No · Two · People · Experience · the · Same · Reality

            Not that I give a rat’s ass what he thinks, but my Dad would kill me if he knew I was here. Then again, I’m 24. Grown. I can do what I wanna do. And if that means hanging out in one of the worst neighborhoods in Newark, then so be it. Like I said, I’m grown.

            South Orange Ave and 19^th street. The Pit.  That’s my spot. Five nights a week I’m there, sippin’ Hennessy or 151 with Cranberry Juice. I see how the girls look at me. Most of them are cordial. Others look at me like, “why is this bitch from Boonton, chillin’ our hood?”  I just ignore them. It’s easy for me to pretend the haters don’t exist. I’m good here, comfortable. This is my spot.

            It’s like a magnetic force pulls me here. I can’t stay away. Even after the scandal was uncovered, I still showed up the bar, smiling and drinking as though nothing had happened. What scandal? Shit....I have to tell you about this one.

            I met Tray towards the end of February. He was shooting pool, with such intensity. He didn’t even notice me in the room. And believe me, when I walk in the room, everyone notices. I was attracted to him, at first, because he didn’t approach me. Although every other guy in the bar did. Tray would just look at me, say hi, then go back to drinking his Remy, and playing pool.

            One evening, after a formal birthday party in Union, my girl Lala and I went to The Pit. I was looking fly, of course. I had on a skintight, black formal gown, with diamond encrusted spaghetti straps that fell just below my knees. My shoes were strappy, 4-inch heels that made my legs seem as long as a supermodel’s.  That night, Tray noticed me. He bought me a drink, I bought him a drink, we talked, laughed, and had a good time. He doesn’t smile too much, but he smiled that night, and to this day, I’ve never seen anything so sexy. Before the night was over, he asked me for number, and of course I gave it to him.

            During the next few weeks we talked on the phone, flirted in the bar, kissed a couple of times. I really liked Tray. I also had a little crush on one of Tray’s friends, Wreck, but Tray infiltrated my mind. His voice, his smile, his eyes. Everything about him was serious and intense, but he had these moments when he could be playful and funny. He’s from the streets, but he’s not a thug.  He was an in-between type nigga which made him even more appealing to me.

            My friends didn’t understand the attraction.  First of all Tray is not my type.  His skin is the color of spice cake. I prefer dark-skinned men, I mean if someone is cute then they’re cute, but chocolate men turn me on. Another thing is that Tray is only 5’6. I am 5’7, without heels.  I rarely walk out of my house without heels on, so usually I am 5’10. Second of all, my friends have been going to the Pit a lot longer than I have. They’ve heard Tray talk about women in a very disrespectful manner. But I liked him, and once I like someone, rational thought goes out the window.

            One night, after work, my girl Lala and I head to the Pit. We’re chillin with the bartender, Tray is sittin’ in the corner playing pool as usual. We start doing shots. By the time the bar closed, I had had five shots of Hennessy, so I was nice. Maybe nice is not the right word. I was f*cked up. Tray left the bar. Lala left the bar to take the bartender home, and I was chillin in my car when the phone rang. It was Tray, he asked me to wait on the block for him because he had to go drop some people off. The next thing I know, Tray and I are having sex in my car, right outside the Pit.

            Now I have never done anything like that. And I wanted Tray, I wanted to have sex with him but not there and not like that. Alcohol and sex do not mix. I barely remembered the incident. The day after next, I go to work, and my friend asked me if I had something to tell her. I told her no. She pulls me in the office and says that not only did she hear about my little rendezvous, but someone was standing outside my car recording the incident with their camera phone. I was mortified!!!!!

            The next time I walked into the bar, I felt like everyone was staring at me. I’m sure they all knew what happened. But instead of dwelling on it, I got over it. I decided that I made a mistake, and I’ll learn from it. Now, I can laugh about it. My friends and I even make jokes about it. Live and learn, I guess. What happened with me and Tray?? I guess we’ll have to talk about that later!!!! I’m on my way to the Pit.

Current Location:	Work
Current Mood:	annoyed
Current Music:	So Sick, Neyo