I was almost sleeping when he began blowing up my phone. He called twelve times. Eleven times I hit the red button on my phone. The twelfth time I picked up and screamed at the remorseful voice on the other end.
“Can we please talk?”
“Stop fucking calling me! I hate you! Leave me the fuck alone!”
I remember when Chris and I started kicking it. I was walking to the bus stop headed to the mall when he pulled up beside me.
“Hey, would you like a ride?”
I don’t talk to strangers, so I frowned and started to back up before I realized who it was.
“Hey, sure I guess.”
“You’re Chris, right?”
“Yea, it’s good to see you again Aries. Hop in.”
It was a hot day. I could see him looking at my thighs as I sat in the passenger seat. The sun glistened and perfectly illuminated my pretty brown eyes. My lips were glossy and popping. I guess I was in a good mood that day and was headed to do some shopping.
“How have you been Aries? Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“I’ve been living and working,” I joked.
“Well, you’re looking beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“I saw you the other day looking glorious in that purple sundress and started to yell your name, but didn’t want to seem like a creep.”
The thought of him yelling my name crept into my mind. I’m sure he noticed I was turned on by the way I switched positions in the seat to get a bit more comfortable. I tried not to blush, but it was hard not to. He was looking so good. His hair was freshly cut, and his one earring gave him a polished look.
“Damn he smells amazing,” I thought.
"Well, what's new with you? You don't have a boyfriend?"
"Nah, I've just been working and doing my own thing. Besides, men are stupid, and I don't have the patience for stupid shit."
"All men aren't stupid, ya know. You just haven't come across the right one."
"And just how would you know what's right for me?"
"Hmm, maybe one day we can discuss that."
He licked his lips and laughed. I pretended not to be turned on, but his brown eyes and soft-looking lips pulled me in. We reached the mall, and I just sat in the car for a minute while we stared sheepishly at each other.
“Aries, take my number. Maybe you can text me sometimes when you're not busy. I always thought we would be pretty good friends.”
“Maybe. Thanks for the ride.”
We exchanged numbers, and he made me promise that I’d text him. The attraction was obviously there, and I got a bit aroused as he stared at my ass when I slowly exited his red car. There’s just something sexy about a chocolate man driving a red car. He waved as he pulled off and I thought back to the first time we met.
***
Chris and I met a couple of years ago at an outing with mutual friends, but I was with my now ex at the time. Our eyes met then, but there was no second thought about it since we were both with dates. I subtly peeped over at him a couple of times during the movie and briefly admired his dark chocolate skin. I couldn’t help but chuckle when I noticed his gaze switch over to me.
Chris and I didn’t see each other after that, until the day he picked me up and took me to the mall. Things were pretty good between us. He’d come over after work and make sweet love to me. Most days he’d stay for a while; Others, he had to go home. Either way, he left me satisfied physically and emotionally. We’d talk about school, how we grew up and future dreams and goals. I had fallen in love.
I was snapped back to reality when the throbbing pain from my lip got worse. I should have kept my ass at home. I was pissed and tried to fall asleep, but the night’s crazy event replayed in my mind.
***
I crossed my arms and paced my living room floor for twenty minutes before walking over to the frosted window for the 5th time, hoping I’d see him walking towards my door.
“Oh my God, why hasn’t he called me?”
There I was, on the brink of losing my mind before the shiny blue bag that sat on the desk caught my attention. I didn’t think he would get me anything but was shocked to see the bag sitting by my door the other day when I got home from work. In it was a beautiful blue ring. It wasn’t real, but it was big and glamorous. Not my style, but I loved it.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I guess I’m not worth a text or call on Christmas”, I yelled after knocking the gift bag onto the floor.
I decided to stay home this year. Isolation suits me well, and I honestly didn’t feel like being bothered. The sounds of laughs and Christmas music blasting or the sweet smell of yams and my mom’s chitterlings didn’t appeal to me as much this year. Honestly, the only thing that was on my mind was receiving plenty of attention from Chris this year.
“I’m sick of this shit”, I grunted before walking to my green leather sofa and grabbing my phone.
Still no messages. I called him once more only to receive the same two rings followed by the voice messaging system. I grabbed my coat and hat and headed for the door. He was going to see me today whether he liked it or not. A man doesn’t get to make love to a woman, tell her he loves her and then not call her on Christmas.
I threw on my coat, gloves and scarf before opening my door to a shoveled walkway. Maintenance wasn’t typically too great at keeping up with shoveling and salting, but I guess today was my lucky day. Before heading out, I ran over to grab the blue gift bag and then slammed the door behind me. I got about halfway to his door and stopped. I was really about to go to his place and tell him a few things.
Chris’ building is about a one minute walk from mine. I couldn’t believe I was really doing this. I pulled out my phone and tried calling one more time. I guess I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe his phone was dead, or he was just too preoccupied with his family and would eventually call me. Either way, I didn't care. It was 8pm, and I hadn't heard a peep from him.
He answered this time.
“Hello.”
“Chris, I’ve been calling you all day!”
“Aries, whatever we had going on is over. Please stop calling me”.
The phone hung up, but not before I heard him give a deep sigh. I could hear someone else in the background, but I didn’t bother calling back. The tears just fell.
I stood there for about 45 seconds before the anger welled up inside of me. This nigga has lost his mind. I know for sure he didn’t mean what he said. The voice in the background had to have been pushing him to say those things.
