“I have a connecting flight through Cincinnati to get to Atlanta. Where are you going?” I inquired.
“I live here.”
“Really?” I wonder what it would be like to kick it with him while I’m here. I bet we would have a great time. He could show me some hot spots, all kinds of stuff.
“I would ask you if I could sit down, but I’m in a bit of a hurry,” he said. My mouth was full of hot expresso, so I nodded.
“I just dropped my boy off up here and decided to get some pound cake. It was good talking to you, baby girl. Hope I see you around. You have a good flight aiight, pretty lady,” he said.
Oh well, that’s that. “Okay. Thanks, KX. You have a good one.” I really didn’t want to be bothered with anyone anyway, but KX was fine. I can hear Jill now: Fuck ’im, Ky, live a little. I can’t imagine doing anything like that. Jillian was good for that when we were in college. Jill and my cousin Shaseani (Sha-shawn-ee) both would sleep with anybody they wanted to–not anybody who wanted to sleep with them but anybody they wanted to sleep with. They both felt like if a man only wanted sex, they would kick your ass to the curb whenever you gave it to them. It could be two days or two months. They never got tricked like that though. I’ve always been afraid of rejection, so I couldn’t get down like that. I’d make a brotha hold out until I couldn’t take it no more. Then, I would act like a sex-starved nymph. Brothas were like, who knew? Whew, I’m glad that wasn’t freaky Paul. I was about to clunk his ass with one of those Starbucks mugs. I wouldn’t even be thinking about KX if I weren’t so unhappy with Bryan. A woman doesn’t need another man if things are good at home. I don’t know how to leave Bryan. I really don’t think he wants to break up, but he’s not giving me what I need, and he’s had too many chances. I guess we’re just used to each other. It’s gonna be hard getting to know someone else. I’m taking a break after this relationship. I sat there sipping my coffee, thinking about Bryan and my phone rang.
“Where is it?” I said, fumbling through my purse. “Hello?”
“Hey, baby! When are you coming home?”
What? I had to pull the phone away from my ear to make sure I had the right phone because it can’t be real. Bryan wants to know when I’ll be home.
“Tomorrow. What’s up?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“I wanted to take you to dinner tonight. I was thinking, maybe tomorrow we can go horseback riding or something.”
“Really? I’ve never been horseback riding before. I would enjoy that. I’ll catch the next flight home.” I can’t believe it! Is this thing about to turn around? Okay, I’ll give him one more chance. I really love him, and I don’t have to leave him right now. “Okay, Bryan, I’ll see you when you I get here. I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby.”
Now I’m happy. It’s like a dark cloud had been lifted. I love him so much.

I went to the ticket counter to reserve a seat for the next flight to Atlanta, damn near running with that smile on my face as I approached the ticket counter.
“Hi, I must exchange this ticket for a seat on the next flight to Atlanta,” I said, handing the lady at the counter my ticket. Bryan had bought himself another chance.
“Do you want to remain in first class?” she asked.
“Yes, an aisle seat.”
“There’s only one seat left in first class and it’s a window.”
“I’ll take it.”
“May I see your ID please?” I showed my ID and she printed the new boarding pass.
“You’re scheduled on flight 348, and it leaves at six-forty-five, in fifteen minutes. It departs at gate B12. Have a great flight.”
“Thank you.” Right now I wish these Gucci boots were Gucci tennis shoes because they are kicking my ass. I’ll be home soon. As I approached the gate I heard the attendant on the loud speaker. “Last boarding call for flight 348, to Atlanta. This is the last boarding call.” Now I have to jog to the gate. Damn, my feet, my feet. Felt like forever but I made it handing my boarding pass to the gate attendant.
“You’re in seat 6B, have a great flight.” I got on the plane, spotted my seat and reached for the overhead compartment right above it. As I opened the bin, from out of nowhere a man towered over me, whining about the overhead compartment. Talking ’bout his shit was in there. Didn’t his mother teach him to share? Man! I ignored him, and he continued.
“Excuse me, ma’am. My bag is in there and nothing else can fit.” I turned around and looked in his face. Oh my goodness! It’s Bling Bling! Tall, dark and fine as hell. Hold up! Get it together, Ky. I almost smiled, but I remembered he was being an ass. I just turned my head and acted like he was sweaty Paul. I attempted to get out of his way by standing in front of row six—my row—so he could sit his ass down somewhere.
“Ma’am,” he said, clinching his jaw, “I would like to sit down.”
“I apologize, sir, but I’m trying to let you by.” Damn, Bling. You’re about to give me a headache. See, these rappers are all the same, acting like they own the world. Buzz off, nigga! Tears raced to my eyes because I’m so pissed right now. Suck it up, Ky. Suck it up. Take a deep breath and give him a minute. I’m just trying to get home to my man and off my aching feet, damn!
“This is my seat, 6A,” he said.
