Chapter Seven

"Yo, who blowing up your phone?" Razi shouted obnoxiously, watching my phone continuously vibrate on the coffee table.

"No one." Waving him off I focused my attention back on the PowerPoint displayed across my MacBook.

"Aight Sage." He eyed me curiously before dismissing the conversation completely and tuning into his phone.

It was hitting close to 4 PM and the cafe was beginning to overflow from an influx of students needing coffee. The sun was out, but a chill had hit Atlanta late last night leaving everyone to throw on their favorite pullovers.

"What chapter are you on?" I asked noticing he had been scrolling on his phone for a while now.

The plan was to meet at the Starbucks on campus to study for an upcoming Bio test and so far I had managed to read 8 out of the 12 assigned chapters.

"Imma keep it a band, I'm over here bullshitting sis." He chuckled sliding his phone into his pocket.

"You're annoying, what was the purpose of coming if you weren't going to study." I scolded him, pushing my falling frames up in the process.

"I can't spend some time with my favorite girl." He laughed, a boyish grin beginning to spread across his face.

"What do you want?" I closed my laptop ready for the bullshit that was about to pour out of his mouth.

"Damn, why I gotta want something?" He held his chest in fake astonishment.

"Because any other time you claim I'm mad annoying, now you want to be all in my face Now like I said, what do you want fakeness?"

"Aight so boom, I met this bad ass broad at Lenox a few weeks back and we been kicking it and shit, flirting and whatnot, but she bullshitting Sa."

"Go on." I took a sip from my Java Chip Latte, the rich flavor soothing my body almost instantly.

"So I convinced her to go out with me, but she says it has to be a group date."

"Well I mean I don't blame her, I wouldn't want to be alone with your dog ass either." My lip instantly turned up as I looked him over.

Lord knows I loved Razi, but he was a complete dog that only longed for one thing, a nut. He didn't believe in relationships and for as long as I could remember the only things that kept his attention longer than a second were food, basketball and money.

"Stop trying to play me." He smacked his lips.

"Can I really play you if it's true?"

"I'm a gentleman." I scoffed at his bold face lie.

"God is going to strike you right where you stand, let me move now."

"Chill out, it ain't like I feed lies, all the females I deal with know exactly what they're getting into." He shrugged, taking a sip from his lemonade. Only Raz would come to Starbucks with a frozen lemonade from Chic-Fil-A.

"Whatever, back on topic, where do I fit in all of this?"

"I need your help planning this shit." He tugged at the strings of his burgundy Nike hoodie.

"Just invite her to one of our game nights and call it a day." I suggested as I watched my phone vibrate for the umpteenth time.

"Nah, y'all niggas get around liq and act an ass, that ain't the type of vibe I'm trying to put her on."

"Well who do you plan on inviting to this group date? Because if Shawn and Akil are there it's going to be wild regardless of if there's alcohol or not?"

"You right, I was thinking about taking her to the movies and shit."

"That's a no, you can't get to know her at the movies Raz."

"True." He nodded before going into a deep thought. The fact that he was actually putting forth effort into this date was cute, she had to have been special to make my best friend even consider a date, let alone plan it.

"You must really like this girl huh?"

"She cool." He shrugged, a slight smirk on his face.

"What's her name?"

"Nairobi." Her name rolled off his tongue smoothly as if he longed to say it.

"Oh nah she has you blushing, I HAVE to meet her now!" I cooed watching his light brown eyes twinkle beneath the sun rays that crept through the lightly tinted windows.

"Bye Sage." He dismissed me, that same smirk still in place confirming exactly what I thought. Miss Nairobi had him wrapped around her finger.

"What you think about bowling?" He perked up awaiting my response.

"I like bowling, it's cute and simple and gives y'all just enough intimacy."

"Y'all like flowers and shit right?"

"It depends on the woman, I love them but I can't speak for everyone."

"If not flowers then what?"

"Wine is always a winner in my book."

"What kind of wine?" He bit his lip in concentration as he typed away on his phone, writing all of my tidbits down.

"I'm a pink moscato type of girl, but you can never go wrong with a sweet red."

"Thanks sis."

"You're welcome now are you actually going to study or what?" I asked declining yet another incoming call.

"Nah, that's what I got you for sweetheart." He obnoxiously blew me a kiss, leaving me to roll my eyes once again.

"You make me sick." I laughed in annoyance at his slick ass.

"In other news, what's going on with you and bro?" He eyed me from across the table, killing the playful mood instantly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You got that simp ass nigga calling me crying because you not talking to him."

"Stop it, he did not call you crying." I waved him off knowing Razi liked to embellish his stories.

"What happened? I thought y'all were good?"

"We are good." I looked down, suddenly interested in the details of my canary yellow Champion pullover.