Over? We aren’t over. We can’t be. Chris and I love each other. I replayed our moments and conversations over and over in my head during those 45 seconds which seemed like an eternity and then continued to his door. I walked over to the side of the building and could see one of his wife’s brothers standing by the window. I threw the blue bag at the window as hard as I could. His wife and brother-in-law looked out the window, and before I got halfway to my door, I saw Chris running quickly behind me with the three of them following close behind.
I could swear he ran track 'cause I've never seen him run so fast. He caught me, grabbed my coat collar and punched me three times in the face. I immediately felt the blood rush down my lip.
Have you ever seen a video of an angry lion that was attacking a fresh kill? The look of concentration and anger in its eyes is fascinating, but there was nothing fascinating about this shit. He looked as though he wanted to kill me.
Her brothers pulled him off of me. The wife was pregnant and couldn't do anything except yell.
“Stop messing with people's husbands!”
“Tell your husband to stop messing with me!”
I walked back to my apartment, slammed the door and stood there bawling my eyes out. What the hell just happened. He just...he just hit me! I plopped on my couch and let the tears continue to fall.
I couldn't remember a time I felt so low. Sitting here with a swollen bloody lip and bruised eye, loathing in self-pity and worthlessness.
“How did I get here? Why did let myself get to this point.”
I hung up, tossed my phone to the other end of my green leather couch and sunk into my shirt. Tears began to cover my chest as I sobbed uncontrollably. I thought he loved me.
***
When I woke up, I realized that 15 minutes had passed. After letting out a deep sigh, I grabbed my phone and was shocked to see Chris’ fifty missed calls. My lip no longer felt sore. Instead, it had gotten numb, so I grabbed a pack of ice from the freezer to help with the swelling.
I dialed Chris’ number. Stupid, I know. I just needed an explanation. He answered after the first ring.
“I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
I couldn’t respond. Nothing I wanted to say would escape my lips.
“Aries, please say something. I never meant to hurt you. I’m not even sure what came over me.”
His words danced around in my mind. Was he serious or was he just trying to appease my emotional state so that he could still have me after tonight?
“Chris, I have nothing to say to you.”
“Please come outside. I need to see you and apologize in person.”
“Why, so you can jump on me again? What do you want from me?”
"No! I'll never put my hands on you again. I swear."
I couldn’t keep from crying as I asked him why he would hit me. Nothing he was saying registered in my mind. The feelings I was experiencing were anger, frustration and pain wrapped into one unexplainable vortex of emotion.
“Please come outside.”
“Okay, give me a minute.”
I grabbed my coat and hat and walked to my parking lot. I didn’t see his car, so I called him.
“Where are you? Don’t see your car.”
“I left and grabbed my boy’s car. I see you. I’m in the black truck in front of you.”
I looked at the truck and stood there looking up at the sky. Why am I so stupid. I should just take my ass back in. I walked over and climbed into the passenger seat of his friend’s old black truck.
“He tried to reach for my hand, but I quickly pulled it away.”
“Don’t touch me. You’ve touched me enough for the night.”
“Aries, I’m so sorry. I…”
“Look, this was my fault. I believe in karma, and I shouldn’t have been messing with you, to begin with. I’m not saying that I deserved to be hit in the fucking face by you, but what else could I expect?”
“You didn’t deserve to be hit. What do I need to do or say to get you to forgive me?”
“Nothing. I forgave you before I walked out here, but at this point, I’m done. There is nothing left between us. You’ve destroyed that. Don’t call or text me again.”
He stared at me blankly as tears began to fill his eyes. All he could do was watch me walk away.
***
I woke up the next morning to a cloudless sky. The sun beamed through my bedroom window, and I soaked in the rays. My typical off day Saturday routine began with a long hot shower followed by breakfast and sugar, caramel creamer with a bit of coffee. The sun couldn’t fool me. I knew it was freezing out. Luckily, my friend took me to get groceries and toiletries earlier this week.
“I guess I’ll be watching movies all day,” I thought aloud.
A knock at the door snatched me away from Laura Croft: Tomb Raider.
“I guess my package finally arrived.”
I ordered a few novels online to occupy my time during the winter months.
There he stood, roses in hand with a sorrowful smile on his face.
“May I come in?”
I hesitated before widening the door to let him in. I couldn’t even get out another word before he grabbed me and gave me the longest most passionate kiss I’ve ever experienced. We continued to kiss as we headed to the couch. All I had on was a robe. His cold hands swept across my back. My body ached briefly due to the chill but quickly warmed up as he pulled me in closer.
I stopped him and pulled myself away while trying to fight back my tears.
“Why are you here.”
He sat on the couch.
“Please know that I didn’t mean what I said when I told you we were through. My wife and her brothers saw you calling and she was pissed.”
“Hmm, so what Chris. I don’t even care anymore.”
“About the situation or me?” He asked.
‘Look…”
He grabbed me again and his lips met mine once more. This time I kissed him back and allowed him to slip off my robe. I continued to cry as he kissed my body from head to toe before making love to me.
“I swear I’ll never put my hands on you again. Please forgive me. Do you love me, Aries?”
“Yes.”
Dopeeeeee!!!!! great story I can’t wait to hear the rest!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteVery good read. Couldn’t stop reading. Looking forward to more.l!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteInteresting!
ReplyDeleteSad, but unfortunately common circumstances. Excellent writing!
ReplyDelete