“Him being White?”
“Yes. I know it sounds bad, but you asked, so there you go.” What could she say?
“Naw, I always want the truth,” he said, not seeming the least bit phased. “The truth doesn’t hurt me none, but it’s the lies that get ya. So then, what happened? What changed your mind?”
“Afterwards, I regretted it. Not because my relationships with mostly Black men didn’t always go in the direction I wanted them to, but because I never gave him a chance. He had, at least on paper, all the things I’d want in a person to date. He was attractive, intelligent, and goal-oriented. He had a good career and was funny… a nice guy… but he was White. As I matured, I realized that I can have pride in my race, and fight for my people, love the books I help preserve and prepare for others to enjoy, and still love whoever I want to love. So, when the next non-Black man approached me, him being Korean, I went out with him. We had a good time. There was no chemistry, but he was cool, and we follow each other on Instagram.”
He smiled at that.
“I had another opportunity, then another and another, and I was open. Great dates, interactions, even dated a Colombian man, Arturo, for several months. But then, I met my ex-boyfriend, Willis, a Black man who happened to meet my criteria, or so I thought…” She paused and rolled her eyes. “We were together a while.” She shrugged. “Now, I’m back in the dating arena so to speak, and again, the gate is open. I’m accepting applications, but I’m more careful now. Older. Whatever man is best for me, Axel. I’m not turning anyone down as long as they have the attributes that I consider non-negotiable.”
The man put on a thoughtful expression. He just sat there, listening to the soft music, chewing and drinking. Had she said too much? She expected him to ask more about what she said, perhaps drill her a bit, but he didn’t. Maybe what I said was enough then? She went back to eating her food, and though they’d gone on radio silence, she was enjoying the vibe—awkward beginnings at Chinese carryout places and all. She looked around, noticing the lush, vibrant trees. Soon, their colors would be changing. Autumn was definitely in the air.
“What about you?” she asked before tapping the side of her mouth with a napkin. He offered her a piece of succulent sweet and sour chicken from between two wooden chopsticks, and she accepted.
“What about me?” he asked while she rested, her belly full while she savored the tender meat and bits of pineapple.
“I know I’m not the first Black woman you’ve dated because you said I’m your type.”
“It’s not a race thing.”
“Oh?” This sparked her interest. She leaned slightly closer to him. “Then what is it?”
“It’s a vibe. It’s the body shape… the mind. The chemistry. I know it sounds like a line of bullshit, but I’m for real. I can’t stand stupid people. Not like folks that are slow—that’s not their fault. I’m talking about—”
“Willfully ignorant.”
“Exactly. I like nerdy girls, but sexy nerdy girls.”
She burst out laughing.
“I’m for real. Hope you’re not offended.”
“No.” She shook her head, a bit taken aback, yet appreciative of his honesty. “I’ve been called that several times, and it’s okay.”
“You don’t look like one. You’re sexy, have beautiful eyes, but uh, you act like one, and that combination isn’t easy to come by. So… Melanie knew what she was talkin’ about. Like she said, she’s known me a long time, and her brother and I are, well… we were close for most of our lives.”
He looked away, running his knuckle along his nostril as if to cure an itch. “You ever meet Legend?” he asked while cleaning up their trash and stuffing it in one of the larger bags.
“No, I never met him. I’ve known Melanie for about five years, and he and I never crossed paths. I saw a picture of him, though.” The man is fine as fuck. She could only imagine what young ladies would think, seeing Axel and Legend walking in places together like they owned them. They both had that… what was it called? Big dick energy. The pussies in those areas must’ve cried for days! Two rough, buff country bucks. Like when the Beatles would get on stage back in the day. Both of them were incredible eye candy, as they were both unusually good-looking. The type of good-looking where all you could do was stop and stare.
English herself had swooned a bit when she saw some short video clips and pictures of him years ago. A rugged, tall, muscular guy who also had a darkness in his eyes that rubbed her the wrong way. Besides, he was an ex-con, so that was a definite no-go for her.