niggas. They
didn't run her! And if she'd remembered that, she wouldn't have been on her way to his house in a car that wasn't hers (because she couldn't have
people see her driving around in a car that broadcast her business) to straighten him the fuck out even more than Koi did. Though she was sure, from
the rumors, that Koi had done more than enough.
His mother'd met her at the door, a smile on her face at the "sweet girl coming to visit her poor, ailing son". Ha. Even she didn't know what a fucked
up little ass she'd raised. Climbing the stairs, Taylor could barely keep her teeth from grinding together from her anger...and her stomach from doing
somersaults from see him for the first time since Koi handled his ass. Actually...she'd be seeing him for the first time since he had her over the
house for his mother's birthday. The night had actually been really nice. His family had been as "Huxtable" as she knew they'd be and...they
seemed to like her. They talked to her about herself...asked her real questions. College, her future, her goals. And then, she and Derrick had...
UGH. She rolled her eyes at the memories of such a perfect evening. Nothing about this house or Derrick would ever be perfect to Taylor. Ever again.
Not after this. Not after she found out just how much she COULDN'T trust someone who'd slick talked his way into her life.
Knocking on the door, she didn't wait until she got a reply, opening it and stepping into Derrick's room. She'd only seen it once, the lying fucker
making sure that he took her to hotel rooms whenever they hooked up. Probably because all of the ways he was ashamed of her...which didn't even
matter! What was fucking wrong with her?!
She walked closer to the bed, wincing a little at his bruised face. People weren't exaggerating when they told her about Koi going to fucking town on
him. He was...he looked like he'd been in a car accident. Taylor erased the empathy from her face as she stood by his bed, looking down on him as he
slept. She felt...fucking conflicted. Because on one hand, she wanted kiss his lips and stroke the lines of his fade like she always did, her
fingertips always sending an involuntary shiver through him. And on the other hand, she wanted to smother his sleeping ass with a pillow. Instead she
just, stared.
"You look like shit." She spoke, her eyes casing his face.
Taylor. Her voice was that of an angel’s and even though he had no desire to see or talk to anyone from that bum ass prep school he was
never returning to, Derrick’s lips immediately lifted at her words. He laughed, his eyes opening as he turned to her; the small smile he’d been
able to muster causing a shooting pain in his jaw. The fucking jaw Koi had dislocated. Not only did he look like shit, “I feel like shit-,” he
murmured. For more reasons than one if he was being honest with himself. Derrick had regrets. He used to pride himself on living without regret; on
being sure of his every action and dealing with every consequence. Not anymore. Not since Devyn came through and ruined him. Now he regretted
everything. Thinking Dev was what he wanted, making moves to get her...what he said to her about Taylor.
That was wrong. He’d known when he’d done it that it was wrong. She trusted him with something and he’d broken her confidence in a heated moment
between he and Devyn. He regretted that the most. Taylor didn’t deserve that; she didn’t deserve half the shit she got from the people they went
to school with. They all knew her one way, but Derrick knew her another. The real Taylor. The side of her she didn’t show or tell anybody about
because she knew no one could be trusted with her. He’d seen it in Godiva and then again when she spent the evening with his family for his mom’s
birthday. Taylor was sensitive, she was gentle, and she was good. She deserved better than he’d given her and he knew that...She didn’t know if
she knew about him spilling her business, but it didn’t matter. He owed her honesty at the very least. He would apologize.
“Waddup slim? I wasn’t expecting you, but I’m glad you’re here.” Derrick reached for her, “Come sit babe. Talk to me a minute…” Fuck
this was going to be hard.
Smiles were deceiving. Taylor knew it to be true as she watched the corners of his mouth lift into a smile, his head turning towards her, his eyes
lighting up as soon as they opened on her. What a fucking act. Like he was happy to see her. Like he didn't remember the shit that he'd done
to her. Like he actually...like he gave a fuck that she was even there. And for some reason, Taylor wish she could've fallen for it. She wished that
she could've automatically forgotten all the embarrassment and the anger. That she could've smiled back at him, as happy to see him as she wished she
could believe he really was to see her. But she knew it. She knew the truth. She was the only one he had left... He had no best friend
anymore and something told Taylor that Devyn was right where he'd tried so hard to keep her from...with Koi. No, Taylor was all that was
left.
Come sit babe. Talk to me a minute. Taylor stared at Derrick's outstretched hand as he reached for her, her eyes slowly leaving it and coming
back to his face. Why did he have to be such an asshole? He was lying there, face nearly bashed in, his jaw swollen...eye blacked...and all Taylor
could see was a fucking wolf in disguise. There hadn't been a second of doubt when she'd seen the "message" Devyn had left her on her car. It had to
be him. No one knew her family's situation outside of him. She just couldn't...she couldn't believe he would sell her out. Why? Why'd he need to throw
her under the fucking bus? Was it the only way that Devyn would stay with him? Was it the only thing he had that would make Devyn actually WANT him?
