The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,62

her, so she can go on a date with another man?” Rodney clarified.

Donovan’s chest rose and fell. He hated being the butt of Rodney’s jokes. “Yes.”

“Well,” Rodney said, leaning back in his seat. “There’s only one thing to say about that.”

“And what might that be?” Donovan asked.

“Nigga, is you crazy?” Rodney burst into laughter.

Jonathan thought that was hilarious as well.

“Say, watch your language,” Donovan said. He rubbed his forehead. “I think I’m losing it, y’all.”

“Yeah, I think so, too,” Rodney said. “And I knew you liked Kyra! I knew it when we were in high school!”

“Alright,” Donovan said. “Alright. So I like her.”

“Why didn’t you tell her when she came back?” Rodney wondered. “Y’all could’ve been together this whole time.”

“Because I was with Brianna,” Donovan explained.

“And by the time you broke up with Brianna, Kyra was already going with this other guy?” Jonathan surmised.

“No, not exactly,” Donovan said. “I broke up with Brianna before Kyra met this other cat. But…” He hesitated, knowing what they would say. “I told her to go out with him anyway.” Donovan hung his head in shame. The room was silent.

“Nigga, is you crazy?”

“Man, I told you to watch your language!”

“Alright, alright,” Rodney said. He tried to wipe the smile off his face, but it was impossible. “Okay, D. Please tell me; why did you tell Kyra to go out with another man?”

“Because I didn’t want to mess up our friendship,” Donovan said. “We always been better as friends.”

“I feel you on that,” Rodney said. “So why don’t you and Kyra just stay friends?”

“Because I want her,” Donovan said. “I don’t want her to be with nobody else.”

“You can’t have both,” Jonathan said.

“What do you know?” Donovan replied. “You’re still wet behind the ears.”

“I had a good friend who was a female,” Jonathan said. “Then we started having sex. We broke up, and now we don’t talk anymore. Like, not at all. We were really close before that. I miss her.”

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Donovan said, his eyes brightening. “I don’t want to mess up my friendship with Kyra.”

“Then quit tripping,” Rodney said. “Be happy that she’s your friend, and leave it at that. As far as you liking Kyra, you’ll be alright when you find another girlfriend.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Donovan said. That was good advice. He didn’t need to be with Kyra. He could transfer his feelings for Kyra to another woman. Wait. Was that even possible? Something about it didn’t sound right.

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Donovan’s friends were gone by the time Kyra returned for her babies. He answered the door and welcomed her inside at 10:52 pm. Kyra looked happy and as lovely as ever. Her brother Duke sent her $500 when she got the job at the school. Kyra used the money for new outfits for herself and the kids. Most of the clothes she got herself were for work, but she got a few dresses for after work, too. Donovan thought she looked awesome in everything he’d seen her in.

Tonight she wore a red skirt with a black top. The skirt was form-fitting. Kyra’s hips were mesmerizing. Donovan didn’t understand how it was possible from them to protrude from her body at such a degree and then quickly shrink towards her waist and thighs. Those hips were the perfect size for Donovan’s hands. Kyra’s blouse showed off quite a bit of cleavage. Donovan was both attracted to her and jealous because she dressed this way for another man. He didn’t like to think of Roland’s eyes rolling over her throat and chest and her soft, succulent breasts.

Even worse, Donovan knew he’d hear about Kyra’s whole date, from start to finish. She’d tell him how Roland looked and what he said and how she felt about it. Kyra would tell him if Roland tried to kiss her again and if she liked it and if she was starting to like him. Sadly, Donovan would be the one to pry all of these details from her. He didn’t want to, but at the same time he had to know.

“How was everything?” Kyra asked. “Did they give you any trouble?” She wore her hair down and layered. Her makeup was faint but perfect. Donovan’s heart skipped a beat as he watched her. He didn’t think she’d ever looked more beautiful.

“Everything was fine. Kat’s quite a character. She had me fooled.”

“What do you mean?”

Kat rushed into the room at the sound of her mother’s voice. This time she had two neckties in her hands. Donovan closed his