"Then why you ignoring him? You got my mans out here looking bad Sa. He said you been dodging him, got Nadi and Kam lying for you and shit when he pop up at the crib, wassup witchu?"

"I just feel like there needs to be some space between us right now."

"Y'all ain't seen each other in damn near five years, how much space do you need Sage?"

"I just need time, we went from being non existent in each other's lives to talking nearly every day, I need time to transition Raz."

"Y'all fucked didn't it?" He laughed to himself unbeknownst to him that that was exactly what had happened.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I spoke quickly as my voice cracked, a telltale sign that I was lying.

"For real Sage! I was just playing, but damn you let my big dawg smash. See now I gotta call this nigga."

"That's why he in his feelings! He over here crying because you gave him that cat and now you ignoring him, you done hoe'd my brother." He yelled pulling out his phone in an attempt to call Smoke.

"Razi!" I clamped his mouth shut with my hand. People were beginning to eye us and I didn't need any of my business floating around campus.

"What? They shouldn't be listening anyway, nosey motherfuckas." He raised his voice, warning anyone within 20 feet of us to mind their business.

"Do you regret it?" He asked once he calmed down from his slight rant.

"Yes and no." I rubbed my temples in an attempt to sort out the thoughts that ran rampant through my head.

"I'm listening." He nodded for me to continue.

"I feel like I had sex with a stranger" I confessed causing Razi's eyebrow to shoot up in confusion."

"Hear me out." I sighed in frustration.

"We've been out of each other's lives for nearly five years and it's like we just picked up where we left off. I've been with Gio since I was 19 and as soon as Rah pops up I somehow found my way back to him. I can't help but to think that we jumped back into this purely out of familiarity. Between the two of us a lot has changed and we've yet to discuss it. I'm not that same 17 year old girl running behind him anymore and you and I both know how much Raheem has changed, shit is different and I just feel like we're neglecting to talk about it. Afraid that if we discuss it that we'll realize that we don't have anything in common anymore, that we're strangers."

"Look has my brother changed? Yes, but i can honestly say it's been for the better and I can say the same for you. Time changed the both of you and that's nothing to be afraid of. Y'all just need to talk and see if y'all are on the same page. It's clear that something is there, otherwise you wouldn't have been so quick to forgive him."

"I hear you." I nodded to myself, taking in everything Razi had said.

Bzzz bzzzz bzzz bzz bzz bzzzzzzzz bzzzz

"Bro, who the fuck keeps calling you?" Razi snatched my vibrating phone from the table and checked himself.

"Why he stressing you?" He flipped the screen of my iPhone X showing Gio had called 10 times within the last twenty minutes.

"Rah didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" He asked genuinely confused as to what I was talking about.

"Gio kind of walked in on us."

"Damn Sage, you got these niggas going crazy. That little pussy got some power huh?"

"And this is exactly why I don't tell you
anything, everything is a fucking joke to you." I snatched my phone out of his hands and put it on silent.

"It ain't my fault ya cooch doing voodoo on these niggas." He began to wheeze from laughing too much, a clear sign for him to shut up, but of course Razi had to keep going.

"Oh my God my chest hurts, I can't breathe." He panted as he attempted to even out his breathing.

"I really hate you." I watched him as he tried to get himself together before he spoke again.

"You could never, so what G bitch ass do?" He asked once he was over his laughing spell.

"He reacted exactly how I thought he would, but I can't say I blame him honestly. For months I've been down his throat about us getting back together and here I am in bed with my ex. He wants to talk, but I'm not in the mood to argue right now and I know that's exactly what's going to happen."

"Look it literally kills me on the inside to even think about agreeing with him, but you were wrong Sa. I'm all for you and my brother rekindling y'all relationship, but you should've ended things with Gio completely before you and Smoke started up whatever the fuck y'all got going on. Yeah y'all on a break, but it's clear that y'all are still dealing with each other."

"Gon head and call that man back, he clearly wants to talk to you, imma go to the bathroom." He stood from his seat before excusing himself to the restroom.

"Fuck my life." I sighed as I went through my call log and pressed on G's name.

The phone rang for what felt like hours until he picked up.

"Giovanni?" I called out after silence filled the line.

"I've been calling you." His tired voice finally spoke.

"I know." I sighed, not ready to talk to him and not entirely sure of what to say.

"We need to talk about this shit Sage."

"Look I'm kind of in the middle of something, I'll come over later and we can talk, ok?"

"Yeah." He hung up abruptly, leaving me to my thoughts once again.

What was I doing?
Did I want to be with Gio still?
Hell did I even want to be with Smoke?
It had only been three weeks since Smoke moved back to Atlanta and in that time my life had taken one too many left turns.