“Excuse me. I didn’t know that.” I huffed, rolling my eyes. The man my best friend is crazy about has turned out to be a major asshole. I knew it anyway. Not to mention, I have to sit next to him the whole way to Atlanta. I found a bin across from my seat and stored my bag. I don’t want to sit next to this ass, now what am I gonna do? Oh well, here goes.
“Excuse me. I’m in seat 6B,” I said, Bling Bling stood to let me in. Mmmm, my hip touched his leg as I climbed into my seat. Oh my goodness, he made it shiver. Please help me tonight, Lord. I’m so glad my man is trying to act right at home. I’m feeling like I need some tonight. I looked at the clouds and closed my eyes to dream about tomorrow with Bryan. I need to rest. This day had been one hell of an adventure.
“Excuse me, would you all like something to drink?” That was the flight attendant. “Sir?”
“Yes, can I get a Hennessey and Coke? Ay, what about you, shorty? You want anything to drink?”
Now he’s all in my face. What’s up with that? “Yes, may I have a bottled water, please?”
“Damn, shorty, where were you just now?”
“My name is Kylo, and if you must know I was almost sleep.”
“My bad, Kylo. You just drinking on water? Oh, you a good girl, huh?” he said, smiling ear to ear.
“You sure are talking a lot now that you’ve calmed down. I guess you’ll get pretty crunk when you get a few drinks in you.”
“Oh, you got a mouth on you, huh? Just making small talk since we’re sitting together.”
“Not together, just next to one another. Do you talk to everyone you sit next to?”
“No, but I’m talking to you. By the way, my name is Kevin.”
“Are you gonna apologize for being so rude, Kevin?”
“Nope,” he said and turned his head like a stubborn little boy. I was about to say something to him but the flight attendant came back with our drinks. I decided to just drink my water.
“Is there anything else I can get you?” Was she sweating him on the low or what? Damn. I tried to keep my face straight.
“Yes, can you get my wife a white wine? She’s having trouble relaxing.”
“Sure. I’ll be right back with your white wine.” If he only knew I’d paid him a compliment today. I wouldn’t let him know I knew who he was to save my life. He smells so good. Let me jump on his ass about ordering me white wine.
“Your wife?” I said. He winked, and I brushed his arrogant ass off yet again to finish my sentence.
“I don’t drink alcohol on planes. It causes dehydration. Do you usually harass the person next to you?”
“Of course, and I read, watch movies or listen to music. I usually travel with an entourage. This was last minute. I never fly commercial.” I nodded as he talked, captivated by the way his lips formed words. His words coupled with the rhythm of that thick New York accent created a song of their own. I see how easy his flows come, why his rhyming skill seemed effortless. He certainly had what I thought he had when I was watching his interview with Jill, Joel and Shaseani. I thought it was the contact high I was feeling.
“I can’t sleep on planes, but you can feel safe sleeping next to me.” I shot him a suspicious look, wondering now if he was a mind reader because I was just thinking how I could fall asleep listening to his melody and waking to it as well. I couldn’t remember any lyrics about raping in his raps. I guess I was pretty safe. He smiled sheepishly. I got a warm feeling inside when he said that. Bling called the attendant back to cancel the wine. The woman nodded and walked away.
“You might dehydrate?”
“Yep,” I said, looking down.
“You a model or something? I see you got on all the gear. Got on a phat lil’ pinkie ring.” He reached for my hand, and I pulled back. My heart was beating so hard. He looked both surprised and offended. So what.
“I’m glad you understand. Now I think I’ll take a nap.” I didn’t answer any of his questions. I had to leave him hanging because all the ladies sweat him so hard. I wouldn’t play that game.
He was looking down at his BlackBerry so I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and positioned myself so I could get a good look at him without being obvious. A quiet look is what I call it because the object is unaware of the evaluation. The jaw was relaxed, shoulders slumped, knees parted, leaning forward, totally about the email he was reading. Like a predator, I observed his every blink. His eyelashes were thick and longer than mine. His lips were full and as chocolate as his complexion. He was the same smooth chocolate all over. He had clear brown eyes and jet-black hair with a small black beauty mark on his right earlobe. I watched his fingers intensely as they bullied the keys on the BlackBerry. Big hands—long, thick fingers with manicured nails. No ash on the knuckles or between fingers. No rings. I closed my eyes and quietly took a deep breath. I imagined him holding me closely, palming my ass. I opened my eyes, and he was sitting back sipping his drink. The way he did it, ooh yeah. I crossed my legs. Yes, all of that in less than sixty seconds. He turned to me.
“I’ll talk to you when you wake up, sweetheart. Oh, by the way I like that jacket. You got a nice little fashion thing going on over there. Do you model?”
I heard he liked models. I just turned to the clouds, blocked him out. Couldn’t help but smile and say to myself, Is Bling Bling sweating me or what? I closed my eyes.