Chapter 7

"Hey whatup Shawn?" exclaimed Daryl, as soon as Shawn drove close enough to speak to him.

"Not much. Just swung by to pick up Sheryl, and give her a ride from work."

"Hey, girl? Whatchoo doin' all slouched down in your chair like that?" asked Cricket, with a sly, knowing grin.

Sheryl hated that. She knew that he knew perfectly well that she didn't want him to see her with Shawn. Sure he knew about Shawn, but actually seeing her with him was different. Then again, 'How does Shawn know Cricket?' she wondered for the third time in about as many seconds.

If Daryl saw how uncomfortable she was, he didn't say anything. Instead, he tapped Shawn's hand saying, "Thanks for takin' care of my sister man."

"You don't got ta thank me for lookin' afta Sheryl now. I got this!"

Shawn had reached over and squeezed her leg when he said "this".

Sheryl looked over at Cricket to see how he'd take it, but the tall man just stood there grinning. Cricket's attitude about the whole thing made her even more nervous, and she almost wished he would say something just so she wouldn't have to guess what he was thinking.

Daryl didn't see the smirk, but Sheryl worried about how much longer he could get away with looking like that before someone noticed.

Thinking she had to break up the situation before things could turn ugly, she suddenly said, "Look, I know you guys would just love to hang out and carry on all day, but I need to get home."

She figured that even if Daryl and Cricket didn't care about what she said, she knew that Shawn would, and no matter what it made him look like in front of her brother and Cricket, he'd do what she asked and take her home. He didn't disappoint her either.

It was easy to see what Daryl was thinking. The frown on his face said it all. Cricket, on the other hand, had an almost evil smirk on his face. There was no telling what was going on in his mind behind that smirk, and Sheryl was just glad to be away from there.

"Didn't you hear me when I said I didn't want to go over there?" asked Sheryl, as soon as Shawn had driven his car back out onto the street.

"No, I didn't hear ya askin' nothing."

Sheryl could see the surprise in his face, and though she didn't know how he couldn't have heard her, she could also see that he was perturbed by her wanting to go home, but she didn't care.

"Why didn't ya want ta see them anyway?"

Sheryl didn't answer beyond rolling her eyes, and giving a disgusted sigh. She still couldn't believe that he was so into seeing Daryl and Cricket that he didn't hear her. She figured that if he wasn't going to pay attention to her enough to hear what she was saying, then she wasn't going to bother answering his question. Besides, that was a question she really didn't want to answer anyway!

Shawn knew she was upset, and he was smart enough to know why. He was also smart enough to know it was best for him just to leave her alone until she got over being angry with him.

When they got to her apartment building, Sheryl didn't give him time to get around the car to open the door for her. She didn't even look at him when she hurriedly got out of the car, either. She was angry, and she wanted to make sure he knew that she was angry!

Shawn saw how quickly she slammed the car door behind her, and walked away without saying good-bye.

'Damn!' she muttered, as soon as she closed her apartment door behind her. "I just blew the perfect opportunity to break up with him!"

Once again, she wondered how Shawn knew Cricket, and she became more determined than ever to end her relationship with both of them before someone seriously got hurt.

The thought had barely gone through her mind when her phone buzzed.

"Hey Babe! Whassup? I seen you all scrunched down in Shawn's ride like no one was goin' ta see ya."

It was Cricket, but she knew it would be him without even looking at the number on her phone.

"I didn't know you knew Shawn," she replied quickly, without answering his greeting. "Why didn't you tell me you knew him?"

"Cause you didn't ask. Didn't we just go through this?"

When Sheryl didn't answer, Cricket added, "'Sides, I ain't known him long. I just met him a few days ago."

"And how'd you manage that?" She didn't even try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"Damn girl? What's with the attitude? I told ya I was goin' ta smooth everything over didn't I?"

"Is that your plan Cricket? Your jus' goin' ta become friends with everybody so you can do whatever ya want without nobody askin' any questions?"

Cricket couldn't understand why Sheryl was so upset. "Damn girl, what do ya want me ta do?"

Sheryl shook her head and was just about to call the whole thing off between them when Cricket broke into her thoughts.

"Look Sheryl. I can tell yer upset. Tell ya what. Why don'tcha jus' let me come by and pick you up so I can make it up to ya?"

"How? By letting you fuck me again?"

That was exactly what Cricket was thinking, but after hearing the sarcasm in her voice, he denied it.

"No Baby. How about letting me take you out and show ya a good time?"

Sheryl's mouth opened and closed three times before anything came out. He never took her out before--anywhere. This was a new side to him, and she was curious.

'Maybe this is the change I've been waiting for, ' she thought.

"Okay. Just give me a few to get ready."

"Sure, take as much time as ya need."

"How about giving me an hour?"

"See ya then."

She was so excited about this new turn with Cricket, she forgot all about calling Shawn to break up with him or that she didn't want to be seen getting into Cricket's car in front of her apartment.

Sheryl didn't forget to call her brother, though, and ask him about Cricket knowing Shawn though.

"Hi Daryl," and before he even had a chance to say, "Hey," back to her, she said, "So what's the deal with Shawn and Cricket?"

"What do ya mean? What deal you talkin' 'bout?"

Sheryl heard the surprise in his voice, and wondered if she was doing the right thing by calling him. Still, she knew she didn't want to ask Shawn, and she didn't like they way Cricket explained it either.

"You know, how Cricket managed to meet Shawn."

"Why? What's it to you who meets who? You fuckin' Cricket or somethin'? I told ya, you gotta stay away from that boy!"

"No! I ain't fucking Cricket! Why do you feel like you gotta go there every time I mention his name anyway? I was just curious, that's all!"

"Yeah, right. I'm tellin' you Sheryl; that boy ain't no good for ya! You need ta jus' stay away from him!"

"Don't worry Daryl! I hear what yer sayin', and I'm tellin' ya, Cricket and I ain't fucking!"

Daryl wasn't sure whether she was telling him the truth or not, and ended the conversation with a, "Well, see to it that ya don't start, either! 'Sides, I don't think my boy Shawn could take it if he found out you was seein' Cricket."

'His boy Shawn!' she thought, after Daryl hung up. 'Well if your boy Shawn would start actin' more like a man, then I wouldn't need ta be seeing Cricket in the first place now would I!"