Taylor'd heard the rumors and whether they were true or false, the fight between Koi and Derrick was definitely about Devyn. So... was it just some
desperate move to one up Koi once again? Taylor just...she just wanted to know! Why? But instead of asking him, she just stood there...and stared, his
hand dropping to the bed when she didn't move towards him.
"You are such a two-faced..." She started in a whisper, her breath catching in her throat, stopping her words as her eyes burned. Fuck... She hadn't
meant to start that way. She was way too emotional...way too hurt. She didn't want him to know he'd hurt her. He already knew too much...
"What part of 'keep my fucking business to yourself' did you not comprehend, Derrick?"
He was glad she was here. Hell, just looking at her was enough right now. And she was beautiful. Her hair was up today and he never noticed before,
but he thinked he liked it best that way. He could see her face; her pretty brown eyes, those lips that he could practically feel against his...Fuck.
She was gorgeous. And he’d never bothered to really stop and appreciate it. And she wasn’t just a pretty face. She was funny and street smart
and...damn. Perspective. That’s what had come out of this whole situation. Derrick had been so blinded by what he thought he saw in Devyn, he’d
been completely ignoring what he saw in Taylor. But it was probably too late.
She knew. He didn’t even have to ask her with the way she’d just stared at his hand. He put it down, a sigh on his lips as he wondered how Devyn
had thrown her financial trouble in her face. A subtweet? In person? Did it matter? Damage was done. Fuck. He wanted to be the one that told her. He
was going to find her the day he fought Koi in the parking lot. It was on his list of shit for the day, but he’d been...kind of preoccupied. Then
and now. Now it was too late. Devyn, feeling as vindictive as she had and probably still felt, had used something Derrick said in passing to hurt her.
She didn’t know shit about it. Not about Tay’s father and his many wives, lies, and debts, but she knew Derrick knew her and she’d heard what he
called her. She ran with it.
You are such a two-faced…He knew. She stopped, but he knew. He’d betrayed her. He’d told her she could trust him, he showed her he
cared about her beyond whatever game they were running and she believed him. That was okay, his friendship was real when he was giving it to her,
but...he’d fucked up. In just a second with Devyn about to walk out on him, he’d fucked up. “Tay...please…” Derrick did what he could to sit
up, a groan leaving him as he propped himself against his headboard. “Please sit down.” She ignored him, the hurt in her voice turning to anger as
she asked him what part of ‘not snitching’ he didn’t get. Fuck.
“Taylor, I fucked up. It slipped out in a heated moment and...I fucked up, slim. I’m sorry.” He was. He meant that. He never meant to do this to
Taylor, she was never supposed to get hurt in any of this. “This wasn’t the plan, Tay. I wouldn’t set you up like that babe, never.”
God, she didn't want his apologies. Taylor didn't want to hear "I'm sorry" or "I didn't mean to" because she knew that without a doubt, anything he
told her would be a lie. Because that was who Derrick Davidson was. He was a liar. He lied when he told Taylor that her secrets would be safe with
him. That he was her friend. That he fucking cared. But it was so clear now. Derrick didn't give a fuck about anyone but himself. He took what he
wanted and didn't give a damn about who he stepped on along the way. Oh, he was apologies now. But what would've happened if Devyn was laying in the
bed beside him? If Koi had lost the fight with him and everything that he wanted was right in the palm of his hand? Taylor wouldn't have mattered. Not
the disgust on her face as she looked at him, not the anger in her voice. Nothing about HER would've mattered had he gotten Devyn like he'd been
trying to. He would've won and she and her secrets would've been the trash leftover from his lying and scheming. She. Didn't. Matter.
"You can stop right there." She hissed as he started apologizing, "Slim" falling out of his mouth again. She wanted him to stop calling her that. She
wanted him to stop pet naming her like he gave A DAMN about her. She shook her head at him, the tightness in her throat getting more noticeable. His
words kept coming. How the plan wasn't to hurt her. How he'd slipped up and told HER secret. How he would never set her up.
"But wouldn't you?" She asked, her head cocking to the side as her nose flared. All he'd done was say what he'd needed to say and do what he'd needed
to to do to get her to play along, hadn't he? And like a stupid, she'd let him. All he'd needed to do was get between her thighs and she turned to
FUCKING putty for him. She saw it, all along. He'd used her and she let herself be used because she was getting what she thought she wanted. The
smile wiped off of Devyn Devereaux's face But was that worth...this? The tightness in her chest as she looked at him? The sting in her eyes as
she choked back tears? The need to...forgive him for fucking everything, just so she could trust him again? She hated herself for that. The want to
forget everything and curl up beside him, her head on his chest...listening to his breathing. She hated herself for it. Because he didn't deserve her
forgiveness. He'd used her and now sorry wasn't going to fix the damage he'd done...no matter how much she wanted it to.
