My Best Friend and My Man by Cydney Rax Read Free Book Online Page A

let those chips fall,” I tell her. “It won’t be the end of the world if you don’t have a date on Valentine’s Day. Life ain’t stopping behind something like that, right, Mike?”
    “Demetria, this is so easy for you to say,” Veron jumps in. “You have four or five men chasing you day and night. If you tell one guy where to get off, the next one is happily waiting in line.”
    “Yep. And?”
    “Why can’t you remember what I’m dealing with in my life and stop giving me advice based upon your philosophies and actions?”
    “Hello? Ms. Veron, that’s the whole point. What you’re doing
doesn’t work
. Period. You say you want what I have; then you need to do what I do. You’ve got to get in the game, even if it means playing some at first.”
    Veron answers in a soft voice. “Well, I am okay with the way I am for the most part. I just want a little bit of what you’ve got without playing the game to get it.”
    “I don’t believe that you want it bad enough, then,” I tell her. “Your mouth is saying one thing but your actions suggest otherwise.”
    “I agree,” Mike says.
    “Michael?” Vee says in disbelief, her eyes wide at Mike not backing her.
    “It’s like some women out here talking about not wanting men to hit on them, yet they’re wearing bootie shorts, and their titties are jiggling around in those skimpy halter tops,” he says skeptically. “Say what? You don’t want men staring down your boobs, but you’re letting ’em bounce around like you’re posing for a
Hustler
ad? Mixed signals. That’s kinda what you’re doing, Veron. You’re in denial big time.”
    “I am not in denial.”
    “Denial is the first sign of denial,” I tell her. “You gotta go through all the other parts to change yourself, not just stop with Wig World. You’ve got to learn the game.”
    “I understand what you’re saying, I just don’t see why…” and her voice tapers off as if she really has run out of excuses.
    “Look, Vee,” I say as gently as I can. “You will never be me one hundred percent, ’cause that’s just how the good Lord made things, but you can begin one step at a time. Why? Because you are not happy, young lady. Admit it.”
    Veron’s stony face doesn’t scare me enough to shut my mouth. Truth hurts, doesn’t it? And truth is what we need to bring out for this girl to wake up and stop living in her fairytale world.
    “Vee,” I begin again. “You may not agree with the choices I make, and that’s fine. But I think once you change your mindset and be open to what I’m telling you, your life will be different. You may not want to play the game—even I get tired sometimes—but I’m always thinking about the end result.”
    “Yeah, but it all seems so fake,” Veron complains in a tired, scratchy voice.
    “It’s not fake,” Mike interjects. “It’s the way of the world. Every day we go through stuff, unnecessary stuff, just to get what we want. Can you honestly tell me you enjoy doing every little peon task you do working for the city?
Do
you? Hell, no, but you put up with the BS because you’re earning your paycheck, am I right?”
    Veron’s eyes finally fill with understanding. Looks like Mike can get through to her, and good thing, ’cause God knows what I’ve been trying isn’t working. Even though I’ve been where she is—sweet, dumb, and lonely. Existing in a world filled with unrealistic dreams. Waiting for the earth to change itself and make me be everything I felt I should be. But guess what? It never did. So I had to change myself, and now look at me. I just hope Vee has gotten the same message. Sometimes you can’t just be yourself, not if you want to achieve your goals.
    “Okay, Mike, Demetria. I vow not to fight against what you’re saying. I just need y’all to help me institute these changes. Deprogram me. Give me the twelve steps to happiness, whatever you wanna call it, because I am tired. All excuses aside, I have messed up. I