Work Hard, Love Harder

Chapter 3

Zoe stopped by the ATM depositing four hundred dollars into the joint account she’d set up in hers and Zack’s name. It was the easiest way to get money to him fast, and if she could make sure that the balance never fell below a thousand dollars, she’d be great. He was also on her phone plan and his medical bills were sent directly to her so while hustling pool was great for petty cash, the Fergus McShanes of this world didn’t hang out in pool halls much. She needed to up her game, get in with a wealthier crowd and soon. Otherwise life was gonna get a little hard.

She took the bus back to her dorm, bumping into Femi as she walked up the stairs to the door.

“Evening,” he murmured with a smile, his brown eyes warm. Zoe could hardly stand to look at him. No dark skinned brother had the right to look so good. He reminded her of Godiva chocolates and she wanted to take a huge bite. She forced a smile instead.

“Good evening,” she said.

“Coming from the library?” he inquired.

“Uh…” Zoe replied, no ready lie coming to her lips. “Um, no I just, er, went for a walk.”

Femi nodded his acknowledgement. “Well, don’t walk out by yourself too late at night. It could be dangerous.”

The way that he said it, every syllable in the word dangerous articulated and stretched out, made her want to shiver again. She’d had no idea until now that she had an accent kink.

“Oh, well, er…I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, wondering when exactly she’d become a stuttering, stammering mess. She took a step away from him, and he stretched his hand out to stop her.

“Er, Zoe?” he said, her name in his mouth was an exotic thing she hardly recognized. And she wanted to hear him say it again.

“Yeah?”

“I have been invited to a party on Friday. Would you like to go with me?”

Zoe stared at him, not knowing what to say. Did he just ask her out on a date?

“Friday?” she asked, stalling for time. She’d been planning on looking for a party to crash; hopefully one with a few marks she could hustle or scam. She couldn’t afford to say yes.

“Yes, Friday. Would you like to come with me?”

Zoe opened her mouth to say no, but the words wouldn’t quite come out. “I’ll think about it?” she said instead.

Femi nodded and continued on his way with a small wave. Zoe watched him go, admiring the way he not so much walked as stalked. His long legs had a slight bow to them, and he was wearing sandals on his feet. She wasn’t used to seeing men in sandals, all her acquaintances tended to favor sneakers or Timbs. Femi was a fashion statement unto himself. He didn’t seem to care about having the latest Yeezys or Nikes. He didn’t pay attention to labels though his clothes were definitely expensive, they weren’t ostentatious. His sandals were good quality, patent leather ones, and he didn’t seem to be hurting for money. He was probably some African prince for all she knew. Zoe snorted, jeering at herself for casting him in some shitty remake of Coming to America. She was spending way too much time thinking about Femi Dangote and not enough time finding the right hustles.

*****

“You’re never gonna make that shot,” Colton said over his beer. “It’s not happening.”

“I’m a genius,” Femi retorted. “I’ll figure out a way.”

“The fu*k you will.”

”C’mon, someone back me up on this. Zoe! Help me out.”

Zoe was standing off to the side with Juliana and Aisha, considering the layout. She could make the shot and without much of a problem. Femi? Probably not. She shrugged. “I’ve seen stranger things.”

“Ha!” crowed Colton.

“That wasn’t a no,” Femi said, though his expression was considerably more sour.

“Yeah. It was.”

“Oh, fu*k you.” Femi lined up his cue, struck the ball, and watched as it bounced off the rail an inch outside of the pocket. It rolled towards him. Femi glowered at it. “Fu*k you, too.”

Colton cackled, joining Juliana and Aisha in their sarcastic round of applause. Zoe bit back a grin.

“Fu*k all of you, especially you.” He pointed to Aisha.

“Me?” Aisha asked. “Why me?”

“I thought we were comrades, Aisha. African comrades. And now you’re laughing at me with the rest of them. It’s them or me, Aisha. You have to choose.”

Aisha pretended to think for a moment. “Them.”

Femi looked offended. “Relationship over.”

“I’ll try and muddle through.”

“Come on, Dangote, finish the game. Watching you lose to Colton is the best entertainment I’ve come across in a long time,” Juliana said. Colton gave her a toothy smile.

“C’mon, guys,” Femi wheedled. “Put your money where your mouths are. $20 buy-in.”

“You really want to put a pool cue in my hands?” Juliana asked.

“Okay, not Juliana. Or Aisha, since we are now broken up, and I don’t want to play pool with my African ex.” Aisha threw a wadded-up napkin at him. “And now you will be hearing from my lawyers. Because that is assault.”

“Fine. Juliana will represent me.”

“Gladly.”

“How? She’s not a lawyer.”

Juliana folded her arms across her chest. “I’m pre-law, asshole.”

“Oh. Wow. Now that? That is just scary. I don’t even want to think about that. Zoe. Pool. You in?”

Zoe shook her head. “I don’t want to take your money.”

“Ooh, big talker,” Femi said. He held a pool cue out to her. “You’re playing.”

Zoe took the cue and chalked it up. “Only $20?”

“Hale’s a cheapskate.”

“Forgive me for not being a billionaire,” Colton said.

“Zoe isn’t.”

“She obviously doesn’t let that stop her.”

“That’s true,” Femi said. “What do you say, Zoe? Feel like upping the stakes?”

“To what?”

“Whatever doesn’t make your head explode. I don’t want to upset your delicate sensibilities.”

“A hundred dollars?”

Femi snorted. “Yeah, fine, $100. I could use the pocket change.”

Zoe’s mouth quirked in annoyance. “A ball.”

“Now we’re talking!” Femi collected the balls and settled them into the rack.

“Too rich for my blood,” Colton said. “But I am getting a snack. This is too good.” He hopped off of the table and went to the bar. He came back with a basket piled high with fries. Juliana snagged one. “Hey!”

“Shh.” She stuck a French fry in her mouth. Aisha leaned over and helped herself.

Femi gestured to the table. “Ladies first.”

“How long you been sitting in that one?”

“You know? I’m surprised I haven’t used it before, really.”

Zoe broke and watched as the billiard balls settled into place. Imaginary lines began to form, showing which shots would be easiest at first, and which ones could create a problem. She rolled her cue in her hands, considering.

“Take your time, Zoe,” Femi said, idly swirling his last swallow of whiskey in his glass.

Zoe looked up, eyebrow raised. “Sometimes, people like to think. You should try it.”

Aisha snorted, French fry halfway to her mouth. Femi glared at her. “Not cool.”

“She’s not wrong,” Aisha replied.

“This is why we broke up. Right there. The betrayal, Aisha. The betrayal.”

Zoe settled on the seven ball. “Far corner pocket.” She lined up her shot and sent the ball into the rail about an inch out from the pocket. Femi laughed. Colton booed.

Zoe pursed her lips against a smile. “Damn.” She tried her best to sound frustrated. “Must be out of practice.”