Plaything

Shooting up the Club

Nikole

Three months. It had been three long-ass months since I walked out of Jay’s house. I changed my number, blocked him on everything, and told myself I was done. No more late-night thoughts about his hands, his smile, or that damn look he gave me when he said I was his. But moving on was harder than I thought. I even attempted to reach out to a man I used to mess around with and it didn’t feel the same as before. I just ended up shutting it down before it even started.

“Girl, drink this,” Yas slid a tequila shot toward me.

We were at some new spot downtown, the bass of the music thumping so hard I could feel it in my chest. Yas looked good as always, her hair in these sleek curls that fell down her back. She wore a bomb ass red one piece jumpsuit that tied at her neck. I had on light blue denim jacket that was like a crop top with its matching jeans. I wore some black heels. I just had a silk press done the day before and got a fresh manicure and pedicure.

“Tonight we gonna turn up,” she clinked her glass against mine. “We not thinking about any men.”

I nodded, throwing back the shot and letting the burn settle. “You right. I’m good.” We laughed and danced like we didn’t have a care in the world, but of course, fate had other plans.

“Yo, is that Rell and Jason?” Yas nudged me, pointing toward the bar.

Sure enough, there they were, looking like they just stepped off a GQ cover. My stomach did a little flip, not because I was nervous, but because I felt bad about how Jay acted the last time and I haven’t seen Rell since.

“C’mon,” Yas was already pulling me toward them. So much for not thinking about men.

Rell spotted me first, a grin spreading across his face. “Hey, you good?”

“I am now,” I meant it. “Listen, about last time—”

He waved me off. “Ain’t no need for all that. But, you still kicking it with olé boy?”

I hesitated, biting my lip. Finally, I shook my head. “Nah, we done.”

His smile got wider. “Good. Let me buy you a drink.”

I laughed, letting him lead me to the bar. We talked, and I actually found myself having a good time. He was easy to talk to, funny, and just enough of a flirt to keep me distracted. We danced a little and the night was going great..until it wasn’t.

All of a sudden, there was shouting and people began to crowd around the two men that were arguing. Glasses began to shatter as the fight broke out. There was shouting and then suddenly the loudest pop pop pop.

“Get down!” Yas yelled, grabbing my arm and dragging me behind a table.

My heart was pounding as I hit the ground, trying to figure out where the shots were coming from. Rell and Jason ducked down near us, and for a moment, all I could hear was screaming and chaos.

After what felt like forever, the shooting stopped, and security was rushing everyone out. “Yall good?” Rell asked, helping me to my feet.

I nodded, though my hands were still shaking.

“C’mon, we’re getting y’all home,” Jason insisted, leaving no room for refusal.

When we got to my place, Yas grabbed my keys and headed inside as Rell walked me to my door.

“I had a good time tonight,” I said softly.

“Me too. I’d like to see you again, if that’s cool.”

We exchanged numbers, and he asked for a hug. I hesitated, but then I gave in. Maybe it was time for me to move on.

After he left, I couldn’t help but think about Jay. Ugh, please not now. The thought of him with Vanessa left a nasty taste in my mouth, but I shook it off.

After Yas went to her room, I took a long, hot shower. Wrapping myself in my robe, I headed to the kitchen for some water when I heard a knock at the door.

“What the hell!” I muttered. I thought maybe Rell forgot something, but when I opened the door, there he was. He looked..worried.

I crossed my arms, “What are you doing here?”

“I heard about the shooting.” He looked over me with concerned. “I needed to know if you were okay.”

The audacity of him showing up here after everything that happened had my blood boiling. He had some nerve! The way his eyes searched mine, like he needed to see for himself that I was alright shouldn’t have made my heart jump but it did.

“You care now?” I snapped. “What, Vanessa busy or somethin’?”

He didn’t back down. “Nik, I’m serious. Are you okay?”

I didn’t know whether to slam the door in his face or let him in. Now my heart was doing that stupid fluttering thing again, and I hated it.

“Do I look okay?” I asked sarcastically. “You can’t just pop up at my place whenever you want to. You don’t have that privilege anymore.”

Jay stood there, looking at me with those deep brown eyes that always made me weak. But not tonight. Not after everything he put me through. I crossed my arms tighter and leaned against the doorframe, making it clear I wasn’t about to let him just walk back into my life like nothing happened.

“Well, as you can see, I’m in one piece,” my tone dripping with sarcasm. “So you can go back home to Vanessa. I’m sure she’s got a tracker on you or something.”

His jaw clenched, and he took a deep breath like he was trying to stay calm. “Nik, don’t start with that. I didn’t come here for any drama.”

“Oh, now you don’t want drama?” I let out a humorless laugh. “You should’ve thought about that before you humiliated me in front of her.”

“I’m sorry,” His voice cracked just enough to make me pause. But I quickly shook it off.

“Your apologies don’t mean s**t to me, Jay. You said what you said, did what you did, and now you think you can just pop up like this?”

“I had my reasons.”

“Oh, here we go,” I threw my hands up. “What is it now? You gonna tell me it was all for my own good?“

“I didn’t handle things the right way, I know that,” he admitted, stepping closer. His scent hit me, that familiar manly scent and it made my stomach flip in ways that wanted me to break the wall I was building back up. “But, it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Oh, it wasn’t?” I raised an eyebrow. “So Vanessa wasn’t at your house? You didn’t putting your arm around her in front of me? You didn’t treat me like a I was just some random chick?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. “You know what? I don’t even want to hear it. I’m done with this. Done with you.”

I slammed the door in his face. I couldn’t take being in his presence any longer because the way I was feeling, I didn’t trust myself right now. Then the thought occurred to me. How the hell did he know I was at the club?