Page 36 of Just Listen
“Right. But I should probably go. So, breakfast is on me,” I offered.
He immediately shook his head. “Don’t play with me like that. I got it.”
“Okay, well, I’m about to go.” I scooted my chair away from the table.
“But you haven’t touched your food.”
I stood up. “Nah, I’m straight. Bring it home to your gal. She’ll probably enjoy it.”
He gazed up at me. “Damn, it’s like that?”
I nodded, before offering a small wave. “See you around, Mr. Malice.”
“Yeah, see you,” he responded, as I was already switching away.
~~~Chapter 8~~~
“The fuck?” Zae fumed, as he hopped off the couch, completely shirtless, wearing an angry scowl.
Standing in the middle of the living room, while he glared at me, I paused. For the first time in the last few months, I reallylookedat him. He was unquestionably handsome as fuck, but that wasn’t what I was observing, right then.
The hurt in his eyes had never been more evident than right then. No matter what I’d been verbally telling him, I knew that I hadn’t really given him a fair shot. Whole time, I was still holding onto that magical weekend with Malice, wondering if we could be more. And now, my bubble had been busted, and it was back to reality. For real, this time.
Now that the dust had settled, I now knew that nothing was shaking with Malice. Whether that was because Zae had answered my phone or if he was used as a cop-out didn’t matter now. He wasn’t a viable option and perhaps I needed that clarity in order to refocus.
At the end of the day, I wasn’t settling for anybody, regardless of the situation. However, I couldn’t honestly say what I felt for Zae, after letting Malice be this invisible barrier between us.
“So, you just hop up and don’t say nothing?” He questioned with open arms.
I sighed. “Yeah. I…needed to clear my head.”
He frowned. “For what?”
“Because. I was confused.”
His eyes hooded. “About what?”
Tucking my lips into my mouth, I licked them. “About us, Zae.”
Gradually nodding, he exhaled. “I knew that you was holding back.”
“I wouldn’t put it like that. More like distracted.”
“By that nigga that called your phone?” His nostrils flared.
I slowly nodded.
“You was feeling him like that?”
I huffed. “He…he was cool…but it’s really about what that experience taught me.”
“And what’s that?” He lifted his chin.
“That I don’t have to force anything with anybody. Having a man completely tuned into me is the bare minimum, and I don’t have to fight for that with you, when its being freely given elsewhere.”
“So, so you think that the grass is greener on the other side? You really believe that running off with the next nigga wouldn’t come with it’s own set of problems? Shit wouldn’t get lost in translation, after a while? They won’t never fall short of your expectations?”
I tilted my head. “That’s what I’m coming to terms with. Thinking that there’s always better leads to chasing an illusion. I’d never be satisfied like that. I want a love like my parents have,but sometimes I forget about everything they had to go through to get where they are now.”
