"Whatever you got to say, keep that shit. I don't wanna hear it nor do I got something to say about it, Cam."

"Well, I still do, so this is a good time for you to sit there and listen. What the fuck was that about, Tripp?"

"Cam, in Tripp's defense, it was all in the matter of good, clean, wholesome fun. You can't blame him for just playing the game. It was an accident."

After what went down on the beach, Cass helped that bozo back to his condo and Cam caught up to Ryke and me. He followed us to Ryke's condo, arguing with us along the way.

We been at it for 20 minutes.

"Yeah right. 'Wholesome fun', my ass! You did that on purpose and for what? Because he was speaking facts? Because he wants to be your friend too?"

"Hold the hell on. He sure didn't act like he wanted to be around us. We all friends and we don't call each other out the way he did. If we do, it ain't disrespectful like he did," Ryker says, defending me.

"Plus, you put your stamp of approval on his words. Ain't shit funny about that, man. Go on with all that superhero shit," I say rubbing my face. I'm over all this arguing.

"For real, man? That shit you pulled out there was something else. Now, I can see Ryker being that petty but you're a different story. What's gotten into you? You been around Ryker way too long-"

"Aye, we can say the same about you. Up there with them white folk, touching wine glasses and shit. You turned on us, bro. We supposed to be friends for life and now you befriending his baby mama's husband. He ain't no friend to us," Ryker says.

"But he did nothing to y'all!"

"Technically, he did. He set himself up and Tripp did what he had to do. That pretty nigga fucked around and found out."

"By slamming a ball into his face?! Oh you better hope and pray you didn't break anything, Tripp."

I hope he did break something on that pretty little face of his. That face is the only thing he got going for him and he's acting too big for his britches.

Ryker taps my shoulder then says "I won't lie, man. I hope he, for real, shut that pretty nigga's mouth up. He just like Kyra; he talk way too much."

Hitting his shoulder, I tell him to chill. Kyra ain't nothing like that punk and, if she was, I wouldn't be with her right now.

"Oh, but if I say that I hope Davin gets full custody of your kid, it's a problem. Got it."

After Cam mentions Noah, Ryker and I stop our side conversation. That's a sensitive subject to bring up. There's no way that pretty boy's getting custody.

"What the hell, Cam? What are you talking about? If Tripp don't give up his rights, he can't be that boy's daddy. Plus, where the fuck is this coming from?" Ryker says as we both look up at Cam with his arms crossed.

"Little do you know that Tripp's already done that. He's made no effort to see Noah or support him in years. That's considered abandonment and it gives Davin free reign to take full custody. So laugh at that, Tripp."

My heart drops into the pit of my stomach. I'm so confused and I feel guilty. What the hell have I done?

"What does any of that got to do with what happened today?" Ryker asks as the argument grows more distant and I tune them out.

I sit there and think about everything Cam just said.

She'd never do that to me. I know we haven't been in contact with each other but she wouldn't give that bitch nigga my rights to father Noah.

Then again, she could be that pissed off and actually give him my rights. So, fuck it. If that's what she wants to do, so be it. She got all the control anyway.

You don't want that, bro. You don't want him to be that boy's daddy. Just step up and see your kid. Set up something with Journee now that you know she's here.

"Since we talking about relationships, why would he hit Davin so hard if he was so in love with Kyra? Seems to me that it may not just be about his kid. Could I say that this might be about the baby mama too?" Cam catches my attention and I stand up angrily.

"Fuck all that, Cam. Ain't nobody caring about her but that fool," I clap back while rubbing my face, still stressed about my rights over Noah.

"Yeah but you busted his lip as soon as he talked about her. You sure you weren't ticked about the fact that he put a ring on her finger and you didn't?"

"He was talking shit so I did what I did, Cam! It ain't none of your business!"

"And you let him get under your skin that much?! Or are you letting Journee get under your skin that much? You want to be on her skin, instead of him, don't you?"

I reach out to hit Cam but Ryker blocks my shot. I'm dodging Ryker but he's catching every dodge while I'm yelling back at Cam. My blood isn't even boiling anymore. I'm spitting lava now.

Cam must've learned how to piss someone off from his new best friend because he's never threw punches like this before.

Fuck that dusty fool. He's using Cam as his fucking doormat and Journee as his stress toy; fucking around with both of them whenever he wants. They just let him do it.

"How the fuck you take up for a dude you barely know instead your long-time best friend, man? You cant stick around our suite with all that? You throwing low blows at your homie now? You choosing sides now? We see where you stand now," Ryker says as he gets in Cam's face and points towards the door.

"Ryke, move! Let me break this muthafucker in his face too!" I holler but Ryker's still blocking me from even touching Cam.

"Tripp, it ain't even worth it, bro. He chose who he cares about more. Let him go and stop worrying about those bitches. You got your family now. Let them do them."

"I'm only on the side of truth and respect. Tripp-"

"Deserves way more respect than that. You have no right to hit below the belt the way you did. It's not your place, Cam. You found your spot though. Go on over there," Ryker finishes as I pace back and forth, trying to calm myself down.

I'm over this entire day. I just want to go back to my suite and see my wife.

Out comes Darian with her headphones in her ears and a not-so-happy look on her face.

"Y'all so loud that I can hear y'all over my music and it's at the highest level it can ever be at! What the hell is going on?" She says as she folds her arms and looks around.

"My bad, babe. We'll keep it down-"

"Hell nah, because y'all in here arguing like a bunch of bitches that just found out they're all fucking the same man. Now, if Tripp's getting too loud, it's because he's drunk or it's about to a fight in here. He ain't touched not one beer today so sit down. Y'all need a talk."

She takes her headphones out her ears and slams them on the table before she walks over to us. We just sit down on the couch like the Three Stooges, looking dumb as shit. She sits in the chair across from us and starts talking to us.

"Let's start with the one person that ain't even supposed to be involved with this. Babe, stop getting yourself involved in shit and quit hyping up people when they get in fights. You start too much shit and I've told you about that."

"But, baby, I-"

"Ain't no 'buts', Ryke. Just stop. Anyway, Cam, that was none of your business to tell. Also, you can't blame Tripp for getting pissed off because you and Davin were pushing his limits too far. I have to agree on the fact that you have changed since we last saw you and you need to snap out of whatever dream you're in. Come back to reality because you're about to lose your friends in your dream world," Darian continues.

I nod in agreement before she gets to me.

"Tripp, you had every right to be mad but hitting that man was foul. You're not even mad at Davin; you're mad at yourself for not doing the work to keep Journee in the relationship. Journee nor Davin did anything to you beside pick on you. You need closure with Journee, not a fight with Davin. Either you get some closure with her or you leave them alone."

Though I feel bad about how things ended, I don't think any closure is needed. We had that mediation meeting a while back and we know where each other stands.

Anyway, she finishes off with "Y'all are best friends acting like three bitches getting into a cat fight. Y'all are 40-years-old, acting like a bunch of four-year-olds. Get it together now."

****

Silly petty boys.

Hey y'all! Hope y'all really enjoyed the chapter!

I know the boys are bickering like little children. Sometimes, a little bicker is needed between friends.

Y'all think Darian was right about the boys?

Is Cam changing up on Tripp and Ryker? And should Tripp and Ryker be worried?

Thanks for reading!!!! Y'all are the best!

Until next time...