Twisted Thursdays Presents: Jaded, Part 1 (By Saria Monette)

Editors note: This is the first installment of a 10-part urban tale. We call it a “twisted” novella because the writers take turns writing each chapter and no one knows exactly how the story is going to end — not even the authors. It was co-written by Saria Monette and Zanetta Rivers-Randolph. Tune in each Thursday for a new installment. Hope you enjoy!

Jade snuggled in closer to Rico until she could feel the warmth of his breath on the nape of her neck. She firmly pressed her backside into his flaccid manhood. No matter how close she got to him, she longed to be closer. Jade felt so safe here, lying in this bed, wrapped tightly in his strong-yet-gentle arms. The intimacy they shared was incomparable.

Intimacy. Not sex – that was hit or miss. In fact, the two rarely had sex. But Jade wasn’t complaining. They would often cuddle up for hours in his suburban Atlanta townhouse, watching TV or talking or saying nothing at all. And this early summer evening was no different. The two had been lying in silence just listening to the rhythm of each other’s hearts for nearly an hour. Well, at least Rico was still listening. Jade’s tranquility was suddenly interrupted when her mind began to do somersaults. She started to squirm as the reality set in.

“You gotta make a choice,” Rico said finally, the bass in his voice slicing through the silence like a locomotive. He knew what Jade’s squirming was all about.

“What if I don’t want to?” Jade asked rhetorically. “You make it seem like this should be easy for me.”

“Jay, baby, you have to.”

Jade knew he was right. No matter how safe or how good she felt in his arms, she couldn’t go on like this — lying to herself, to Rico, and certainly not to Melvin, the man she was to marry in a little less than a month.

Why does life have to be SO complicated, she thought. Jade loved Melvin. He had been her on-again, off-again boyfriend since high school. And she knew Melvin loved her. He had never hesitated to tell her or show her just how much he did. But there was something about Rico, who she met as her personal trainer a few years back. They dated briefly, when she and Melvin were in an off period. She knew Rico loved her, too, but she wasn’t sure what to make of her feelings for him. He was like her forbidden fruit. And her lust was the serpent driving her back to his garden. Back to that verboten tree.

Rico and Melvin were as different as night and day. Rico was tall with the physique of a football player and skin the color of honey. Despite his pretty-boy look he was still rough around the edges. His usual attire consisted of a T-shirt and jeans. Melvin was of average height and weight — in shape and slightly cut, but not overly muscular. He had coffee brown skin and kept his head bald by choice; he hadn’t yet suffered the receding hairline demise of many men. He looked like he’d fit right in as a model in the men’s apparel section of the JC Penney catalog. But their differences went beyond the physical. Rico was a motorcycle-riding adventurer who lived for a challenge. He was bold, daring and protective. Melvin was laid-back, gentle and lived to please Jade. He was brilliant – almost nerdy – which Jade found to be quite sexy. He was a prosecutor and a borderline workaholic, but he had always managed to make up for the lost time with Jade.

Jade was simply torn — between two worlds, two men. If there were a way to fuse Melvin and Rico together, Jade would do it. But sadly, she knew that was impossible.

“Jay.” Rico shook Jade’s shoulder to get her attention. “You gonna get your phone?”

Jade’s mind had wandered so far away she’d almost forgotten where she was and hadn’t heard her cell phone ring. She picked it up two seconds too late. Two missed calls. Six text messages. All from Melvin and Elise, Jade’s best friend.

“Oh shoot,” Jade said. “I’m supposed be meeting Mel and Elise and her husband at six.”

It was 6:30. Jade’s cell rang again. “Hey, Lissy pooh,” Jade sang into the phone.

“Don’t ‘Lissy pooh’ me, girl! Do you know what time it is?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Jade lied, knowing it would take her at least thirty to get Elise’s house. “Got caught up with a client.”

“Do I look like BooBoo the Fool to you? You ain’t with nobody’s client.”

Jade never could get anything past Elise. She knew everything before Jade could tell her. That may be how they came to be best friends. That was a poor lie anyway, considering Jade had already told Elise she’d just finished a redecorating project for a law office and she’d have no other interior design projects or client meetings until the middle of next week.

“Tell Rico you’ll spoon with him later and bring your butt on. We are all hungry and waiting on you. Plus, I’m all out of lies to tell Melvin.”

“Okay, okay. I said I’m on my way, hussy.” Jade rushed to throw on her skirt and pumps; she could put her blouse on over her cami, and straighten her hair in car. I can call Mel on the way, she thought. Rico got up to walk — or run — Jade to the door.

“Sorry to rush off like this, Rico,” Jade said, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

“When are you gonna do what you have to do?” he asked as she yanked her car door open.

The question unnerved her. She didn’t like to be reminded of her complex reality. “I’ll call you later,” she called out, purposely avoiding his query. Then she sped off.