"You lied and you moved people like fucking chess pieces! The hell did I even THINK that I'd be different? Telling me I'm as good as her and then
turning the FUCK around and..." She stopped speaking as the first tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily as she turned around, hoping
Derrick hadn't seen it.
"...you know, Devyn keying my business into the paint of my car was shitty. But nothing hurts more than knowing she fucking found out from YOU."
She wasn’t having it. Derrick knew she wouldn’t be, but he still tried. He made a mistake. A stupid, awful, horrible mistake and it was clear no
matter what he said, Taylor would only hear lies. She probably thought he did it on purpose; that he’d tied up loose ends, including her...because
he could lie, in his “fuck people over” parade, there was no reason Taylor should have thought she was any different. Sure, he was nice enough to
her, but he’d been Koi’s ace for a couple years. How did she know it wasn’t all games? She didn’t. And that was why he worked extra hard not
to get caught in lies he was forced to tell. Because when he did, no one knew anymore what was real and what wasn’t...but he hadn’t lied to her
and this was all genuine. Derrick made a mistake.
“Tay, you know me. I wouldn’t do you like that babe, not you. I brou-” she cut him off, telling him he’d lied and manipulated and she had not
reason to believe his cries of “not you”. He was a liar. He was a liar then and he was a liar now and that was all Taylor would see. This shit was
pointless. He sighed as she kept going, his eyes studying his hands. He was going let her get out what she needed to and watch her walk out on him. He
wouldn’t stop her and he didn’t blame her. What he’d said to Devyn was never supposed to be said to anyone and he knew how deep the shit with
her pops cut her. He was an asshole. He was as sorry as he kept telling her he was.
Damn. She keyed some shit into her ride? Part of him wanted to ask what exactly Devy had scratched into the paint, but in the grand scheme of
things did it really matter? Nope. Not at all. Whatever it was had been enough to bring them here. With Taylor telling him nothing hurt like knowing
he was responsible for all of this. Derrick finally turned to look at her. He didn’t have any more words; which was a small miracle in itself.
Taylor Westbrooks had him tongue tied. He fucked up. He couldn’t fix it.
“Tell me what it is you want me to say, Taylor.” He would say it. He wanted to make things right between them. They shouldn’t have been
“wrong” in the first place. “I can’t go back and fix it, slim, but I want to move forward. So what do you want to hear? What can I do?”
I just want to move forward… To what? What would he and Taylor move towards? Absolutely nothing. There was nothing left for them. Their
arrangement was simple. Screw up Koi and Devyn so that Taylor could get Devyn out of her way and her place back as the baddest bitch at KPA and
Derrick could get Devyn. And they both had failed miserably. Her cred was SHOT to hell and Derrick was laying in his bed, looking like he’d survived
a trainwreck. What was left for them? More lies? Sex? No trust. Please. Taylor wasn’t stupid enough to trust his words and she definitely wasn’t
stupid enough to think that there was anything else for them. Why she was even in his room, continuing to talk to him about what he’d done was
beyond her. It was over. He’d shown himself to be the manipulating sleaze everyone knew he was and she’d fallen for him...it. She’d fallen
for… She sighed at her thoughts as he continued to ask her the question she was beginning to ask herself. What was there for him to say to her? What
was there for him to do now?
“I want you to go fuck yourself, Derrick.” She snapped, wiping away another tear as she turned on her heel, willing herself to keep walking as she
heard him call her name. She couldn’t turn around. She wouldn’t. She would leave with as much dignity as she had left. Which wasn’t much.
Because with every dude that she’d run through at KPA, with the relationships that she’d forgotten and moved on from, with every guy she’d
dropped because his potential faded as quickly as her interest in him, this time, this exit hurt the most. In the short time that she’d known him,
Derrick had done what other guys didn’t care to do. He’d made her feel special. The real her. Even if it was a lie. She’d never felt...smart.
She’d never felt like she was interesting. Bad, beautiful...sexy. Those words weren’t in short supply. But when Derrick used them...it
had been different. It’d sounded different.
Her eyes welled up as she closed the door on his voice, silencing his pleas and by the time she hit the bottom of the stairs, tears covered her
cheeks. She had to get out of that house. She had to leave. She didn’t mean to be rude as she walked quickly, passing Derrick’s mother as she
stepped out of the kitchen to speak before Taylor left. She couldn’t stop and see the confusion on his mother’s face at her tears. Taylor had to
get the hell away from that house and all of its perfection. And empty promises and...the feeling that she’d never gotten anywhere else. The feeling
that she was actually wanted.
![[*]](images/davis/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