"You good kid?" I looked up to Razi staring at me, concern written all over his face.

"Yeah I'm good, but imma head out now."

"Aight sis, stop stressing about this shit, ok?" He pulled me into a much needed hug.

"I'll try." I sighed in defeat, resting my head into his chest.

"If you need me hit my line." I nodded as he placed a kiss on to my forehead.

         ______________

With my body sprawled across my bed I scrolled aimlessly through Instagram liking and commenting randomly on my friends pictures, wasting as much time as I could before I had to head over to Gio's.

"He's so annoying." I shook my head in amusement as Razi popped up on my feed.

@Smokecity: Who do you think you are? 🤦🏽‍♂️
@sneakznass: who did your lashes sis? 🤔
@RaziMontana: @sneakznass you're BLOCKED Nadia! 📵
@Kashdreams: Ain't you supposed to be studying? @reloaded23 come get ya boy Shawn.
@Reloaded23: Chill Akil, my son had to take a break to check in with his hoes. @Kashdreams

@Saint: Now you know you're anemic, playing out here like your shoulder ain't cold.
@solébonita: @Saint get off my page Santi 🤦🏿‍♀️
@RaziMontana: That clavicle looking kind of thick Soso 👀
@aceboogie: 🤤

@taylorg: 😍😍😍
@soooRaven: daddy 💋
@lovelyla: Im trying to pull on that hair 👅
@sneakznass: Damn Gio, you got all the hoes huh? @candidcooper 🤔
@silencer45: Bro where all these broads come from?
@Gcode24: @silencer45 Don't even know bro. @sneakznass @candidcooper Y'all know Sage the only one I see.

@sneaksnass: Yes, sis out here looking like a snack 😍
@Kashdreams: Assist 🏀 @reloaded23
@RaziMontana: Layup ⛹🏾‍♂️ @reloaded23
@bandhuntaizzy: 🚷 TECHNICAL FUCKING FOUL @Kashdreams @RaziMontana

@sneakznass: @bandhuntaizzy You're such a cockblocker 😂
@reloaded23: Hey Kam 👋🏿

@sneakznass: Ok Unibrow, is that a fresh wax?
@RaziMontana: This nigga in the club sipping on champagne flutes @Majorslim sis get ya mans, this is a cry for help.

Growing tired of IG I finally worked up the courage to go see G. It was going on 11:30 PM and if I didn't go now I wasn't too sure if I ever would.

Sliding on my Adidas slides and grabbing my purse I exited my apartment and headed to
Logan, my 2016 Hyundai Sonata.

My Bluetooth seemed to read my mind and mood as Drake - Doing It Wrong began to play throughout the car.

When a good thing goes bad it's not the end of the world.

It's just the end of a world that you had with one girl.

The more Drake sung to me the less I wanted to face Gio.

Yes we had our problems, but I never saw us being in this place. A place of doubt and insecurities.

As much as I didn't want to think about it I couldn't help but to wonder if this was the end for us.

Losing myself in my thoughts and Drake's voice I suddenly found myself parked in front of G's apartment complex.

"Come on Sage." I took a deep breath before exiting the car and climbing the steps to his apartment.

Knocking lightly against the freshly painted  white door my heart raced quietly.

"Sa." Gio spoke softly as he held the door open for me.

Dressed in nothing but grey sweatpants, his face was clear of any dreads as they sat in a messy bun on top of his head, giving me a perfect view of his face.

He looked tired and I was sure I was the reason behind it.

"Hi." I whispered, not sure how to address the man standing before me.
Should I hug him?
Is a kiss even optional at this point?

"Hey." He smiled lightly before engulfing me into his warm embrace.

"You hungry, I have those chicken quesadillas that you like?" He asked nodding toward his kitchen.

"No, I'm ok. Thank you though." I rubbed my arm nervously.

"Ok, well come on." He took my hand and led me to his bedroom, past the living room and past the curious stares of his roommates.

"So wassup? Talk to me." He eyed me as I took a seat on his ivory sheets.

"I don't know what to say." I looked away as I stammered over my words, unsure of what to tell him.

"I don't know what more you want from me Sage." He palmed his face in frustration as our eyes met for the first time.

He looked defeated.

"I've been working on my communication skills. I cut off everyone you asked me to and not just for you, but because I truly want this shit to work Sa. I'm trying, honest to God I am, but I can't help but to think that it's not enough for you. We get rocky and you sought comfort in the arms of another man. The first man you've ever loved at that! How the fuck am I supposed to feel about that? I've done a lot of questionable shit throughout us being together, but not once have I ever stepped out on you Sage. I know it may be hard to believe, but you're the only person I've been with since we've been together, whether we've been on or off."

"I know we're technically not together right