End of the Line by Treasure Hernandez Page A

was street smart and book smart. While most guys Raven knew had dropped out of school, Benji graduated and was taking night classes at a college. Raven found those qualities in him attractive. She knew that no one ever graduated from the streets. The single mother of three had seen too many big hustlers fall because of their greed and ego; two of her baby daddies being included. As the two of them finally met up, they continued to feel each other out.
    “When we kicked it on the phone, you seemed like somebody I wanted to get to know. So here the hell we are.”
    “Oh yeah, and why is that?” Raven quizzed.
    “You just didn’t seem like one of the many airheads that I’ve been bumping into lately. They all been outta their damn minds,” Benji announced, shaking his head.
    “Naw, not me, I’m good. But I thought guys liked airheads as long as they have that body; you know, a big ass and all of that.”
    “Not me. I want a woman with some damn brains.”
    She was surprised to hear that. With Benji being so young, she figured he only wanted some arm candy dangling. Truth be told, even though she could hold her own, it never occurred to Raven that she would catch his attention like she did.
    “So what’s it you looking for?” he asked her.
    “I don’t really know. I’m ready to settle down, but I need a real man to do that. I don’t need a guy to take care of my kids. They get everything from me. I need a man to make me happy, mentally and physically. You feel me?”
    “That’s the type of relationship I wanna be in, but at the same time, I can’t be feeling like I’m giving a one-hundred percent and getting nothing in return but a female who is trying to run game. Plus the sex has to be on point!”
    “And . . . ummm, are you saying that like you referring that to me?”
    “Yeah, I might be. You open for the challenge or what?”
    “You’re talking about the sex or the relationship?”
    “Maybe I’m talking about both.”
    “Well, real talk, Benji, we gon’ have to see about the relationship part because I don’t just bring my kids around anybody.”
    “Well, that’s good to know, because I don’t want to get attached too quickly.”
    Raven gave him a strange look. “What you mean?”
    “When I say attached, I mean to the kids. I used to date a girl that had a daughter. I loved her like she was my own. When we broke up, it hit me hard, because I couldn’t see the baby anymore. I like kids, and I wanna have some one day. I know that might seem odd, because most niggas don’t really want any. But I’m a different type of man and, hopefully, you’ll get to see.”
    Damn, a guy that loves kids. That’s something you don’t see often. I might have met a nigga that’s a keeper. I’ma find out. “You’re talking a good game. We gonna see if you can back it up. I just wanna know one thing.”
    “What’s that?”
    “If you such the perfect nigga, why you ain’t got a woman? Now, that’s the million-dollar question.” Raven had never met a man that had all the qualities she wanted, so naturally, Benji had her curiosity piqued.
    “Truth be told, a lot of women my age don’t want to be tied down.”
    “Yeah, I understand.” Raven knew that with Benji being only twenty-two he more than likely dated chicks his age or younger. When she was his age, she didn’t want to be tied down either.
    “One female broke up with me before the summer. She claimed it was because she didn’t wanna feel guilty if she fucked somebody else. I guess in reality she knew she was going to be out cheating. I mean, I respect her for telling me ’cause that’s a bullet I dodged.”
    “So she wanted to be summer ho, huh? That’s crazy.” Raven didn’t really feel like that. She just wanted to see what Benji was going to say.
    “I don’t really look at it like that. It’s funny you say that. If a nigga fucks a bunch of rats, he’s a playa. But if a woman fucks a bunch of guys, she’s a ho. Now, how the